Overview & Reviews

When Chevrolet sent the first Impala off the assembly line in 1958, it was meant to be "a prestige car within the reach of the average American citizen." It would seem that the company was successful; six decades on, the Chevrolet Impala has become one of America's most well-known nameplates.

Since the new millennium, the modern Impala has served as Chevrolet's main full-size sedan. While "prestige car" isn't really an apt descriptor anymore, the Impala has offered a roomy interior (with available six-passenger seating) along with strong and increasingly fuel-efficient engines. In our opinion, older, used Impalas from this time period aren't likely going to be the best choice for a large sedan, as they suffer from substandard interior quality and forgettable driving dynamics. But the newest Impala, thanks to its many improvements, is certainly worth considering.

Current Chevrolet Impala
Today's five-passenger Impala starts with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 195 horsepower 187 pound-feet of torque. An optional 3.6-liter V6 makes 305 hp and 264 lb-ft of torque. Both engines are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission that drives the front wheels. Also offered is the mild hybrid Eco model with an "eAssist" powertrain that combines a 182-hp 2.4-liter four-cylinder with a small 15-hp electric motor, providing the best fuel economy of the Impala lineup.

The Impala features LS, LT and LTZ trim levels. Standard feature highlights for the LS include a power-adjustable driver seat, full power accessories, Bluetooth, USB/iPod connectivity and a color display. The LT adds alloy wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control and the MyLink infotainment interface with an 8-inch touchscreen display. Most LT options are bundled into packages and include such items as a sunroof, keyless ignition/entry and extra safety features. The LTZ gets these items as standard, along with leather upholstery. Other options, depending on trim level, include navigation, premium audio, 20-inch wheels, adaptive cruise control and ventilated front seats.

In reviews and ratings, we've concluded that the latest Chevrolet Impala distinguishes itself from other large sedans with sharp styling and a capacious trunk, though it loses points for some flimsy interior plastics, a fussy MyLink interface and middling fuel economy figures. Overall, though, the current Impala is fully worthy of your consideration if you're shopping for a large sedan.

Used Chevrolet Impala Models
The current Chevrolet Impala represents the nameplate's 10th generation, which was introduced in the 2014 model year. Mechanically, it's related to the latest Buick LaCrosse and Cadillac XTS. Compared to the previous Impala, the latest generation is more stylish, with bigger curves, bolder lines and a bit more length. Inside, there's a modern design, higher-quality materials and up-to-date electronics.

The previous, ninth-generation Chevrolet Impala was produced for the 2006-'13 model years. Improvements on this model compared to the previous-generation Impala included new engines, more composed handling, a higher-quality interior and updated styling. Even so, we generally regarded this Impala as pretty forgettable and outclassed by any of its contemporaries.

Impalas of this generation were offered in three main trim levels: entry-level LS, midgrade LT and range-topping LTZ. From 2006-'09, there was also an Impala SS.

Typical features for the LS models included 16-inch wheels, a front bench seat, air-conditioning, full power accessories, a tilt steering wheel, a power driver seat, a single-CD audio system with an MP3 jack, and keyless entry. Moving up to the LT model added alloy wheels and a few more features, while the LTZ included 17-inch (later 18-inch) alloys, heated leather seats and a Bose audio system. The SS came with monochromatic exterior paint, a performance-tuned suspension, 18-inch wheels and a rear spoiler. LS and LT models could be optioned with a front bench seat, which increased passenger capacity to six.

Until 2012, the LS and LT came with a 3.5-liter V6 engine that produced 211 hp. Standard on the LTZ of the same period was a 3.9-liter V6 good for 230 hp. All of these Chevy Impalas came with a four-speed automatic transmission. The Chevy Impala SS model of this period had a 303-hp 5.3-liter V8 and the four-speed auto. For 2012 and 2013, all Impalas received a new 300-hp 3.6-liter V6 and a six-speed automatic transmission. This engine yielded quicker acceleration and better fuel economy to boot.

In reviews at the time, we found that the ninth-generation Impala provided a number of big-sedan perks, including a smooth ride, quiet interior, seating for six, decent crash test ratings and a generously sized trunk. The problem was that the Impala didn't excel in any of these areas and was generally hamstrung by underwhelming performance, bland styling, cheap-looking interior materials and a lack of feature availability. Contemporaries like the Dodge Charger, Hyundai Azera or Toyota Avalon make for better used choices.

The eighth-generation Impala was offered from 2000-'05, marking the resurrection of the Impala as a mainstream offering. There were only minimal changes during its production run. Its basic dimensions are very similar to those of its successor, but it was even less competitive in its class. For this generation, there were two main trim levels -- base and LS. In 2004, Chevy added the SS trim.

The base model was powered by a 3.4-liter V6 engine that produced 180 hp. Stepping up to LS trim got you a 200-hp, 3.8-liter V6. The SS had a supercharged version of the 3.8-liter V6 making 240 hp. Though popular in terms of sales, this Impala did not fare well in reviews conducted by Edmunds.com editors. Noted downsides included bland interior and exterior design, vague steering and a soggy suspension on base and LS models.

Prior to this, there was a short-lived Chevrolet Impala SS. Offered from 1994-'96, it was based on the rear-drive Caprice. The SS featured a 260-hp, 5.7-liter V8 derived from the Corvette, large 17-inch wheels and tires, a sport tuned suspension, a monochromatic exterior (black only in its first year) and many hardware upgrades normally fitted to law enforcement vehicles. Today, the ‘90s Impala SS's have taken on a "collectible" quality.

There are also plenty of Impalas left from earlier decades. Those early Impalas were often America's most popular car, and they still hold significance today. Throughout the 1960s, the Chevy Impala dominated the sales charts, culminating in 1965 when more than 1 million were sold. Though the popularity of smaller, midsize muscle cars slowly ate away at sales of the Impala, it continued to sell in big numbers, registering as the best-selling car in America in 1973. The Impala nameplate languished in the early 1980s, eventually getting dropped in 1986 in favor of the Caprice designation.

User Reviews:

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  Great Car - 2013 Chevrolet Impala
  By Phil - December 17 - 9:38 am

  This car is a great car. There are so many good things about it. It has a great engine (3.6 LFX) that is durable, yet fuel efficient. It has 300 horsepower and you can definitely feel it when you step on the gas, but at the same time, it can give you great fuel economy on the highway. This past weekend, I took the car on three hour highway trip and got 148.4 miles out of a quarter tank of gas. Thats pretty great. The transmission was a joint build by General Motors and Ford. Most of the time, the transmission shifts very smoothly and you cant even feel it if your not paying attention to the shifting. Every once in a while though, the transmission will feel like your driving a car with a manual transmission and clutch. People complain about the suspension in this car and while its not the best handling car in its class and you can get a little bit of body roll, the car handles pretty well and is a very smooth ride. There is brake fade at higher speeds so be careful of that. I plan on upgrading the brake pads and rotors when its time to do so, but four wheel disc brakes is nice. This car does stop very well. The tires are Ultra High Performance Goodyear tires from the factory and their okay. Im definitely switching to a better brand of tire (Michelin) when the time comes. If you drive in a cold environment, be careful of accelerating with the Goodyear tires on it. The car will burnout a little bit (another reason to get better quality tires). The seats are nice and comfortable, but the rear seats offer the most comfort. There is also a lot of leg space of all of the passengers other than the person who sits in the middle in the second row seating. There are two lights for the rear passengers as well which is nice for them while there are lights in the rear view mirror for the front passengers. The two front seats are power, but only the driver seat has lumbar support which is manual. I understand that GM would want to save the power lumbar support for Buick and Cadillac, but the front passenger seat should have lumbar support as well. The heat seats work wonderfully and people who sit in the front love it. The driver heated seat warms up faster than the passenger seat which is normal according to the owners manual. The driver seat heats up very quickly and is very nice. The gauge cluster, messages on the gauge cluster, radio, and HVAC controls are easy to read and use. Its also nice that the driver and passenger have dual climate control. The auto dimming mirror, heated outside mirrors, and rear window defroster work great and quickly. The Bose sound system is wonderful! It has 8 speakers and an amplifier. The leather seats, leather wrapped steering wheel, leather wrapped transmission shifter, and leather arm rest are holding up well. Its a very solid car and I think that people should really take a look at this car. I had a couple of minor issues with the car, but I had the dealership take care of them. Other than that, its a solid car.

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  Great First Car - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Carl - December 11 - 10:27 pm

  I learned to drive on my impala and have loved it since day one. The only issues its had are power steering which seems to be common but is worth it to own a fun to drive sedan. Since ownership ive put a flowmaster exhaust after market HID headlights and other mods. It makes a pleasant noise when you accerlate. My car now has 128000 miles and has been trooper. Only complaint is antiquated trans and the engine not being tuned to full potential. 242 hp from a 3.9 seems low when 3.6 now makes 303

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  Greart car - 2014 Chevrolet Impala
  By Jeff - December 5 - 7:20 am

  This is my second Impala, I had a 2011 Ls ,now a 2014 Lt Limited and I love it

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  The Legend is still alive and thriving - 1996 Chevrolet Impala
  By Bradley Colson - October 24 - 1:47 am

  This car reminds me of the "lead sleds" that I grew up driving (my first car was a 65 Impala SS 396), with a notable difference. While it encompasses everything I love about a muscle car, its also a luxury sedan with all the creature comforts that we "older folk" learn to appreciate. When youre a kid, you dont care if your car is a little rusty and rough around the edges, as long as its cool. It doesnt even have to be reliable. But this 96 Impala SS is solid, reliable, and a rust-free, one-owner original that has stood the test of time. It turns heads and gets comments almost every time I go out. It still looks like new, inside and out. The lumbar support in the drivers seat is unsurpassed, and the comfort is perfect, on a short drive or a road trip. I fully anticipate another 20 years worth of joyful and comfortable driving in this big iron beast!

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  Impressive Impala - 2014 Chevrolet Impala
  By MJB - October 16 - 6:00 pm

  Engine and Power: The 3.6L V-6. Does the 1/4 mile in times equaling early Muscle Cars. Well worth the price to upgrade here. The car has surprising acceleration. You will have to be careful when pressing too firmly, as the car will go now. Handling: Changing lanes is quick and effortless. Passing is smooth and the car downshifts quickly and results in a pleasant rumble from the V-6. The Firestone Firehawk Wide Oval GTs do not like to hookup in the wet or snow. Had a flat on one front tire and opted to replace the front 2 tires with Firestone Firehawk Wide Oval All Seasons provided much better traction. Appointments LTZ has all the bells and whistles, however the cost for the options, in my opinion make stepping up, extremely expensive. 2LT is very nicely appointed. Peculiar that you can still get the 4 cyl engine if you get the 1LTZ. Front seats are supportive with great adjustability with the electronic controls on the left side of the seat. Exceptional roominess in the back seats. Some cars will seat 4, this cars will seat 4 taller adults without cramping anyone. In fact, this seats 5 in the way that a Ford Fusion seats 4. Instrumentation: Dash pad cover is aesthetically pleasing, very similar to the Buick Lacrosse. Instrumentation is very complete, with the ability to pick and choose what you want displayed. Steering wheel controls allow you to make calls via Bluetooth, change radio stations, adjust the volume of the radio, and use the cruise control. A very firm feeling car that has excellent power, massive amounts of cabin space, good handling, comfortable and quite ride. If you didnt know you were in a Chevy, you would think you were in a luxury import. Mileage is very good. Combined 27.8 MPG during the 38,000 miles that I have had it. Strait highway mileage is around 33.5 for me at 65-70 mpg, speeds over that mileage drops off. Rolls very smoothly when going downhill.

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  Love my car impala 2014 ltz/ 2lz - 2014 Chevrolet Impala
  By n/a - October 12 - 5:41 am

  I have 8 months with my 2014 Impala LTZ / 2LZm super happy though with 3 children and they will all use carseat very comfortable this car is the best Ive had is very comfortable and very economical on gas and what I like This style is beautiful!

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  From focus to impala - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By Maranda - October 4 - 9:22 pm

  Has some issues with ac/heater some with airbag sensors but WOW i am in love with this Impala! Such a wise choice from a 03 ford focus to a 07 impala ls flex fuel.

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  Quite Possibly the best car of 2013 - 2013 Chevrolet Impala
  By *likesthatcar* - October 4 - 7:21 am

  Lets be honest this car rocks! Comfort and fuel economy are HUGE pluses in this car. The 3.6 is a peppy and growling engine with great reliability. Entertainment is okay but no screen (doesnt matter!). Sound Quality is SUPER GOOD and what I mean is the clarity and bass (and its not even the Bose). I like it. Its the best of both worlds The sunroof is cool, Bluetooth speakerphone is good, Sound Quality, etc. A sporty yet comfortable package!

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  Throw away all your pre 2015 Impala knowledge - 2015 Chevrolet Impala
  By Raoul Watson - September 15 - 12:28 pm

  As a retired Federal Officer I have been driving the “police version” of the Impala pretty much all my career. Forget everything you have known about the Impala –the 2015 Chevy Impala is a totally different animal (no pun intended) than the previous Impalas. I bought the 2LTZ loaded model and had no regrets. The LT model I suppose will give me a slightly better mileage by buying the 2.5 liter 4 cylinder 196 horse power LT model but to be honest, the advantages is not sufficient for me to downgrade the 3.6 liter V6 305 horse power 2LTZ. 1. Performance: My 3.6 liter V6 305 horse power engine is much more than impressive. Just a little push on the gas and it goes from zero to sixty in about 7 seconds. The handling is nimble and almost sporty. Although not proven, I have a belief that the steering assist gets reduced at higher speed since I can almost feel the road in tight mountain road turns. Since this is a new car for me I cannot say this with great certainty but I have a belief that the shifting is a little late which made me feel a little uneasy. It is possible that due to weight, that this car must rev through some high RPM before it can propel this heavy car. This somehow gives a little gruff edge and when I connected an OBD 2 engine sensor, the RPM over rotation alarm always sounds when I do a “jack rabbit” start. 2. Safety: The 2LTZ is loaded with the safety features found only in luxury cars. ABS, traction, and stability control comes standard. While included in the 2LTZ trim, the advanced safety package can be had for around $900. It includes adaptive cruise control forward collision warning lane departure warning blind spot warning (on the side mirrors) and rear cross-traffic alert making it the most complete crash avoidance system you can get. With the addition of daylight running light of beautiful LEDs, all these safety features will give you a handsome insurance discount. My insurance went down by $300 from my previous vehicle (Hyundai Elantra Touring wagon) which is surprising considering the more expensive price of the Impala. While some safety features may trigger false alarm which resulted in you wanting to turn it off, I strongly suggest you don’t. The lane departure warning for example, will train you to signal before departing your lane –it promotes good safety habit and it can save your life the day you nod off while driving. You’ll get used to the now and then false alarm when you drift or approach the car in the front with too high speed and you’ll be thankful the day you need it. See “Technology” below for additional safety features. 3. Ergonomics: The human interface of the controls of this car is highly logical. You can operate almost every control from the steering wheel and the voice recognition is a nice addition. The touch screen center screen is just awesome. rear window visibility is a little small and inside storage is limited. 4. Comfort: The big front seats are roomy and plush. It can have seat ventilation/AC and seat warmer, heated steering wheel, and heated side mirrors. The automatic dual-zone system performed well. The seats are supportive beneath and comfortable on long trips. The seats also have plenty of adjustments, including generous fore-aft range and adjustable lumbar / lower-back support. Full power adjustments for both front seats are standard on the LTZ. Two adults will be very comfortable in the rear seats. I was able to cross my leg comfortably in the rear seat. Theres plenty of knee, foot, and head room. Three adults will fit side by side, but the center seat is hard and a very pronounced center tunnel consumes leg and foot room from the person in the middle. The rear trunk is extremely spacious. All my previous cars have been of the station wagon type of body since I have always been the interstate mover for my three children college moves. I was shocked to see the trunk size. Imagine my surprise when I found out the rear seats can be folded forward to a flat position allowing me to stick in a mattress in the trunk. 5. Technology: This car is loaded with technology too much to list. In addition to all the safety technology features listed above, the car comes with the Onstar system and Xirius radio for free trial. Once you use these, you probably would like to keep the convenience. Did you know that this car can have its own phone and phone number (and also a 4G WiFi?) It provides access through satellite which means it can give you phone and internet access in mountains and areas outside the range of cell tower –which can be a life saver. The 2015 Impala is definitely a new contender in the sedan that can outscore luxury sedans. The ride is comfortable, the noise level is low, the cabin is spacious and the handling is responsive. While the LTZ model is by far not the most fuel economical model, the average 22 mpg overall which my electronic display provided, is still impressive for such a strong engine.

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  Bought used - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By Obelisk - September 2 - 10:36 am

  I bought my 05 Impala 3.4 after losing my first car in an accident. I was quite surprised by how solid the car was. It had 139000 miles on it, and was mostly clean and cared for. Only had to replace a few things, as is normal for a used, ten year old car. My friends and I love the car, and its far more comfortable than what they drive (One has an 07 Camry, which felt awfully stiff to me). The stereo is great and the sound quality is clear. Although, if you leave the CD tray on too long, it glitches and skips parts of the song (about 5-10 seconds of it). Drive it to college and work on a daily basis, and it just keeps on going, no matter what happens. Very reliable, although gas mileage couldve been made better. Pros: Feels like a couch Responsive and accelerates quickly (For gearheads) Great engine sound and pretty good performance for a sedan Great stereo Transmission is quick and smooth Looks great in gray Cons: MPG is a bit sub-par Only one key, trunk needs a separate key. Probably cant get it when buying used. Can be a bit bouncy on hard bumps.