Slide in behind the wheel of the current-generation Toyota Avalon LTD and you quickly realize why it was named after an island paradise from Celtic mythology. Toyota’s flagship sedan coddles you in comfort, surrounds you with spaciousness, and surprises with sophistication. It’s also a sporty performance sedan with a luxurious ride.

 

The Limited model we tested is exactly the type of sedan business professionals who spend a lot of time on the road would find very satisfying because it is, indeed, equipped to please in luxury-grade comfort and convenience features.

 

For instance, the Avalon LTD comes with the Toyota “Smart Key” system. It’s a small, compact key fob the driver carries that signals a sensor in the car when it is near, turning on the puddle lamps and interior dome lamp, and then unlocking the doors when the handle is touched.

 

Not only that, but when you get behind the wheel, all you have to do to start the car is lightly push and release the starter button on the console. The driver can also open the trunk by touching the handle when the key fob is carried near the rear bumper. It’s great for those who don’t like fumbling for a key.

 

We also loved the Smart Key’s “Remote Engine Starter” feature that is available on all Avalon grades equipped with the factory alarm system as a port- or dealer-installed option. Depress the remote-start button on the key fob and the Avalon does the rest, including starting the climate control system at the most recent settings so when you get to the car the interior is nice and comfortable. (Think of how nice that is on cold or hot days.)

 

The top-of-the-line Avalon Limited is loaded with leather that is soft and comfortable. The seats are nicely sculpted and all the controls are within easy reach of the driver. It also features an electric tilt-telescoping steering column and leather-wrapped steering wheel that fits the hand just right. It even has steering wheel mounted audio and climate controls there for finger-tip adjustments without taking your hands from the wheel.

 

Another cool feature, especially for those who live in the more extreme climes are the heated and ventilated driver and front passenger seats. We found the latter very nice during our summer testing on the Gulf Coast where cool seats are an unexpected, yet welcome surprise. So is the power-adjustable driver’s seat cushion that can be extended to provide long-distance comfort to driver’s of varying heights.

 

The Avalon Limited also features a JBL Synthesis audio system with a six-disc CD changer and 12 speakers that deliver one of the best sounds we’ve heard in a sedan of this level.

 

A few days of our testing occurred during heavy rains, and it’s during those times when you really come to appreciate the Avalon Limited’s rain-sensing wipers, HID headlamps and the Smart Key System.

 

The HID headlights are some of the brightest and best-aimed we’ve seen, taking a lot of the driver strain out of driving along dark stretches of road in inclement weather. And, the rain-sensing wipers adjusted their speed in accordance to how heavy the rains were without us having to take our hands off the steering wheel.

 

Another nice feature found in the Limited model is Dynamic Laser Cruise Control system that can maintain a pre-set distance from a vehicle traveling ahead. It uses sensing devices in the front bumper to “see” the vehicle in your lane and then maintains a distance you select by using the cruise control buttons.

 

The system reduces the Avalon’s speed if the preceding vehicle slows down or if another vehicle pulls in between to maintain the following distance you select. We used Dynamic Cruise Control it a lot on the several hundred miles we drove the Avalon on the Interstate.

 

We also made a lot of use out of the navigation system, which we found to be both intuitive and easy to see—nice weather or rotten. Part of that is because the nav unit’s screen is big (7” across) and utilizes controls that have surface-emitting illumination and hideaway above the gated shifter.

 

In fact, you can use the navigation system to find your way, control the interior climate, and handle all the audio adjustments if so desired.

 

One can’t overlook the Avalon’s safety features, either. Although you don’t see them, the Avalon has one of the best comprehensive occupant safety packages in this class of luxury-sedans.

 

The Avalon’s supplemental restraint system (SRS) includes standard front seat-mounted side airbags and front and rear side-curtain airbags that help provide protection in certain types of severe side impacts. The Avalon also features a driver’s knee airbag as standard equipment. We also like the rear-view camera so you can easily keep an eye on whatever might be lurking behind you backing up.

 

Although we never tested the crash systems, we did test the braking and handling systems at Gulfport Dragway. The standard anti-lock brake system (ABS) features Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD). Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) is available with traction control (TRAC) and Brake Assist (BA) on all models.

 

VSC is designed to detect and help to correct loss of lateral traction during cornering. VSC integrates traction control (TRAC) to help limit wheel spin on slippery road surfaces. Brake Assist is designed to determine if the driver is attempting emergency braking and, if the driver has not stepped firmly enough on the brake pedal to activate the ABS, it applies maximum braking pressure until the driver releases pedal pressure.

 

The result of all these high-tech car control systems is superb handing and braking. During our 70mph-0 panic brake test the Avalon responded with sports-car-like, arrow-straight stopping distances of 162 feet.

 

We also found it’s sporty when you need to get up to speed in a hurry. All Avalon models are powered by a 268-horsepower, 3.5-liter, 24-valve V6. It’s state-of-the-art inside, which results in a very strong, smooth power delivery at any speed. Toyota claims the Avalon can effortlessly accelerate from zero-to-60 mph in just 7.7 seconds.

 

That it can, in fact, our track testing showed it actually accelerates to 60mph in 7 seconds flat—a time many sedans with V8s can’t achieve. Credit that performance with the 5-speed automatic and the pulling power of the Toyota V6.

 

Nor can luxury sport sedans the Avalon’s fuel economy; the new EPA ratings show 19 mpg city/28 mpg highway. Our real-world driving resulted in 17.9 city and 29 on the open road. Those are excellent numbers for a mid-size sedan. By the way, those who want to drive green can take solace in the fact the Avalon is certified as an Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV).

 

Over all ride and handling are impressive as well. We drove the Avalon on all types of roads, paved and gravel. Some were rough, other’s smooth. Regardless of the type or condition of the road, the Avalon seemed to absorb and adjust to keep us isolated from any undo harshness.

 

It steers lightly and precisely, too, which makes it a pleasure to drive in crowded shopping mall parking lots and in those covered parking structures.

 

We tested the Avalon in a lot of those situations. We even found time to slip a threesome’s golf bags in the spacious trunk and see what the Avalon LTD felt like driving up to a swank golf club. The result: It made us feel like well-to-do executives who could easily afford to take a day of work to enjoy the finer things of life.

 

Driving the Avalon LTD has a tendency to do that to people.