Tuesday, October 1, 2013
2014 Chevrolet Impala Review
A staple of rental car fleets across America, the current-generation Chevy Impala is anything but an object of desire. But with the all-new 2014 Chevrolet Impala making its world debut at the 2012 New York auto show, the Bow Tie brand is promising to erase memories of the long-running nameplate’s largely forgettable outgoing model with a more refined interior, the latest in technology, and a vastly improved driving experience when it goes on sale in early 2013.
The 10th-generation Impala is based on a stretched version of GM’s Epsilon II platform, which also underpins the Cadillac XTS and Buick LaCrosse. The car will be offered exclusively in front-wheel drive, and offer three engines to pair with a standard six-speed automatic transmission. Those direct-injection engines include a 2.4-liter I-4 with eAssist mild hybrid technology, estimated to produce 182 hp and 172 lb-ft of torque; a 2.5-liter Ecotec I-4 estimated at 195 hp and 187 lb-ft; and the familiar 3.6-liter V-6 producing 303 hp and 264 lb-ft. Those numbers are up slightly from the 3.6-liter engine in the current Impala, which produces 300 hp and 262 lb-ft. The General expects the 2.4-liter eAssist model to be EPA-rated at 35 mpg on the highway. The platform-mate LaCrosse eAssist is rated at 25/36 mpg city/highway – expect similar numbers from the 2014 Impala.
Three powertrain possibilities
Depending on your budget and desires, the Imapala can be had with one of three engines: 2.4-liter four-cylinder with eAssist, a 2.5-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder or a 3.6-liter V6. The 2.4-liter Ecotec engine is good for 182 horsepower and 172 lb-ft of torque, followed by 195 horsepower and 187 lb-ft of torque for the 2.5-liter four-cylinder, which is then topped by the 303 horsepower, 264 lb-ft of torque 3.6-liter VVT engine with direction injection.
All three engines come mated to a six-speed automatic transmission and drives the front wheels. Fuel economy is expected to come in at 35 highway with eAssist, 31 highway with the 2.5-liter four-cylinder, and 18 city, 30 highway with the range-topping V6.
