Some Domestic Competition for Accord and Camry?

Since the demise of the rear-wheel drive (RWD) Caprice land yacht, the front-wheel drive (FWD) Impala has taken over as Chevrolet's
Driving a domestic, V6-powered FWD 4-door sedan can be injurious enough to one's ego without the additional burden of a bench seat and column-mounted shift lever. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press)
largest sedan offering. When equipped with the available bench-style front seat, the Impala is capable of carrying six occupants. Few sedans today accommodate more than five beings due to the popularity of bucket seats, which generally provide superior support and comfort over bench arrangements. Despite the ability of a front bench to sit three derrieres, I was glad to find a pair of fully adjustable buckets in my tester. Driving a domestic, V6-powered FWD 4-door sedan can be injurious enough to one's ego without the additional burden of a bench seat and column-mounted shift lever - but I jest of course.

Chevy
Chevy has freshened-up both the interior and exterior styling of the Impala for 2006, giving it a much cleaner appearance. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press)
has freshened-up both the interior and exterior styling of the Impala for 2006, giving it a much cleaner appearance. Apart from the stick-on spoiler ruining the rear deck of my top-of-the-line LTZ tester, I found this large-for-a-mid-size sedan to be reasonably attractive. No, it's not in the realm of the latest works from Infiniti and Lexus, but it's every bit as appealing as Honda's Accord and Toyota's Camry; and the Impala's "appeal" factor improves upon a move inside. Chevrolet has done a very good job of accurately assembling a tight, although somewhat minimalist cabin. This is a huge departure from the interiors GM threw together not so long ago.

The switchgear in my tester functioned smoothly and presented first-class tactility imparted by rubberized surfaces on the HVAC and
The switchgear in my tester functioned smoothly and presented first-class tactility imparted by rubberized surfaces on the HVAC and audio dials. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press)
audio dials. Layout of the instrumentation and various controls and switches is logical and for the most part, straightforward. There isn't the sort of complexity in the Impala's business office that can cause angst and heart palpitation among the techno-challenged, such as in some vehicles choosing to needlessly "wow" us with buttons and LCD screens. Regrettably, a tiny LED position indicator on some of the controls undermines the Impala's elementary approach to switchgear by making it particularly difficult to decipher settings at a glance.

Worthy of acclaim both inside and outside the Impala, is its overall build quality. Body-panel gapping is slim and
The reworking Chevy gave the Impala for 2006 is much more than skin deep. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press)
precise. Doors close easily and seal shut with a quality-like "whump", as does the trunk. The reworking Chevy gave the Impala for 2006 is much more than skin deep. A new suspension design underpins the vehicle, which receives increased power and performance thanks to several new engine choices. The base powerplant is the venerable 3.5-litre (213 cu in) V6 that has kicked around GM for some time now, however its output has now been upped by 30 horses to 210. Next in the engine food chain is GM's recently introduced 240-horsepower, 3.9-litre (231 cu in) V6. This new recruit relies upon 2-valve per-cylinder technology rather than the 4-valve per-cylinder grouping utilized by many competitors. In spite of its twin-valve design, GM's larger V6 features variable valve timing to squeeze out up to 245 foot-pounds of torque. For those harking back to the days of the mighty V8, the Impala SS is motivated by a 303-horsepower 5.3-litre (325 cu in) V8.

But it's the mid-grade 3.9-litre V6 propelling this week's LTZ tester. Interestingly the same engine sat beneath the hood of the
I am quite convinced that GM could further refine the operation of the Impala's mid-grade 3.9-litre engine. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press)
Pontiac G6 GTP Coupe I recently put through the rigors of a road test; and what's interesting is the difference in operational refinement between the two applications. Unexpectedly, Pontiac's version was quieter and less obtrusive than Chevy's - surprising given the sportier character of the G6 GTP over that of the Impala. Nonetheless, I am quite convinced that GM could further refine the operation of the same engine in the more mundane offering. When it's not being pushed, the Impala is a very quiet vehicle to ride in thanks in part to GM's Quiet Steel technology. But even under
More power is simply not needed unless out-hustling a Hemi-powered 300C is the goal. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press)
light acceleration, there is in my view excessive engine groan.

Auditory intrusions aside, the 3.9-litre mill is a strong performer. It delivers plenty of pull at any speed, making it a capable sprinter off-the-line and a strong runner in the passing lane. More power is simply not needed unless out-hustling a Hemi-powered 300C is the goal. Besides, front-wheel drive vehicles do not inherently handle massive bursts of torque particularly well. To Chevy's credit though, torque steer is impressively controlled in the Impala, with all-speed traction control supplied as standard equipment with the big V6.

Connecting the Impala's engine to its driving wheels is a 4-speed automatic transmission. Again there's nothing particularly
Connecting the Impala's engine to its driving wheels is nothing more than a 4-speed automatic transmission, nothing particularly sophisticated, in fact there isn't even a manual mode provision. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press)
sophisticated about this aspect of the Impala - in fact there isn't even a manual mode provision, a feature in wide use among the Impala's competition. Preferential to some undoubtedly will be the Impala's conventional shift-gate enabling easy downshifts by simply pulling back on the gear lever. Sometimes conventionality is just better. Shift points are finely tuned to the engine's output, coming and going with suitable smoothness. I did notice, however, that after slowing to a near stop and commencing acceleration (something often referred to as a taxi stop) the transmission occasionally hesitated before inserting the needed cog, resulting in a hard shift.

Keeping
Keeping the Impala's speed in-check is a full set of antilock disc brakes. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press) 
the Impala's speed in-check is a full set of antilock disc brakes. They operated with the effectiveness we have come to expect of modern vehicles. Emergency stops were easily controlled and by anecdotal measure, brief to say the least given the LTZ's mass of 1,691 kg (3,729 lbs). In addition to strong braking, Chevy has wisely imbued the 2006 Impala with driver and front passenger, dual-stage frontal airbags and head-curtain side-impact airbags as standard equipment regardless of trim level. OnStar, including a free one-year subscription, is also standard fare. It's about time basics such as side-curtain airbags and OnStar became standard crash and safety protection in modest family vehicles.

If using a sedan to haul families the old fashion way is your thing, the Impala deserves some attention. It supplies a
The cushions of the split rear bench seat flip forward to reveal a large stowage tray with neatly positioned grocery bag holders. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press)
comfortable, well-appointed, spacious interior with a few tricks of its own. For example the cushions of the split rear bench seat flip forward to reveal a large stowage tray with neatly positioned grocery bag holders; no more fishing under the front seats for AWOL cans of tuna. Folding the rear seatbacks down opens an expansive cavern with a flat load floor extending into the trunk. With a trunk cargo capacity of 527 litres (18.6 cu ft), this mid-sizer's holding capacity is more consistent with vehicles in the large car segment.

When it comes to the ride-versus-handling equation, the Impala's soft-ride suspension was a hit with me. In fact, GM's "soft-ride" terminology is a scintilla misleading. Rather than "soft", I judged the Impala's
Folding the rear seatbacks down opens an expansive cavern with a flat load floor extending into the trunk. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press)
suspension calibration as "kind." This is a vehicle that exercises a quality I refer to as "ride-kindness."  Without abandoning spry cornering agility or reasonable handling dynamics, the Impala's 4-wheel independent suspension setup absorbed pavement disruptions gracefully and quietly - something I am very conscious and often critical of. Much of the vehicle's stability and tautness can be attributed to a very rigid body structure onto which the suspension components are affixed. When hammering through potholes and the like, this strong foundation resists channeling shudder and shock into the passenger compartment. It's that sort of solidity, along with GM's excellent reliability ratings of late, which could lead me into a Chevrolet showroom.

Once the "LTZ" square is checked-off on an order sheet, there is very little to add to Chevy's smartly equipped, top-tier V6 Impala. Grand
Acquiring similar levels of luxury and power in import rivals from Japan costs somewhat more, but Korea's better priced and more refined new Hyundai Sonata offers a much more significant threat. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press)
comforts such as leather upholstery, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, remote starting and steering wheel mounted audio and cruise controls are LTZ-included. A power moonroof is optional, as is an upgraded 6-disc in-dash audio system. Considering the generous content level of the LTZ, its spacious interior and driving pleasure, GM has priced it competitively. Acquiring similar levels of luxury and power in import rivals from Japan costs somewhat more, making this domestic specimen a good-value choice for 4-door practicality, performance and reliability. Coming on strong, though, is a shiny nugget from Korea.

Hyundai's
Child seats don't fit well in the Impala, and require a process that, according to a colleague, necessitated the addition of pillows behind two different brands of common child safety seat designs, so that they didn't flop around. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press)
new Sonata is quite a remarkable sedan. It provides more interior room than the Impala and operates with greater refinement. Whether fully loaded or not, Sonata's pricing eclipses the Impala's sufficiently enough to raise an eyebrow and make prospective GM buyers sit up and take notice. And the Sonata isn't constrained by fixed rear-seat head restraints like the Impala. An auto-journalist colleague advises that such fixed head restraints make it very awkward to properly install child seats in the Impala, a process that necessitated the addition of pillows behind two different brands of common child safety seat designs, so that they didn't flop around; something that no doubt will be of concern to family buyers.

Specifications (LTZ):

Price Range (MSRP): $29,840 - $32,660
Body Type: 4-door sedan
Layout: front engine, FWD
Engine: 240 hp, 245 lb-ft of torque, 3.9-L (231 cu in), OHV V6
Transmission: 4-spd auto
Brakes (front/rear): disc/disc ABS
Curb Weight: 1,691 kg (3,729 lb)
Seating Capacity: 5
Cargo Volume (trunk): 527 L (18.6 cu ft)
Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 12.1 / 7.9 L per 100K
Warranty (mo/km): 36 / 60,000 comprehensive
Direct Competitors: Buick Allure, Chevrolet Malibu, Chrysler 300 / Sebring, Dodge Stratus, Ford Five Hundred, Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Mazda 6, Mitsubishi Galant, Nissan Altima, Pontiac G6 / Grand Prix, Subaru Legacy, Toyota Camry / Avalon, VW Passat
Web Site:www.gmcanada.com