As my first glimpse of the new Toyota Avalon quickly gave way to the first drive, it soon eased into another journey of discovery. An experience of something I call ‘sympathetic craftsmanship’. Simply put, it’s all about how the distinctive design of Toyota’s flagship sedan inspired three gifted artisans to create unique artistic expressions.

If I weren’t predisposed to grabbing the driver’s seat at any given opportunity, I would have gracefully stepped into the back seat of the all-new 2019 Avalon. Toyota had sent a driver – ‘chauffeur’ is totally appropriate given the latest styling of Toyota’s full-size sedan – and the cabin looked positively inviting.

On that frenzied day, I had moved my pick up location to a place closer to the destination (Bulgari villas in Jumeriah) instead of the previously decided spot, twenty kilometers further down. Seldom have I regretted shortening a journey thus, for it clipped my flight in the new Avalon by a good twenty kilometers, after I had switched positions with my jovial driver. Running late was a good excuse for testing the car against the speed limit of the highway; for safely gliding across half a dozen lanes in time to catch the exit; for sweeping down a ramp; and even performing a ‘clockwise maneouvre’ to escape a jam at a private roundabout.

It’s enough to say that without incident or incrimination we reached the ‘House of Avalon’ – which was an elegant Bulgari villa converted to an atelier. Here I met three craftsmen who worked on metal, leather and fabric and would share a common feature with me that day: our ‘inspiration’.

Just as the cuts, curves and smooth glide of the Avalon would inspire me to write about my experience of it, the sculpted lines, tones and textures of the car were shared with these talented craftsmen to evoke images and motifs that would then be translated into their familiar medium. How can automotive design lines, the smell of carefully curated leather or a moulded grille inspire an artisan? Prepare to be surprised – click to watch the video.

The all-new 2019 Toyota Avalon

Visually, if the Avalon had accentuated sprawling grandeur in the previous generations, that has given way to sculpted lines, luxury class material and an assertive character like solid wood. Toyota calls the 5^th generation Avalon the ‘brand catalyst’ for it defines the brand’s direction for the future.

According to the press note, Toyota has kept in mind two keywords throughout the development of this model: Authenticity and Exhilaration. The former refers to a purposeful design made using premium material, while exhilaration is expressed through thrilling performance that inspires confidence.

Glimpses of the latter quality was seen in the brand new Camry Grande Sport, which is built on the same Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform. The Camry was nothing short of inspiring and the Avalon further consolidates the brand’s intention to design, engineer and package its vehicles with comfort, stability and superior handling. Driven by the familiar fuel-efficient 3.5-liter V6 engine and equipped with a host of comfort and safety features under Toyota Safety Sense, the 2019 Toyota Avalon at once embodies an overarching desire for premium and the effortless attainability of it.

Daring styling with a smart package

The new TNGA platform, just as it did with the Camry, has made the new Avalon’s exterior longer, lower and wider. The wide, pleasantly assertive façade and the slick sidelines celebrate a premium presence bordering on luxury. The low silhouette gives it a lithe, marine styled sleekness.

While the slim all LED headlamps look good, the rear combination lamps with a 3-dimensional aero fin shape integrate reverse, stop, and turn lights into a single harmonious, fluid form. The colours of Avalon are understatements of refined allure. The blue on display had a mystique quality about it, and there were seven more such exterior colours. Two of them – Slate Gray and Blackish Brown – are newly developed.

Authenticity of premium materials inside

The new Avalon has a range of advanced features, including an enhanced 9-inch multimedia display, a 10-inch coloured and adjustable head-up display (HUD), wireless charging system for smartphones, ambient illumination, dual-zone automatic air conditioning system, 14-speaker JBL surround sound system, multi-adjustable power and ventilated front seats, and 60:40 split folding rear seats.

The interior offers four-colour scheme options – Brown, Beige, Gray and Black. On my way to the House of Avalon, what caught the eye were the flat and solid wood trims. Wood or hydrographic ornamentation depends on the grade. The luxurious appearance is completed by the newly developed 18-inch alloy wheels, finished in bright super chrome paint.

Thrilling dynamic performance

The recently launched eighth generation Toyota Camry is arguably one of the best sedans in its category and perhaps the best ever Camry in history, especially in its Grand Sport version. The new Avalon is closer to it in sheer handling delight and emulates the in-house luxury marque in the material chosen and the attitude exuded by the interiors.

The new multi-link rear suspension allows for the enhancement of many performance attributes, such as a wider rear track, lower centre of gravity, and an aggressive stance. The new 3.5-liter V6 engine finds the right partner in the all-new eight-speed automatic transmission, with a maximum output of 298 hp and 356 N‎m of torque. The engine is equipped with the latest Direct Injection 4-Stroke Gasoline Engine Superior Version (D-4S) and Variable Valve Timing-intelligent Wide (VVT-iW) systems to achieve top-notch power performance, environmental relevance, and fuel efficiency. 

Driver assistance and safety is priority

2019 Avalon enhances its safety system with Toyota Safety Sense, an advanced safety technology package that includes Pre-Collision System (PCS), Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC), Lane Departure Alert (LDA), and Automatic High Beam (AHB).

In addition, The Avalon has 10 SRS airbags, Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Traction Control (TRC), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), Electric Parking Brake (EPB) with Brake Hold function, Blind Spot Monitor (BSM), Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA), Hill-start Assist Control (HAC) and others.

The 2019 Avalon is now available at all Al-Futtaim Toyota showrooms. The SE+ model costs AED 144,900 including VAT while the Limited is yours for AED 164,900.