The Lemon Index

All cars · Toyota Avalon

2018 Toyota Avalon.

The 2018 Toyota Avalon is better than average by owner complaints: 20 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 59, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about airbags, it has 2 recalls, and it gets 24 to 40 mpg combined. The best Toyota Avalon year is 2017.

59Lemon Index · 100 = average car

Better than average. 1.7× fewer complaints than average.

Best year 2017 · Worst year 2008

Toyota Avalon
Photo shows a Toyota Avalon. Dinkun Chen, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · background removed

Before you buy. What matters most for this car.

Owner complaints20first 3 years
Fuel economy24–40 mpgcombined, EPA
Crash test★★★★★NHTSA overall

How serious. Out of 25 owner complaints, owners reported:

7crashes
4injuries
0fires
5tows

What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.

airbags20%
steering20%
brakes10%
fuel or ev drive system10%
automatic emergency braking10%

Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.

Transmission problems in every Toyota Avalon year →

When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.

half by 11K
0K50K100K150K200K

Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 4K to 34K miles on the car (15 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.

Recalls 2

  • airbags 2020

    During certain crashes, the air bag electronic control unit (ECU) may malfunction, possibly disabling the deployment of the air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners.

  • fuel system, gasoline 2020

    Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) recalled certain 2018-2019 4Runner, Highlander, Camry, Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Sienna, Tacoma and Tundra, and Lexus RC 300, RC 350, GS 350, GX 460, IS 300, LC 500, LS 500,…

Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.

Check a VIN for open recalls

Problems Toyota told dealers about

Toyota sent dealers 178 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:

  • Some customers may encounter Bluetooth connectivity concerns such as: ?
  • Some customers may encounter Bluetooth connectivity concerns such as: ?Difficulty to pair the…

Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.

Government investigations

  • ClosedElectrical overstress2019–2024

NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.

Safety

Stability controlStandard
Collision warningStandard
Lane departure warningStandard
NHTSA front crash test of the 2018 Toyota Avalon
Front crash test · NHTSA
Crash test details
VersionOverallFrontSideRollover
Toyota Avalon 4 DR FWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆
Toyota Avalon Hybrid 4 DR FWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆
Fuel cost and engines

About $1600–2700 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 2.5L 4-cyl, 3.5L 6-cyl.

Quick answers

Is the 2018 Toyota Avalon reliable?

Yes, better than average by government complaints. It drew 1.7× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 59; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Toyota Avalon year by this measure is 2017.

What are the most common 2018 Toyota Avalon problems?

In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are airbags (20%), steering (20%) and brakes (10%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.

How many recalls does the 2018 Toyota Avalon have?

2 safety recalls (latest: airbags). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2018 Toyota Avalon get?

24 to 40 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).

Is the 2018 Toyota Avalon safe?

NHTSA gave it 5 out of 5 stars overall in its best tested version. Ratings differ by body style, and the full table is on the advanced page.

Does the 2018 Toyota Avalon have transmission problems?

Transmission and drivetrain issues aren't among its top 5 complaint areas.

How much does the 2018 Toyota Avalon cost in fuel a year?

About $1600 to $2700 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.

What engines does the 2018 Toyota Avalon have?

2.5L 4-cyl, 3.5L 6-cyl.

What Toyota Avalon year is better than the 2018?

By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2017, 2016 and 2015.

Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works

Updated

Free to use with credit: Source: The Lemon Index (lemonindex.com). Get the data