Overview & Reviews

More power, more torque and added standard features make the Avalon one of the most appealing full-size sedans

• Toyota reliability, powerful V-6 engine, fit and finish

• Snoozeville, but still more enticing than, say, a Buick LeSabre

User Reviews:

Showing 21 through 30 of 50.00

• 

  Great Car - 1997 Toyota Avalon
  By mcrews1407 - October 21 - 10:00 am

  Bought at 40k, now have 175k. Lots of room, very comfortable after long trip. I am 63" and fit!!!!! Very reliable. Have regular maintanience done. Replaced strus and shocks at 100k. Alt. at 125K and rack and pinion at 175. Great engine and Trans. I run a 225/60 tire. a step up from the factory size. Helps handling.

• 

  Excellent value! - 1997 Toyota Avalon
  By Bert - October 6 - 12:20 pm

  Just purchased for my college daughter - 150K miles - $4,250. Such a solid car. Very quiet, extra roomy, powerful V-6. As others have noted, it has suspension issues, sounds like a bucket of bolts on rough roads. Going in for suspension overhaul next week, should be set for another 100,000 miles. Little to no rust. Love the car! My wife and I own an 02 Avalon, so I was very happy to find a family-owned used one for my kid.

• 

  yota - 1997 Toyota Avalon
  By yeoleyota - August 14 - 10:00 am

  This car aint half bad. I mean if you squint at it, it could look like a couple other cars, its cousin, Lexus LS 400, or an older benz E class. Its got heart when you need to pass up folks on the highway. Ive had the seats pulled all the way to the back and I was still able to sit in the back seat with no problems and had room to spare. The trunk is roomy also. Now for the bad stuff.....struts. I sound like an old bus going over heavy bumps. Now the car isnt bouncing, but Im sure it will be soon. The alternator gave out and the calipers in the back click. Yeah, the car is a little boring to look at, but its nice on insurance, cause no one really wants to steal it.

• 

  Nice luxury - 1997 Toyota Avalon
  By nice ride - July 28 - 4:20 am

  Bought it used with 140k miles but still runs and looks like new with enough power from a smooth quiet 3.0 v6 engine.

• 

  97 Avalon XLS - 1997 Toyota Avalon
  By rsnorwood - September 27 - 6:23 am

  Bought new - now 85,600. Other than strut mounts as mentioned, and brakes, no major repairs. This car stinks in snow. I live on a hill and get stuck almost every snowstorm. Now shopping for an AWD sedan which is not easy to find in the 1st place - making it harder is trying to find one that doesnt seem like a compact car to me. If not for New England weather Id keep it for a few more years.

• 

  most reliable car owned - 1997 Toyota Avalon
  By Jeanne E - September 26 - 10:00 am

  This car might not be the most exciting car Ive owned, but it has been the most reliable and is still complelely reliable after 180000 miles and 8 years!

• 

  Incredible Car - 1997 Toyota Avalon
  By jking63 - July 31 - 2:00 am

  This car has been the most dependable automobile I have ever owned. I havent replaced anything other then the timing belt because of the schedule. I have replace my headlight bulbs once. This was about 2000 miles ago. I you own a avalon and thinking about trading it in because of high miles...Dont!!!!!! I have owned 15 automobiles. It really out shines my 98 Cadi as far as maintenace issues.

• 

  97 AVALON - 1997 Toyota Avalon
  By Janina Deppe - July 19 - 2:13 pm

  Other than standard maintenance we have had little or no work done on this car. A few weeks ago we had our first problem (after six and a half years of owning the car) which was a rack and pinion issue and was corrected. We chose a bench instead of a bucket seat to get more seating which was important at the time of purchase but isnt a nice feature. The tan exterior and interior leather are not very attractive. I wish we opted for the wood trim and sunroof options as well. Excellent reliable car and my six foot seven cousin sat in the back seet and said it was the first time he could do that comfortably in any car!

• 

  1997 Toyota Avalons - 2 of them - 1997 Toyota Avalon
  By Legacy - February 19 - 6:00 am

  I liked my first Avalon so much that I bought another in 2000 and weve put 330,000 miles on the pair. Both are nicked up but they still run fine (2008). In 19 (combined) years of use Ive had only ~$3,000 in repairs (other than an accident, tires and oil changes). Cons: Weak in snow. Steerling column leak (both cars - use sealing fluid). Goes through tires too quickly. Toyotas known for quality and reliability and thats exactly what Ive experienced. In 2007 I purchased a 1986 Corolla that runs fine. I now need a 4th car and it will be a Toyota. I still feel that I made a solid purchase every time I start up one of my Avalons.

• 

  Sweet & Easy - 1997 Toyota Avalon
  By STRETCH - November 17 - 2:00 am

  For the four years that I have had this car. The only major work that I had done was to have the timing belt changed. The only reason for that was it was just time for it on the schedule. If I had to do it all over again I would have gotten the CD player option and the power moonroof.