Things are Looking Bleak for the Toyota Avalon

Unfortunately, in the automotive industry, not all news is good news. Sometimes you’re hit with a headline that just brings a tear to your eye. That definitely happened today. To most, if not all, the popular automotive news outlets out there, the Toyota Avalon is in dire straits. First the Land Cruiser and now the Avalon. Sad times indeed.

Toyota of Clermont is here for the mourning to begin. We’ll recount a brief history of this beloved full-sized sedan and walk through why it’s being axed by the Toyota gods. Let’s jump in (tears and all)!

What Happened to the Toyota Avalon?

In a year where cars are in dramatically short supply, it seemed to all the world that Toyota’s lineup would remain unphased. We already lost the Clermont Land Cruiser, after all. In fact, sales of the Avalon were up significantly from 2020, but that wasn’t enough to save it.

In truth, the automotive landscape has changed a lot since the Avalon’s peak year, 2000. Drivers now heavily prefer SUVs and compact variants of that formula. If sedans are being driven (yes, the Corolla and Camry are still going strong), they’re often more compact in size to emphasize practicality and be more fuel-efficient. For many drivers out there, the Clermont Toyota Avalon was overpowered, overpriced, and not necessary.

While there’s been no official word from Toyota indicating that the Toyota Avalon is out of the game (there wasn’t for the Land Cruiser, either, but it’s pretty obvious), reports show that Toyota’s manufacturing plant in Kentucky is planning on ending output. This comes as rumors circulated that the Avalon was due for another refresher soon.

Remembering the Good Days

The Clermont Toyota Avalon may be knocking on death’s door, but it has lived a full life for a full-sized sedan. Here are a few historical highlights to remember when you’re feeling particularly sappy:

• The Avalon was introduced all the way back in 1994 as a replacement for the discontinued Cressida. The Cressida used a straight 6-cylinder engine and RWD (honestly, sounds like the perfect combo) while the Avalon opted for a V6 with FWD.
• “Avalon” refers to the name of an island from Arthurian legends.
• Five design generations have come and gone for the Clermont Toyota Avalon and each of them bringing something new to the table. The fifth and final generation upped the sporty factor to match what’s under the hood. Distinct body lines, distinguished paint color options, a TRD trim grade, and more marked this model year interesting, to say the least.
• Production and assembly all took place domestically in Georgetown, Kentucky for the Avalon. It’s also sold in China and that country will be the only one with Avalon’s still available after the 2022 model year.

While the Toyota Avalon won’t be returning to Toyota of Clermont, there’s a silver lining. Something has to replace the once beloved full-sized sedan.

Only time will tell when we’ll see that, but you can still shop for the Avalon today! Visit us at 16851 State Road 50 and check out our inventory.

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