As the full-size sedan offering from Chevrolet, the Impala for 2014 is all new and ready to tackle any road thrown its way. As a very comfortable and a fan favorite the previous model wasn’t as popular due to a lack of fuel efficiency, but as of this year the Impala offers a mild-hybrid Eco model to quell those in search of a decent amount of fuel efficiency but also want to experience the comfort and class of a larger sedan. In a class that includes the Dodge Charger, Ford Taurus, and Toyota Avalon, the Impala has a very high bar to reach and it not only reaches it but exceeds it easily.
The Impala is considered to be one of the best costs to owner vehicles on the market, winning the Kelley Blue Book award for 2014 for 5-Year Cost to Own it is truly an impressive vehicle. As a completely new model for this year the Impala offers a huge gain in suspension, a lighter body and a bit more room than the outgoing model. The body design is brand new and much less dramatic than the competition, but instead is beauty in the simplicity of the actual design.
Driving the Impala offers an owner a highly tuned suspension using MacPherson struts and a four-link rear setup capable of sending all road imperfections back at the road and offering a smooth ride to the occupants of the vehicle. Add to this the superior performance of the electric power steering and this big car acts like a much smaller vehicle and is very nimble and quick in and out of curves. Along with the actual enjoyment of driving the car, the Impala offers a truly quiet cabin with acoustic glass for the windshield and front side windows as well as triple door seals, the road noise is left outside the car. This allows the occupants of the vehicle to enjoy what they want to listen to instead of a bunch of road noises.
Three engine choices are offered for the Impala lineup starting with a 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine offering 196 horsepower and 186 lb.-ft. of torque. With plenty of power, this engine is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission the fuel economy is surprisingly strong at 21 city/31 hwy mpg.
Next in line is the 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder with eAssist mild hybrid coming in with 182 horsepower and 172 lb.-ft. of torque. Even with these small power numbers there is plenty of passing power to make this engine viable in the lineup and when set up with the six-speed automatic transmission the fuel mileage achieved comes in at 25 city/35 hwy mpg.
At the top of the power food chain is a very well-designed 3.6-liter naturally aspirated V6 engine that has a ton of power with 305 horsepower and 264 lb.-ft. of torque. Even this beast offers a nice fuel mileage according to the experts at Chevy Impala Miami, matched with the six speed transmission coming in at 19 city/29 hwy mpg; very strong and great mileage for an expertly designed engine.
Stepping inside the cabin of the Impala offers owners a truly luxury-like feel given by the almost silent cabin and upscale materials used throughout the car. Add a bit of ambiance at night with the ice blue cabin lighting and the vehicle is really a joy from a visual standpoint. The seats offer comfort and with plenty of room throughout the car for adults in every seat the ride is very appealing indeed. All controls are well situated and easy to find with sophistication throughout the control center of the vehicle it’s hard to imagine this is a Chevrolet.
From the outside the Impala offers a semi-fastback view from the long roofline and very long hood. The car shows off with lines that just don’t seem to end anywhere at all and a beautifully sculpted front end. The low profile projector beam headlights and smiling grill accented by the Chevrolet bowtie offer a road growling appearance from the front of a car that just wants to get going. Add to the simply elegant good looks the chrome accents all over the outside and the beautiful spoked inspired wheels that come in sizes from 18 to 20-inches and this is truly a very easy to love car.
The standard offering for the Impala are short and sweet with seven air bags, Onstar, and six months of Directions and Connections service. This allows the Impala to be a unique car for each individual driver as the long list of options allows shoppers to basically build their own car.
The options list for the Impala includes remote start, passive entry/exit, keyless start, a heated steering wheel, power tilt/telescoping steering wheel with memory, dual zone climate control, heated and ventilated front seats, a Bose surround sound audio system, MyLink infotainment system, advanced adaptive cruise control, collision mitigation braking, forward collision alert, lane departure warning, blind zone alerts, rear cross traffic alert, a rearview camera, and ultrasonic rear parking assistance. All of this helps to make the Impala a personal and impressive car that teeters on the verge of luxury.
Offering several trims and configurations, the Impala starts with the LS four-cylinder that offers a $27,500 price point. The LS Eco begins pricing at just below $30,000 and the 2LT comes in just under $31,000 but is powered by the V6 engine. At the top of the price heap, the 2LTZ with a good amount of standard equipment brings a price tag of $37,000 and when all the options are added the Impala comes in around $41,000 which is fully in line with the top of the competition models.
As a very affordable and easy to enjoy full-sized sedan from Chevrolet, the Impala comes in as a fantastic vehicle to own. Anyone looking to find a great full-sized sedan will be pleased with what they find on the Chevrolet car lot to fit the bill.
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