2005 Toyota Avalon Road Test

Like any extreme makeover, the folks at Toyota’s West Coast design center in Newport Beach, Calif., have sculpted a dramatic new skin that makes a clean break with the past. Gone are the milquetoast looks and any hint that the Avalon is just a super-sized Camry.

The car’s increased dimensions, combined with its relatively long hood and short rear deck, greater proportion of sheet metal to side glass, and black window pillars and frames make the car look longer and more substantial. The vertical body-colored grille with chrome accents, sharp drop-off from the trunk lid to the back bumper, and standard alloy wheels also give the Avalon a more elegant appearance similar to the $70,000 Audi A8L, one of the best-looking sedans on the street.