The all new 2014 Cheverolet Impala is presented as the GM’s new flagship full-size sedan. The new 2014 Impala is larger and more upscale than the outgoing model to reduce price overlap between Impala and Malibu. The new Impala’s pricing starts where the Malibu’s almost ends. It shares the extended Opel-designed Global Epsilon platform with the Cadillac XTS. This means that instead of being a rear-wheel-drive car like the original, the new Impala is a front-wheel-drive model like its predecessor. All trims feature a 3.6L V6, 305 hp engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with manual shifting modes.
At the first sight, the new Impala is an entirely new car with a new personality. It has bigger curves, bolder lines and a bit more length. The new Impala looks well proportioned, poised and composed with an air swept design. It looks like a very non-American; American car. Since it is not slated to be a global car (only US and ME model) the design team had a more freehand to work with as it doesn’t have to wear a lot of shoes. It has a lot of sheet metal work which is described as ‘art & Sculpture’ by Mathew Noone, Director of Exterior Design GM South America. On the inside, designers have brought the Chevrolet Impala into the 21st century with a new dash and center stack design, quality materials and the second generation MyLink touchscreen infotainment interface. The Mylink system comes with an eight-inch touch screen (on the LT and LTZ) and provides a whole lot features, such as capacity for 10 Bluetooth devices and 1000 contacts; “natural” voice recognition; response to swipe, flick, click, and drag input gestures; and static movie-play capability. There are redundant knobs and steering-wheel buttons for entertainment and climate controls, high-resolution 3-D navigation, and four distinct menu screen choices. Plus a ‘valet lock mode’ where in the screen rises out of the dash at the touch of a button to open a storage bin and another USB inlet that can be locked shut and disabled by typing in a four-digit code like any electronic safe found in hotels.
We haven’t timed the sprints yet but it accelerates impressively right uptil 210 km/h and then gradually keeps the needle moving up. There didn’t appear to be a cut-off right uptil 219 km/h! What was quite impressive was the stable and confident ride all the way up to 219 km/h and that too on a winding back road. The brakes felt good and both air noise and rolling noise is quite less, making the cabin a peaceful place to be in. The Electrically assisted power steering is impressively precise and provides proper resistance and feedback at all speeds. The front shocks are carefully tuned conventional twin-tube components and the multilink rear suspension absorbs the bumps and irregularities of the road quite effectively. The hydraulic suspension bushings and fortified anti-roll-bar rubbers with metal inserts soften hard bumps while keeping the required stiffness needed for capable cornering and hence the Impala doesn’t roll or pitch too much. The leg room in the back is quite big even with the front seat pushed back.
The only thing we weren’t quite pleased with is that there a lot of reflective surfaces in the car causing reflections on the front windshield and across the dials at times, which are a bit distracting to us. But if you are used to keeping papers or tissue boxed on the front dash, you wouldn’t be too affected by them. The back end will give one a familiar appearance as it resembles the Lexus ES and IS.
In our opinion the new 2014 Imapla is quite a well made car. The attention to detail is quite apparent and is sure a worthy contender if one is looking for a full-size sedan. The basic LS available for AED 105,000 seems well aimed at fleet sales, the top LTZ at AED 129,000 appears to be better proposition. Alas, an Impala which just might cut it for Chevrolet.
Check Out:
- 2014 Chevrolet Impala Prices and Specs
