Model year guide

2020 Toyota avalon hybrid

Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2020 Toyota avalon hybrid is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 1 on record.

2020 Toyota avalon hybrid — representative photo
Representative photo · via Wikimedia Commons

2020 Toyota avalon hybrid at a glance

Safety recalls3
Overall safety5 / 5 ★
Combined43 mpg

Included: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.

2020 Toyota avalon hybrid recalls 3

Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification NHTSA Campaign #23V865000 · manufacturer #23TA15, 23LA03 · 20/12/2023

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 deployi…

Fix: 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 con…

Air Bags:frontal NHTSA Campaign #20V734000 · manufacturer #20TB17/20TA17 · 25/11/2020

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…

Fix: 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.

Engine And Engine Cooling NHTSA Campaign #20V064000 · manufacturer #See report · 06/02/2020

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020 Toyota Avalon Hybrid, Camry, Camry Hybrid and Lexus ES300h and 2019-2020 RAV4 and RAV4 Hybrid vehicles equipped with 2.5L 4-Cylinder engines. Porosity in the engine castings may result in cracks than can allow coolant to leak internally and/or externally.

Fix: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the engine including the engine block, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 3, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA04. Le…

Source: U.S. NHTSA, checked 4 Nov 2026. A campaign covers the model year; to see whether a particular car still needs the repair, check its VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer.

2020 Toyota avalon hybrid safety ratings

Overall★★★★★
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side crash★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★
Frontal — driver★★★★★
Frontal — passenger★★★★★
Side — front seat★★★★★
Side — rear seat★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★

Rollover risk: 10.5% — NHTSA's estimated chance of rollover in a single-vehicle crash (dynamic test: no tip).

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), tested as the 2020 Toyota AVALON HYBRID 4 DR FWD. Ratings can differ by body style and drivetrain.

2020 Toyota avalon hybrid MPG & running costs

Combined43 mpg
City43 mpg
Highway43 mpg
Est. annual fuel cost$1,550
EPA size classMidsize Cars
TransmissionAutomatic (AV-S6)
Engine start-stopYes
Passenger volume103 cu ft
Cargo volume16 cu ft
5-yr fuel cost vs average new car$4,250 less

Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov.

Estimated 5-year cost to own

A rough guide to what running a 2020 Toyota avalon hybrid costs over five years and 75,000 miles.

Fuel (5 yrs)$7,750
Fuel only$7,750
Per mile$0.10

How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. There aren't enough comparable listings to estimate depreciation for this model, so it is left out. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.

Investigations & service bulletins

NHTSA defect investigations 1

Pedestrian alert sounds Closed

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that…

NHTSA #DP22005 · Electrical System · opened Jan 2023 · closed Aug 2023

An investigation means NHTSA is examining a possible defect — it is not a recall, and many close without one.

Manufacturer service bulletins 135

Technical notes the manufacturer sent to dealers about known issues and fixes. Useful to mention to a mechanic — they are not recalls and repairs may not be covered. Showing the 10 most recent of 135.

Under certain conditions, debris can accumulate inside the fuel cap causing potential fuel vapor leaks that can cause increased evaporative emissions to exceed the regulated limits. This issue will not trigger the M.I.L. (Malfunction Indicator Lamp)

Bulletin 26TF01 · Fuel/propulsion System · Sep 2026

This bulletin includes basic procedures for performing a rescue charge at battery on high voltage (HV) Ni-MH and Li-ion batteries.

Bulletin T-SB-0051-26 · Engine · Aug 2026

OBSOLETE NOTICE August 20, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0051-26.

Bulletin T-SB-0110-20 Rev2 · Engine · Aug 2026

Under certain conditions, debris can accumulate inside the fuel cap causing potential fuel vapor leaks that can cause increased evaporative emissions to exceed the regulated limits. This issue will not trigger the M.I.L. (Malfunction Indicator Lamp)

Bulletin 26TF01 · Fuel/propulsion System · Aug 2026

TECHNICAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR EMISSION NONCOMPLIANCE RECALL 26TF01 Certain 2018 – 2024 Model Year Camry HV and 2019-2022 Avalon HV Fuel Cap Negative Pressure Valve & Fuel Filler Dust Intrusion

Bulletin 26TF01 · Fuel/propulsion System · Aug 2026

Although the flow shut-off valve is covered by Toyota’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty for 36 months or 36,000 miles (whichever comes first), we at Toyota care about the customers’ ownership experience. Toyota is providing coverage for repairs related to Flow Sh…

Bulletin 24TE04 · Engine · Aug 2026

OBSOLETE NOTICE February 27, 2026: This bulletin is no longer applicable and is now obsolete.

Bulletin T-SB-0104-21 Rev2 · Engine · Feb 2026

OBSOLETE NOTICE January 30, 2026: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see T-SB-0001-26.

Bulletin T-SB-0106-22 Rev2 · Electrical System · Jan 2026

Some 2018 – 2024 model year Toyota vehicles equipped with a Premium Audio with Dynamic Navigation System require a Special Service Tool (SST) USB flash drive to update the map, points of interest, and system software.

Bulletin T-SB-0001-26 · Electrical System · Jan 2026

Some 2005 – 2026 Toyota vehicles that have undergone water intrusion may exhibit a condition in which a musty odor is present. Follow the procedures in this bulletin to remediate the odor and address this condition. The purpose of this Service Bulletin is to p…

Bulletin T-SB-0055-24 Rev2 · Jan 2026

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, listed for the AVALON HYBRID FWD. Model-year data, not specific to one car.

About the Toyota avalon hybrid

The Toyota Avalon is a full-size sedan manufactured by Toyota, as its largest front-wheel drive sedan; also its flagship in the United States, Canada, China and the Middle East. The Avalon was also manufactured in Australia from April 2000 until June 2005, when it was replaced in November 2006 by the Aurion. The first production Avalon was manufactured in September 1994 at the TMMK assembly line in Georgetown, Kentucky, where subsequent generations have been manufactured.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Describes the model line in general, not this model year specifically.

2020 Toyota avalon hybrid trims & engines on record

Trims
Limited+Clearance&Back Sonar Package/Limited HV+Clearance&Back Sonar Package
Engines
2.5L 4-cyl 176 hp

2020 Toyota avalon hybrid vehicles on record

Other Toyota avalon hybrid model years

2020 Toyota avalon hybrid — frequently asked questions

Does the 2020 Toyota avalon hybrid have any safety recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2020 Toyota avalon hybrid. Whether an individual car still needs a recall repair depends on its VIN — check it on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer. Recall repairs are done at no charge.

What is the 2020 Toyota avalon hybrid safety rating?

NHTSA gives the 2020 Toyota avalon hybrid an overall crash-test rating of 5 out of 5 stars (frontal 4★, side 5★, rollover 4★).

What gas mileage does the 2020 Toyota avalon hybrid get?

The 2020 Toyota avalon hybrid has a U.S. EPA estimate of 43 mpg combined (43 city / 43 highway).

Sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, crash tests), U.S. EPA (fuel economy). Vehicle data only — CarLogs never shows owner information.