Despite other car makers reducing their sedan offerings in favour of crossovers and SUVs, Toyota is launching new variants of the Camry and Avalon — two sedan models which the company has been producing for decades — which have been tailored for regions affected by snowy streets and icy interstates.
For the first time since 1991, the Camry will now be available with all-wheel drive, and for the first time in its entire history, so will the Avalon. Because neither model was designed to be AWD, both had to undergo serious structural changes to fit in the parts necessary for the new drive system.
According to the company, the vehicles will react to front wheel slippage by directing "up to 50 percent of engine torque to the rear wheels," a response which will automatically disengage when it is no longer needed.
Complimenting this new drive system on each model will be a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. Both models generate over 200hp of power.
The AWD Camry will arrive in North American dealerships early this spring with a 2020 model year designation, and the AWD Avalon will be a 2021 model when it hits the market next fall.
