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Executive Vehicle Verdict

The 2021 Toyota Avalon is associated with 27 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 2 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database.

The most frequently reported component area is Air Bags, accounting for 17 reports (63% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 6 certified vehicle configurations spanning 3.5l 6-cyl, 2.5l 4-cyl, and 2.5L 4-Cyl hybrid configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 25 to 44 MPG combined.

Official Federal Record Profile
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 27 consumer reports filed
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 2 official campaigns
  • • Primary Defect Domain: Air Bags (17 / 63%)
  • • Field Incident Signals: 2 crash / 0 fire / 0 injury reports
  • • NCAP Crash Safety: 5 / 5 Stars Overall Laboratory Score
  • • EPA Certified Range: 25–44 MPG across 6 powertrain trims
Directly compiled from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA NCAP, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2021 Toyota Avalon?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
Avalon XLE 3.5L 6-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S8) 22 MPG 32 MPG 26 MPG — $2,350 / yr
Avalon 3.5L 6-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S8) 22 MPG 31 MPG 25 MPG — $2,450 / yr
Avalon TRD 3.5L 6-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (S8) 21 MPG 30 MPG 25 MPG — $2,450 / yr
Avalon AWD 2.5L 4-Cyl All-Wheel Drive Automatic (S8) 25 MPG 34 MPG 28 MPG — $2,200 / yr
Avalon Hybrid XLE Hybrid 2.5L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (AV-S6) 43 MPG 44 MPG 44 MPG — $1,400 / yr
Avalon Hybrid Hybrid 2.5L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (AV-S6) 43 MPG 43 MPG 43 MPG — $1,450 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2021 Toyota Avalon?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
4 DR FWD 10.5%
HYBRID 4 DR FWD 10.5%
4 DR AWD 10.5%
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Standard and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Standard in official NHTSA records for tested 2021 Toyota Avalon models.
View complete 2021 Toyota Avalon crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2021 Toyota Avalon?

Summary of 27 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
27
Crash Reports
2
Fire Reports
0
Complaints w/ Injury
0
Total Injuries
0

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Air Bags 17 complaints (1 crash)
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 2 complaints
AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS 1 complaint
Back Over Prevention / Camera 1 complaint
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 1 complaint (1 crash)

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2021 Toyota Avalon problems & component breakdown (10 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2021 Toyota Avalon?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #23V865000 Active Recall
Affected Component: AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

Defect Summary: 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.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: 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 Campaign #20V734000 Active Recall
Affected Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

Defect Summary: 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."

Free Manufacturer Remedy: 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.
View all 2021 Toyota Avalon recalls & campaign history (2 campaigns) →
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Key Questions Drivers Ask About the 2021 Toyota Avalon

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2021 Toyota Avalon

How many safety recalls does the 2021 Toyota Avalon have?

The 2021 Toyota Avalon is associated with 2 official NHTSA safety recall campaigns in AutoUtility's current federal records.

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge. Because recall campaigns apply to specific production runs and equipment batches, vehicle owners should verify their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov.

Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

What are the most common problems reported for the 2021 Toyota Avalon?

NHTSA records list 27 consumer defect complaints for the 2021 Toyota Avalon. The most frequently referenced vehicle system is Air Bags, appearing in 17 filings (63% of submissions).

Consumer complaints represent unverified owner submissions filed under federal reporting guidelines and describe reported component behavior rather than audited failure rates.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

What is the NHTSA safety rating for the 2021 Toyota Avalon?

Under the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), the 2021 Toyota Avalon earned an Overall Safety Rating of 5 out of 5 stars across 3 tested configuration(s).

Laboratory evaluations include a 35 mph frontal barrier crash, side barrier and pole impact tests, and static rollover resistance assessments.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)

What fuel economy (MPG) does the 2021 Toyota Avalon get?

Official EPA laboratory estimates for the 2021 Toyota Avalon range from 25 to 44 MPG combined (55% city / 45% highway weighted) depending on engine, transmission, and drivetrain configuration.

Using AutoUtility's standardized operating cost model (15,000 miles/year, $3.50/gal gas, $0.16/kWh electricity), annual energy expenditures range across certified configurations based on official EPA laboratory test baselines.

Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov Certified Database
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.