2006 Toyota Avalon

Japan's ultimate geezer pleaser got even better this time around. The third-generation Avalon is more of a performer than it probably needed to be. With the addition of a 3.5-liter, 268-horsepower V-6, do you suppose people interested in this car--those who want a cushy, long-range cruiser, but can't find a Detroit brand they trust--would ever care that it can run to 60 mph in just over six seconds?

This Avalon's better than it needed to be to maintain its current reputation. Smooth, comfortable, and quiet, the new Avalon is perfect for that 300-mile trip up the coast in the stately, assured manner a Buick used to manage. But unless you live in Palm Beach, it's probably not what you'd want to take home to impress the neighbors: It's the stealth fighter in the near-lux segment that most other people will overlook. Outside, the Avalon's styling is a mix of understated luxury and under-the-radar conservatism. Inside, though, it's a different story: The clever and attractive interior boasts cool details like milky-white buttons and folding, retracting covers that hide nonessential hardware such as the sound-system head unit, and various storage compartments. Risky? Maybe.

But it's what gives this generation Avalon a spark of personality the previous ones sorely lacked. It makes us wonder whether this Toyota is in danger of stealing business away from the Lexus ES 330, the weakest link in Toyota's otherwise formidable luxury-car franchise. Especially as the Avalon's starting price is just over $27,000. Having said that, our loaded tester approached $38K by the time all the options had been totaled. Toyota is clearly betting that low-impact, soft-around-the-middle retirees are as well financed as they are in a hurry to get to the coast.