Connecting the Impala's engine to its driving wheels is a 4-speed automatic transmission. Again there's nothing particularly
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| 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, American 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
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| Keeping the Impala's speed in-check is a full set of antilock disc brakes. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, American 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 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.
