If using a sedan to haul families the old fashion way is your thing, the Impala deserves some attention. It supplies a
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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, American Auto Press)
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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 18.6 cubic feet, 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
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Folding the rear seatbacks down opens an expansive cavern with a flat load floor extending into the trunk. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, American Auto Press)
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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.
