Impala takes a big leap
With makeover, Chevrolet brings iconic American sedan to next level.
By Pete Szilagyi
THE AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Saturday, July 22, 2006
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The Chevrolet Impala has returned, big time, after years of uninspired design and performance.
To be sure, Impalas by the hundreds of thousands moved off dealer lots over the past decade (many to rental car companies), but the cars did little to honor the Impala's status as an iconic American car.
The made-over Impala, introduced as an '06 model, will soon be at dealers in an even fresher '07 trim. Now almost as mainstream technically as top-line Japanese competitors, such as the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, the Impala is a package that traditional domestic sedan buyers will love and cynics will have to at least respect.
I came away from a week in a blue Impala LTZ with almost nothing but positives in my notebook. An exception was my impression that the Impala's cabin seemed crowded for a car just 4 inches shorter than Cadillac's big DTS sedan and 11 inches longer than the Camry. Other Impala demerits: Side view mirrors are too small, and steering felt vague at highway speeds.
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Shoppers with an eye for design will deem the Impala pleasing and contemporary though not daring, with paint and trim that's a tad too glossy. Those with calculators will conclude that the $21,000 to $29,000-ish price range is a value after dealers subtract the discounts.
Except for some interior trim, nothing about the Impala seems cheap or chintzy, and General Motors cars have a fairly laudable reliability record of late.
The Impala SS with 5.3-liter V-8 and 303 horsepower tops the line with 18-inch wheels and tires, a rear spoiler and dual exhaust for a nod to the NASCAR set.
My LTZ test model, a notch lower in price and power, had GM's 3.9-liter, 242-horsepower V-6, well-endowed with torque at middle engine speeds where it's needed for comfortable urban driving. Standard in Impala LS and LT is a 3.5-liter V-6, with 211 horsepower.
For 2007, the 3.9-liter engine will use Active Cylinder Management, which shuts down half the cylinders in easy driving to save fuel. Only the base 3.5-liter engine has E-85 fuel capability.
The test LTZ was nimbler and quicker than I expected, without the floaty, too-soft suspension feel of the previous Impala. Handling and maneuverability were competent for a large family sedan. Braking was unremarkable but effective.
Most other cars in this class use 5- or 6-speed automatics; the Impala has just four speeds, though it functions well, and the 3.9's fuel estimates are decent (though they are possibly not achievable).
![Image]()
Except for less rear seat legroom than expected, the Impala was comfortable and inviting, with pretty leather seats, easy-to-use controls and more attractive cabin materials and design than any Impala in recent history. Unlike other sedans, the rear seat flips and folds for cargo-loading flexibility.
Source: http://www.statesman.com/life/content/life/stories/cars/07/22szilagyi.html
![Image]()
With makeover, Chevrolet brings iconic American sedan to next level.
By Pete Szilagyi
THE AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Saturday, July 22, 2006
The Chevrolet Impala has returned, big time, after years of uninspired design and performance.
To be sure, Impalas by the hundreds of thousands moved off dealer lots over the past decade (many to rental car companies), but the cars did little to honor the Impala's status as an iconic American car.
The made-over Impala, introduced as an '06 model, will soon be at dealers in an even fresher '07 trim. Now almost as mainstream technically as top-line Japanese competitors, such as the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, the Impala is a package that traditional domestic sedan buyers will love and cynics will have to at least respect.
I came away from a week in a blue Impala LTZ with almost nothing but positives in my notebook. An exception was my impression that the Impala's cabin seemed crowded for a car just 4 inches shorter than Cadillac's big DTS sedan and 11 inches longer than the Camry. Other Impala demerits: Side view mirrors are too small, and steering felt vague at highway speeds.
Shoppers with an eye for design will deem the Impala pleasing and contemporary though not daring, with paint and trim that's a tad too glossy. Those with calculators will conclude that the $21,000 to $29,000-ish price range is a value after dealers subtract the discounts.
Except for some interior trim, nothing about the Impala seems cheap or chintzy, and General Motors cars have a fairly laudable reliability record of late.
The Impala SS with 5.3-liter V-8 and 303 horsepower tops the line with 18-inch wheels and tires, a rear spoiler and dual exhaust for a nod to the NASCAR set.
My LTZ test model, a notch lower in price and power, had GM's 3.9-liter, 242-horsepower V-6, well-endowed with torque at middle engine speeds where it's needed for comfortable urban driving. Standard in Impala LS and LT is a 3.5-liter V-6, with 211 horsepower.
For 2007, the 3.9-liter engine will use Active Cylinder Management, which shuts down half the cylinders in easy driving to save fuel. Only the base 3.5-liter engine has E-85 fuel capability.
The test LTZ was nimbler and quicker than I expected, without the floaty, too-soft suspension feel of the previous Impala. Handling and maneuverability were competent for a large family sedan. Braking was unremarkable but effective.
Most other cars in this class use 5- or 6-speed automatics; the Impala has just four speeds, though it functions well, and the 3.9's fuel estimates are decent (though they are possibly not achievable).
Except for less rear seat legroom than expected, the Impala was comfortable and inviting, with pretty leather seats, easy-to-use controls and more attractive cabin materials and design than any Impala in recent history. Unlike other sedans, the rear seat flips and folds for cargo-loading flexibility.
Source: http://www.statesman.com/life/content/life/stories/cars/07/22szilagyi.html
