2014 All New Chevy Impala – Still Front-wheel Drive After All These Years

Chevrolet just revealed the upcoming revamp of the Impala coming in 2014 at the New York Auto Show today.  The car boasts impressive numbers for any fan of the Impala or any other iconic piece of American muscle and steel.  the all new Impala will be available with three different engine options: the four-cylinder 2.4L Ecotec engine estimated at 182 horsepower, the 2.5L four-cylinder estimated at 195 horsepower, and the 3.6L V-6 estimated at a nice 303 horsepower.  True to Impala’s legacy, the 2014 incarnation offers such sport luxury appointments as 18-inch wheels, an 8-inch display with Chevy’s MyLink bluetooth capable system with navigation, and adaptive cruise-control.  As part of the Impala’s reintegration into the luxury sport market, Chevrolet is implementing such higher-end safety technologies as collision mitigation braking, forward collision and lane departure alerts, as well as alerts for side blind zones and rear cross traffic.

All in all, the next generation 2014 Impala appears to be a capable luxury sport sedan.  There is no mention of an SS as of yet, but it’s likely coming down the pike.  My first reaction, though is that it looks a lot like the new Ford Taurus.  Too much like the Ford Taurus.  And while 303 ponies is plenty respectable for a sedan, I still miss the rear-wheel, tear-up-the-pavement Impala’s of old.  Those had the drive wheels where nature intended and even came in a two-door coupe.  While it may be the perfect car for the coat and tie and gym crowd or your neighborhood “NASCAR Dad”, this Impala is certainly not the car Lord Vader ordered.