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2021 Toyota Avalon: common problems and reliability
One of the better Avalon years.
27 owner complaints, most about air bags. 2 recalls.
Should I buy a 2021 Avalon?The 2021 Toyota Avalon has 27 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 2 recalls on record. The most-reported areas are air bags and engine. Owners most often flag transmission shifting behavior/concerns (2019+ models): reports of sluggish acceleration, rpm flaring to 1500-2000 before shifting, delayed or non-smooth shifts, and owner concerns about long-term reliability of the ua80 8-speed automatic.
Safety record for the 2021 model year
Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for 2021 Toyota Avalon vehicles (US, public record).
The Year Score compares this year with other Avalon years only. How we score it
Is 2021 a good year for the Avalon?
Across the 27 Avalon model years we track, complaint volume runs from 8 (2022) to 360 (2006). With 27 complaints, the 2021 Avalon sits below the model's median of 120.
These are raw NHTSA complaint totals, not adjusted for how many cars sold or how long each model year has been on the road. Older and higher-selling years accumulate more complaints.
Where owners report problems
Recalls affecting the 2021 Avalon
air bags:frontal
Campaign 20V734000Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Toyota Avalon and 2020 Avalon Hybrid, RAV4, and RAV4 Hybrid vehicles. Breakaway pins within the steering column, designed to absorb energy and reduce injury during a crash, could have been damaged during production, possibly affecting the performance of the driver's air bag in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
air bags:sensor:occupant classification
Campaign 23V865000Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.
What owners say across generations
Overwhelmingly positive sentiment regarding long-term reliability, comfort, and value, particularly for used examples.
- RecurrentTransmission shifting behavior/concerns (2019+ models)
Reports of sluggish acceleration, RPM flaring to 1500-2000 before shifting, delayed or non-smooth shifts, and owner concerns about long-term reliability of the UA80 8-speed automatic.
Owner insights cover all generations of the Avalon. See the full Avalon owner picture and every model year.
Typical used price
Used Avalon listings typically run $12,895–$27,579 across 2003 to 2021 model years.
Other Avalon model years
Compare every Avalon year side by side to see how 2021 ranks against the rest.
Compare the Avalon against its rivals
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