Back in the old days, when I was in my teens and even preteen years, awaiting the next year’s redesign of the Chevy Impala was nearly as exciting as waiting to see what was under the Christmas tree.
After Chevy’s iconic fins of ’57, the Impala was reborn in ’58 as the top-trim with the first triple tail lights. The ’59 version went nuts with its horizontal fins, then the triple tail lights were back in 1960. The ’63 was king — and still is — among Impalas. The ’64 was boxy and disappointing at first but later developed a tremendous following.
The Impala was a model that brought annual excitement and debate over whether Chevy hit the mark.
And so I’ve wondered the past 20 years whatever happened to that magical nameplate, driven to mediocrity and rental fleets. The fleet money too irresistible, perhaps? Still, I dreamed of a day when the energy and style of the Impala would make its comeback.
For 2014, the Chevrolet Impala has made great strides to become that Impala we knew and lusted after. Still no triple tail lights, still a bit short on the old DNA. But this 10th generation is vastly improved over No. 9, has a bolder look, crisper steering and handling and a whole new attitude.
Heck, one guy at a gas station in Miami was actually taking pics of it with his cellphone, after I gave him a nod, then took video of the interior and even narrated his video tour.
A security guard sought comparisons: “It’s like a Camaro from the top front, a Lexus on the bottom. But the front light cluster looks like a Bimmer.”
Eh, one man’s opinion. But its look stands in stark contrast to its predecessor.
The full-size, front-wheel-drive Impala gets its best power from a 3.6-liter V-6 that puts out 305 horses and 264 pound-feet of torque. That’s more horses than the previous V-8, though with less torque. (A V-8 will not be offered.)
Still, it’s plenty brisk, hustling to 60 mph in about 6.5 seconds. That’s competitive with the segment.
No shifter paddles here, though, for those who want to take more control of the rpms. Instead, a six-speed automatic takes care of that and quite nicely, too, shifting quickly and smoothly.
Impala maintains good grip with its 18- to 20-inch tires and is really rather agile. Electric-assisted steering is lightweight but surprisingly precise.
I wouldn’t call the ride sporty, though it has decent road feel and good behavior on corners.
Mileage estimates are respectable at 19 mpg city, 29 highway.
While the first 2014 Impalas came only with a V-6, economical 4-cylinder engines also are available now. A 2.5-liter is expected to earn EPA figures of 21 city, 31 highway. And a 2.4-liter with eAssist (mild hybrid) should score 25 city, 35 highway.
While we didn’t care nearly as much about interiors in the old days, the 2014 changes are as dramatic as they are outside. The center console and dashboard design looks far more refined than the rental fleet version. And the construction, fit and materials all are improved.
Seats are comfortable for long trips and can be adorned in a variety of fabric: leather, cloth or a combination of cloth and suede or vinyl and suede. Contrasting piping adds a neat touch.
Taller folks will enjoy expanded room up front and in the rear, thanks to the longer wheelbase (the passenger cabin boasts 105 cubic feet of space). Cargo space in the trunk is expansive at nearly 19 cubic feet.
For safety and ease of drive, visibility is broad and clear in all directions.
But, perhaps most important to many, the Impala has joined the new millennium when it comes to electronics. It all starts with the 8-inch touchscreen MyLink interface that is standard on all but the base LS.
As one of the car mags said, if you can handle an iPhone you’ll do swell with the MyLink. You can click and drag icons — it’s similar to Cadillac’s CUE system — and connect up to 10 devices to Bluetooth. The navigation system has terrific (optional) 3D graphics that show the buildings you’re passing downtown that pinpoint your location.
A cool feature allows the passenger to program the nav system if it detects someone in the passenger seat. Remember, you have to promise not to operate the system while driving!
Of course, if the touchscreen is getting too high-tech, redundant controls are located on the center stack. I fully admit that, for me, nothing will ever replace dials for audio volume and tuning.
Cutting edge electronics extend to Impala safety, too. They are features such as forward collision alert with automatic braking, and lane departure and blind-zone warnings.
All this, in addition to standard safety features such as traction and stability control, full-length side-curtain air bags and front knee air bags.
Impala comes in three variations — the LS, LT and LTZ. The base LS comes with 4-cylinder engine only and steel wheels. Sounds low-level, but beyond that is a nice array of features, including AC, auto headlights, 8-way power seats for the driver and more power accessories. Plus, On/Star emergency package, satellite radio, USB/iPod connectivity.
The LT gets alloy wheels, the MyLink system with 8-inch display. A convenience package features parking sensors, rear-view camera and blind-spot monitoring. Another optional package gets you faux suede seats, navigation package and upgraded Bose sound system.
Finally, there is the top-line LTZ which gives you all of the above plus leather upholstery and options not available on the other models: 20-inch wheels, driver memory settings and adaptive cruise control, to name a few.
The new Impala is more competitive now, a sizable improvement over the last generation, It still is not quite retro enough for me — triple tail lights, please — but it’s back on track now.