When it was introduced in 1995, the Avalon was the first credible attempt by a mainstream Japanese automaker to go toe-to-toe with American car companies in the full-size sedan category. With its redesign in 2000, the Avalon got larger, more comfortable, and more competitive with the best Detroit had to offer. Now, this third-generation Avalon builds on these attributes while addressing its two principal weaknesses – relatively bland styling and few differences between it and the automaker’s best-selling Camry sedans.

Designers started by making this new Avalon bigger in just about every measure. The wheelbase has grown by four inches, the overall length by more than five inches, and the width by over an inch. The car’s once unexceptional exterior has also been replaced by stylish sheet metal with a distinctively upscale look.

Besides being bigger and better-looking, the new Avalon is also a good bit more powerful thanks to an all-new 3.5-liter V6 engine and five-speed automatic transmission combo that give it performance equal to any of its competitors. Decent fuel economy and extremely low emissions are the icing on this new powertrain’s cake.

Taken together, these changes go a long way toward bringing the Avalon out of the Camry’s shadow, and may well help it achieve the widespread success that has eluded it over the past decade.