3 Best Toyotas for Seniors (with Pictures)

With an increase in medical advancement and technology, life expectancy has increased. The older population in the world is growing. And senior drivers are a new norm.

Alone, the US has about 45 million licensed drivers above the age of 60. With such rapid increase, the auto-manufacturers have also shifted their focus to the senior population. They have added features and introduced systems that ease this targeted audience.

In this article, I will describe the 3 best Toyota cars from the senior’s standpoint. But before I move on to the best cars, I would describe the main utilities that an aged person looks for in a car.

What Features Does a Senior Driver Look for in the Car?

Whenever a normal driver wants to buy a car, he usually looks for fuel economy, reliability, and price. However, elderly drivers often have additional concerns, such as mobility or dexterity concerns.

They look for five main qualities in a vehicle; accessibility, visibility, controls, safety, and comfort. They for a car, that is easy to get in and out, has spacious head and legroom, provides visibility at all angles, has easy-to-read dashboard controls, and is equipped with all standard safety features.

So, based on these characteristics, I have shortlisted three Toyota cars that are suitable for aged drivers. These include Toyota Camry, Toyota Highlander, and Toyota Avalon.

Also read: 3 Best Jeeps for Seniors (with Pictures)

1. Toyota Camry

The first car on my list is a sedan car, Toyota Camry. With the rear seat folding, there is ample cargo capacity and interior storage in both the trunk and the cabin.

In terms of dimensions, the front legroom is about 42.1 inches, while the headroom is 38.3 inches. So, for seniors, that is enough space for getting in and out and driving comfortably. The trunk space is 15.1 cubic feet. You won’t have to struggle much to load groceries or other stuff, thanks to the large trunk and low lift height.

The next thing seniors need is safety features. Camry has a blind-spot monitor with a rear cross-traffic alert. Toyota has also now included driver assistance technologies, such as Adaptive Cruise control, parking assist, emergency braking, and automated high beams, in all variants of Camry. NHSTA has given Toyota a five-star safety rating.

The new Camry comes with a touchscreen infotainment called Entune 3.0. This Entune offers a lot of features such as messaging, calls, mapping and navigation, and music streaming services. Like other modern cars, it is integrated with smartphone technologies, Android Auto, and Apple Car Play.

Since we have talked a lot about the space and safety features, let’s talk about the technical details, engine specifications, and power trains. The standard variant comes with a four-cylinder 201 HP engine. The additional thing that many drivers have mentioned is that Camry gives you a controlled ride and responsive handling.

The steering is nicely weighted and feels solid when cornering around. The brake pedals are not very soft but quite responsive, even in the hybrid model.

Mileage may not an important to some seniors, but still, I think it’s worth mentioning in this case. As per EPA, it gives a fuel average of 28 mpg in the city and 39 mpg on a highway. The hybrid variants are much more fuel-efficient. They give 51 mpg in the city and 53 mpg on the highway.

Now, speaking of its cost, the latest model launched this year costs around $26,000. The premium hybrid variant costs around $34,000. As per the leading auto information provider, RepairPal, the annual repair, and maintenance costs of this car are around $388.

As a senior driver, if you are looking for an affordable and easy-to-maintain sedan car, Toyota Camry can be a good option for you.

Also read: 3 Best Volvos for Seniors (with Pictures)

2. Toyota Highlander

Toyota Highlander, a premium SUV, is second on our list. SUVs are easier to reach for most elderly drivers. Seniors can avoid having to get into and out of the awkward squat position required to get into a car since they are high above the ground.

Furthermore, because SUVs are higher off the ground, they provide drivers with a superior perspective of the road and traffic.

The Highlander provides a smooth, quiet, and pleasant ride. The doors open nearly 90 degrees, and it provides superb visibility. The three rows of seats can hold up to eight people, however, the third row is only suitable for little children since the legroom is significantly reduced in this row.

Dimension-wise, the headspace in the front row is 41.2 inches, and the legroom is 42 inches. So, even if you are a tall driver, this driving space is comfortable for you.

Now, in terms of safety features, Toyota has its driver-assistance package, which includes multiple safety features such as automated braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane assist, automated high beams. Utilizing all these features, an aged man can easily drive the car safely.

If you are one who often listens to music, this car is can be a good choice for you. It contains an 11 speaker JBL audio sound system. In addition, the base variant has an 8-inch touch screen infotainment system. The premium variant has a 13-inch infotainment system. Like other Toyotas, it is integrated with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and Amazon Alexa.

The Highlander’s base powertrain is a V-6 engine, and it is one of the few three-row SUVs with a hybrid option; both powertrains are available with front or all-wheel drive. Its base variant comes with a 295-horsepower 3.5-liter V-6 engine, an eight-speed automatic transmission. Its fuel average is 27 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway. The hybrid variant gives you around 36 mpg in the city.

The cost may not be a concern but it is an important aspect if you are buying an SUV. With all these features, the starting price of the latest Toyota Highlander is $36,620. The upper hybrid platinum variant costs around $50,425. And speaking of its annual repair and maintenance cost, it is $441 according to RepairPal. If you are the one who loves SUVs, then Highlander is worth buying.

Also read: Are Toyota Parts Expensive? (Pricing)

3. Toyota Avalon

Toyota Avalon, a luxury sedan, is third on our list of cars for seniors. Like Camry, it is also quite spacious; has a seating capacity of about 5 people. The head and legroom in the front row are comfortable enough, even for the taller drivers.

The legroom is 42.1 inches long, while the headroom is 37.4 inches high. The cargo space is about 16.1 cubic feet, which is quite good to carry necessary goods on the car.

Now, some exciting features include the heated power-adjustable side mirrors and LED headlights. So, in terms of visibility, this feature is very exciting for senior drivers. In addition, it comes with an auto-dimming rearview mirror and adjustable steering. It also has a dual-zone automatic climatic control feature with heated seats in the front.

Now, speaking of safety features, it also contains the driver assistance suite like I mentioned in Camry and Highlander. These driver assistance technologies include Adaptive Cruise control, parking assist, emergency braking, and automated high beams.

The manufacturers have also added a complete sound package to it. It has a 14 speaker JBL sound system. Along with that, it contains a 9.0-inch touch screen infotainment system and like other cars, it also supports Apple Car Play, Android Auto, and Alexa.

Toyota Avalon comes with 3.5L, 201 HP, V6 engine. A hybrid powertrain is also available. As per EPA, its fuel average is 22 in the city and 23 on the highway. The hybrid powertrain can provide up to 43 mpg.

With all these exciting features, this sedan car starts from $37,400. The premium variant, hybrid Limited, costs $44,675. And the average annual maintenance of Toyota Avalon is around $463.

If you are the one who loves a sedan with lavish interiors and sporty looks, then you can go with Toyota Avalon.

Also read: 3 Best Kia for Seniors (with Pictures)

Summary

Since I have described the 3 best Toyotas for seniors. Now, I will compare all three of these. Based on your requirements, and budget, you can choose one out of them.

	Toyota Camry	Toyota Highlander	Toyota Avalon
Car Type	Sedan	SUV	Sedan
Cost	$26,000-34,000	$36,620-54,425	$37,500-44,675
Leg-room (front row)	42.1	42	42.1
Head-room (front row)	38.3	41.3	37.4
Fuel Mileage (City/highway)	28/39	27/29	22/23
Avg. Maintenance Cost	$388	$441	$463

The safety features are similar in all three of these since Toyota includes a driver assistance package in all cars. But SUVs due to their height offer a significant advantage. So, if you have a big family, and are looking for a Toyota Car, then I would recommend you to buy Toyota Highlander.

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