Impala a solid family sedan, deserves update
2018 Chevrolet Impala: The unauthorized review.
Price: The base price of $27,895 jumps to $29,365 with the V-6 engine. Marketer’s pitch: “When your commute becomes a perk.”
Conventional wisdom: Motor Trend says of the 2017 model that you’ll like the “attractive styling and roomy interior,” but not the “Impala name on front-drive chassis, no V-8 or SS options.”
Reality: Not sure it’s a perk, exactly ... Mr. Driver’s Seat gets no respect: Pssst. Hey, reader. Yeah, you. Don’t tell Chevrolet about this review.
Usually, I test cars offered through the media fleets as they become available and because I’m sharing with New York City area offices, I’m in line behind a lot of major players.
I’d been angling for an Impala for a while, but I imagine this hasn’t been available due less to popularity and more to Chevrolet not wanting to tell you about it.
This time, though, I snagged a 2017 Impala through Enterprise while the Mrs. Passenger Seat’s Kia Soul recuperated from injuries suffered at the hands of another driver. The company did not make significant changes in its 2018 model.
What’s new: Not a lot. Years before, I tested a 2014 model and found this hasn’t received many major updates. Of course, trimmed for a rental fleet, it was a fairly barebones model.
Up to speed: The 3.6-liter V-6 engine provides 305 horsepower. Powering a large, two-ton family sedan, it still manages to pull off some decent acceleration. Motor Trend says it’s 6.3 seconds to 60 mph, but I find that fairly optimistic, or perhaps I just didn’t feel