mmarshall

A Review of the all-new 2014 Chevrolet Impala.

http://www.chevrolet.com/impala-sports-sedan.html

IN A NUTSHELL: The best new Impala, IMO, since the 1970s.

CLOSEST AMERICAN-MARKET COMPETITORS: Ford Taurus, Hyundai Azera, Kia Cadenza, Toyota Avalon, Nissan Maxima























OVERVIEW:

After the immense popularity of the classic 1957 Chevrolet series, whose top-of-the-line trim model was the Bel-Air (it still remains one of the most popular and sought-after cars of the 1950s even today), Chevrolet marketers were hard-pressed to come up with something as good or better for 1958, as most American-designed cars back then were either given major facelifts or totally redesigned each year. With a total redesign for 1958 came a longer, lower, wider Chevy series (though Pontiac, not Chevy, went on to actually use the "longer/lower/wider" theme in its advertising). With the all-new 1958
model also came a new name for Chevy's flagship....the Impala. In addition to a larger size and total redesign, the 1958 Chevys also introduced quad-headlights to the division's sedans/coupes/wagons for the first time (the Corvette also got them for 1958).

The larger 1958 model was also successful, though it never reached the cult-status among car collectors that the 1957 did. But, in a sense, the new Impala name for the top-line version actually turned out to be more successful than the car itself, as Impala sales topped those of less-expensive versions, even in the recession-plagued year of 1958. But sales of the Impala, good as they were in the late 1950s, really took off a couple of years later when the SS model was introduced. The SS model, with its high-performance engines (up to the big 409 V8 with its 400 HP, which was the object of drag-racing songs) became a true American icon of the early-to-mid 1960s. The introduction of the halcyon Ford Mustang and Pontiac GTO, in 1964, of course, took some of the public attention off the hot-selling Impala SS (and steered the direction of high-performance from full-size to smaller compacts/intermediate-sized cars), but the Impala and other full-size Chevies still went on to sell millions in the 1960s and 1970s. Even with the Camry/Accord/F-150/Silverado sales numbers we see today, they still pale in comparison to the almost million yearly sales of full-size Chevys we typically saw in part of the 1960s. The song "See the U.S.A. in your Chevrolet" (for those of you who, like I am, are old enough to remember it) graced TV auto-ads every night during the 1960s.

The Impala, IMO, reached its peak in build-quality and design for the 1967-68 model years, which remains, to this day, my personal favorite in the car's history. Build quality started a slight decline for the 1969-70 version, and accelerated noticeably for the 1971-76 versions. The major gas shortages of 1973-74 brought the downsizing of GM's full-size cars for 1977 (Ford and Chrysler would follow a few years later), and the 1977 model was essentially the size of former mid-size cars. The large high-performance engines, of course, had already been gone for several years....by 1977, the 305 V8 was the bread-and-butter V8.

GM, IMO, went seriously downhill in the 1980s, and some (not all) of their so-called "big" cars (though they were no longer what I would call big) were downsized even more in the mid-part of the decade, given front-wheel-drive, and, like Chrysler's competing K-cars and larger, stretched K-car models, became famous for their poor build quality and notorious unreliability. Part of the blame (though not all) can be put on Roger Smith, GM's notorious CEO, who was aware of the shortcomings of his corporation's vehicles in that era, but was simply more concerned with sales/profits and in outselling the rising numbers of Japanese imports than with producing a quality product. So, compared to some of the superb 1960s models, it is not stretching things, IMO, to call a number of the 1980s GM models a piece of junk, though some of the 80s-vintage V8 engines and the Turbo-Hydra-Matic transmissions still proved durable. The Impala/Caprice line, though, unlike some other GM full-sized cars, retained their larger size and full-frame/RWD platform throughout the decade and beyond.....partly through requests by police departments who liked the bigger full-frame designs.

For 1991, an all-new full-size/RWD Caprice was introduced (which was also produced in Buick Roadmaster and Cadillac Fleetwood versions), but the car, IMO, was still relatively poorly-built and had a poor-quality interior. I liked the S-O-F-T ride and good noise-isolation of these cars (they reminded me of my big Buick I had owned many years previously), and I would have considered one had both overall quality and the interiors been better. And I also found the Roadmaster's handling and body-roll to be so sloppy (more so even than the Cadillac Fleetwood's) that it was, IMO, borderline-dangerous in any type of real cornering. An Impala SS version of the new Caprice debuted a short time later, which initially (like the later Mercury Marauder) was only sold in black, but later included a couple of other dull shades. It was essentially a Caprice sedan with a Corvette-tuned engine and a police-spec chassis....the Roadmaster briefly offered the same powerplant. This trio of full-size, full-frame V8 sedans continued in production until 1996, when GM converted their Arlington, TX plant to truck/SUV production to meet (at the time) exploding demand for vehicles of that type. Yes, demand for trucks and SUVs was indeed rising a the time, and the plant-conversion may (?) have made some buisness sense. But there also was a VERY loyal core of buyers who worshipped these big V8 full-frame cars, (not to mention their popularity as police-cars) and their wishes were basically ignored.....as they are still being ignored today.

After the last of the big V8 full-size Chevies bit the dust in 1996 came along a couple of (IMO) rather unimpressive smaller FWD successors that I'm not going to spend a great deal of time writing about here, as I found them rather boring, cheaply made, cookie-cutter-produced, and, in the case of the FWD Impala SS with the transversely-mounted 305 HP V8, torque-steer prone. In fact, at the Federal office where I worked, the President of the Union local owned one of those non-SS Impalas for a few years, was generally unimpressed with it, and, at his request, he and I went car-shopping, replacing it with a nice new 2006 Hyundai Sonata that proved to be a much better car.

GM, of course, went bankrupt a few years later, and, since most of you are probably familiar with how that went, and with the money from various sources (not just from the Federal Government) that led to the corporation's restructuring and rebirth, I again won't spend much time on that here. Four former divisions were suddenly gone, leaving only Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac. I also won't get into the politics of the buyout and whether on not it was justified (that will probably continue to be debated for decades). But I WILL say, that, in general, after the buyout, for whatever reason, we ARE definitely seeing some MUCH better products from GM than before (also the case, to an extent, with Chrysler). In fact, I myself was sufficiently impressed with one of them (the Buick Verano) to dip into my bank account and take one home as my daily-driver.

And.........happily, also, for 2014, comes a MUCH better Impala as well. Though some improvements had already made to the last-generation Impala's interior that had addressed some of the EL Cheapo plastic interior starkness of the models before that, it was still rather obvious that GM had not put a whole lot of attention into the car's design, and reviews in car-magazines did not rate it very highly against its competition. The all-new 2014 model, though not perfect, seems to have been much more carefully designed and built, not just haphazardly-designed and cranked out with a cookie-cutter.

For 2014, the new Impala is offered in only one body style (a four-door sedan), and, like other U.S.-market Chevys, in LS, 1LT, 2LT, 1LTZ, and 2LTZ trim-levels. One transmission is offered across the line (a six-speed automatic with Sport-Shift), FWD, and two engines......a 2.5L in-line four of 195 HP and 187 ft-lbs. of torque, and a 3.6L V6 with 305 HP and 264 ft-lbs. of torque. LS, 1LT, and 1LTZ models get the 2.5L four...the others get the V6. (In a car of this class, IMO, the V6 should be standard across the line...this is Chevy's FWD flagship). Base prices on the new Impala start at $27,535 for the LS model and range up to $36,580 for the 2LTZ. The new Impala, as expected, shares its platform with its ore expensive Buick LaCrosse and Cadillac XTS cousins.......but, so far, lacks their AWD options for bad weather. I have not fully tested an XTS (just a quick test-drive in the city around the D.C. Auto Show), but did do a full review a couple of years ago on the LaCrosse, where I was very impressed with its chassis engineering. When it is later debuted, the much-anticipated high-performance Impala SS, like the now-defunct Pontiac GTO and G8 before it, will be offered on a completely different RWD platform derived from GM's Australian Holden division. The RWD SS will also include a police-spec version for law-enforcement....but, being a smaller unibody-design, it is STILL not like the old 1996 full-frame Caprice police-car (and Ford Crown-Victoria) that cops and taxi-drivers liked so much.

For the static-review, as the weather outdoors that morning wasn't particularly nice (cloudy/55 degrees with a fairly strong breeze), I chose a nice 2LT model, with a V6 and a fair amount of options, that was sitting in the showroom (the same large Chevy/Buick/GMC shop I bought my Verano at). It was dark blue metallic with a dark Titanium/Black leather interior. For the actual test-drive, I later drove another similiar model sitting outside, with the V6 (as I said above, I don't feel that a car of this size should have a standard four-cylinder).

For the details, read on.



MODEL REVIEWED: 2014 Chevrolet Impala 2LT

BASE PRICE: $29,250


OPTIONS:

Power Sunroof with Rear Skylight Package: $1050

Premium Seating Package: $945

LT Convenience Package: $940

Premium Audio/Sport Wheel Package: $1140

Advanced Safety Package: $890

Pedal Cover Set: $170

Carpeted Floor Mats: $140


DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $810 (Reasonable for car this size)

LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $36,035



DRIVETRAIN: FWD, Transversely-mounted L V6, 305 HP @ 6800 RPM, Torque 264 Ft-lbs. @ 5200 RPM,
s-speed sport-shift automatic transmission.


EPA MILEAGE RATING: 19 City / 29 Highway / 22 Combined


EXTERIOR COLOR: Blue Ray Metallic

INTERIOR: Jet Black/Dark Titanium Leather




PLUSSES:


Generally pleasant to drive.

Smooth, well-done, refined V6.

Smooth. refined 6-speed automatic transmission.

Excellent ride/handling/steering combination.

Buick/Lexus-like sound insulation on smooth road surfaces.

Well-done, firm brake pedal withour mushiness.

Relatively good EPA mileage ratings for a V6.

Underhood gas-strut instead of a manual prop-rod.

Oil filter relatively easy to reach even from above.

Standard chrome body-side mouldings on top-line models....though the design/location could be better.

Excellent paint job.

Large roomy trunk.

Comfy, supportive seats (with the Premium-seat option).

Relatively comfortable back seat.

Good front and rear headroom.

Good rear legroom.

Relatively well-done gauges and controls.

Nice-sounding stereo.

(Mostly) pleasant, soft-padded interior trim matrials.

Relatively nicely-finished cargo area.

Nice 5/100 drivetrain warranty.






MINUSES:


V6, IMO, should be standard on all versions.

No AWD option like its LaCrosse/XTS cousins.

Too many underhood covers block access.

Awful front console flip-cover mechanism.

A few flimsily-done interior trim pieces.

Thick roof-pillars compromise some outward visibility.

Center-dash lift-screen, IMO, is tacky.

Rear roofline compromises trunk-lid opening some (but not a huge amount).

No locking gas cap.

Rocker-switch manual-shifter for the transmission takes getting used to.

Brand-new design.....long-term reliability unknown




EXTERIOR:

The new Impala's exterior retains some of the line's classic features, such as the gold Chevy bow-tie emblem and Impala/leaping antelope symbol, but otherwise is significantly different from previous models. A marked absence on the new one is the horizontally-split grille with the center-bar that is still used on most other Chevy products ....the bow-tie emblem now sits in the middle of a more conventionally-shaped grille. The hood has two large part-scalloped sections in it that add a nice styling touch and a somewhat muscular look. The roofline is the usual (for today) humpback, sedan-imitating-coupe style, and the thick front and rear pillars (presumably for roof-crush safety) impede outward vision a little to the angle-sides. As befits a large non-sporty GM sedan, there is a fair amount of exterior chrome trim, particularly on the 2LTZ model. I often complain about the lack of standard body-side mouldings on today's cars for parking lot protection. The top-line LTZ Impalas DO have a standard chrome-bar moulding on both sides, but they are mounted a little too low and are a little too short on the rear doors for optimum protection. Ironically, the smaller, lower-priced Chevy Malibu has MUCH better, body-colored mouldings that are mounted and shaped correctly for reasonably good protection. The alloy wheels, though somewhat larger
and with lower-profile tires than I care for than I care for (my static-review car had the Sportwheel option) were, IMO, good looking and handsome. The body sheet metal has reasonable solidity, though you can tell that weight-reduction in the body's design was a priority. The two front doors close precisely, with almost no noise at all (though you don't hear the nice "thunk" associated with a quality feel)....the two rear doors, a little more of a traditional sound. The paint job on the Blue Ray Metallic my test-car was excellent (almost superb)....just short of Audi/Lexus standards. Other colors showed the same general level of good paintwork (this is an area where GM has improved enormously in the last several years), and even the black, traditionally the hardest color to do, showed very little orange peel. The exterior paint-color choice was reasonably nice, though, as usual, a little dull for my tastes. As is typical of many GM/Chrysler-designed cars, the gas cap and/or filler-door does not lock...it just clicks open/closed with your finger (many Fords, in turn, use the company's capless-refill system). The exterior mirrors, on the LT versons I reviewed, have nice turn-signal indicators in them.



UNDERHOOD:

Lift the hood, and a nice single gas strut on the right holds it up for you without fumbling with an El Cheapo manual-rod. The hood itself feels light enough that dual struts probably aren't needed, and the single strut is of a pretty good size. As usual for a car of this class, there is a nice insulation pad under the hood to dampen engine noise. The transversely-mounted 3.6L V6 engine fits in reasonably well, though the usual B.S. plastic engine-cover covers the entire top of the engine-block. But there is at least some room to reach lower-engine-components in front and on the sides, and the oil-filter, low on the front side of the block, can be reached with reasonable ease, by hand, even from above. All of the dipsticks, filler-caps, and fluid reservoirs can be reached reasonably well, though for some of them, you first have to look closely to find them. The battery, unfortunately, is hidden away under one of two or three covers that all look pretty much alike.



INTERIOR:

The new interior is significantly different from that of the the former Impala (and has much less of the traditional GM large-sedan styling themes inside). It had a couple of (IMO) annoying features, but, in general, was very well-done. There were only a few inside that I disliked or were not well done, and I'll list them here. First, I wasn't a fan of the concave double-arc styling of the upper-dash....although, of course, styling is generally objective. Second, the forward-console cubby-compartment push/flip-lid, with its imitation wood-grain, is flimsy in its operation.....I predict it will likely need warranty repairs/replacements if used regularly. Third, the top of the center-dash has a tacky lift-up mechanism for the info screen/storage compartment that looks odd when raised, to say the least. Fourth, the thin plastic trim-strips across the mid-level dash feel rather loosely-attached and may (?) become a source of minor creaks/rattles over time.

But that is the extent of my complaints...the rest of the interior, IMO is quite well-done. My test car had the optional ($945) Premium-seat package, and it does offer some nicely-padded, comfortable front seats that also offer decent support. The seat-leather seemed to be of good, or at least decent quality. I liked these seats because the padding has some give.....many auto seats today are almost rock-hard. The rear seats, as is usual, don't quite equal the comfort of the front seats, but are better than average for today. There is enough headroom in front for tall persons, even with the sunroof, and, surprisingly with the drooping rear roofline, adequate headroom even in back for my 6' 2" and baseball cap. Legroom in back is ao adequate for tall people as long as the front seats aren't pushed all the way back. The ceiling and sun visors are both covered in a relatively nice-feeling fabric. The steering wheel has well-integrated buttons of a design that aren't easy to accidentally push if you tend to grip the spokes...as I sometimes tend to do with my thumb and inside fingers. Many of the interior surfaces are covered in nice padded materials that are reminiscent of those used in my Verano. Many of the controls/*****/buttons are well-designed, solidly attached, and relatively easy to operate, though the info-screen has the usual compexity. The primary gauges are the typical Chevy design with clear faces, large numerals, and are generally easy to read. The smaller secondary gauges, above and between the primaries, are also easy to read. The stereo, though with a rather complex info-screen, has a pretty good sound-quality to it, though I wouldn't call it a killer like the mark Levinson unit in the Lexus LS460.



CARGO AREA/TRUNK:

Raise the trunk lid, and you are greeted with a pretty good-size trunk, which is not surprising considering that the new Impala is a borderline full-size sedan. There's plenty of room inside to go shopping or put your family's luggage for that annual trip to Grandma's, though the semi-fastback roofline cuts into the actual trunk lid and limits the size of its opening somewhat. But's that's part of the theme of modern sedan styling.....most of them are trying to mimic coupes, and compromises in space-efficiency or access sometimes result. The inside of the basic trunk itself is generally well-finished, with nice soft black carpeting on the floor and a dark, harder-feeling fabric material on the sides. Both sides of the rear seat, of course, fold down to extend the cargo area if needed. Under the floor is a molded hard-styrofoam compartment to carry things, and under that is (you guessed it) a temporary spare tire.



ON THE ROAD:

Start up the 3.6L V6 with a standard ignition key and side-column-switch (move up to the LTZ versions for a start/stop button), and the V6 idles with the refinement of a V8. On the road, this engine is a delight....smooth, reasonably quiet, and with enough torque for any normal everyday driving need, though maximum torque comes at a relatively high 5200 RPM). One more reason, IMO, why this powerplant should be standard in all Impalas. The 6-speed Sport-shift automatic transmission is also quite pleasant....quiet, butter-smooth shifts at low-to-medium throttle settings, and with seemingly well-chosen gear ratios. I didn't paticularly care for the manual shift-pattern, though. The shift-quadrant is marked P-R-N-D-M (M for Manual), and, when in the manual mode, you use a +/- rocker-switch on top of the shift lever to shift (the same switch that I recently tried out on the new Buick Encore SUV). I didn't particularly like it on the Encore, and I don't care for it on the Impala either, though after you use it a few times you start to get used to it.

The chassis, IMO, is as pleasant on the road as the V6 engine and transmission.....which is not surprising, as the Impala shares its chassis with the also-superb chassis of the Buick LaCrosse (I'll save more comments on the Cadillac XTS version for an XTS full-test-drive). The steering response is VERY quick (virtually to sport-sedan levels), though there is a small but noticeable amount of body-roll. At very low parking-lot speeds, there is some artifially-heavy and somewhat sticky feel built into the electric power-steering feedback, which disappears as speed climbs. Ride-comfort, like on the LaCrosse, manages to combine relative comfort and absorbance, with good handling over all but the worst bumps. It isn't pillow-soft like some big Chevies were decades ago, but then big Chevies, back then, didn't have this king of handling, either. Noise isolation, especially over smooth asphalt roads, was virtually to Buick/Cadillac/Lexus levels.....easily the quietest new Chevy I've sampled in years, though, like with most cars, road noise rises slightly on concrete or porous-asphalt road-surfaces.. The brakes were also a delight to use...generally a well-placed pedal for my big size-15 clod-hopper shoes, firm/smooth feel without significant mushiness,and reasonably good stopping power.




THE VERDICT:

Yes, obviously, I liked this car. IMO, it is the best full-size Chevy to come along in years, though FWD and (probably) somewhat less sport-oriented than the upcoming RWD Impala/Caprice SS and its Australian platform. Though not Chump-Change, it is generally affordably priced for many people (just like the ones that sold a million a year back in the 1960s), and should command decent resale value. Both its V6 drivetrain and chassis will probably put a smile on your face in everyday driving, and the interior is generally a pleasant place to sit and drive in. If GM had been building cars like this back in the early 2000s, it might have avoided bankrupcy.

But, like with any car, all is not peaches and cream. Some interior trim parts and small hardware pieces need to use better than bargain-basement plastic and flimsiness (shades of the old GM). The shifter rocker-switch, IMO, won't win any ease-of-use award. The electric-lift for the whole center-screen that accesses the center-dash cubby-compartment and power-outlet is pure tackiness, and looks like a four-year-old designed it. The thick roof-pillars, where the rear roofline slopes down, compromises some visibility (a problem with several newer GM sedans)....though the LT version's rear-camera helps some when backing up. With the Impala sharing its platform with the LaCrosse and XTS, I don't see much reason why Chevy can't offer an AWD option on the Impala like they do. And, of course, being a brand-new design with no previous track record, long-term reliablity is presently unknown.

But, overall, IMO, the good on this new Impala sharply outdoes the bad. This car, even in the mid-upper 30s list price that some upper-trim models with options will bring, is definitely worth it. The Avalon, Azera, and Taurus have a real competitor on their hands.

Well done, Chevy.

And, as always, Happy Car-Shopping.

MM

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Great review Mike. The new Impala is leaps and bounds better than the outgoing model it replaces. I still give Ford Taurus kudos though over the Impala, Azera, Cadenza, Avalon because of the AWD option they all lack

mmarshall

Thanks.

Well, being antelopes, that's just what Impalas do...leap and bound.



Yeah....given that the Impala comes right off the FWD/AWD LaCrosse/XTS chassis, I don't see why Chevy can't give it an AWD option, especially considering the huge amount of money and resources that the Chevy division has compared to Buick or Cadillac. Perhaps we will see one next year or later this year.....though right now, they are probably concentrating on the upcoming Impala SS from the Holden chassis, and getting that model out.

I'm looking forward, BTW, to reviewing and driving a Cadenza (though I don't have a specific request for it). I saw the autoblog review you posted on it a few days ago, and it seems impressive.

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

Nice review,Mike.

Sat in a silver/dark brown loaded one at the NY show.Not bad with black or dark brown interior with matching dash but that buckskin trim on black looked ugly.
The imitation wood and steering wheel design is bad too.
Other than that it's a very nice car that can be has with all the high end tech goodies at a few grand under $40K once it's out awhile.

84Cressida

I'm sure it's a competitive car, and world's better than the current turd, but I think the styling, especially the exterior is awful. That body line in the rear door looks like a bad dent and the whole car is the same bloated, heavy, fat car that the BIg 2 seem obsessed over doing. The interior gauges look cheap and I hate the steering wheel, and the fact that this car comes standard with hubcaps.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

impressive car except fuel economy.

mmarshall

Given the V6's size, refinement and torque, EPA mileage isn't bad at all. Can't expect it to sip gas like a Prius.

mmarshall

Thanks. I enjoyed it, too......it was a pleasure driving this car.

Yes, I agree that the big twin semi-circles on the dash-top can look a little tacky, especially in contrasting-colors. I mentioned that in the review.

I've seen lots worse. Remember that awful-looking orange wood-tone in the 3Gen Avalon? That orangish wood-tone in the 1Gen Altima wasn't anything to write home about, either.

Actually, they don't seem to be padding the price much right now. I didn't actually sit down and talk a price on one, but none of the ones I looked at had a second-sticker or an ADM mark-up. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean you'll get much of a discount either, although the Chevy people did say that there was a factory-incentive on Impalas.

Chevy dealerships, though, aren't immune from price-gouging if the supply/demand conditions are right. What they did just a few years ago, when the new Camaro SS models began arriving, IMO, was nothing short of highway robbery.....ditto on some high-end Corvettes.

mmarshall

Well, the Impala is a classic American family-vacation icon.....has been for decades. Yes, by today's standards, it's considered a full-size (or borderline-full-size) car. You can't expect to stuff parents, kids, pets, and luggage into a car the size of an Accent or Rio and then expect it to have the kind of comfort for long trips that the Impala does without that car having some size.
The electroluminescent back-lit red/white/blue primary gauges, IMO, actually look pretty classy once you are sitting right in from of them and they're staring at you in the face.....but if you don't like them, I'll respect your opinion on that. You might change your mind on the steering wheel if you actually try out the way they recessed the buttons and exposed only the contact-points. Of course, it you like a 3-spoke sport-wheel design, no, this car has a four-spoke design instead.

For some people (particularly those who habitually scrape their wheels/tires against curbs or are not careful when parking), cheaper steel wheels and plastic wheel-covers may actually be a good thing. It's a lot less trouble to simply buy a new plastic wheel-cover and snap it on (or an aftermarket matching set of four at a auto-parts store for maybe $50) than to have to order a new 18-20" alloy wheel from the factory which can run upwards of $1000.....and then having to mount and balance the tire on it.

Fizzboy7

Fantastic review and really enjoyed the history part. The Impala/Caprice story is no doubt one for the books. An additional chapter to the story should include something about the low-rider following, which surfaced in the early 90's. Many of the 50's, 60's, and 70's models were and still are the halo car for rappers and gangsters. Montebello, Whittier, and South Central cruise nights are loaded with these.

As most mentioned, this new unit is a huge improvement over the outgoing model. However, I think back to the last model when it debuted. Everyone said the exact same things as we are saying here- a big improvement, but not a leader or great. Then the car lingered for years and quickly fell behind the competition. I can see this one going down the same road. If it's not going to standout as one of the best in this competitive segment, it's going to become another rental special.

One quick comment about the 1994 model and the then new "dull colors" offered. What about the Dark Cherry? That shade stood out and the pimpers and pimpees gobbled it up. The grey-green was dull though.

mmarshall

Thanks. On a full-review, I usually try and give an overview of the car's basic history, and how former versions compare to the new, latest one. The Impala has been so popular over the years (during the mid-1960s, for example, roughly a million a year were being sold just in the U.S. alone) that it's hard to ignore this car's past...even with some of the recent, rather unimpressive versions.


Actually, the last interior, especially with its wood-tone was a significant improvement over the one before that. It wasn't just Boy-Crying-Wolf talk........and the reliability improved a little as well. But there is just no comparison in the chassis.....drive a new one and I think you will see for yourself.


I don't want to get into stereotypes too far, but, in general, pimps preferred Cadillacs to any of the big Chevies.....especially the Eldorado, SLS/STS, Escalade, and special-customized DeVilles.

Toys4RJill

I gotta agree with you, exterior looks terrible and that interior design if god-awful.

I gotta say, while GM is improved from a few years back, they still are quite on par with Toyota, Nissan and Honda.

Mmarshall also got something wrong, the Impala does not compete with the Avalon, the Avalon is the Buick Lacrosse territory.

Infra

iTrader: (1)

I hate the wheels, but the rest of it seems bearable. It's a mass market car, so I'm not expecting anything but blandness so it can sell in large numbers.

That said, Lexus should be ASHAMED that the powerplant in this matches the 2GR in the current IS and GS for power and nearly for torque on regular unleaded, not to mention exceeds their highway EPA rating.

It really drives home the point as to how poorly the premium brands are doing with engine offerings in the $40-50k price bracket when none of them exceed this, only match.

Thanks for the review mmarshall.

pbm317

I don't know if ashamed is the right word. Lexus debuted an engine that achieved this level 8 years ago, and is at the end of its cycle. Hopefully they'll debut a new powertrain soon that again pushes the bar higher.

Horsepower wars are quickly dwindling as the focus now shifts to reducing weight and increasing gas mileage.

LexBob2

A lot of mfgrs are recommending regular gas these days, even in their turbocharged engines. Definitely a sign of the times.