GMI First Look: 2014 Chevrolet Impala

[BigAls87Z28]

Chevrolet Brings Back Impala With A Full Tank
April 5th, 2012
www.gminsidenews.com
Words: Alex Villani
Pics: Adam Bean, Brian DeLuca, Alex Villani

Say goodbye to the ancient W-body based Impala with its sub-par materials and fleet-special design. Chevrolet has launched the all-new Impala here in New York, and it is a stunner. As part of GM's vehicle debut bonanza for the New York Auto Show, the Impala was the most anticipated vehicle launch here at the show according to our Facebook poll. Not only did Chevy pull off a quazi-retro designed exterior perfectly, but the interior is one of the best laid out of any GM product, complete with high quality materials and a whole host of technological features. Designers pulled themes from both past and present Chevy products to put together an aggressive yet elegant package inside and out.

On the outside we cannot start talking about the design until we talk about the new face of Chevrolet and the loss of the dual-port shield grille that has been the staple design element of most bow-tie products. In comes this more Camaro-themed grate design with slender headlights that give the car a much wider appearance. This change in grill design accentuates the overall width of the car where the current dual-port design adds to the vertical appearance of the face. The three-bar chrome grille looks better than in the pictures, and have a lot of detail than just a generic design. The slim-line headlights have nice details to add to the richness of the front end with projector beam standard with optional halo and HID that add to the Camaro-like face. Sitting below the headlights are the standard LED lights that are actually the vehicle's daytime running lights.

Walking down the side of the car, you can see that there is more body language in the sheet metal coming from the sharp horizontal body line that fades into the hockey stick heritage cue that comes up and over the rear tire. This crease gives the Impala more pronounced hips that merge into the fast-slopping roof line which finishes the vehicle off with, get this, non-Camaro oriented tail lights. The window openings have well done satin finish surrounds as Chevrolet moves away from traditional chrome as the satin look is much more upscale. The tail lights do feature LED lighting, but not in the Morris Code dot design found on Malibu, the Impala's tail lights used internal reflectors that offer up a much smoother and cleaner look. The large trunk lid has some interesting creases as well, but they are just cosmetic. The Impala will have standard 18 inch wheels with optional 19 and 20 inch for the LT and LTZ trims. Both cars at the show were wearing a very non-traditional multi-spoke design that will split the audience between those that like it and those that do not.

Inside the new Impala is also very attractive, but not at the helm of Camaro inspired cues. The new interior has some retro touches with Chevrolet's long-time dual-cowl dash design. The dual-cowl look has been used in other recent Chevy's (such as the 2008 Malibu), but the bow-tie brand took a step back from the signature cue with the 2013 Malibu. The entire dash in the new Impala is comprised of very high quality materials, further proof that Chevy intends for this car to finally become a proper flagship for their sedan lineup. The lion's share of the instrument panel is made of a soft-touch plastic, while the top of the dual-cowl is formed from a wrapped material that is even softer than the rest of the dash.

Interior designers went to town by opening up the color palette and putting together various color combinations as well as different types of accenting trims which gives consumers eleven different combinations. The cars on display both had two-tone interiors, one with a caramel and ebony and the other with a dark brick and ebony, complete with contrast stitching. The dark brick interior also had the mid-level ultra-suede inserts for the seats and the door panels while on the Impala with the caramel color theme, the seats and doors had a perforated leather. The seats also have contrast piping that does not run on the edge of the bolsters but on the inner seating surface. The piping climbs up the seats and widening out at the top to give the look of a broader back rest.

To accent the high quality materials is the introduction of a lot of high-tech features starting with a very large 8.2-inch screen that can slide up with a touch of a button reveling a little hidden compartment similar to that of the Malibu. The difference here is that the big screen can still be used even in the extended position. Below the screen you will notice that there are only a few buttons that get you to the basic functions of the radio, the bulk of the stuff will be left to the touch screen. The Impala video showcased what looks to be a second-generation MyLink system that receives a little trickle-down from the Cadillac CUE system. As part of the updated MyLink for Chevrolet, there is another color screen that measures over 4 inches in size smack dab in the middle of the instrument panel which will display some information such as radio station and song title, navigation, as well as the traditional driver-info stuff. Another thing that Chevrolet can thank Cadillac and Buick for is the suite of high end creature comforts such as heated and cooled seats along with heated steering wheel.

Impala will also enjoy safety hand-me-downs that will protect the driver and passengers on the road using a host of sensors and cameras. Impala will receive an updated version of the Equinox's lane departure and forward collision alert system. Unlike the Equinox's camera system, the Impala will come to a hault so you do not plow into the vehicle in front of you. This system will be integrated with blind-spot detection and rear cross-traffic alert system giving you a virtual bubble of protection. If by some chance all those systems fail, 10 air bags will deploy to soften the blow of any major impact. An optional adaptive cruse control system increases the luxury quotient as well, a system that was sorely needed as more and more of Impala's competitors are showing up with it.

Finally Chevrolet is moving Impala out of the depths of the fleet lots and moving them back into show rooms in hopes of rekindling America's passion for the car. It has been a long time since 1965 when Impala sold one million units and while it might not hit that number again, Chevrolet has certainly equipped the car to make the biggest impact in the market. As the new Impala starts to hit showrooms, the current model will go to full fleet duty for about six months. Despite the lack of all-wheel drive, Impala's powertrain starts off with a 2.5-liter four cylinder as base with optional 2.4 e-Assist or 3.6 liter LFX from Camaro making 303 horsepower all mated to next-generation six-speed automatics. Look for the new Impala to start production by January of 2013 as it helps relaunch a new face for the brand and a new chapter for Chevy's flagship sedan.

['Vette Dude]

I can't wait to see one in person! It looks great in pictures, except that awful steering wheel.

[boblutzfan]

Again...this is the best overall designed vehicle to come out of GM in years...decades maybe. We need more of this type of effort to stop the disastrous market share slide GM has been in for the past decade. I fear that the competition is stiffer than ever with an all new Azera, Avalon, updated Taurus and of course the excellent Chrysler 300 not to mention Buick...

I fear that the car that will suffer most at the success of the Impala will be the Malibu. I see it going fleet and getting lost between the Cruze and Impala. Up until now if you wanted a quality roomy sedan from Chevy you had just one real choice...the Malibu. But since the Malibu is shrinking...and the Impala is just so good...I predict many will option up to the better looking and V6 equipped Impala.

[jzchev28]

I'm in love with this car, especially the new steering wheel, great job GM!!!!

[megeebee]

I have to say that the more I see it the more I like it. I want one.

[stevecmh]

The rear looks great

[Pellz]

The more I look at this car I can the Chevy DNA. Sitting next to that 65 I can see the family resemblance. The side sculpting on the 2014 seems to come from the 67 coupe. I just wish it was wider being that the epsilon platform is rather narrow.

[DarkKnight67]

The steering wheel reminds me of recent designs found in high line Mercedes products - not bad to emulate.

[Dr. Show-Me]

I hope GM does well with this new Impala, but it isn't the same car as the 1965 car shown. Less room, no V8, smaller trunk. It has modern safety features and fits the market well, but the decision to forgo the awd option is idiotic.

[kenman923]

The best Impala yet from Chevrolet.

[Stewy74]

that awful steering wheel.

Ford called... they want their antiquated steering wheel back. The projector head lamps look like GM pulled them straight off of a new(er) Taurus and the way the badge is sitting on the grill, it looks like a Camero knock off.

Otherwise, it's not a bad looking car and I can see it as a decent family-hauler (and I actually kind of like how the tail lamps are designed).

It's hard, however, to see this as the next Impala. Not because it necessarily has design or visual failures (save for in part the above), it's just that when you come from the era of 1980's Caprices and the like, the Impala is not a "show car" or something with "attitude" but a work horse, haul-the-family-around-in, dependable and sensible looking "family car". The direction that GM (and really ALL domestic and import manufacturers) is taking is, from a "for love of the car" standpoint, too flashy and "in-your-face".

However... that's what sells based on current trends. Does anyone know when "for love of the car" died? Not just for Impala, but the GMs from yester-years?

[Live001]

Did I hear satin instead of chrome? Loving it! I can't think of one fwd car with a better design IMO. Btw.. Loving the steering wheel it looks premium.

[A Bum In A Bus]

This is one of the best looking sedans GM have ever made, make no mistake about it, this car is a looker.

[DenaliHD66]

I'm glad the world didn't end because they finally decided to not give another new vehicle the "signature" Chevy front grille, with ugly body-colored bar with centered emblem.

[Live001]

Ford called... they want their antiquated steering wheel back. The projector head lamps look like GM pulled them straight off of a new(er) Taurus and the way the badge is sitting on the grill, it looks like a Camero knock off.

Really.. They look more like the volt headlights to me..