Review: Chevy Impala SS| Has Motown got it's mojo?

**ChevroletRevived** · 09-22-2005, 08:35 PM

The Test:
11 Miles Long
0-60, 35-50, and 45-0 brake/handling excersises
Where:
Freeway
Around Town
Back Roads

2006 Chevrolet Impala SS

My reason for testing the Impala was quite clear: The new Impala is a very important car for Chevy and GM as a whole. I have owned and tested other foreign makes of cars, and I know what the competition has to offer and the standards that have been set in their respective classes. It finally was time to do a test on the car that I have so staunchly promoted and pointed to as evidence of GM's product renaissance.

Exterior:

The exterior of the Impala SS exudes quality and style. Everything from the machined-aluminum wheels to the dual outlet exhaust work together to provide a handsome, well honed, high quality look. I must also say that the gap tolerances are very very tight. I do have one observation: I think Chevy would do well to take the large bowtie off of the front grille of the car, replace it with the Impala emblem and put a small bowtie on the back or side of the vehicle. With the emblem covered, the car looks more sporty and elegant. But other then that, the outside appearance is very sporty, aggresive and performance oriented.

Interior:

The interior of the Impala SS is a very sporty, comfortable and relaxing place to be. The quality is excellent, as is button placement and ergonomics. Stereo, climate, radio and other controls have a modern look and feel to them. Everything works well togeher, and has a high quality feel. Sitting in back doesn't mean you get left out: space, comfort and thoughtful features abound. None more so then the very innovative, first in class flip/fold seats with under seat plastic storage areas. Flipping the bottom of the seat forwards reveals the plastic storage area enabling you to put items there without ruining the seats. Flipping the back of the seat down also reveals another secret: a very large pass through to the trunk, giving you enormous space for skis, groceries, large furniture items, ect. This is all very very thoughtful and practical. This is a feature that will not go unnoticed by families and recreational types. As for actually sitting on the seats, they are very comfortable, with lots of support and room for all of the passengers. The interior of the 2006 is worlds better then the 2005 model which I rented for a 2500 mile 7-day trip to Arizona in June. It's much more practical stylish and the quality cannot be compared. The old model had a very bland, generic rental car feel. This one feels like a VW. The interior is something to be proud of.

Technology/Equipment:

Who says GM cars are behind in technology or equipment? It's all just a perception, not a reality. The Impala SS is a technological marvel. For instance, Displacement on Demand shuts of 4 cylinders when you don't need them, giving you the power of 8 cylinders when you need and want it, and when you don't the fuel economy of a 4 cylinder. In a test I gunned the engine from about 35 mph and went to about 50. DOD worked seemlessly, and the transisiton to 8 cylinders was transparent. One thing I noticed about the Impala: it has the latest state of the art safety innovations. Like the Tire Pressure Monitor, which monitors tire pressure and warns when it gets low. Or OnStar, which is an incredible safety feature, and keeps buyers in the GM fold. There is also 4-Wheel Disc brakes with Electronic Traction Control and ABS. The front seat has a sensor that will determine if the airbag is to be deployed. Airbags are everywhere, and they include the front driver/passenger dash airbags, front driver/passenger side impact airbags, and side curtain airbags that go all of the way to the people in back. Safety on the Impala is top notch, which is very important. Other equipment includes XM Satellite Radio, Dual Zone Climate Control and the ultra cool Remote Start feature, which enables to you start your vehicle from 200 feet away. Sensors decide wheather to turn on the heater or the AC based on outside conditions and regardless of what you left the controls at the last time you drove the vehicle. Thoughtful features like that, and safety features all come together to make the Impala a technological showcase on how the latest tech can come together on a mainstream product. 303 hp and 28 mpg on the freeway? Tell me that ain't so..

Driving

Driving the Impala SS is a rewarding, high performance experience. The exhaust note is very pleasing and hearty. It's all very quiet and subdued in the interior however, and the ride is very smooth and comfortable. The handling is great, and has good feel and responsiveness. Power is excellent, and the car will spin the front tires, causing smoke even from around 40 mph. The SS has a split personality: it can be a safe, family hauler one minute, and a tire burning monster the next. That will lure quite a few enthusiasts and customers to the SS model. There is one thing that concerns me and that has been mentioned in the forums here on GMI: Torque Steer. There was alot of it, and I found myself having to wrestle with the steering wheel. Some people may say that that's part of the fun of a performance car, but to an unsuspecting consumer it can be a different story. While it personally isn't a big deal, I have a family and I am looking for something everyone can drive with ease.

Conclusion:

The SS and the Impala in general offer incredible bang for your buck. They have good features, safety, performance and quality. And I had a blast driving the SS. But due to the concern about the prevalant torque steer, my model of choice is the LTZ. The LTZ offers the same features, and still offers good performance from it's 240 hp 3.9l VVT V6. With this in mind, I believe the LTZ is going to be a very popular model, and that the SS is going to attract alot of customers in to showrooms. As I conclude this review, I talk about a car in which every GM fan can point to as a representation of GM's renaissance in a mainstream product. One that leads the class in interior quality, styling, reliability ect. This is a car everybody can be proud of, and I commend GM for a job well done.

wpbharry · 09-23-2005, 07:32 AM

Good review, but a couple of things:

The new Impalas do not have side airbags for the chest/thorax. Only head curtains. This was what the '04 Malibu started out with, but after mean bashing, it got them for '05. GM never learns. The '07 Tahoes only have curtains, too. Unacceptable cost-cutting.

The 3.9 LTZ is intended to take the place of the former model's LS trim level. But I don't care for the sucky gas mileage with the 3.9 (which is lower on the highway than the V-8). The solution is to offer leather and most of the LTZ goodies on the LT2 with the 3500.

The options/trim levels are screwed up beyond belief for '06. Can't get a lot of stuff on the LS (including flip-and-fold), can't get leather and other stuff with the 3.5 (must get the LT3 which requires the 3.9), and the SS, like the Malibu/Maxx SS, lacks availability of some features found on the LTZs.

The car is compromised by all of this, and just adds to my impression that it's nicking pennies everywhere as a result of desperation. As is, it's an overpriced cash cow that only the uninformed or "only buy American at any cost" types will buy. And buy they will, especially in the midwest. The rest of the country will become familiar with the '06 Impala on rental lots.

paul8488 · 09-23-2005, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wpbharry

The new Impalas do not have side airbags for the chest/thorax. Only head curtains.

Are you 100% Sure? If so, that's ridiculous. I can get 6 airbags on a Kia... why not on GM's most important, highest volume family sedan?!? I know this car is a bit bigger and should do okay in crash testing anyways... but if the competition offers them, GM should too. This is a big safety feature. Quite a glaring omission.

wpbharry · 09-23-2005, 12:45 PM

Positive. I have the brochure right here.

Other safety stuff lacking on the '06 Impala: Standard ABS with Traction Control, Electronic Brakeforce Dist'n and Brake Assist. Active Head Restraints. Stability Control. Seatbelts with pretensioners (it does have these) AND force limiters.

Both the '06 Sonata and Accord have all of this stuff, for less $.

It's not an oversight (think it was an oversight to not have side airbags on the last car for 6 years? (It had an optional driver side airbag, whoop-de-do.)But it still sold well, to the uninformed.), it's deliberate cost-cutting.

I didn't realize how ugly the door panels were until I read this review and then looked again at the brochure. No vinyl or cloth inserts, nothing. Really cheap.

The Malibu has lots of stuff that the Impala doesn't, and my list grows longer every day. More fuel to the fire that the Impala is a poor buy.

jfnz24 · 09-23-2005, 01:55 PM

I think you are wrong about the 3.5 and leather, as I just saw one on a dealer lot with this configuration.

**ChevroletRevived** · 09-23-2005, 02:34 PM

Well thanks for the encouragement.

Anyway, I really liked the Impala. I think it will do real well.

FoMoCo Fan · 09-23-2005, 02:37 PM

The SS needs to be dressed up more. It looks like a base model.

wpbharry · 09-23-2005, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jfnz24

I think you are wrong about the 3.5 and leather, as I just saw one on a dealer lot with this configuration.

Not according to both the brochure and the Online Ordering Guide. I bet you saw a 3LT, because that does have leather but requires the 3900.

SSblack · 10-10-2005, 10:56 AM

>>As is, it's an overpriced cash cow that only the uninformed or "only buy American at any cost" types will buy. And buy they will, especially in the midwest<<

wpbharry: Where to begin...well, I am not uninformed, I have not owned an American made car in almost 20 years, I don't live anywhere near the midwest and I think your assesment lacks any sort of objective thought and I see the new Impalas driving around here...a ton now. Sooooooooooo, do I make a blanket statement as well and say the folks who don't think this car is any good are just closet ricers or Ford fanatics and live on the East coast where they know everything there is to know about anything under the sun?

The door panels aren't ugly...to me, so you should qualify your statements as your opinions...however uninformed they are. I bought the SS two months ago BTW and it IS a great car regardless of what you might think. And yes, I drove a ton of the others, but I hardly go around poppin' off about how they suck, they just aren't for me.

>>Both the '06 Sonata and Accord have all of this stuff, for less $<<

I just got out of an Accord and you are right, less $ but you also get far less car IMO and since I have now owned both and driven them extensively I will go with my comparisons over yours...thanks though. Sonata!?!?! Who the hell drives those piles?

And besides, my insurance dropped $232.00 dollars a year after I replaced the Honda with the V-8 SS...if it is so unsafe I would like to know why that happened.

Are you just disappointed with the new Implala's? Seems to me that you are pickin' at things that are...picky at least and pointless at worst. But that is just my opinion, fortunately I can have that without being informed.

T

2005 Equinox LS · 10-30-2005, 11:22 PM

Heh Heh I am from the midwest and I like the new Impala. Heh Heh. I guess I am just not as smart as those other people from other parts of the country.

**ChevroletRevived** · 11-05-2005, 08:10 PM

Well, don't think that. I am in CA, and I love the Impala LTZ. I even purchased a brand new Accord EX in 1999. How I wish I never did that..and I know, I owned it!1

redimpss5 · 11-21-2005, 03:33 AM

The write up of the test has many I will settle for it hints. I also have a few miles in the new Impala, and it needs some improvements.

**ChevroletRevived** · 11-21-2005, 12:47 PM

What do you mean by that, redimpss5?

Quote:

This write up of the test has many "I will settle for it" hints

?

SSblack · 11-21-2005, 01:10 PM

>>I also have a few miles in the new Impala, and it needs some improvements<<

redimpss5: I have close to 4K in this car and I don't have any serious list of improvements...are you squawking about the FWD?

Any car needs improvements(refinements) after its first run, thanks for that earth shattering revelation.

I prefer to call it evolution myself...

T

Gm786 · 11-25-2005, 12:36 AM

Nice write up man!!! Very good review. The 2006 Chevy Impala is a great Chevy Sedan. AND ALSO A VERY GOOD CAR.

09-22-2005, 08:35 PM	#1 (permalink)
ChevroletRevived GMI Staff Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: The Good Ol United States of America Posts: 9,082	Review: Chevy Impala SS\| Has Motown got it's mojo? The Test: 11 Miles Long 0-60, 35-50, and 45-0 brake/handling excersises Where: Freeway Around Town Back Roads 2006 Chevrolet Impala SS My reason for testing the Impala was quite clear: The new Impala is a very important car for Chevy and GM as a whole. I have owned and tested other foreign makes of cars, and I know what the competition has to offer and the standards that have been set in their respective classes. It finally was time to do a test on the car that I have so staunchly promoted and pointed to as evidence of GM's product renaissance. Exterior: The exterior of the Impala SS exudes quality and style. Everything from the machined-aluminum wheels to the dual outlet exhaust work together to provide a handsome, well honed, high quality look. I must also say that the gap tolerances are very very tight. I do have one observation: I think Chevy would do well to take the large bowtie off of the front grille of the car, replace it with the Impala emblem and put a small bowtie on the back or side of the vehicle. With the emblem covered, the car looks more sporty and elegant. But other then that, the outside appearance is very sporty, aggresive and performance oriented. Interior: The interior of the Impala SS is a very sporty, comfortable and relaxing place to be. The quality is excellent, as is button placement and ergonomics. Stereo, climate, radio and other controls have a modern look and feel to them. Everything works well togeher, and has a high quality feel. Sitting in back doesn't mean you get left out: space, comfort and thoughtful features abound. None more so then the very innovative, first in class flip/fold seats with under seat plastic storage areas. Flipping the bottom of the seat forwards reveals the plastic storage area enabling you to put items there without ruining the seats. Flipping the back of the seat down also reveals another secret: a very large pass through to the trunk, giving you enormous space for skis, groceries, large furniture items, ect. This is all very very thoughtful and practical. This is a feature that will not go unnoticed by families and recreational types. As for actually sitting on the seats, they are very comfortable, with lots of support and room for all of the passengers. The interior of the 2006 is worlds better then the 2005 model which I rented for a 2500 mile 7-day trip to Arizona in June. It's much more practical stylish and the quality cannot be compared. The old model had a very bland, generic rental car feel. This one feels like a VW. The interior is something to be proud of. Technology/Equipment: Who says GM cars are behind in technology or equipment? It's all just a perception, not a reality. The Impala SS is a technological marvel. For instance, Displacement on Demand shuts of 4 cylinders when you don't need them, giving you the power of 8 cylinders when you need and want it, and when you don't the fuel economy of a 4 cylinder. In a test I gunned the engine from about 35 mph and went to about 50. DOD worked seemlessly, and the transisiton to 8 cylinders was transparent. One thing I noticed about the Impala: it has the latest state of the art safety innovations. Like the Tire Pressure Monitor, which monitors tire pressure and warns when it gets low. Or OnStar, which is an incredible safety feature, and keeps buyers in the GM fold. There is also 4-Wheel Disc brakes with Electronic Traction Control and ABS. The front seat has a sensor that will determine if the airbag is to be deployed. Airbags are everywhere, and they include the front driver/passenger dash airbags, front driver/passenger side impact airbags, and side curtain airbags that go all of the way to the people in back. Safety on the Impala is top notch, which is very important. Other equipment includes XM Satellite Radio, Dual Zone Climate Control and the ultra cool Remote Start feature, which enables to you start your vehicle from 200 feet away. Sensors decide wheather to turn on the heater or the AC based on outside conditions and regardless of what you left the controls at the last time you drove the vehicle. Thoughtful features like that, and safety features all come together to make the Impala a technological showcase on how the latest tech can come together on a mainstream product. 303 hp and 28 mpg on the freeway? Tell me that ain't so.. Driving Driving the Impala SS is a rewarding, high performance experience. The exhaust note is very pleasing and hearty. It's all very quiet and subdued in the interior however, and the ride is very smooth and comfortable. The handling is great, and has good feel and responsiveness. Power is excellent, and the car will spin the front tires, causing smoke even from around 40 mph. The SS has a split personality: it can be a safe, family hauler one minute, and a tire burning monster the next. That will lure quite a few enthusiasts and customers to the SS model. There is one thing that concerns me and that has been mentioned in the forums here on GMI: Torque Steer. There was alot of it, and I found myself having to wrestle with the steering wheel. Some people may say that that's part of the fun of a performance car, but to an unsuspecting consumer it can be a different story. While it personally isn't a big deal, I have a family and I am looking for something everyone can drive with ease. Conclusion: The SS and the Impala in general offer incredible bang for your buck. They have good features, safety, performance and quality. And I had a blast driving the SS. But due to the concern about the prevalant torque steer, my model of choice is the LTZ. The LTZ offers the same features, and still offers good performance from it's 240 hp 3.9l VVT V6. With this in mind, I believe the LTZ is going to be a very popular model, and that the SS is going to attract alot of customers in to showrooms. As I conclude this review, I talk about a car in which every GM fan can point to as a representation of GM's renaissance in a mainstream product. One that leads the class in interior quality, styling, reliability ect. This is a car everybody can be proud of, and I commend GM for a job well done. __________________ GMI's Revitalization in Action Director Check out our latest lineup by Clicking Here If you've got inside news and would like to be a GMInsider, send me a private message or email me HERE. Last edited by ChevroletRevived : 09-22-2005 at 08:41 PM.

09-23-2005, 07:32 AM	#2 (permalink)
wpbharry 4.6 Liter Northstar V8 Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: West Palm Beach, FL Drives: '04 Malibu Maxx LS Posts: 1,762	Re: Review: Chevy Impala SS\| Has Motown got it's mojo? Good review, but a couple of things: The new Impalas do not have side airbags for the chest/thorax. Only head curtains. This was what the '04 Malibu started out with, but after mean bashing, it got them for '05. GM never learns. The '07 Tahoes only have curtains, too. Unacceptable cost-cutting. The 3.9 LTZ is intended to take the place of the former model's LS trim level. But I don't care for the sucky gas mileage with the 3.9 (which is lower on the highway than the V-8). The solution is to offer leather and most of the LTZ goodies on the LT2 with the 3500. The options/trim levels are screwed up beyond belief for '06. Can't get a lot of stuff on the LS (including flip-and-fold), can't get leather and other stuff with the 3.5 (must get the LT3 which requires the 3.9), and the SS, like the Malibu/Maxx SS, lacks availability of some features found on the LTZs. The car is compromised by all of this, and just adds to my impression that it's nicking pennies everywhere as a result of desperation. As is, it's an overpriced cash cow that only the uninformed or "only buy American at any cost" types will buy. And buy they will, especially in the midwest. The rest of the country will become familiar with the '06 Impala on rental lots. __________________ 2004 Chevy Malibu Maxx LS, Light Driftwood, All Options Except 6-Disc & Rear DVD

09-23-2005, 12:45 PM	#4 (permalink)
wpbharry 4.6 Liter Northstar V8 Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: West Palm Beach, FL Drives: '04 Malibu Maxx LS Posts: 1,762	Re: Review: Chevy Impala SS\| Has Motown got it's mojo? Positive. I have the brochure right here. Other safety stuff lacking on the '06 Impala: Standard ABS with Traction Control, Electronic Brakeforce Dist'n and Brake Assist. Active Head Restraints. Stability Control. Seatbelts with pretensioners (it does have these) AND force limiters. Both the '06 Sonata and Accord have all of this stuff, for less $. It's not an oversight (think it was an oversight to not have side airbags on the last car for 6 years? (It had an optional driver side airbag, whoop-de-do.)But it still sold well, to the uninformed.), it's deliberate cost-cutting. I didn't realize how ugly the door panels were until I read this review and then looked again at the brochure. No vinyl or cloth inserts, nothing. Really cheap. The Malibu has lots of stuff that the Impala doesn't, and my list grows longer every day. More fuel to the fire that the Impala is a poor buy. __________________ 2004 Chevy Malibu Maxx LS, Light Driftwood, All Options Except 6-Disc & Rear DVD

09-23-2005, 01:55 PM	#5 (permalink)
jfnz24 4.6 Liter Northstar V8 Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Drives: 1996 Cavalier Z24, 2000 Blazer LT Posts: 1,521	Re: Review: Chevy Impala SS\| Has Motown got it's mojo? I think you are wrong about the 3.5 and leather, as I just saw one on a dealer lot with this configuration.

09-23-2005, 02:34 PM	#6 (permalink)
ChevroletRevived GMI Staff Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: The Good Ol United States of America Posts: 9,082	Re: Review: Chevy Impala SS\| Has Motown got it's mojo? Well thanks for the encouragement. Anyway, I really liked the Impala. I think it will do real well. __________________ GMI's Revitalization in Action Director Check out our latest lineup by Clicking Here If you've got inside news and would like to be a GMInsider, send me a private message or email me HERE.

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09-23-2005, 02:37 PM	#7 (permalink)
FoMoCo Fan 6.2 Liter LS9 Supercharged V8 Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 5,251	Re: Review: Chevy Impala SS\| Has Motown got it's mojo? The SS needs to be dressed up more. It looks like a base model.

10-10-2005, 10:56 AM	#9 (permalink)
SSblack 1.4 Liter Turbocharged ECOTEC Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: West Coast Drives: '06 SS Posts: 65	Re: Review: Chevy Impala SS\| Has Motown got it's mojo? >>As is, it's an overpriced cash cow that only the uninformed or "only buy American at any cost" types will buy. And buy they will, especially in the midwest<< wpbharry: Where to begin...well, I am not uninformed, I have not owned an American made car in almost 20 years, I don't live anywhere near the midwest and I think your assesment lacks any sort of objective thought and I see the new Impalas driving around here...a ton now. Sooooooooooo, do I make a blanket statement as well and say the folks who don't think this car is any good are just closet ricers or Ford fanatics and live on the East coast where they know everything there is to know about anything under the sun? The door panels aren't ugly...to me, so you should qualify your statements as your opinions...however uninformed they are. I bought the SS two months ago BTW and it IS a great car regardless of what you might think. And yes, I drove a ton of the others, but I hardly go around poppin' off about how they suck, they just aren't for me. >>Both the '06 Sonata and Accord have all of this stuff, for less $<< I just got out of an Accord and you are right, less $ but you also get far less car IMO and since I have now owned both and driven them extensively I will go with my comparisons over yours...thanks though. Sonata!?!?! Who the hell drives those piles? And besides, my insurance dropped $232.00 dollars a year after I replaced the Honda with the V-8 SS...if it is so unsafe I would like to know why that happened. Are you just disappointed with the new Implala's? Seems to me that you are pickin' at things that are...picky at least and pointless at worst. But that is just my opinion, fortunately I can have that without being informed. T

10-30-2005, 11:22 PM	#10 (permalink)
2005 Equinox LS 2.8 Liter Turbocharged V6 Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Fox Valley Wisconsin Drives: 2008 Impala,1981 Bonneville, 1985 Caprice Posts: 955	Re: Review: Chevy Impala SS\| Has Motown got it's mojo? Heh Heh I am from the midwest and I like the new Impala. Heh Heh. I guess I am just not as smart as those other people from other parts of the country. __________________ 2008 Chevrolet Impala LS. 1981 Pontiac Bonneville. "The last full sized RWD Bonneville". 1985 Chevrolet Caprice. 2007 Sears Craftsman Lawn Tractor. 1986 John Deere Lawn Tractor.

11-05-2005, 08:10 PM	#11 (permalink)
ChevroletRevived GMI Staff Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: The Good Ol United States of America Posts: 9,082	Re: Review: Chevy Impala SS\| Has Motown got it's mojo? Well, don't think that. I am in CA, and I love the Impala LTZ. I even purchased a brand new Accord EX in 1999. How I wish I never did that..and I know, I owned it!1 __________________ GMI's Revitalization in Action Director Check out our latest lineup by Clicking Here If you've got inside news and would like to be a GMInsider, send me a private message or email me HERE.

11-21-2005, 03:33 AM	#12 (permalink)
redimpss5 4.6 Liter Northstar V8 Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 1,648	Re: Review: Chevy Impala SS\| Has Motown got it's mojo? The write up of the test has many I will settle for it hints. I also have a few miles in the new Impala, and it needs some improvements.

11-21-2005, 01:10 PM	#14 (permalink)
SSblack 1.4 Liter Turbocharged ECOTEC Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: West Coast Drives: '06 SS Posts: 65	Re: Review: Chevy Impala SS\| Has Motown got it's mojo? >>I also have a few miles in the new Impala, and it needs some improvements<< redimpss5: I have close to 4K in this car and I don't have any serious list of improvements...are you squawking about the FWD? Any car needs improvements(refinements) after its first run, thanks for that earth shattering revelation. I prefer to call it evolution myself... T

11-25-2005, 12:36 AM	#15 (permalink)
Gm786 7.0 Liter LS7 V8 Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Far away Drives: Oldsmobile 88 LS Posts: 4,672	Re: Review: Chevy Impala SS\| Has Motown got it's mojo? Nice write up man!!! Very good review. The 2006 Chevy Impala is a great Chevy Sedan. AND ALSO A VERY GOOD CAR. Last edited by Gm786 : 11-29-2005 at 10:23 PM.

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