Is The 2013 Toyota Avalon The Poor Man's Audi A7? Will It Be A Runaway Sales SUCCESS Or A Fatal Flop?

At the 2012 New York Auto Show, one very interesting automobile debuted and it came from a pretty unlikely source, Toyota.

For 2013, Toyota has an all-new Avalon coming to the market and it looks awfully familiar to our choice for the 2012 style and design award, the Audi A7. And, it seems to share a bit MORE in common with the A7 aside from the sloping roofline.

The Avalon will have adjustable driving dynamics, paddle shifters and be powered by a six-cylinder powerplant. I think it's safe to say that Toyota is making moves here and would be more than happy to sell a vehicle with a lower barrier of entry than the $59,000 mark upheld by the Audi.

Think of it like this. When Mercedes-Benz introduced the very sexy Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class way back when, it was soon followed up by Volkswagen's Passat CC. If you couldn't spring the cash for the proper CLS, you made do with the CC AND you had one helluva product on your hands.

From my angle, it looks like Toyota stole an idea from Volkswagen's playbook. That's hockey, folks!

That said, do YOU think that the 2013 Avalon will benefit from its Audi A7-inspired looks OR will it fall flat on its face?

Discuss!


**The 2012 New York Auto Show Photo Galleries are exclusively sponsored by Lexus


2012 New York Auto Show Photo Gallery

monster - 4/10/2012 10:37:59 PM

+1 Boost

At first i was like wow, this is an awesome car but now, the front and back looks awkward. It only looks good from the side. Regardless people will still buy it.

pepito66 - 4/10/2012 10:49:59 PM

-3 Boost

Like all Japanese thing , is a mixer and copy and paste like Korean , front grille from Acura the lower is from new Ford tendency with Audi in mind of course , lateral from Impala, rear so tacky to exaggerate tails lights and all of this chrome OMG lack of taste all over , but I am sure 60 percent of the people like this abomination for sure, will see. Not for me so sorry. With this model Toyota show how desperate they are to catch attention from people , and no comment about the materials used to build this.

enthusiastx11 - 4/10/2012 11:29:24 PM

-6 Boost

oh my god that front end is monstrous. please don't use this thing in the same sentence with the stunning audi a7.

enthusiastx11 - 4/10/2012 11:30:54 PM

-5 Boost

and the proportions are off...from the side the rear is bulbous and the front end looks oddly small. total pastiche of 5 or 6 other cars. blech.

BMWRU - 4/11/2012 1:03:48 AM

+7 Boost

WOW, nice in some way and worse in other ways. It mixes so, so many things from many makes. Kia and Civic front end. Audi A7 proportion. Again, Civic headlights, and Kia's taillights. Hmmmm...

Chark - 4/11/2012 7:00:40 AM

+6 Boost

Is that a towel warmer on the front end?!!

llaroo - 4/11/2012 7:53:25 AM

+1 Boost

German = Purist/evolutionary/trendsetting design, Asian/American design = lets play catch up and see what we can merge together..

Codeus - 4/11/2012 7:55:15 AM

-2 Boost

bwhahaha - what an ugly car! Wait I know, toyota should have added another set of running lights and a hood scoop to finish out "i put everything on the front" idea. And even slightly hinting that this in anyway could be compared to any Audi let alone the A7 is so laughable it could even be offensive. Thank goodness i could stop laughing enough to write this post

merce63amg - 4/11/2012 8:10:11 AM

+2 Boost

The A7 has a fugly rear, the avalons is not much better but then again its cheaper..I do like the interior, and front of the Avalon though.

HoustonMidtown - 4/11/2012 8:41:55 AM

0 Boost

The front of the Avalon is a train wreck....

wcbrown - 4/11/2012 9:21:00 AM

-7 Boost

Please don't use this thing in the same sentence as the stunning A7!! Well said, enthusiastx11!

llaroo - 4/11/2012 9:34:49 AM

-3 Boost

once again, Germans understand scale and proportion vs others as in the front grills. The move to the larger grills on the Audis a few years back always looked right on the cars compared to say Lincoln that has no clue which planet they are on when it comes to designing grills, Ford is just an Aston Martin knock off now at the front, and Hyundai is great if you are into Catfish design..

Henanamani1 - 4/11/2012 10:08:00 AM

-1 Boost

I'm having a real hard time seeing any parts of A7 in this car.

JRobUSC - 4/11/2012 3:03:23 PM

0 Boost

the back half of the car when you're looking at it from the side looks like an A7, especially the rear door glass. The front half (and front end especially) look nothing like an A7.

llaroo - 4/11/2012 10:37:24 AM

0 Boost

this car will hit the 55+ average American crowd for those who think they are hip otherwise they will be driving Buicks...

LexSucks - 4/11/2012 5:05:12 PM

-4 Boost

"Since the average age of ALL cars buyers is 49"

- What a complete bunch of Nonsense. You don’t think that anyone actually believes what you just said? I guess by your logic the average age of a Subaru STI owner is 49? And the average age of a Lancer Evolution owner is also virtualy 50 years old? LOL!!! The Avalon is for old folks. You need to learn to live what that FACT.

LexSucks - 4/11/2012 5:14:09 PM

-6 Boost

Should have said "learn to live with that fact".

LexSucks - 4/12/2012 5:56:14 PM

-6 Boost

Nah dude. Your an idiot that doesn't know how to decifer information. I'm not even going to explain it to you. You'll just have to be a dummy.

LexSucks - 4/11/2012 10:53:24 AM

-3 Boost

This is just the start of the assualt. Expect more "Big Things" from this company!

enthusiastx11 - 4/11/2012 2:04:43 PM

-6 Boost

the only 'assault' going on here is on good taste. buick makes cars that are far better looking.

AgentOrange - 4/11/2012 11:24:03 AM

+1 Boost

Ummmm, where does the front license plate holder go?

OBie - 4/11/2012 12:34:06 PM

+2 Boost

Rear is true to Toyota, side profiles is A7/Passat CC-esque, and front end is Sonata Hybrid. So yes, this is Toyota's version of a 4 door coupe using every other popular 4 door coupe's ideas. DUD!

autorn - 4/11/2012 1:49:33 PM

-2 Boost

Looks like a Hyundai Sonato Hybrid in the front(hint of Civic) and Hyundai Azera in the rear(hint of Kia Optima. Side profile of the Hyundai Azera.

Willis - 4/11/2012 2:45:33 PM

0 Boost

Thank you, Toyota! Thank you for increasing Audi A7 sales!

Because thanks to your marketing, people will actually cross-shop these two cars and be disgusted by the hideous looks of the Toyota and willingly plunk down some serious cash on an Audi A7. I know I would!

mpls - 4/11/2012 4:48:22 PM

+1 Boost

"once again, Germans understand scale and proportion vs others as in the front grills."

haha... that's the biggest bull .. you only have to look at Audi's circa 2000-2005.. bug eyed, dodgy fronts blocky .. look at any Japanese /American cars in that period .. they had the sleek sloping front ends and of the front head lights.. Audi were still blocky..
VW/Audi are the biggest plagiarists in the car world, they even try to copy from BMW in the last few years..

quincy0952 - 4/11/2012 4:51:14 PM

+1 Boost

I think the tail lights are very reminiscent to those on the current Mercedes Benz E class.

mpls - 4/11/2012 5:10:48 PM

0 Boost

Nissan 350Z vs Audi TT

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nissan350Z-01.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Audi_tt.jpg

Yes, very buggy eyed awkward TT

Lexus IS vs Audi A4
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:2008_Lexus_IS250_--_NHTSA.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:2002-2005_Audi_A4_(8E)_2.0_Avant_(2011-10-25)_01.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Audi_A4_3.2_sedan_--_02-28-2011_1.jpg

2nd Generation Lexus IS vs B6 Gen A4 Audi or even B7 Generation Audi A4 which is till blocky and trying to turn the front into a sleek car with good proportions, it finally managed it in B8 ( Year 2009)

Henanamani1 - 4/11/2012 7:55:37 PM

0 Boost

Two grills???? WTH???

captainnemojr - 4/12/2012 11:25:33 AM

0 Boost

Looking at the size of that GIANT front grille, I was hoping for a huge intercooler for some turbos, but alas, no.

skytop - 4/14/2012 3:06:10 PM

0 Boost

Why are the new Toyota's looking like Japanese Hyundais???

Why can't Toyota design a fresh independent conceived design?

Toyota's cars look like left overs that have been reheated.

samson1 - 5/3/2012 10:57:40 AM

0 Boost

I think they have re-invented the Edsel.