Model year 2021 · Midsize Cars

2021 Toyota Avalon: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2021 Toyota Avalon at 25–44 mpg combined across 6 versions. NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 27 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 5 out of 5 stars.

Safety recalls

2

EPA combined mpg

25–44

NHTSA overall rating

5/5

Recall file dated Oct 27, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 27, 2026, 7:34 AM EDT

NHTSA lists this vehicle as AVALON HYBRID.

Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a Toyota dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.

2021 Toyota Avalon recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 2 safety recalls for the 2021 Toyota Avalon, newest first.

Air bags: Sensor: Occupant classification

NHTSA 23V865000 Reported Dec 20, 2023
Filed by
Toyota Motor Corporation (manufacturer recall no. 23TA15, 23LA03)
Units affected
999,901 (estimate)
Problem
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.
Risk
An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
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.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Air bags: Frontal and 1 more component

NHTSA 20V734000 Reported Nov 25, 2020
Filed by
Toyota Motor Corporation (manufacturer recall no. 20TB17/20TA17)
Components
Air bags: Frontal; Steering: Column
Units affected
161 (estimate)
Problem
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."
Risk
In the event of a crash, an air bag that does not perform as designed can increase the risk of injury.
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.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.

2021 Toyota Avalon fuel economy by version

EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination. Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.

2021 Toyota Avalon EPA fuel economy
VersionEngineTransmissionDriveFuelCity/Hwy/CombFuel cost/yrCO2 g/mi
Avalon3.5L 6-cylAutomatic 8-speedFront-Wheel DriveRegular22/31/25 mpg$2,700352
Avalon AWD2.5L 4-cylAutomatic 8-speedAll-Wheel DriveRegular25/34/28 mpg$2,400315
Avalon Hybrid2.5L 4-cyl hybridCVT (6 modes)Front-Wheel DriveRegular43/43/43 mpg$1,550203
Avalon Hybrid XLE2.5L 4-cyl hybridCVT (6 modes)Front-Wheel DriveRegular43/44/44 mpg$1,500201
Avalon TRD3.5L 6-cylAutomatic 8-speedFront-Wheel DriveRegular21/30/25 mpg$2,700361
Avalon XLE3.5L 6-cylAutomatic 8-speedFront-Wheel DriveRegular22/32/26 mpg$2,600341

Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.

EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.

2021 Toyota Avalon crash-test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

2021 Toyota Avalon NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicleOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover riskForward collision warning
2021 Toyota AVALON 4 DR AWD5 stars4 stars5 stars4 stars10.5%Standard
2021 Toyota AVALON 4 DR FWD5 stars4 stars5 stars4 stars10.5%Standard
2021 Toyota AVALON HYBRID 4 DR FWD5 stars4 stars5 stars4 stars10.5%Standard

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.

Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.

2021 Toyota Avalon owner complaints

Owners have filed 27 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Toyota Avalon, most recently on Apr 9, 2026. 2 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 0 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.

Most-cited components in 2021 Toyota Avalon complaints
Component named in complaintsMentions
Air bags18
Engine4
Vehicle speed control3
Forward collision avoidance: Adaptive cruise control2
Service brakes2
Back over prevention: Rearview system braking1
Electrical system: Instrument cluster/panel1
Forward collision avoidance: Automatic emergency braking1
Power train: Automatic transmission1
Seat belts1

Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.

Had a safety problem with your vehicle? You can report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem.

Other Toyota Avalon model years

Toyota Avalon by model year
YearCombinedRecallsComplaintsOverall rating
2022 Avalon25–44 mpg085/5
2020 Avalon25–44 mpg4105/5
2019 Avalon25–44 mpg5725/5
2018 Avalon24–40 mpg2255/5
2017 Avalon24–40 mpg2145/5
2016 Avalon24–40 mpg4255/5
2015 Avalon24–40 mpg2545/5

All Toyota Avalon years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2021 Toyota models

2021 Toyota 4Runner2021 Toyota C-HR2021 Toyota Camry2021 Toyota Corolla2021 Toyota GR Supra2021 Toyota Highlander2021 Toyota Land Cruiser2021 Toyota Mirai2021 Toyota Prius2021 Toyota Prius Prime2021 Toyota RAV42021 Toyota RAV4 Prime2021 Toyota Sequoia2021 Toyota Sienna2021 Toyota Tacoma2021 Toyota Tundra

Sources

  • Recalls: NHTSA recall flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010), dated Oct 27, 2026, plus a live check of api.nhtsa.gov in your browser.
  • Complaints: NHTSA consumer complaint flat files (COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED), counts only — we do not republish complaint text.
  • Crash tests: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API.
  • Fuel economy: FuelEconomy.gov vehicles file (U.S. DOE and EPA), dated Sep 29, 2026.
  • NHTSA, EPA and DOE do not endorse OpenVIN. Vehicle names identify vehicles only; OpenVIN is not affiliated with Toyota.