12k report on Toyota Avalon Hybrid (2014 model)

Maintenance/Repairs
1

There were some discussions awhile back about this thing. I can report some slight changes in my initial reaction…

  1. I believe I reported 33 mpg highway initially; complaining a bit. Now, after 12k miles, it is doing 39-40, identical conditions. Not bad at all, for a 3600 pound car. So there IS a break-in effect.
  2. No measurable oil loss. I could detect a cup or so on the dipstick, and there is nothing per 6k miles. With 0W20.
2

You made a very good choice

Roomy

Reliable

Fuel effiecient

Presumably, it will also hold its value very well

You can have your cake and eat it, too

3

39 mpg on a luxury sedan. Can’t complain about that. It wasn’t that long ago that to achieve that economy you’d have to drive a stripped down Geo Metro.

Oil consumption in hybrids is a totally different game, the engine isn’t running all the time, so 6000 miles on your car might be equivalent to 3-4000 on a conventional car.

4

Yes, they are great cars, essentially a Lexus in Toyota skin. I am just not willing to admit I am old enough to get one :wink:

5

Yes, not many have been sold, because the price of gas dropped around the time they came out.
I must admit: the few I have seen on the road have been geezer-piloted.

6

The bigger the car, the more you should notice a difference. After the transmission, CV joints and wheel bearings loosen up and you get some brake wear the difference should be nice.

7

How about the mpgs in town, @melott ? I get better in town (38 or so) than on the freeway (36) with my MKZ hybrid.

8

Seems like 39 for both.

9

asemaster
39 mpg on a luxury sedan. Can’t complain about that. It wasn’t that long ago that to achieve that economy you’d have to drive a stripped down Geo Metro.

My dad’s Geo Metro got 50 mpg.

10

My 2005 Corolla got 38mpg on the highway, exactly what it was rated at. Too bad the seats were uncomfortable and the ride was too hard.

11

And, with the Corolla, you’d be luck to get 2 bodies in the trunk, even folded.

12

We constantly get around 32 highway with our 07 Lexus ES-350. City - Mid 20’s.

13

The bigger deal is the in town mpgs. 39 mpg would require a Metro to match it