THE bland exterior is the car's biggest weakness, a shape that has now been superseded in the US. On the positive side of the ledger, the extremely good balance struck between ride and handling will soothe anyone concerned about the implications of front-wheel drive on a large car. Interior room is also excellent, with plenty of headroom and legroom front and rear making Avalon a genuine match for Falcon and Commodore. Minimising noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) was a high priority, and it shows. A good example is the local development of the external mirror design, which reduces wind noise.