The 2021 Toyota Avalon is going through some minor changes in the new model year. We already told you all about the new all-wheel-drive option in our First Drive, but Toyota has even more to tell us today. Leading off is a new Nightshade Edition. It’s based on the sportier XSE grade and takes after other Nightshade Edition vehicles in the Toyota lineup.

The package adds 19-inch black-painted wheels, blacked-out window trim, black door handles and a black shark fin antenna. You can get it in three colors: Midnight Black Metallic, Wind Chill Pearl and Celestial Silver Metallic. If you want more performance, the Avalon TRD is coming back around for the 2021 model year. New summer tires (previously unavailable) will be on the option sheet if you’d like to replace the all-season rubber that comes standard. It’s also adding a new color with Ice Edge and dropping the Supersonic Red (now to be offered on non-TRD models).

Hybrid buyers will be happy to see that Toyota has changed the Avalon Hybrid’s battery from the nickel-metal hydride battery to a lithium-ion battery pack. However, fuel economy figures are projected to be exactly the same at 43 mpg city, 44 mpg highway and 44 mpg combined.

On the tech front, Toyota is adding Android Auto to all models, just like it did for the updated 2021 Corolla. Finally, two USB-C charge ports will be replacing the USB-A ports in the console box.

The 2021 Avalon should go on sale in fall this year, and pricing will be announced closer to the on-sale date.

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