Overview:
This week I test-drove the Chevrolet Impala LTZ sedan. It is especially nice to have the roominess of a full size sedan after driving a small sports car like the Mazda Miata MX-5 last week.
If I had wanted to play golf with a friend, my friend better have a big car because the Miata would not even carry ONE set of clubs. In the Impala I could easily stow my clubs in a travel bag. Few cars have trunks as long or deep as this Impala. I can’t imagine how I would have toted them to the airport – and Richard’s too. We’re not off to see the Wizard but the yellow brick road leads to Pinehurst, North Carolina. There I will test the Nissan Armada and be humbled by 4 golf courses where the Open is played earlier each year.
Well, aside from being big enough to carry Richard’s and my clubs and other travel bags this is a great family car, company car or FBI fleet car. But it’s not boring and not all that plain as you’d expect for a stealth FBI car.
Public Service: When driving, keep your head down and follow through. Driving is much better that way. Trouble is I can’t walk and chew gum at the same time so how can I be expected to ever be a consistent golfer?
General Info:
Parts – n/a
Assembly – Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Class: – Large
Cars: Astro, Avalanche, Aveo, Blazer, Cavalier, Cobalt, Colorado, Corvette, Equinox, Express, HHR, Impala, Malibu, Monte Carlo, Silverado, SSR, Suburban, Tahoe, Trail Blazer, Uplander and Venture.
Handling & Performance:
Generally this LTZ is more powerful than any of the competition. And if you want even more, a V8 is available (since 2000 but not prior models back to 1996). There is plenty of power and the ride is silky smooth. There is a hint of road noise but I found the silence quite refreshing after driving small tinny cars. From starting to stopping you’ll feel in control and comfy-cozy. Acceleration is quick and smooth. Braking is also smooth and quiet too.
Something you begin to see, (as with this Impala), is Variable Valve Timing equipped engines on more and more American cars. Such technology has been available on many Japanese cars for quite some time but just being adopted by American carmakers.
Styling:
Ok, so it isn’t an FBI car and it does have nice lines. The interior is dressed up with some nice wood accents on the dash that gives a more elegant feeling than I expected. Impala was so popular in the decade of the 1960s it topped the sales charts in the first half of the 1960s with over three quarters of a million units sold each year. Sales in 1969 topped 800,000 units sold. Then the Japanese took a huge share of the market stealing the success of Impala and knocking it from sales leader with Toyota’s Camry. 2004 saw sales of Impala reach less than 300,000 units sold.
Fit and Finish:
Quite good.
Cost:
All of the competition is very close in pricing. You’ll have to make the distinction of what is the best car for the money on some basis other than cost. As for me I like to support cars made in the US and help the troubled GM and Ford companies who are losing money. I supported the Japanese in the 1960’s because American carmakers were getting too big for their own, and the consumers good. Unions were pushing wages through the roof and made American cars too expensive and unable to compete with foreign products. Simply put the industry shot themselves in the foot – both feet really.
Conveniences:
This is a roomy sedan – classified “Large” – it has the best front legroom of almost all the competition. In the large sedans I have been testing recently I’ve become accustomed to the great feature of sensors built into the bumpers for obstacle detection. It is not needed on small cars but on the larger ones it is nice to have to assist when backing up. Unfortunately rear sensors are NOT available on the Impala.
Consumer Recommendation:
Boy this is the toughest competition grouping I’ve seen in a long time. Generally I can find a couple of cars that stand out. But this is really close. I love ‘em all. Camry has been the leader for a long time with so many people and for good reason – the Japanese came to play. They are fiercely competitive and capable – no formidable adversaries.
The Competition:
Chevrolet Impala LTZ $21-27,000, Mercury Montego $24-29,000, Pontiac Grand Prix $23-29,000, Saturn L300 $21,000, Mitsubishi Galant $19-26,000, Dodge Charger $22-35,000, Hyundai Sonata $18-23,000, Buick LaCrosse $23-28,000, Ford Five Hundred $22-28,000, Toyota Camry $18-26,000, Mazda 6 $19-28,000, Honda Accord $18-29,000, Nissan Altima $18-30,000.
Good News:
Decent mileage for the power, it is quiet, it is smooth riding, it has a huge trunk and it has great styling.
Bad News:
No rear obstacle sensors available.
Standard Equipment:
3.9 liter variable valve timing V6 240 horsepower engine, 4-speed electronic transmission, (optional V8 is 303 horsepower), front wheel drive, 4-wheel independent suspension, stainless steel exhaust, OnStar service one year, 4-wheel ABS disc brakes, traction control, tire pressure monitor, dual front and head curtain airbags, auto headlights, programmable auto door locks, theft deterrent system, child seat latch and door security systems, power heated mirrors, fog lights, rear spoiler, tilt steering wheel with wheel mounted cruise and audio controls, 8-way driver and 6-way passenger seats, remote vehicle starting system, XM Satellite radio, Bose audio system with CD and MP3 players and rear flip and fold flat seat.
Gas Stats:
19 City and 27 Highway MPG
Pricing:
MSRP $26,870.
