Whether or not the AVS is worth the money I'm not sure (it came with the other packages when I bought my car), but it truly is a useful feature. The comfort mode really makes rolling over roads with lots of potholes a relaxing job, but the car would feel insecure and sway/dive too much when cruising at high speeds. Now this is when the sports mode comes handy, making the car feel stable and secure at high speeds. In twisty roads the sports mode also makes me feel more in control and willing to take the turns at higher speeds. As soon as I exit the ramps or slow down I would switch back to the comfort mode to avoid a stiff ride.

 

AVS on the ES, what is that

 

Adjustable Variable Suspension. I bought my ES used so I didn't pay a dime for that extra equipment & I personally love the feature, especially on a long trip like to Florida....I can set the AVS to soft when driving on bad roads like Michigan along I-75.

 

Incorrect, it's called Adaptive Variable Suspension.

 

Not according to the 2001 Canadian owners manual & Canadian brochure.

 

Well, whatever you want to call it or initials you give it, it is more-or-less the same idea that other manufacturers offer....a system, usually electronic or multi-valve shock-based, that varies shock damping, spring compression, and in some cases anti-roll-bar activation. GM has what is perhaps the most sophisticated system of all, called Magna-Ride, used on Corvettes and the Cadillac XLR. It uses magnetically variable aligned iron particles in special shock fluid to control the damping. It automatically stiffens up on curves and relaxes on straights.
These devices can be great or a PITA, depending on reliability and quality of engineering...........just ask a Cadillac DeVille, STS, or Eldorado owner what those pre-Magna-Ride electronic struts cost to replace when they fail....apparantly you cannot just repair them.

 

i was at school looking at motor trend on the computer and they metioned the 2006 or 2007 w/e year it is ES 350 and said that the engine layout thing will be of course a 3.5 V6 producing 245 bhp (around there). i thought it would get the samy thing as the avalon, but like someone else said on club lexus, the es and camry are the same thing, and what would a camry do with 280hp under the hood. but 245 is not thing much of a leap in my opinion as with the 3 Generation GS the V6 and V8 model

 

If the Avalon can get 280hp, why not a Camry? The Camry has been getting the same engine with the same output as the Avalon for years. If anything, the 2004 Camry SE was given the more powerful 3.3L V6 with 225hp while the 2004 Avalon was still running with the 3.0L V6 with 210hp. There's simply no reason for Toyota to detune the 3.5L V6 for the Camry. The 245hp figure has to be simply some made-up number, and not a very clever one at that.

 

**** off the V6 Altima owners

 

yeah thats true they would get kinda zoned out about that,

but i just read what the article said, but im guessing that its wrong