There have not really been any significant changes over the last ten years or so to the Impala nameplate, currently Chevy’s largest production sedan. The Car Connection’s Kurt Ernst explains, “Sure, the 2012 model gets a six-speed automatic transmission (finally,) but even that isn’t enough to make a car that was ignored by GM over the past six years attractive.”
The sedan’s exterior has pretty much maintained shape, but that will all change as Chevy has announced a radical revamp for the Impala. For 2014, Chevy plans to unveil the 10th generation of Impalas that will be a move up in both exterior and interior design.
Apart from the current sedan’s front wheel drive system, not much will be carried over to the 10th-Gen Impala. The new car will, in fact, be based on the current Buick LaCrosse and upcoming Cadillac XTS platforms. Chevy plans to offer three different powertrains for the ’14 Impala, ranging from their 2.4 liter, eAssist hybrid system to a 3.6 liter V6 that’s said to put out 303 horsepower.
These are all to be mated to the car’s new 6-speed auto, and no all wheel drive option is currently on the list. The automaker’s main focus with the 10th-Gen sedan seems to be connectivity, however, as Chevy’s new “MyLink” system allows the car to interact with such smart phone apps as Pandora. Because of this, Car Connection’s Kurt Ernst predicts the 2014 Impala’s sales success, “While the revised sheetmetal may be enough to draw prospective buyers into showrooms, it’s likely the refined interior that will close the deal.”