2021 Toyota C-hr And Avalon Get Wicked With Nightshade Edition

2021 Toyota C-HR and Avalon get wicked with Nightshade Edition

The nightshade family of plants includes eggplant and potatoes, which have been used to feed humanity. In deadly nightshade form, the plant's uses have included killing people, or seducing them. Toyota has the latter purpose in mind yet again for the 2021 C-HR and Avalon; based on a document CarsDirect says the automaker sent to fleet managers, the dinky crossover and the big sedan will join the Nightshade Edition family next year. The 4Runner, Camry, Corolla sedan and hatchback, Highlander, and Sienna already offer the dark-themed package. The Sequoia, Tacoma, and Tundra are going to join the dark side this summer for very limited engagements. Nightshade versions of the C-HR and Avalon will take the tally to an even 10 models.

The fleet document didn't detail the package changes for the two new fraternity members. On the Camry, Nightshade means a black grille, window molding, mirror caps, door handles, shark fin, spoiler, badges, and 18-inch black wheels. The Corolla twins expand that with black rocker panels and diffuser inserts, and the Corolla hatch goes all the way with a black inner headlight frame and black lower spoiler.

2021 Toyota Avalon Awd First Drive Review | What's New, All-wheel Drive, Sedan

2021 Toyota Avalon AWD First Drive Review | What's new, all-wheel drive, sedan

PARK CITY, Utah – Adding all-wheel drive to the 2021 Toyota Avalon is pretty much an instance of "Hey, why not?" The latest-generation Avalon, like its Camry platform-mate, was never meant to have four driven wheels when it launched, but here I am less than two years after driving that supposedly front-drive-only full-size luxury sedan for the first time. What's changed? Well, the easiest answer is that the Camry got all-wheel drive, so hey, why not add it to the Avalon as well? All the engineering done to send power to the Camry's back wheels could just as easily be done to the Avalon, as they share the same TNGA-K platform.

Now, the answer as to why the Camry got all-wheel drive is a bit more in-depth, as we describe in its own first drive. In short, customers and dealers were demanding an all-wheel-drive Camry from nearly the second the new generation launched, and people were continuing to leave sedans for crossovers in part due to all-wheel drive. As a result, Toyota of North America tasked its own Michigan-based engineers to create an all-wheel-drive Camry using components from the TNGA-K SUV models, the RAV4 and Highlander. Oh, and while you're at it, they were told, do an Avalon, too.