The Chevrolet Impala is an automobile developed and built by the Chevrolet car division of General Motors. Ed Cole, Chevrolet's chief engineer in the late 1950s, defined the Impala as a "prestige car within the reach of the average American citizen." At its peak sales volume in 1965, the Impala was the best selling full-size car in the United States.
Recent Changes[]
The Impala underwent a complete overhaul in 2006. For 2007, several trim-specific standard features were added, as well as OnStar for all models. Engines, of course, have also been updated to produce more power, and the sporty SS is now equipped with a new 303hp V8.
Styles and Major Options[]
The Impala comes in 4 available trims: the LS, LT, LTZ, and SS. Although they share three different engines among them, they are all equipped with the same 4-speed automatic transmission. All trims have touring suspensions, save for the SS which is fitted with a sport suspension. There are some upgrades from trim to trim, but the main differences between them are their engines. The 3.5L V6 is also a flexible fuel engine, available only to the LS and LT trims. Some of the standout features are as follows:
Impala LS
- 3.5L 211hp V6 engine
- 16" steel wheels
- 8-way power driver seat
- Cloth interior and simulated wood dash insert
- 6-speaker AM/FM/CD audio system
- Cruise control
- Body-colored bumpers and moldings
Impala LT
- Choice of LS engine or 3.9L 233hp V6
- 17" machined alloy wheels
- Carpeted floor mats
- AM/FM/CD/XM audio system
- Exterior temperature monitor
- Compass
Impala LTZ
- 3.9L 233hp V6 engine
- ABS and driveline traction control
- 17" machined alloy wheels
- Driver/front passenger heated power seats
- Leather seating trim
- 8-speaker Bose AM/FM/CD audio system with MP3 capability
- Homelink wireless control system
Pricing[]
Today's actual prices for the Chevrolet Impala can be found at CarsDirect.
Impala Trims | ||||
Impala LS |
Impala LT
|
Impala LT
|
Impala LTZ |
Impala SS |
MSRP |
||||
$20,830 |
$21,440 |
$24,160 |
$26,250 |
$27,855 |
Invoice |
||||
$19,684 |
$20,260 |
$22,831 |
$24,806 |
26,322 |
Gas Mileage[]
As seen on the FuelEconomy.gov website, the City/Highway MPG averages for the Impala are as follows:
Trim | |||
3.5L V6 |
3.5L V6 flex-fuel |
3.9L V6 |
5.3L V8 |
MPG |
|||
21/31 |
21/31 gas
|
20/29 |
18/27 |
Reliability[]
Because the latest generation of the Impala just debuted in 2006, reliability information is not yet available for it. However, the previous generation maintained an overall satisfactory rating, finishing out the 2003 model year with a Green rating from Automotive Information Systems.
- RECALL ALERT: On October 10, 2008, the NHTSA issued a recall affecting 79 MY 2009 Chevrolet Impalas due to a faulty airbag which not only may fail to deploy but has an inflator tube which may rupture and hurl pieces at the passenger. Owners are urged to visit their local GM service center who will replace the system free of charge under GM's recall campaign. [1]
Safety[]
The Impala has gotten high marks from the NHTSA in its safety tests. For all front-impact tests and for front seat side-impact tests, the Impala was awarded 5-Star ratings. For rear seat side-impact and rollover, the Impala rated 4 Stars.
Photos[]
Colors[]
Colors will vary by trim, but a full list can be viewed at CarsDirect.com. Some of the available combinations are:
Exterior
- Amber Bronze Metallic
- Bordeaux Red
- Imperial Blue Metallic
- Precision Red
- Silverstone Metallic
- Intercepter (Black & White)
- NASCAR Series
Interior
- Ebony
- Gray
- Neutral
Main Competitors[]
Hybrid Models[]
There are currently no hybrid models of the Impala in production.
Unique Attributes[]
Resale Values[]
According to Kelley Blue Book, "we expect the newest Impala to hold its value better than its underperforming predecessor, if not as well as its closest Ford and Chrysler competitors, the Five Hundred and 300."
Criticisms[]
- "All 2006 Impalas have a 4-speed automatic transmission. It's responsive, but not a modern 5-speed unit that would provide slightly faster acceleration..." - MSN Autos
- "On mildly rough pavement, the car felt way too floaty, and the shocks bottomed out on even moderate potholes." - Cars.com
- "Despite large outside mirrors, it's impossible to see exactly where the back or front of the Impala ends and no rear obstacle detection system is offered." - MSN Autos
- "The Impala uses front-wheel drive, however, which will limit the appeal of the SS to enthusiasts." - New Car Test Drive
- "The lack of a tap-up/down shift option on the performance-oriented Impala SS makes it a bit of a poseur." - Kelley Blue Book
First Generation (1958)[]
Second Generation (1959-1960)[]
Third Generation (1961-1964)[]
Fourth Generation (1965-1970)[]
Fifth Generation (1971-1976)[]
Sixth Generation (1977-1985)[]
Seventh Generation (1994-1996)[]
Eighth Generation (2000-2005)[]
Ninth Generation (2006-2013)[]
Tenth Generation (2014-2020)[]
Impala SS[]
The Impala is often credited with starting the muscle car era, although the credit for that really goes to Pontiac when it released the GTO. In the 1960s, gasoline was cheap and consumer demand for power exceeded the need for efficiency. Buyers were clamoring for as much room, performance, amenities and quality as they could get for their dollars. Afraid it would lose out to an in house competition, Chevy released its muscle car, the SS, soon after. In 1961, the Impala SS (Super Sport) was introduced to the market. The SS badge was to become Chevrolet's signature of performance on many models, though it has often been an appearance package only. The Impala's SS package in 1961 was truly a performance package, beginning with the high-performance 348 in³ (5.7 L) engines (available with 305, 340, and 350 hp (230, 255 and 260 kW)) or the new 409 in³ (6.7 L), which was available with up to 425 hp. The package also inclued upgraded tires on station wagon wheels, springs, shocks and special sintered metallic brake linings. Starting in 1962, the Impala SS could be had with any engine available in the Impala, right down to the 235 in³ 135 hp inline-6. With one exception, from this point until 1969, the SS was an appearance package only, though the heavy-duty parts and big engines could still be ordered.
The exception was the Z24 option package available in combination with the standard Z03 Super Sport package. Starting in 1967, through 1969, buyers of Z24s Impalas got cars badged as "SS427" models. The SS427 included heavy duty suspension and other performance goodies, as well as a Turbo-Jet 427 in either L36 or L72 variations. Special SS427 badging inside and out were the rule, but few were sold, since "muscle car" enthusiasts were looking toward big-block intermediates like the Chevelle SS396 and Plymouth Hemi Roadrunners, which were lighter and subsequently faster off the line. Interestingly, Z24 cars could be ordered without the Z03 SS package, which meant SS427 equipment but no bucket seats or center console.
The Impala SS could be identified by SS emblems on the rear fenders and trunk lid. The Impala SS became its own series (separate model rather than an option package) for 1964. In 1968, the Impala SS once more became an option package rather than having its own model. In 1969, the Impala SS again became a performance option, coming only with a 427 in³V8 of 390 or 425 hp. This was the final year for the Impala SS until 1994.
The Chevy Impala SS is also used in the NASCAR Racing Series. It is used by many of the top teams and drivers including Hendrick Motorsports, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr, and Kasy Kahne.
Origins[]
The Impala name was first used for the Corvette-based dreamcar for the 1956 General Motors Motorama. Many Chevrolet models originated as Corvette-based experiments; examples include the Corvair and Nomad. The Impala originated as a sports coupe, and was the least Corvette-like of the few because of its purported role. Painted emerald green metalic, with a white interior, the Impala featured hardtop styling.
Worldwide[]
Design quirks and oddities[]
- The original 1958 Impala, like all other 1958 Chevrolets had coil sprung rear suspension, a distinction amongst cars of the time.
Awards[]
The 2006 Impala was selected as Fleet car of the Year by Automotive Fleet and Business Fleet magazines.
2003 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study 2nd winner (Prenium Mid-size)
See also[]
External links[]
- Official websites: U.S.A. | Canada
- Impala SS Forums
- ImpalaSSForum
- Muscle Car Facts - Chevy Impala SS — A year-by-year history
- RoadTests.com - Chevrolet Impala
- Chevy Impala Fans Forum
This page uses some content from Wikipedia. The original article was at Chevrolet Impala. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with Autopedia, the text of Wikipedia is available under the GNU Free Documentation License. |