Thanks for the reply!
those are the 2 of the things that draw me to the avalon, soft ride, and largish size. I do however agree about the handling. The dealership I detail for services all makes and models but I would prefer to take either car i decide on to the Toyota dealer down the street. I'm not in any rush to purchase, just waiting for the right car. If I decide on the Avalon, it's going to be Phantom Gray with gray interior. If I decide on the ES330, it's going to be the bluish/green color (i forget the name) with black interior.
My next step is to probably test drive them back to back to decide what I really want. It seems as though I can get an 05 ES cheaper than an 05 Avalon.