The Avalon has used a timing chain in every model year since its introduction in 1995.
To understand the question in more detail, Toyota built the Avalon around chain-driven timing for its V6 powertrains, and that approach continued through its latest generations. There has been no production Avalon that used a timing belt in its standard configuration.
Engine lineage and timing chain adoption
The following overview highlights the primary engines powering Avalons and confirms the timing chain arrangement throughout the model's history.
- 1MZ-FE 3.0-liter V6 — used in the early Avalons; timing chain.
- 2GR-FE 3.5-liter V6 — introduced later and used in the majority of subsequent Avalons; timing chain.
In short, the Avalon never used a timing belt in its production history; all generations relied on a timing chain for valve timing in their V6 powertrains.
Summary
The Toyota Avalon has consistently used timing chains across its production run, from the 1995 debut with the 1MZ-FE engine to later generations employing the 2GR-FE. This reflects Toyota’s standard practice of chain-driven timing for its V6 configurations in the Avalon line.