And that someone is Consumer Reports, who managed to give Toyota's Avalon an "Excellent" overall score, with a total of 87 points. The Avalon competed against the Hyundai Azera Limited (81 points), Buick LaCrosse (73), Ford Taurus (73) and Lincoln MKZ (77).
The reason which made CR give the Avalon an "excellent" rating were the quiet, spacious cabin, comfortable ride, strong performance, and good fuel economy. According to CR, only Hyundai Genesis and Lexus ES 350 are above the Avalon in their category.
"Tranquil motoring helps the Toyota Avalon pass for a luxury car that costs twice as much money. It has a vast, quiet cabin; a compliant ride; and a slick, muscular powertrain," CR says in a release. "The Avalon's good-sized trunk includes a good pass-through to the passenger compartment that accommodates long objects like skis."
The 2010 Avalon will be offered in three grades, XL, XLS, and Limited, all powered by a 3.5l V6 engine that generates 268 horsepower and 248 lb.-ft of torque. The engine will be mated to a six-speed automatic Electronically Controlled Transmission with intelligence (ECT-i) and helps the car sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 7.1 seconds. It achieves a fuel consumption rating of 19 mpg city and 28 mpg highway.
The sedan has a MSRP of $34,974.
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