Toyota Avalon

[pwm88]

I gather from reviews that the AVALON can have 6 seating capacity. I guess the rear passenger row can take upto 4 person ?
It comes with Vehicle Skid Control, I guess pretty similar to Vehicle Stability Control ?
Compared to Honda Pilot, both have similar pricing, but the fuel consumption, Avalon is better than Avalon/Pilot : 21/17 in the city. Biggest disadvantage is that AVALON can't carry big stuff in the cargo space.
Any comments as to this is a good family car ?

Thanks.

[CPSDarren]

I suspect the Avalon may have a center seating position on a bench in the front row. If it lacks a shoulder belt, it is probably not very useful except for a few circumstances.

Vehicle Skid Control is just a trade name for stability control. Each system may operate a bit differently, but overall they should have the same general result.

As for crash ratings, also see our guides:

http://www.car-safety.org/family.html

http://www.car-safety.org/carguide.html

[pwm88]

Thanks darren for your advice.
Avalon seems attractive after I compared the interior room specs with some SUVs.
On the other hand, there don't seems to have Chrysler PT Cruiser or Pacifica in the recommended list :
http://www.car-safety.org/family.html
Although they have good ratings in www.nhtsa.dot.gov (PT has 4 stars in rollover test while pacifica has 5 stars in all test except rollover).
What are your views on these two cars ? I wonder if the rollover test for pacifica is decent enough ? Another considerations would be are their reliability as good as Honda/Toyota ?
Thanks.

[bazanna]

i just saw a pacifica the other day in person.....it's pretty neat looking. i just wanted to add that LOL i don't know anything about the crash data though ;)

[Unregistered]

but Toyota is ranked number 1 in reliability again this year. Just heard it on CNN this week.

[CPSDarren]

I saw the Pacifica at an auto show, but it's too new for much information. I don't think it has been tested in the offset crash by the IIHS yet, either.