- Safety
- 5
- of 5 stars
- Recalls
- 2
- on record
- MPG
- 25
- combined
Open recalls on record
2 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.
Vehicle Summary
2021 Toyota Avalon
Before You Buy
Safety record at a glance
- Recall campaigns
- 2
- Owner complaints
- 21
- Complaints citing a crash
- 1
These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.
2 Recalls on Record
These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.
Safety recalls
2 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.
- 20V734000high
Airbag system issue
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Toyota Avalon and 2020 Avalon Hybrid, RAV4, and RAV4 Hybrid vehicles. Breakaway pins within the steering column, designed to absorb energy and reduce injury during a crash, could have been damaged during production, possibly affecting the performance of the driver's air bag in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence
In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not perform as designed can increase the risk of injury.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering column, free of charge. The recall began December 18, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TB17/20TA17.
- 23V865000high
Airbag system issue
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short circuit may develop in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensor, preventing the front passenger air bag from deploying.
Consequence
An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
Full campaign recordRemedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue to be mailed in phases through January 2026. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is 23TB15/23TA15 Lexus 23LB03/23LA03.
NHTSA crash-test ratings
NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2021 Toyota Avalon.
Frontal crash
- Driver
- 4 / 5
- Passenger
- 4 / 5
Side crash
- Driver
- 5 / 5
- Passenger
- 5 / 5
- Side pole
- 5 / 5
Rollover
- Rollover risk
- 10.5%
- Dynamic tip
- No Tip
Driver-assistance technologies
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
- Forward collision warning
- Standard
- Lane departure warning
- Standard
What the ratings mean
NHTSA gives the 2021 Toyota Avalon 5 out of 5 stars overall, level with the 5-star median for the 16 comparable 2021 vehicles NHTSA rated in this class.
NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.
NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 10.5% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.
Fuel economy & emissions
EPA figures for the 2021 Toyota Avalon, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.
22
City
31
Hwy
25
Comb
- Annual fuel cost
- $2,450
- Tailpipe CO₂
- 352 g/mi
How this compares
At 25 MPG combined, the 2021 Toyota Avalon ranks 13th of 18 midsize cars EPA rated for 2021 — 3.5 MPG short of the 28.5 MPG median for that group.
That places it in the lower third of its class. If annual mileage is high, the running-cost gap against a class-average rival compounds quickly.
EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $2,450, $375 more than the $2,075 typical for the class. Over five years at 15,000 miles a year that is roughly $12,250, a $1,875 difference against a class-median vehicle.
Tailpipe CO₂ is 352 grams per mile — about 5.3 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.
Consumer complaints
21 owner reports filed with NHTSA.
- 21
- Total
- 1
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
Most reported components
- AIR BAGS12
- OTHER3
- ENGINE3
- BRAKES2
- WHEELS/TIRES1
Normal Range
21 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 1 report involves a crash.
Most reported problems
Safety timeline
Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2021 Toyota Avalon, newest first.
- Recall
An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
- Recall
In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not perform as designed can increase the risk of injury.
Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.
Specifications & ratings
Specifications
- Body class
- Midsize Cars
- Drive type
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Engine
- 3.5L 6-cyl
- Fuel type
- Unknown
- Transmission
- Automatic (S8)
- Seats
- 0
Fuel economy
22
City
31
Hwy
25
Comb
- Annual cost
- $2,450
- Fuel
- Regular Gasoline
NHTSA crash ratings
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Explore related
Systems recalled
Safety timeline
Full timeline- Recall
An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
- Recall
In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not perform as designed can increase the risk of injury.