Chevrolet Impala

2010 Chevrolet Impala

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Shopping for a 2012 Chevrolet Impala? MSRP: $25,760 - $30,300

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It's quite possible that your grandparents or even great-grandparents drove a Chevrolet Impala; for more than 50 years, Chevy has placed the nameplate on a range of body styles--most of them sedans, some of them taxis or police cars. In recent years it's been a full-size, front-wheel-drive sedan, with the Toyota Avalon, Hyundai Azera, Ford Taurus, and Dodge Charger among the alternatives. Prices tend to be quite low for this class of car, with most Impalas priced at less than $30,000.

Originally introduced in 1958, the Chevrolet Impala has seen nine generations over its lifespan, but the last-generation has been particularly long. From finned land yacht to clean rectilinear cruiser, wire wheels to steel hubcaps, the Impala was at the leading edge of sedan design through the late 1950s and all through the 1960s—with some of the most memorable, timeless designs—while the 1970s and 1980s were some of the more forgettable. The seventh generation car (which the current Impala still dates back to, mechanically, in some ways) remains one of the most easily picked out of the cars of that era, its smooth and rounded shape at once unassuming and completely unique. After a hiatus at the end of the seventh generation in 1996, the 2000-2005 eighth generation introduced the front-wheel drive layout and more restrained look of the car on the road today.

The current Impala first hit the roads in 2006, offering a 211-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 engine in the standard car and a 5.3-liter V-8 engine in the Impala SS. Later in the 2006 model year, a new 3.9-liter V-6 was added to the range. In 2007, Flex Fuel capability was added for the 3.5-liter engine, and in 2009, the Impala SS was discontinued. The current lineup features only the 3.5-liter and 3.9-liter V-6s. Overall, we've found these Impala models to perform adequately but with little to no excitement; and while the ride is comfortable, the seats are not.

In recent years, three trim levels have been available: LS, LT and LTZ. The LS and LT come standard with a six-speaker audio system, cruise control, OnStar, power driver's seat, sixteen-inch steel (LS) or alloy (LT) wheels, and more. The LTZ adds 18-inch alloy wheels, power heated front seats, auto dimming rearview mirror, universal home remote and more. Up until 2012, the Impala used a four-speed automatic four-speed automatic transmission, with the LS and LT getting power from the 3.5-liter V-6 standard (the LT can be upgraded to the 3.9-liter V-6 engine, which is standard on the LTZ).

Standard safety features include front and side-impact, curtain and rear side airbags, plus front safety belt pretensioners, stability control, and four-wheel disc anti-lock brakes.

For 2012, the Impala soldiers along with the same underpinnings and configuration, but it gets a number of minor cosmetic improvements, newly standard alloy wheels and Bluetooth, and a new 302-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 and six-speed automatic transmission—which promises much improved performance, paired with EPA ratings of 18 mpg city, 30 highway.