Chicago Auto Show: 2014 Chevrolet Impala

by Alex L. Dykes

February 7th, 2013 1:59 PM

So you want a Cadillac XTS but think the price tag is too dear? Chevrolet has an answer with the 2014 Impala, the Caddy’s kissing cousin. By all appearances, the main-stream model is the more attractive and sensible model as well. In between stuffing my maw with leftover breakfast muffins and a Kia sponsored mimosa I tripped across Chevy’s full-size sedan. No, this isn’t the RWD Chevy we’ve longed for, this is Malibu to the max.

The Impala isn’t vastly different from the rest of the Chevy lineup in style, but on first glance it seems to have pulled the best styling cues from Chevy’s design bag and placed them all on one car. GM had two top-of-the-line Impala LTZ models on display (complete with booth babes) and one cloth-seat equipped model for our perusal. In addition to the cohesive design, the Impala doesn’t come off strangely proportioned like the Cadillac XTS did when we last reviewed it.

I still don’t understand why Chevy is going premium when Buick exists, but that’s a story for another time. Despite the logic of the lineup, the Impala wears the best Chevy interior in terms of quality. All the interiors on display dripped with stitched pleather, plenty of cow-hide and lots of convincing faux-wood trim. As nice as the new Toyota Avalon on display next door was, the Impala beat it in terms of style, feel and parts quality. Whoda thunk that? How does it drive? You’ll have to wait or the Truth About That for a while.

Shoppers will find GM’s 2.4L Ecotec engine with eAssist from Buick’s lineup, GM’s new 2.5L 195hp four-pot or the ubiquitous 3.6L 303HP V6. There will be no fire-breathing Taurus SHO competitor we’re told. Pity.

#AlexL.Dykes #Chevrolet #Chevy #ChicagoAutoShow #Impala

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2 of 118 comments

360joules on Feb 08, 2013

I rarely comment on the looks of a car until I see it in person, but those projections at the bottom of the front grill (or upper air dam) look like they will snag on steeply angled driveways. Perhaps it's the camera angle.

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Bd2 on Feb 08, 2013

Chevy is not going any more "upscale" with the new Malibu than Hyundai and Toyota did with the new Azera and Avalon respectively. Furthermore, the LaCrosse will get an improved interior for its MCE and the next gen Lacrosse will get an even more luxurious interior.

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