2005 Toyota Avalon Limited

When the lights went up after the 2005 Toyota Avalon's PowerPoint presentation, the thought that hung in the air was: No more front bench seat? "Not enough demand anymore," a Toyota representative sighed. Normally, what sticks in your mind after these inevitable new-model introductions isn't what the car no longer offers.

Freshly jolted with an injection of chic, the Avalon's mood is now quiet style. Longer and lankier (growing 5.3 inches in length, 3.9 inches in wheelbase, 1.2 inches in beam, and 1.4 inches in height), Toyota's flagship sedan looks as if it's been stretched by a Photoshop effect. Whereas the previous edition (the second) wafted down the highway as a sort of elevated, big-window motor carriage Emperor Akihito might politely wave from, now the side glass is fashionably pinched as the roofline rakes rearward (sorry about the head, Mr. Emperor). It's not a styling skyrocket like the Chrysler 300, but the Avalon's raw proportions will grow on you.

Underhood is an essentially all-new 3.5-liter engine, a short-stroke development of the 4.0-liter block that powers the Tundra, Tacoma, and 4Runner. This is hardly a truck engine, though, with four valves per cylinder, variable valve timing on intake and exhaust cams, and roller followers that permit concave cam profiles (quickening valve opening and lengthening duration). Coupled to a five-speed automatic transmission (stirred by a shifter conveniently offset toward the driver), the Avalon's six offers scant suggestion of its 280 horsepower in casual driving. This is a high-rpm, fancy-valve-work type of horsepower without the low-speed yank of, say, the Chrysler 300's 3.5-liter V-6. On the other hand, put through its paces at the dragstrip, the Avalon hits 60 mph in an unexpected 6.5 seconds--2.2 seconds quicker than its predecessor, and a scant three-tenths off the most recent Hemi-engined 300C we've tested.

Inside, you're greeted by a much more contemporary dash layout, with Nissan-like crisp modernity replacing the 1980s-vintage padded-for-your-protection motif. The textures are superb; the knobbery's feel is akin to the switchgear on high-end electronics. In back, there's enough rear legroom to delight Yao Ming, the dimension having grown yet another inch for 2005, supplemented by a reclining backrest that tilts up to 10 degrees. A nice touch is the driver seat's extendable lower cushion--it's not a separate protruding element, but an internal, powered mechanism allowing the cushion to magically extend or contract by two inches. Among other goodies are the available heated and ventilated front seats and one-touch starting button (a quick press triggers the starter to churn until the engine's booted up). Most fun, though, is the optional remote starting feature that lets you fire the engine on brisk mornings while reading the funnies at the kitchen table (and maybe scaring the neighbor's cat off the hood).