Introducing the 2013 Toyota Avalon, coming fall 2012. It’s a whole new car, front to back, inside and out. From the drawing board to life-size concept models to the test track, our designers and engineers have dedicated themselves to rethinking how the driver and passengers can be moved — literally and figuratively.

The result? An Avalon with a sleek, modern profile. It’s more luxurious on the inside with ambient lighting, a high-tech dashboard with IntelliTouch™ capacitive controls, and available heated and ventilated front seats and heated rear seats, all trimmed in supple leather. And for the driver, it’s more fun behind the wheel, with tighter suspension, available paddle shifters, and drive modes.

How it all came together is quite a story, and we’re sharing it right here. So keep stopping by for some inside info and updates on everything Avalon.

We continue behind the scenes of the Avalon by chatting with Kevin Hunter, president of Toyota’s Calty Design Research studios. Hunter grew up in Detroit and fell in love with cars at an early age, doodling coupes and four-doors in grade school. “There’s a romance around cars,” says Hunter. “They’re active products. They’re about mobility, freedom and how you feel when you’re surrounded by this cool machine. To bring personality to that is amazing.”

As the head of Calty, Hunter is tasked with delivering cars customers want. “The sedan environment is changing,” says Hunter. “Customers are looking for more dynamic sedans—in style and in handling with more driver engagement.”

At the same time, just how Toyota creates that kind of car is changing. “We’re really working with engineers at an early stage now,” says Hunter. “In the past, engineers would develop the chassis—we call it the package—and go, ‘Here you go, designers, now make it beautiful.’”

But beauty depends on the proportions: the stance, the overhangs, the overall architecture. “If you don’t get that right, it’s really hard to design a beautiful car,” notes Hunter. “Now we’re part of the package-development process.” And with the new Avalon, “the whole proportion of the car has changed. Now it’s a tighter, more tailored design, but we still have good trunk volume and functionality.”

“We want to design cars that are more energetic, more expressive, more emotional,” says Hunter. “That’s the track that we’re on right now.”

The Avalon’s top-to-bottom redesign isn’t just about looks. We also did some work under the hood.

When it goes on sale later this year, the all-new Avalon will be available with either a powerful V6 gasoline powertrain or with Toyota’s proven Hybrid Synergy Drive.

Toyota has been a leader in hybrid vehicle development for more than a decade, and it shows in the Avalon Hybrid. A full power-split hybrid system, coupled with reductions in the curb weight and improved aerodynamics, helps the car receive impressive fuel economy ratings. The hybrid model is EPA-rated 40 mpg in the city and 39 mpg on the highway, for a combined 40 mpg EPA rating.**

The Avalon Hybrid will be powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and two electric motors that combine for a total of 200 horsepower.

It’s impressive, and that’s just under the hood. Just wait until you see the luxurious interior.

From concept to construction, the fresh take on the 2013 Avalon began with a collaborative effort right here in the United States. “This is the most American Avalon ever,” explains Kevin Hunter, president of Toyota’s Calty Design Research studios. The car was designed and primarily engineered by Calty teams in Newport Beach, Calif., and Ann Arbor, Mich. The story continues in Georgetown, Ky., where the Avalon will be assembled at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky, Toyota’s largest auto plant in America.

As a result, the Avalon really speaks to the wants and needs of drivers in the U.S. The handling is sporty, responsive, and fun to drive. The interior is refined, with high-end styling and smart, intuitive technology. And, somehow, the team even added headroom without making the car any larger.

“Really from the very beginning, this car was done here,” says Ian Cartabiano, studio design manager at Calty. “It says a lot about Toyota’s commitment to localization.”

It was all about local, handmade bites at the Oakland, Calif., Eat Real Festival, and we think the homegrown 2013 Avalon fit right in.

In between cooking demos, workshops, and tastings from more than 50 different food vendors, festival-goers feasted their eyes on the all-new Avalon. Toyota’s booth gave them an up-close look at the completely redesigned Avalon and even a chance to climb inside the car for one of the best seats in the house.

How far can you go in the Avalon Hybrid? Far enough for a nice road trip.** Our next suggested itinerary winds its way for 608 miles up the West Coast, from Northern California to Oregon.

Oakland to Mendocino (158 miles)
Head north from the San Francisco Bay Area to Mendocino. Angela Lansbury’s TV series, Murder, She Wrote, shot a number of episodes here—with the picturesque California community of Mendocino standing in for the fictional Cabot Cove. Spend the night in one of the many quaint B&Bs, visit the lighthouse at Point Cabrillo, or hit the glass beach in Fort Bragg.

Mendocino to Eureka (143 miles)
Continue the trek north through the Avenue of the Giants, a 31-mile scenic route filled with ancient redwoods. Test your steering skills by driving through the trunk of colossal tree at Myers Flat. And finish up at the Clarke Historical Museum in Eureka’s old town.

Eureka to Roseburg – 234 miles
From Eureka, take the 101 until Crescent City. Stop at Ocean World, and pet a live shark (or admire it from a safe distance.) Cross into Oregon as you travel northeast to Grants Pass and brake for a boat trip on the Rogue River. After your whitewater expedition, drive through some of the covered bridges of Douglas County, in and around Roseburg.

Roseburg to Eugene – 73 miles
Make your own souvenir in Eugene where you can take a lesson in glass blowing at Studio West. If you’re a Ducks fan, stop by the mother ship at the University of Oregon bookstore and stock up. Or rent a bike and explore the 30 miles of bike paths in Eugene.