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2016 Toyota Avalon Hybrid
Solid pick. The complaint record is strong for its age. It does carry safety recalls, so confirm every one shows "remedy completed" on the VIN before money changes hands.
24 owner complaints · 2 recalls · data verified July 17, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Complaints are overwhelmingly minor: almost none involve crashes, fires, or injuries.
Complaint reports have faded. Early issues appear resolved or aged out.
The math, shown
Full methodology →Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
5/5 overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2016 Toyota Avalon HYBRID 4 DR FWD
Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 11%
2 open NHTSA defect investigations on file, separate from the recalls above.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2016 Toyota Avalon Hybrid, plotted where owners report it happening.
Airbags
17%4 complaints
“RECALL OF 1/2020 STILL HAS NO REMEDY FROM MANUFACTURER AND NO ANTICIPATED DATE OF REMEDY AVAILABILITY (NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 20V024).”
Engine
17%4 complaints
“ENGINE HESITATES FOR A FEW SECONDS WHEN STARTING FROM A STOP OR A SLOW SPEED IN CITY TRAFFIC. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS A COMPUTER LEARNING PROCESS AND IT SHOULD GO AWAY.…”
Electrical system
13%3 complaints
“TRAVEL ON THE STREET AND MAY HIT AN OBJECT (COULD BE AN EMPTY TRASH CONTAINER. VEHICLE LEFT THE TRAVEL LANE, GOING UP ON THE SIDEWALK, STUCK 2 GARBAGE CANS AND THROUGH…”
Body & structure
13%3 complaints
“THE MOON ROOF GLASS EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WITH ALL WINDOWS SHUT.”
Recalls (2)
Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.
Air Bags · 20V024000
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2011-2019 Corolla, 2011-2013 Matrix, 2012-2018 Avalon, and 2013-2018 Avalon Hybrid vehicles. During certain crashes, the air bag electronic control unit (ECU) may malfunction, possibly disabling the deployment of the air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners.
Risk: In the event of a crash, air bags and/or seat belt pretensioners that do not deploy as intended may increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ECU and install a noise filter between the air bag control module and its wire harness, as necessary, free of charge. Owners were notified of the safety risk beginning March 2, 2020. A second letter notifying owners of the remedy repair will be mailed between March 16, 2020 and June 27, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 20TB03, 20TA03 and 20TA05.
Power Train · 17V462000
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2016 Camry Hybrid and Avalon Hybrid vehicles. The front drive shaft may separate.
Risk: A front driveshaft separation would result in a loss of propulsion while driving, and if the driver exits the vehicle without applying the parking brake, the vehicle may roll. Both scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will check the serial number of the vehicle's drive shaft, replacing any that are affected, free of charge. The recall began on August 11, 2017. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is H0M.
Before you hand over money
Verify the recall work was done
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2016 Toyota AVALON HYBRID beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2016? See how every Avalon Hybrid model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2016 Toyota Avalon Hybrid against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.