The 2014 Impala is eyeing a big comeback, and it’s Chevy’s newest attraction. This 10th-generation edition is sleek and is a pleasure to drive. Although it has its drawbacks, the new Impala succeeds in its mission is to rouse the snoozing large-car segment with its combination of envy-me exterior styling, modern underpinnings, and contemporary furnishings while honoring Chevy’s traditional value equation.
Staring below $30,000 and ranging over $40,000 there are three Impala trim levels, wheel sizes, and engines to choose from, plus a few options arranged in a logical staircase.
The exterior has evocative creases and folds, giving the Impala a large street presence. The goal was a shape as classic as that of the ’58 Impala which they have accomplished.
The Impala had a powerful yet quiet ride. The electronic power steering is lighter and more direct. The light steering is appropriate for a big family car, and provided good feedback from road imperfections. The large Chevy gets around moderately fast and corners with well-controlled body roll for a two-ton full-size sedan while smoothing out bumps better. Chevrolet got the big family car’s ride-handling balance right. The Impala simply feels sleek and buttoned-down. The 3.6 engine doesn’t disappoint and its six-speed automatic snicks off upshifts smoothly and quietly.
Inside there’s a generous allotment of acoustical laminated glass and triple door seals. The suite of safety gear is unmatched by current competitors. In addition to four-direction alerts, the options list offers full-range adaptive cruise control, automatic-collision-avoiding brakes, lane-departure warning, and a backup camera. A cabin loaded with 10 airbags is standard, as is a domed hood to protect hapless pedestrians.
The long roof sweep, the extended seat travel, and the carved-out front-bucket backrests yield limolike legroom: a net gain of 5.7 inches over the 2013 Impala’s combined front and rear leg space.
The front cabin has seats with ample lateral support. The back seat is geared more for quick adult trips to lunch or the links than to accommodate kids, so there are no climate or entertainment controls back there, and the hinged armrest doesn’t double as a storage bin. The backrests fold in 40/60 sections, but with an 18.8-cubic-foot trunk under the Impala’s high decklid, that configuration probably will be reserved for ski trips or Home Depot excursions.
Chevy’s MyLink system, with its optional eight-inch touch screen, provides a wealth of features, such as capacity for 10 Bluetooth devices and 1,000 contacts; “natural” voice recognition; response to swipe, flick, click, and drag input gestures; and static movie-play capability. There are redundant knobs and steering-wheel buttons for entertainment and climate controls, high-res 3-D navigation mapping, and four distinct menu screen choices. Plus this wow feature: The screen rises out of the dash at the touch of a button to open a secret storage bin that can be locked shut and disabled by typing in a four-digit code.
Although the 2014 Impala falls short of legitimate sports-sedan status—on purpose, because that’s the Chevy SS’s mission—it makes perfect sense for mature driving enthusiasts years from cashing in their cars for walkers. The logic of such shoppers might go something like this: Why splurge $70,000 on an Audi, Benz, or Lexus to impress the neighbors when the same money will buy an Impala and a second ride to keep the spouse mobile during his/her leisure years?
2014 CHEVROLET IMPALA
BASE PRICE $26,000-$32,000 (MT est) VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan ENGINES 2.4L/182-hp/172-lb-ft DOHC 16-valve I-4 plus 15-hp/110-lb-ft electric motor; 2.5L/195-hp/190-lb-ft DOHC 16-valve I-4; 3.6L/303-hp/264-lb-ft DOHC 24-valve V-6 TRANSMISSION 6-speed automatic WHEELBASE 111.7 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 201.3 x 73.0 x 58.9 in 0-60 MPH 7.5-8.5 sec (MT est) EPA CITY/HWY FUEL ECON 18/28 (mfr est) ENERGY CONS, CITY/HWY 187/120 mpg (est)