Still Think so?

 

The side and rear are definitely the Avalons best look. That grill ruins it for me. We took a quick look at one not too long ago and it was a quick no go for my wife.

 

The whole idea of the Avalon styling was to be polarizing. done on purpose, to cause a reaction either "good" or "bad". Case in point, the thread has turned to an Avalon front end discussion where attention has turned to the highest-scoring full-size mainstream sedan at CR. Certain people will not buy it, but they are talking about it.

Back to the new Optima, which is nice.

 

IMO, it's not bad looking, but that chrome line extending into the rear needs to go. Would probably look much better if they did it like the Accord's where it ends at the bottom of the quarter window, but then again, it already looks kind of like an Accord now.

 

Under some circumstances, I'd buy it. Even though I think that the grille is ridiculous, I have enough respect for the car that a version of it with 55-series tires would be pretty high on my consideration-list if I was in the market for a new vehicle right now.



Well, yes.....if you want a 4-door coupe.

 

It got a 98 in Consumer Reports.

That seems to be the case these days.

 

Can CR be trusted though?

 

Looks like Mitsubishi Galant and Lincoln MKZ had a one night stand and this is the love child.

 

I’m well aware of what the front looks like and i pretty much hate white cars and of course you picked the WORST combination of giant black grille and white car.

Anyway, sorry i brought it up, my point was swoopy sedans are the thing now.

 

Actually, I didn't know you hated white cars. White is generally considered a good color for where you live in Florida, because of the high sun angle.

Manufacturers also like plain white cars (without the added pearl/oyster texture) because it is considered the cheapest color to produce...there's no color-pigments in it. That's why, when many companies order work trucks in a bulk-purchase, they often arrive in white....unless they special-order them in the company colors.

No need to apologize. In fact, in some ways, swoopy sedans are better than no sedans. Still, as the old saying goes, I'm a general believer in function over form.

 

No. I read that they hold back their reviews to tailor their opinion to what other journals have said..... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

And, I think your point is that sedans aren't just what @mmarshall defines them as. Other consumers have opinions and tastes too, and the markets tend to shift in the direction of majority of consumers' tastes.

 

Sounds familiar.

 

Gimmick styling will not help sell sedans in fact I think it’s hurting them.
I think more and more SUVs are better designed inside and out compared to sedans.
Manufacturers are sweating all the details on these SUVs but for coupes/sedans they put as many creases, fake vents, fake exhaust tips etc bec they feel that will sell. Consumers are too smart for that.

 

Issue I have always had with CR is that all of their reviews and impressions are released 2-3 after every other publication At that point you they have lots of time to custom tailor those earlier reviews if they want. Day and date reviews with everyone else levels the playing field and provides better accuracy. Their other data such as reliability is either to be believed or not to be. Just my thoughts.