The 2017 Toyota Avalon stands out as a reliable and comfortable large sedan, and for families and individuals alike, safety is paramount. Understanding the safety ratings of a vehicle is a crucial step in the car-buying process. This comprehensive guide delves into the safety performance of the 2017 Toyota Avalon, drawing on rigorous testing data to provide you with a detailed analysis. We’ll explore how this model performed in various crashworthiness evaluations and highlight its safety features, giving you the information you need to make an informed decision.
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Driver-Side Evaluation
The small overlap front crash test simulates a challenging real-world scenario where only a small portion of the vehicle’s front end impacts another vehicle or a narrow object like a tree or pole. The 2017 Toyota Avalon, specifically models from 2015-2018 after a front structure modification in 2015, underwent this demanding test.
In this evaluation, the 2017 Toyota Avalon achieved a “Good” rating, the highest possible, for overall performance. This “Good” rating extends to critical aspects of occupant protection:
- Structure and Safety Cage: The structural integrity of the Avalon held up exceptionally well, earning a “Good” rating. This indicates that the vehicle’s frame is designed to withstand the forces of a small overlap crash, maintaining the occupant survival space.
- Driver Injury Measures: Sensors on the crash test dummy indicated a low risk of injury to the driver in several key body regions, all rated “Good”:
- Head/Neck: Excellent protection for the head and neck.
- Chest: Good level of protection for the chest area.
- Hip/Thigh: Minimal risk of injury to the hip and thigh.
- Lower Leg/Foot: Good protection for the lower leg and foot area.
However, the evaluation also noted an area for potential improvement in Driver Restraints and Dummy Kinematics, which received an “Acceptable” rating. While the frontal airbag did deploy, the dummy’s head nearly slid off the left side, raising concerns about potential head contact with the side structure. Furthermore, the seat belt allowed excessive forward movement of the dummy’s head and torso. The side curtain airbag deployed but was noted to lack sufficient forward coverage to fully protect the head in this specific type of crash, possibly leaving it vulnerable to forward side structure or outside objects. The side torso airbag did deploy as intended.
Technical measurements from the small overlap front test provide further detail:
| Measurement | Value |
|---|---|
| Lower hinge pillar max intrusion (cm) | 4 |
| Footrest intrusion (cm) | 4 |
| Left toepan intrusion (cm) | 3 |
| Brake pedal intrusion (cm) | 4 |
| Parking brake intrusion (cm) | 8 |
| Rocker panel lateral average intrusion (cm) | 2 |
| Steering column movement (cm) | 0 |
| Upper hinge pillar max intrusion (cm) | 2 |
| Upper dash intrusion (cm) | 3 |
| Lower instrument panel intrusion (cm) | 3 |
| Head HIC-15 | 137 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 1.6 |
| Neck Extension bending moment (Nm) | 20 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.31 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 20 |
| Left Femur force (kN) | 1.0 |
| Right Femur force (kN) | 1.6 |
| Left Tibia index | 0.64 |
| Right Tibia index | 0.70 |
These measurements confirm that occupant compartment intrusion was limited, contributing to the “Good” ratings for structural performance and driver injury measures.
Moderate Overlap Front Crash Test: Original Evaluation
In the moderate overlap front crash test, a larger portion of the vehicle’s front end impacts a deformable barrier. This test is more traditional and represents a significant portion of frontal collisions. The 2017 Toyota Avalon, based on tests of the 2013 model which represents the same generation, excelled in this evaluation, achieving a “Good” overall rating.
The 2017 Avalon earned “Good” ratings across all categories in the moderate overlap test:
- Overall Evaluation: “Good”
- Structure and Safety Cage: “Good”
- Driver Injury Measures (Head/Neck, Chest, Leg/Foot Left, Leg/Foot Right): “Good” across all areas.
- Driver Restraints and Dummy Kinematics: “Good”
Technical measurements from the moderate overlap front test highlight the controlled deformation and low injury risk:
| Measurement | Value |
|---|---|
| Footrest intrusion (cm) | 6 |
| Left footwell intrusion (cm) | 8 |
| Center footwell intrusion (cm) | 5 |
| Right footwell intrusion (cm) | 5 |
| Brake pedal intrusion (cm) | 6 |
| Left instrument panel rearward movement (cm) | 1 |
| Right instrument panel rearward movement (cm) | 2 |
| Steering column upward movement (cm) | 0 |
| Steering column rearward movement (cm) | -3 |
| A-pillar rearward movement (cm) | 2 |
| Head HIC-15 | 179 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 1.5 |
| Neck Extension bending moment (Nm) | 16 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.25 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 30 |
| Left Femur force (kN) | 1.7 |
| Right Femur force (kN) | 1.9 |
| Left Tibia index | 0.54 |
| Right Tibia index | 0.46 |
These results indicate excellent protection for the driver in a moderate overlap frontal crash scenario.
Side Impact Crash Test: Original Evaluation
Side impacts are another serious type of collision, and the 2017 Toyota Avalon was evaluated for side crashworthiness. Using data from the 2013 model, which shares the same structural design, the Avalon achieved a “Good” overall rating in the side crash test. This test assesses driver and rear passenger protection.
The 2017 Avalon demonstrated “Good” performance across all side impact evaluation criteria:
- Overall Evaluation: “Good”
- Structure and Safety Cage: “Good”
- Driver Injury Measures (Head/Neck, Torso, Pelvis/Leg): “Good” across all areas.
- Driver Head Protection: “Good”
- Rear Passenger Injury Measures (Head/Neck, Torso, Pelvis/Leg): “Good” across all areas.
- Rear Passenger Head Protection: “Good”
Technical measurements from the side impact test illustrate the effectiveness of the Avalon’s side protection systems:
| Measurement | Driver Value | Passenger Value |
|---|---|---|
| B-pillar to driver’s seat centerline (cm) | -14.5 | N/A |
| Head HIC-15 | 324 | 37 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 0.8 | 0.0 |
| Neck Compression (kN) | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Shoulder Lateral deflection (mm) | 36 | 10 |
| Shoulder Lateral force (kN) | 1.2 | 1.0 |
| Torso Maximum deflection (mm) | 16 | 23 |
| Torso Average deflection (mm) | 13 | 19 |
| Torso Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 3.93 | 2.96 |
| Torso Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.18 | 0.27 |
| Pelvis Combined force (kN) | 3.6 | 1.1 |
| Left Femur L-M force (kN) | 0.5 | 1.0 |
| Left Femur L-M moment (Nm) | 51 | 120 |
| Left Femur A-P moment (Nm) | 25 | 30 |
These measurements confirm robust side impact protection for both front and rear occupants in the 2017 Toyota Avalon.
Roof Strength Test
Roof strength is critical in rollover accidents. The 2017 Toyota Avalon also earned a “Good” overall rating in the roof strength test, based on 2013 model year data.
- Overall Evaluation: “Good”
- Strength-to-weight ratio: 5.22
The Avalon’s roof demonstrated a strength-to-weight ratio of 5.22, meaning it can withstand over 5 times its own weight in a rollover scenario, contributing to occupant protection.
Head Restraints & Seats
Whiplash protection in rear-end collisions is assessed through head restraint and seat evaluations. The 2017 Toyota Avalon with power leather seats received a “Good” overall rating for head restraints & seats.
- Overall Evaluation: “Good”
- Dynamic Rating: “Good”
- Seat/Head Restraint Geometry: “Good”
Technical measurements for head restraints and seats:
| Measurement | Value |
|---|---|
| Backset (mm) | 28 |
| Distance below top of head (mm) | 22 |
| Max T1 acceleration (g) | 12.4 |
| Head contact time (ms) | 62 |
| Force rating | 1 |
| Max neck tension force (N) | 423 |
These ratings and measurements indicate effective head restraint and seat design to minimize whiplash risk in rear impacts.
Headlight Performance: Varied Ratings Across Trims
Headlight performance is a crucial safety feature for nighttime driving. The 2017 Toyota Avalon’s headlight ratings vary significantly depending on the trim level and production date. It’s important to note that ratings are provided for six different headlight variations available on this vehicle.
Here’s a summary of the headlight ratings for different 2017 Toyota Avalon trims:
- Limited & Hybrid Limited (built after March 2017): “Acceptable” rating. These trims feature HID projector low beams and halogen reflector high beams with high-beam assist.
- Touring (built after March 2017): “Marginal” rating. Equipped with LED projector low beams and LED reflector high beams, also with high-beam assist.
- XLE, XLE Plus, XLE Premium, Hybrid XLE Plus, Hybrid XLE Premium (built after March 2017): “Marginal” rating. These trims use halogen projector low beams and halogen reflector high beams with high-beam assist.
- Touring (built before April 2017): “Marginal” rating. Similar LED headlight setup as later Touring trims, but with slightly different performance.
- XLE, XLE Plus, XLE Premium, Hybrid XLE Plus, Hybrid XLE Premium (built before April 2017): “Poor” rating. Halogen headlight system with less effective illumination.
- Limited & Hybrid Limited (built before April 2017): “Poor” rating. HID projector low beams and halogen high beams, but with excessive glare noted in testing.
The “Acceptable” rated headlights on the Limited and Hybrid Limited trims built after March 2017 offer the best performance among the 2017 Avalon headlight options. “Marginal” and “Poor” ratings indicate areas where headlight performance could be improved, particularly in providing adequate illumination on curves. High-beam assist is a feature present in all variations, helping to compensate for some low-beam limitations.
Front Crash Prevention: Vehicle-to-Vehicle
The 2017 Toyota Avalon offers a standard Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, which is a significant active safety feature. This system was evaluated for vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention and earned a “Superior” rating.
- Overall Evaluation: “Superior”
The system meets forward collision warning requirements and successfully avoided collisions in both 12 mph and 25 mph tests. This “Superior” rating signifies a highly effective front crash prevention system.
Child Seat Anchors (LATCH)
For families with young children, child seat anchor ease of use is an important consideration. The 2017 Toyota Avalon received an “Acceptable” rating for its LATCH system, which applies to 2016-2018 models.
- Overall Evaluation: “Acceptable”
The Avalon has two rear seating positions with complete LATCH hardware (lower anchors and tether anchors). It also has one additional seating position with only a tether anchor.
Details for each seating position:
- Positions 1 & 3: “Acceptable” rating. Tether anchors are easy to find. Lower anchors are rated as too deep in the seat but are still usable without excessive force.
- Position 2: Not rated for lower anchors as none are available in this position. Tether anchor is present and easy to use.
While rated “Acceptable,” the LATCH system in the 2017 Avalon offers reasonable ease of use for installing child seats, particularly in the outboard seating positions.
Conclusion: 2017 Toyota Avalon Safety Performance
The 2017 Toyota Avalon demonstrates a strong commitment to safety, with “Good” ratings in most crashworthiness evaluations, including moderate overlap front, side impact, roof strength, and head restraints. It also boasts a “Superior” rating for front crash prevention with its standard Pre-Collision System.
Areas to consider are the “Acceptable” rating in the small overlap front crash test due to driver restraint issues and the varied headlight ratings, ranging from “Acceptable” to “Poor” depending on trim and production date. Prospective buyers should be aware of the headlight performance differences across trims and consider this when choosing a specific 2017 Toyota Avalon model.
Overall, the 2017 Toyota Avalon provides a safe and secure option in the large sedan segment, especially when considering its strong crash test performance and available active safety technology. Understanding these safety ratings empowers you to make an informed decision when considering a 2017 Toyota Avalon.
