2006 Chevrolet Impala

Chevrolet's once-legendary Impala, reborn in the 1990s as a front-wheel-drive midsize sedan with a near-full-size cabin, has been a General Motors stealth fighter since its most recent redesign for 1999. Largely ignored by the media, who correctly considered it mediocre and boring, it sold 81,000 units that introductory year, 174K the next and by 2004 was pushing 300K units. In the first six months of 2005, that aging previous-generation Impala, in its last season before retirement, quietly outsold Chrysler's hot 300 sedan series by more than 50,000 units.

Styling

No question Chevy's Impala in recent years has been bland in looks, moderate in performance and about as exciting as a wet tea bag. Yet all it has done is offer excellent build quality, interior room, outstanding value for the dollar and sell in substantial numbers, year after year. Chevy proudly points out that its 2005 Impala beat Honda's Accord, Nissan's Altima, Ford's Five Hundred and Chrysler's 300, and topped Toyota's Camry for the fifth straight year, in J. D. Power's 2005 Initial Quality Survey ratings.


Now comes this all-new Impala looking (we think) much better than the old one—though not that different and still short of exciting—and surpassing it (and most everything else in its class) in virtually every way. Comparing roominess (for six), cargo capacity, V-6 vs. V-8 performance, economy and price, plus J. D. Power's initial quality rating, Chevy says it beats Camry, Accord, Altima, Five Hundred and 300 in everything—except for the Five Hundred's bigger trunk and the 300C HEMI's bigger performance.


The all-new 60-degree 3.5-liter V-6 standard on base LS and uplevel LT models generates a very respectable 211 hp and 214 lb.-ft. of torque and features, surprisingly, a forged steel crankshaft, electronic throttle control and—a first in any OHV (pushrod) engine—variable valve timing. Driving (like all 2006 Impalas) through an electronically controlled 4-speed automatic transmission, it pulls the LS from rest to 60 mph in 8.4 seconds, offers (gasoline/ethanol blend) E85 fuel capability and scores an impressive 21 mpg city and 31 highway on unleaded regular in EPA testing. Compared to the previous V-6 of the same displacement, "there are maybe a half-dozen parts carried over," says Assistant Chief Engineer Gary Horvat. "This is pretty much a ground-up new engine."

Features

The mid-range 3.9-liter version, standard on LTZ and available on LT, adds a variable-length intake manifold to optimize flow at all engine speeds and ups the V-6 ante to 242 hp and 242 lb.-ft. of twist. Chevy says it's good for a 7.8 second 0-60 time and 19/27 mpg economy. Yes, these new V-6s would be somewhat smoother and quieter with overhead cams, especially at high-rpm, and slightly more efficient with more gears in the box, but also a bunch more expensive.