The large car segment is actually smaller than you know, and it’s currently dominated by a few models, including some full-size sedans that prioritize power over everything else. The 2022 Toyota Avalon is a large car that isn’t prioritizing power. Still, it is dominating the segment, and in many ways, it’s a better option than other large cars, such as the fancier 2022 Volkswagen Arteon. Here’s a look at three advantages the 2022 Toyota Avalon has over the 2022 Volkswagen Arteon.

1. The 2022 Toyota Avalon is the cheaper car

According to Edmunds, the Toyota Avalon is a much cheaper car than the Volkswagen Arteon. The Avalon starts at $37,000, while the Arteon starts at $41,000. This is the same story for the cars’ top trims. The Toyota tops out at $44,000, while the VW tops out at almost $50,000. This means that the Avalon is at least $4,000 cheaper than the Arteon, and it can be even cheaper if car shoppers consider buying the top trims.

On top of that, Toyota is ending production of the Avalon in the 2022 model year, which means that the Avalon’s prices will fall as it becomes a used car. The Arteon, meanwhile, has a 2023 model year ahead of it, but Volkswagen is making it even more expensive. Volkswagen wrote that the 2023 Arteon will start at an MSRP of $42,500. That price tag will make it about $5,500 more expensive than the standard 2022 model year of the Avalon.

2. The Avalon has more ground clearance than the Volkswagen Arteon

Another advantage that the Toyota Avalon full-size sedan has over the VW Arteon is ground clearance. Edmunds wrote that the Avalon has a ground clearance of about 5.3 inches. This is slightly more than the ground clearance of the Arteon, which clocks in at 5.1 inches. Although neither car was designed for off-roading, the Avalon’s extra ground clearance can be nice to have if drivers find themselves in those off-road or bumpy terrain types of situations.

3. Toyota offers a hybrid option for the Avalon

The last advantage that the Toyota Avalon has over the VW Arteon has to do with fuel economy. The standard version of the two cars are pretty similar there, as the Avalon’s V6 gets 26 mpg combined, while the Arteon’s I4 gets 25 mpg combined. However, the main difference between the two comes down to engine options. Volkswagen only has one engine on the Arteon, a 2.5-liter turbocharged I4 that gets 300 hp.

Toyota, meanwhile, has two engines for the Avalon. The standard 3.5-liter V6 gets 301 hp, but there’s also a 2.5-liter four-cylinder hybrid powertrain option. This hybrid setup gets 215 hp, and while it’s not as powerful, it is very efficient and rare for the segment. Very few large cars currently have a hybrid engine option. Car shoppers who choose the hybrid option for the Avalon will be rewarded, though. The Avalon hybrid only costs about $38,000, which is about $1,000 more expensive than the regular Avalon.

This hybrid powertrain gets about 44 mpg combined, an increase of 18 mpg over the standard Avalon. The fact that the hybrid option only costs $1,000 more than the standard version also means that the hybrid’s excellent fuel economy will pay for itself very quickly. It’s not surprising that the Avalon is the only large car considered very fuel efficient. As such, compared to its peers, the Avalon’s affordable price and excellent fuel economy mean that it’s the most economical car in the segment.