just told me it's gonna be Avalon with 7000 miles on the clock.

The Avalon is a larger car than the Taurus & uses less gas than the Taurus. The Avalon accelerates better & rides smoother than the Taurus. The Avalon is a major upgrade over the Taurus. I would take the Avalon in a heartbeat over the Taurus. Enjoy the Avalon! Nice ride.
I rented an Avalon for a long trip (new 2006 model) last year. Got 30+ miles highway per gallon. Can't even get close to that in the Taurus.