Courtesy of CarandDriver.com
2014 Chevrolet Impala
This one just may move away from the rental lot.
Dare we say it? For the first time in a while, Chevrolet has created an Impala that might excite someone other than fleet purchasing agents.
The 10th generation of one of autodom’s most familiar nameplates, the 2014 Impala is indeed a sculpted piece, if a bit rumpalicious. (The 2014 Impala rides on the same front-drive platform as the Cadillac XTS, a car that also features a long rear overhang.) There are some overtones of Infiniti M in the rear quarter and the front end bears a slight resemblance to that of the pre-refresh Volkswagen CC—not bad company, by any means—and the car is many times more attractive than the anodyne outgoing model.
A Camaro-esque grille and headlamps have been employed; on LTZ models, the lights are upgraded to HID units with accompanying LED daytime running lights. Chrome is kept to a minimum, but it’s used to good effect framing the windows and punctuating the scallop on the lower body side. Base LS models will come standard with 18-inch wheels, while 19- and 20-inchers will be available on LT and LTZ versions. The familiar running-impala logo takes up residence on the C-pillar.
Material Proof
The interior features Chevy’s dual-cockpit layout, as well as premium materials such as perforated leather and faux suede; ambient lighting and a French-stitched dashtop and IP cowl are among the options. The swanky atmosphere will be augmented by what should be a quieter cabin: Chevy says it fairly slathered the car with sound-deadening materials, and four-cylinder models have active noise cancellation via the audio system. The instrument cluster gets a 4.2-inch driver-configurable color screen that can display various infotainment and vehicle data. Chevy’s latest iteration of MyLink is available, featuring an eight-inch touch-screen in the center stack that flips up to reveal a concealed storage bin.
The new Impala can be fitted with a host of driver-assistance tech, some of which are firsts for Chevrolet. The list includes full-speed-range adaptive cruise control, collision-mitigating automatic braking, lane-departure alert, blind-spot alert, forward collision alert, and rear cross-traffic alert. (We recently sampled GM’s versions of these technologies as fitted to a Cadillac SRX; the Impala’s nannies should function similarly, as they’re also destined for its XTS platform mate.)
Two Fours and a Six
The engine lineup has three naturally aspirated, direct-injected suspects: a carry-over 3.6-liter V-6—the only engine available in the outgoing car—a 2.5-liter four, and an eAssisted 2.4-liter four. The six now makes three additional horsepower and two more lb-ft of torque (for totals of 303 and 264)—which Chevy claims will propel the new Impala from 0-60 in 6.8 seconds—while the 2.5 delivers 195 hp and 187 lb-ft of torque. The 2.4-liter and its mild-hybrid setup are good for 182 hp and 172 lb-ft. In V-6 trim, the new car weighs roughly 150 pounds more than the previous one, so don’t expect six-pot mileage to move up from the previous 18 mpg city/30 highway. The other engines will be more miserly: Chevy says the eAssist will get 35 mpg on the highway. All three engines will hook to a six-speed automatic.
Pricing has yet to be announced; expect base pricing to stay near the current model’s $26,585 when the new Impala hits showroom floors in early 2013.
[video=youtube;IU-lVGRcdTI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU-lVGRcdTI[/video]
2014 Chevrolet Impala
This one just may move away from the rental lot.
Dare we say it? For the first time in a while, Chevrolet has created an Impala that might excite someone other than fleet purchasing agents.
The 10th generation of one of autodom’s most familiar nameplates, the 2014 Impala is indeed a sculpted piece, if a bit rumpalicious. (The 2014 Impala rides on the same front-drive platform as the Cadillac XTS, a car that also features a long rear overhang.) There are some overtones of Infiniti M in the rear quarter and the front end bears a slight resemblance to that of the pre-refresh Volkswagen CC—not bad company, by any means—and the car is many times more attractive than the anodyne outgoing model.
A Camaro-esque grille and headlamps have been employed; on LTZ models, the lights are upgraded to HID units with accompanying LED daytime running lights. Chrome is kept to a minimum, but it’s used to good effect framing the windows and punctuating the scallop on the lower body side. Base LS models will come standard with 18-inch wheels, while 19- and 20-inchers will be available on LT and LTZ versions. The familiar running-impala logo takes up residence on the C-pillar.
Material Proof
The interior features Chevy’s dual-cockpit layout, as well as premium materials such as perforated leather and faux suede; ambient lighting and a French-stitched dashtop and IP cowl are among the options. The swanky atmosphere will be augmented by what should be a quieter cabin: Chevy says it fairly slathered the car with sound-deadening materials, and four-cylinder models have active noise cancellation via the audio system. The instrument cluster gets a 4.2-inch driver-configurable color screen that can display various infotainment and vehicle data. Chevy’s latest iteration of MyLink is available, featuring an eight-inch touch-screen in the center stack that flips up to reveal a concealed storage bin.
The new Impala can be fitted with a host of driver-assistance tech, some of which are firsts for Chevrolet. The list includes full-speed-range adaptive cruise control, collision-mitigating automatic braking, lane-departure alert, blind-spot alert, forward collision alert, and rear cross-traffic alert. (We recently sampled GM’s versions of these technologies as fitted to a Cadillac SRX; the Impala’s nannies should function similarly, as they’re also destined for its XTS platform mate.)
Two Fours and a Six
The engine lineup has three naturally aspirated, direct-injected suspects: a carry-over 3.6-liter V-6—the only engine available in the outgoing car—a 2.5-liter four, and an eAssisted 2.4-liter four. The six now makes three additional horsepower and two more lb-ft of torque (for totals of 303 and 264)—which Chevy claims will propel the new Impala from 0-60 in 6.8 seconds—while the 2.5 delivers 195 hp and 187 lb-ft of torque. The 2.4-liter and its mild-hybrid setup are good for 182 hp and 172 lb-ft. In V-6 trim, the new car weighs roughly 150 pounds more than the previous one, so don’t expect six-pot mileage to move up from the previous 18 mpg city/30 highway. The other engines will be more miserly: Chevy says the eAssist will get 35 mpg on the highway. All three engines will hook to a six-speed automatic.
Pricing has yet to be announced; expect base pricing to stay near the current model’s $26,585 when the new Impala hits showroom floors in early 2013.
[video=youtube;IU-lVGRcdTI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU-lVGRcdTI[/video]
