2020 Chevrolet Impala

No this isn't 1963 so don't expect a big glorious V8 under the hood and don't expect an SS trim either (all you can do now is pray for it), but good news, they do have a 3.6 L V6 that makes 305 hp and 264 lb-ft of torque just like a Camaro and if that's too much for you, you could also go for a 2.5 four-cylinder motor that makes 197 hp and 186 lb-ft of torque. In both cases, the ponies are directed to the front wheels via a 6-speed automatic transmission.

Among the full-size sedans, the new 2020 Chevrolet Impala is a value for money proposition. However, this does not mean it’s a compromised package. In fact, it has one of the most spacious interiors in the class with seats large and supportive enough to allow a transcontinental trip with full family onboard and a trunk capacious enough to swallow all their luggage.

The Chevrolet Impala is available in two trim levels. Two engines are available. A 2.5-litre four-cylinder (197 horsepower, 191 pound-feet of torque) is standard, while a 3.6-litre six-cylinder (305 hp, 264 lb-ft of torque) is standard for the Premier and optional on the others. Both engines use a six-speed automatic transmission and are only available with front-wheel drive.

The LT variant sells for a $31,620 price tag is one of the cheapest in the class, and you get lots of standard features for that price. However, the advanced safety features are reserved only for the top-level trims. Both the trims are well equipped but Premier has the edge with more active safety features and standard Convenience and Driver Confidence Package.

Trims	LT	Premier
MSRP	$32,495	$37,595
Features	Panic Brake Assist	All the features in LT trim added/replaced and:
	Electronic Traction Control	Front chrome Sill plates
	Hill Start Assist	Bose Centerpoint surround audio System
	Electronic Stability Control with traction control	Chevrolet Infotainment System with Navigation and 8-inch display
	18-inch alloy Wheels	19-inch Aluminum Wheels
	Halogen Headlamps	High-Intensity Discharge (HID) Headlamps
	Heated power outside mirrors	Heated Driver and Front Passenger Seats
	4.2-inch Driver Information Center	Lane Change Alert and Side Blind Zone Alert
	Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control
	Diver and Passenger seat belt pretensioners
	Leather Wrapped Steering Wheel

Chevrolet has combined three optional packages which give the adaptability to choose between creature comfort and driving aids. The LT Convenience package and Driver confidence package comes in as standard for the Premier trim.

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Of course, the differences between the base model and the top model have now been bridged as a number of features that were exclusive to the Premier trim are now being offered as optional extras on the LT models but still, there is a clearer choice if you want a brand new Impala in your garage.

A V6 powered LT will be more than sufficient, feature-wise and performance-wise, without ever stepping over the premiere trim.

The Impala has two engine options. The smaller 197 hp 2.4L Inline-4 produces impressive fuel economy numbers while delivering smooth and adequate performance. This engine is standard on base Impala LS and Impala LT. If you want effortless acceleration, we recommend upgrading to the 305 hp 3.6L V6 that’s standard on top-end Impala Premier.

Whichever engine you choose, a 6-speed automatic is the only transmission option. The transmission executes smooth shifts and is also willing to downshift when you need more go. Also, 2020 Chevrolet Impala is exclusively Front-Wheel Drive so if you desire an old school Rear-Wheel Drive full-size sedan, check out the Dodge Charger.

Models	Chevrolet Impala LT	Nissan Altima VC-T Platinum	Toyota Camry XLE	Honda Accord Sport
MSRP	$32,495	$35,180	$34,450	$31,060
Engine	3.6L V6	2.0L I4	3.5L V6	2.0L I4
Transmission	6-Speed Automatic	CVT	8-Speed Automatic	10-Speed Automatic
Horsepower	305 hp @6800 rpm	248 hp @5600 rpm	301 hp @6600 rpm	252 hp @6500 rpm
Torque	264 lb-ft @5200 rpm	280 lb-ft @1600 rpm	267 lb-ft @4700 rpm	273 lb-ft @1500 rpm

Chevy Impala produces the highest number of horses with its V-6 powertrain followed by Toyota Camry which puts out 301 hp. The Honda Accord takes the third spot, with the Nissan Altima offering the most inferior power output of all. Now among the rivalry, Impala becomes the undisputed one in sheer power.

Acceleration

As the commanding manly stance of the Impala might suggest, it isn't exactly lightweight. Weighing close to 3700 lbs, it really is nothing short of a miracle that this big boy shoots to 60MPH from a standstill in just 6.1 seconds and it is also quicker than Honda Accord

The base Chevy Impala with the 197 hp 2.4L Inline-4 does 0-60 in 8.6 seconds. Although that’s not quick enough, this engine delivers adequate power for daily driving. More desirable is the 305 hp 3.6L V6 engine that’s shared with the Camaro.

Models	Chevrolet Impala LT	Nissan Altima VC-T Platinum	Toyota Camry XLE	Honda Accord Sport
0-60 MPH	6.2 sec	5.9 sec (est.)	5.8 sec (est.)	7.6 sec
Quarter mile	14.8 sec	N/A	14.3 sec (est.)	15.9 sec
Emission (Tons/yr of CO2 Emissions @ 15k mi/yr)	8.0	N/A	5.2	5.3

An Impala equipped with the V6 can scoot from 0-60 in 6 seconds flat. While this number is impressive, the fact that the Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima can do it faster makes it less impressive. 

Ride and Handling

The steering of the Impala is electric and is mostly electronically controlled but it isn't exactly lifeless as most other cars in its segment. It gives ample amount of feedback and lets the driver feel a reassuring and almost entertaining upper hand over the car's dynamics. It's also safe to say that the steering could easily be the most driver-focused one amongst its rivals.

At high speeds, the Impala feels very stable and manoeuvrable mostly because of the solid bodywork and refinement. Around corners, it's no BMW M3 but there is only a bearable amount of under-steer which cannot be said about most family sedans these days. Overall, it's not the kind of car which you'll get bored of driving every day and the experience might be even more rewarding if you go for that delicious V6.

Braking

All that accelerating prowess means that the Impala must be able to come to a full stop quickly. That's exactly why it has the biggest brakes here ensuring that 60-0 MPH happens in only 118 ft. which is quite impressive for a car of its size.

The brake pedal is easy to modulate around town but feels slightly soft. Chevy has the biggest brakes of the lot and it makes sense as it has the most powerful engine as well.

Models	Chevrolet Impala LT	Nissan Altima VC-T Platinum	Toyota Camry XLE	Honda Accord Sport
Brake Front (in.)	12.6	11.7 (est.)	12	12.3
Brake Rear (in.)	12.4	11 (est.)	11.1	11.1
60-0 MPH (ft)	120	116	123	120

Camry takes a relatively lengthy 123 ft and the Honda Accord takes a decent 120ft to come to a standstill from 60MPH. Nissan Altima comes as a surprise and just takes 116 feet to stop from 60 mph.

If you need a full-size car with a fuel-efficient 4-cylinder engine, the Impala is one of the few offering a 2.5L inline-4 engines. With fuel-saving technologies like start/stop system switching the engine off at red lights, the 2.5L Impala delivers 22 mpg in the city, 30 mpg on the highway and 25 mpg combined.

Even though the 2.5 litres would be the engine of choice if you're really bothered about fuel economy, the V6 Premier gives a combined fuel economy figure of 22 MPG which means Chevy gave as much importance to performance as the fuel economy. Okay, that was unexpected.

Models	Chevrolet Impala LT	Nissan Altima VC-T Platinum	Toyota Camry XLE	Honda Accord Sport
MPG (city)	18	25	22	22
MPG (highway)	28	34	33	32
MPG (combined)	22	29	26	26
Fuel Tank Capacity (Gal.)	18.5	16.2	15.8	14.8
Range (City/Highway)	333/518	405/551	348/521	326/474

Nissan Altima endures topping the list with a combined 29 miles to a gallon. This is essentially because of the CVT gearbox which is aggressively coded for greatest efficiency. Toyota Camry and Honda Accord are tied after the Altima. The Camry has overwhelmed us with its efficiency in spite of having a V6 under the bonnet.

While the exterior tries to hide the Impalas length, the interior feels as large and spacious as it is. The front seats are spacious and comfortable and offer excellent outward visibility. All the controls fall easily into the hand but the touchscreen requires you to stretch a bit. And although the interior generally features upscale materials, some cheap plastic trims spoils the ambience.

Following the footsteps of its large and roomy ancestors, the new Impala is comfy enough for 5 fairly large adults and will provide them with exceptional back and thigh support. Go for the optional heated seats and you wouldn't even feel like getting out of the damn thing.

The rear seats are expansive and three adults will be happy with them even after a long freeway journey. Also, Chevrolet NVH department has done a good job and the cabin stays silent with minimal wind and tire noise. A power sunroof is optional in Impala LT and Impala Premier.

Models	Chevrolet Impala LT	Nissan Altima VC-T Platinum	Toyota Camry XLE	Honda Accord Sport
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	39.9/57.9/45.8	38.0/58.2/43.8	37.5/57.7/42.1	37.5/58.3/42.3
Second (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	37.4/56.9/39.8	36.7/57.1/35.2	38.0/55.7/38.0	37.2/56.5/40.4

If you look at the absolute dimensions, Chevy takes it again as the most generous of the lot. The rear seats are also equally gallant, Nissan Altima being the only one that comes near and even presents better shoulder space. But overall, you would love being chauffeured in the Impala. 

Interior Features

• Driver and passenger seat with power adjustable lumbar support
• Rear ventilation ducts
• 4 one-touch power windows
• Cruise control
• Cruise control
• Audio and cruise controls on steering wheel
• Interior air filtration
• 100 watts stereo output
• Alloy wheels

Infotainment System

The 'MyLink' infotainment system controls all the digital shenanigans inside the Impala much like all the other Chevys on sale. The 8-inch infotainment screen was designed with ergonomics and driver accessibility in mind as the selectable icons are as large as you'd want them to be so even your Grandma could play her favourite track without going on a treasure hunt for the right icon.

The top trim gets navigation sport with real-time weather updates which are very helpful. There are a plethora of other features that make it desirable. 

Infotainment Features

• Bose Centerpoint surround sound audio system
• Bluetooth capable
• USB port in console
• 11-speaker system
• 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot
• Steering wheel mounted controls
• Sirius XM Radio
• The 8-inch diagonal screen interface

Cargo Capacity

It is an infamous fact that 60's Caddies and Impalas had huge rear boots probably to assist mafia families in dumping bodies but there is a less scary and more reasonable explanation for the large cargo space available in the new Impala.

Just like any other mainstream family sedan, its boot has enough space to fit all kinds of grocery and school bags. To be more precise, you can fit 18.8 ft. cube of shopping bags and other stuff in this new Chevy. It has the most amount of cargo space compared to its competitors.

Models	Chevrolet Impala LT	Nissan Altima VC-T Platinum	Toyota Camry XLE	Honda Accord Sport
Cargo Volume (cu.-ft)	18.8	15.4	15.1	16.7

Honda Accord appears with 16.7 cubic feet and that would be because it is built cleverly with the utilization of its low centre of gravity. This helps it to make a deeper trunk. Nissan Altima and Toyota Camry are similar to each other in terms of cargo space.

After the iconic 60s Impala, this Chevy full-size sedan faded into oblivion with anonymous styling. The current third-generation Impala changed that. Sharp creases and tasteful character lines give the new Impala a character of its own. While the sloping roof and fat bonnet also evoke a hint of muscle cars.

The previous generation Impala wasn't exactly the best looking car in the segment and the harsh criticism against its blob-like, unattractive design must've really struck some chords with the designers at GM because the 2014 Impala was on a different level in terms of its looks. One look at the refreshed car and it becomes obvious that they aren't playing it safe anymore.

This generation retains the beautiful lines we have all grown to love right from the Impalas in the '60s which should've ideally been the design direction for this decade of Impalas in the first place. With its bold stance, assertive and macho front end, it's perfectly alright to imagine Ice Cube cruising down the streets of Cali in one of these vibing to 'Today was a good day'.

Models	Chevrolet Impala LT	Nissan Altima VC-T Platinum	Toyota Camry XLE	Honda Accord Sport
Length (in)	201.3	192.9	192.1	192.2
Width (in)	73.0	72.9	72.4	73.3
Height (in)	58.9	56.8	56.9	57.1
Ground clearance (in)	N/A	5.2	5.7	5.5
Wheelbase (in)	111.7	111.2	111.2	111.4
Track width (in) F/R	62.2/62.0	62.8/63.6	62.2/62.6	62.6/63.1
Curb weight (lbs)	3682	3436	3549	3377

Chevy Impala cast the largest shadow with 201 inches of length and ni rival comes close to it. It also has the longest wheelbase among the class with the most amount of heft . Others are more or less of the same structure with comparable dimensions.

Exterior Features

• Heated side mirrors
• 18-inch standard alloys
• 19-inch optional aluminium alloys
• 20-inch optional aluminium alloys
• Chrome trim badges
• Halogen headlamps
• Optional High-Intensity Discharge headlamps (HID)
• Front intermittent wipers
• Black Impala emblems
• Optional Twin-chrome exhausts

Chevrolet has not invested in the safety features as much as the other departments. There are certain features but most of the active safety features come in as options which aren’t the case with its competition.

Nevertheless, the Premier trim provides a satisfactory set of active safety features but we believe that Chevy could have done better. It has managed to bag bear perfect scores from all federal safety authorities and the IIHS gave its highest grade of “Good” in almost all categories. The various life-saving features on offer are listed below. 

• 10 airbags
• Panic Brake Assist
• Electronic Traction control
• LED Daytime running lamps
• Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert
• OnStar Chevrolet Connected Services
• Rear Park Assist
• Rear Vision Camera
• All position 3-point Seat Belts
• StabiliTrak-Electronic Stability Control System with traction Control
• Road emergency toolkit

Chevrolet Impala vs Nissan Altima

Nissan Altima is a wholesome car in this division but it doesn’t survive up to the absolute value for money which the Chevy Impala gives. It offers a muscular V6 which produces more power and torque at $3560 less. But then it’s all about sheer power. The Altima brightens elsewhere with better handling nature and a well laid out contemporary interior. 

Of course, the differences between the base models and the top models have now been spanned as a number of features that were restricted to the Premier trim are now being extended as optional extras on the LS and LT models but still, there is an obvious choice if you want a brand new Impala in your parking.

Chevrolet Impala vs Toyota Camry

Toyotas are entirely reliable which espouses performance and practicality collectively with ease. The only other V6 of the lot, it is shy by just 4 horses. Toyota is not as capacious as the Chevy but the interior quality is much more enjoyable. The Camry gives much greater fuel efficiency. 

So the bottom line here is that if you want a stalwart and roomy family sedan which can carry much more than your weekend baggage then Impala will fit flawlessly. But if reliability and fuel efficiency are on top of your priority list then Toyota Camry makes a better choice which is well worth the extra $ 2830.

Chevrolet Impala vs Honda Accord

The only car in the list which costs less than the Chevy Impala without endangering much on the performance. It is powered by a  modest engine which makes the whole car lighter than the Chevy. This makes it more agile and responsive. And as vigorous the Hondas are, it doesn’t make you feel less power while driving it. The interior is much more modern than the Chevy and comes with more features as well. Comfort is but a downside as it doesn’t offer you the sheer relaxed nature which the seating of the Impala does.

If comfort and a relaxed ride is all that’s on your mind then go no further than the Impala. But if you are ready to sacrifice a bit on the comfort front then the Accord treats you with a much more focused, fun to drive and wholesome ride.

Among the full-size sedans, the new 2020 Chevrolet Impala is a value for money proposition. However, this does not mean it’s a compromised package. In fact, it has one of the most spacious interiors in the class with seats large and supportive enough to allow a transcontinental trip with full family onboard and a trunk capacious enough to swallow all their luggage.

That transcontinental trip can be made even shorter with the optional V6 engine borrowed from none other than the Camaro. However, the Impala is not as well built as its more expensive Japanese rivals. And the Charger beats it in terms of sportiness. That said, if you are looking for a cosy large luxury car that’s also good to drive on a budget, there are few alternatives.