Toyota Employee Magazine, an in-house monthly magazine published by and for Toyota staff, has named the all-new Toyota Avalon as its 2013 Car of the Year.

“This was a very difficult decision,” said Phil Staggeringly, the magazine’s editor-in-chief and a forklift driver at Toyota’s Torrence, California parts warehouse. “In the end, it came down to a very close race between the Toyota Avalon, Toyota Corolla, Toyota Camry, Toyota Yaris, Toyota Tacoma, Toyota RAV4, Toyota Venza, Toyota Prius, Toyota Highlander, Toyota Sequoia, and the Toyota Tundra. This was not an easy decision to make.”

Staggeringly says the magazine’s staff of three realized the Avalon could well be seen as a controversial choice. “We feel that the Avalon represents the future of the non-premium full-size front-wheel-drive sedan, and as good as those other cars are — and believe me, they are very, very good — that’s a claim they just can’t make.”

Charles Greenfinger, a part-time accountant for Toyota Finance who also serves as the magazine’s assistant road test editor, told Autoblopnik the Avalon was picked from a pool of semi-finalists that included the aforementioned Toyotas as well as his mother’s 1992 Ford Escort and a Chevrolet Impala rented by a visiting executive.

“Aside from all the other Toyota models, the competition really didn’t come close to the Avalon,” he said.

Staggeringly says he expects the Avalon’s Car of the Year title to be well received by other automotive journalists.

“You’d expect us to heap prase on the Avalon because we’re a company magazine, but we aren’t the only publication singing the new Avalon’s praises. Motor Turd Magazine called the Avalon ‘The largest sedan built by a Japanese company in Kentucky,’ while Cart and Diver says the Avalon ‘accomodates five people and their luggage.’ Even TheTwatsAboutCars.com said ‘The Avalon has standard leather seats and an optional navigation system,’ and you know how stingy those guys are with their praise.”

2013 is only the fourth year for Toyota Employee Magazine‘s prestigious Car of the Year Award. Previous winners have included the Toyota Camry, the Toyota Prius, and the Toyota Venza.

© Autoblopnik