The best and worst Toyota Avalon years, by the numbers
Short answer: among Toyota Avalons old enough to judge (2005–2021), the 2016–2018 and 2020 have the fewest owner complaints per 10,000 sold. The 2007–2009 and 2011 have the most.
We counted every owner complaint filed with the federal government (NHTSA) for each model year and divided by how many were sold that year, so a year that sold more doesn’t look worse just for being popular. Years newer than 2021 are shown but not ranked — they haven’t been on the road long enough. How this is calculated.
Years with the most complaints
2007 Toyota Avalon · 27.6 per 10,000 sold (1.8× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Stalling and no-start, typically around 37,750 miles; then doors, windows, latches, seats and trim.
2008 Toyota Avalon · 76.9 per 10,000 sold (5.0× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Wiring harness, grounds and connectors, typically around 61,000 miles; then stalling and no-start.
2009 Toyota Avalon · 31.6 per 10,000 sold (2.0× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Wiring harness, grounds and connectors, typically around 51,000 miles; then tie rods, linkage, shaft and column.
2011 Toyota Avalon · 36.6 per 10,000 sold (2.4× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Body control and other modules, typically around 38,800 miles; then doors, windows, latches, seats and trim.
Years with the fewest complaints
2016 Toyota Avalon · 5.2 per 10,000 sold (0.3× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported, even so: Driver-assist cameras, radar and calibration.
2017 Toyota Avalon · 4.3 per 10,000 sold (0.3× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported, even so: Transmission control module and sensors.
2018 Toyota Avalon · 7.4 per 10,000 sold (0.5× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported, even so: Driver-assist cameras, radar and calibration, typically around 2,900 miles.
2020 Toyota Avalon · 5.4 per 10,000 sold (0.3× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported, even so: Driver-assist cameras, radar and calibration.
Every year: complaints per 10,000 sold
Typical Toyota Avalon year: 15.5 per 10,000 sold.
Complaints are counted once each, even when an owner lists several parts. Sales are US units sold in the calendar year, a close stand-in for the model year.
Common questions
What is the worst year for the Toyota Avalon?
Among Toyota Avalons old enough to judge (2005–2021), the 2008 has the most owner complaints per 10,000 sold: 76.9, about 5.0× a typical Toyota Avalon year. The 2007, 2009 and 2011 also stand out.
What is the best year for the Toyota Avalon?
The 2017 has the fewest owner complaints per 10,000 sold among Toyota Avalons from 2005–2021: 4.3, against 15.5 for a typical year. The 2016, 2018 and 2020 are also well below typical.
What goes wrong on the 2008 Toyota Avalon?
The most-reported problem on the 2008 Toyota Avalon is wiring harness, grounds and connectors, typically around 61,000 miles.
Why aren't the newest Toyota Avalon years ranked?
The 2022 haven't been on the road long enough. Newer cars have fewer complaints mainly because they're newer, so ranking them would flatter them.
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Source: NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; US sales from public industry figures. Complaints are self-reported and not independently verified. This is not an inspection and not a recommendation to buy or avoid any vehicle.