There has been so much exciting news for the 2020 model year that our attention has been pulled in multiple directions. The Toyota Supra might be the most exciting thing to happen to the lineup in terms of high-performance cars, but there are a couple of other exciting race-inspired things happening as well, like the introduction of the first-ever 2020 Toyota Avalon TRD in Palatine IL. The 86 marked the first non-truck or SUV to get a TRD trim level, now the Avalon is following suit alongside the Camry.
The Toyota Avalon first joined the lineup back in 1994 and it has been the flagship sedan ever since, undergoing four total redesigns with the most recent leading to the fifth-generation 2019 Avalon. Now, the Avalon gets its first TRD trim level since Toyota Racing Development, the company’s in-house tuning shop, first became a thing back.
The first thing we want to note about the first-ever Avalon TRD is that it is powered by the brand’s popular 3.5L V6 engine, which is capable of generating 301 horsepower. Tethered to that engine is, of course, an 8-speed automatic transmission featuring both a sport mode and paddle shifters. That engine finds itself beneath the hood of what began as an Avalon XSE model before it received TRD chassis enhancements and unique track tuning.
As for the vehicle’s suspension, things like body control, handling agility and steering precision are improved thanks to specially tuned shock absorbers and the new 19x8.5-inch matte black wheels equipped to the vehicle. Braking was enhanced by utilizing 0.9-inch wider rotors and dual-piston calipers. Finally, an aerodynamic body kit was added to enhance performance even further, with side skirts, a front splitter, a trunk lid spoiler and a rear diffuser.
Everything else unique about the vehicle has to do with design, which you should be able to see from the photographs. They include stainless steel exhaust tips, red pinstriping, red seatbelts, black Sport SofTex-trimmed front seats featuring ultra-suede inserts, unique TRD floor and trunk mats, an embossed shift knob and red stitching and accents throughout the cabin. If you’re interested in an Avalon TRD of your own, be sure to reach out for more information.
