Is the Toyota Avalon considered a luxury car?
No — it is not a true luxury car in terms of badge and branding. The Avalon is generally considered a near-luxury or entry-luxury full-size sedan from Toyota, positioned above the Camry but outside the Lexus luxury lineup.
Beyond branding, the debate hinges on features, price, ride quality, and service networks. The Avalon has long offered premium interiors, strong safety tech, and a comfortable ride, but it sits below the echelon of established luxury brands such as Lexus, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi. Toyota discontinued the Avalon after the 2022 model year, signaling a shift toward SUVs and crossovers in the U.S. market. The result is a car that many observers classify as near-luxury rather than a full luxury car.
What counts as a luxury car?
To understand where the Avalon fits, it's helpful to recall how critics and buyers typically define a luxury car. Distinctions include badge/brand, price, interior quality, technology, ride refinement, and service network.
- Badge and brand: Luxury cars usually come from premium brands (Lexus, BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Cadillac, Jaguar, etc.). The Avalon bears a Toyota badge and sits outside the traditional luxury brand tier.
- Price and ownership cost: True luxury models generally command higher starting prices and costlier maintenance; Avalon's price is lower, even in top trims.
- Interior materials and comfort: Luxury cars often use higher-grade materials, more extensive soft-touch surfaces, and advanced seating; the Avalon offers upscale interiors but not the same benchmark as high-end luxury sedans.
- Technology and features: Many luxury cars offer more advanced digital interfaces, driver-assistance features, and amenities; Avalon provides rich equipment but not always the same level of luxury-brand tech ecosystem.
- Ride and refinement: Luxury sedans emphasize isolation, refinement, and noise control; Avalon prioritizes comfort and value with strong noise suppression but is generally not classed as a luxury ride.
- Resale value and dealership experience: Luxury brands offer bespoke dealer networks and resale depreciation patterns; Avalon aligns with mainstream Toyota service and reliability rather than luxury-brand networks.
In practice, these criteria mean the Avalon is widely described as near-luxury or entry-luxury rather than a full-fledged luxury car.
Avalon in practice: how it stacks up against luxury benchmarks
Looking specifically at the Avalon versus luxury sedans, several contrasts emerge: branding, price, materials, and focus on reliability vs. badge prestige.
- Branding and badge: Toyota vs Lexus and other luxury brands; no Lexus badge on Avalon.
- Pricing tiers: top Avalon trims are typically priced well below entry-level luxury sedans from brands like Lexus, BMW, or Mercedes.
- Interior and materials: The Avalon offers a premium interior with leather, wood accents, and soft-touch surfaces, but generally uses Toyota-grade materials without the same depth or customization options as luxury rivals.
- Technology and safety: Avalon includes Toyota Safety Sense and a modern infotainment system; luxury rivals offer more exclusive or advanced features and premium audio options.
- Ride quality: Avalon provides a smooth, quiet ride suitable for long trips; some luxury models emphasize a more dynamic ride or a more hushed, studio-like cabin.
- Resale and ownership: The Avalon benefits from Toyota reliability and favorable resale, but its luxury status is not recognized by most brokers and badge collectors.
Overall, the Avalon stands as a well-equipped, comfortable mainstream sedan with near-luxury appeal, but it does not fulfill the criteria to be labeled a true luxury car.
Bottom line
The Toyota Avalon offers premium features and a refined experience at a mainstream price point, earning it broad respect, but not the official luxury designation that comes with brands like Lexus, BMW, or Mercedes. It is best described as near-luxury or entry-luxury in the current market.
Summary
The Toyota Avalon is not a luxury car in the strict branding sense. It is widely regarded as near-luxury or entry-luxury—a premium, comfortable, well-equipped sedan that sits above the Camry but without the Lexus badge or the price tag typical of true luxury brands. Production of the Avalon ended after the 2022 model year in North America, reflecting Toyota's shift toward SUVs and crossovers. For buyers seeking a luxury experience, brands like Lexus remain the official option within the Toyota family, while the Avalon remains a strong example of a high-quality mainstream sedan with luxury-like features. In short, it offers many luxury-like traits, just not the official luxury designation.
What car class is a Toyota Avalon?
The Toyota Avalon (Japanese: トヨタ・アバロン, Hepburn: Toyota Abaron) is a full-size sedan manufactured by Toyota, as its largest front-wheel drive sedan; also its flagship in the United States, Canada, China and the Middle East.
Is Avalon considered a luxury car?
The 2022 Toyota Avalon full-size sedan is a luxury car for people who don't want to pay luxury car prices.
Is Avalon more luxury than Camry?
Think of the Avalon as a more refined, luxurious alternative to the Camry. Its standard 3.5L V6 engine has quite a bit more power - 268 hp - but less compelling fuel efficiency, with EPA ratings of 21 mpg city/30 mpg highway.
Which Toyota model is luxury?
The luxury version of Toyota is the Lexus brand, which is Toyota's dedicated luxury division. Additionally, Toyota is launching a new Century brand as an even more exclusive, ultra-luxury offering positioned above Lexus.
- Lexus: This is the long-established luxury brand from Toyota, sharing components with Toyota vehicles but with higher-end features, materials, and design. Lexus is Toyota's main luxury brand, especially in the U.S. market.
- Toyota Century: This is a new, ultra-luxury brand designed to compete with brands like Rolls-Royce and Bentley. Century is a separate, high-end brand that will be positioned above Lexus, with some models like the new Century SUV and coupe anticipated to be available in very limited quantities in the U.S.
