(Pic Heavy) Chevy Impala Rental Car Review

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This past weekend we rented a car to drive up to the family cabin on Lake Ontario. The car we received was a Chevrolet Impala LT 6 cylinder. Overall, I walked away from the car pretty impressed. It had plenty of power, a smooth/quiet ride, was comfortable, had tons or rear passenger and trunk space, and handled surprisingly well for such a large car. My only major complaint is kind of a puzzling one: despite being an LT trim and having Android Auto/Apple Car Play, Sirius XM, etc... it didn't have a backup camera (which would have been greatly appreciated with the poor rear visibility).

Pros
  • The V6 puts out 300hp which really gets this car moving.
  • Smooth, quiet ride.
  • Huge backseat. At 5'11" I'm able to sit behind the front seat with it all the way back and still not hit my knees. It also swallowed up a rear facing car seat behind my driving position.
  • The trunk should easily fit suitcases or golf clubs for 4 passengers.
  • Android Auto/Apple Car Play.
  • Pretty well mannered for a large, front wheel drive car.
  • Comfortable seats.
  • Exterior design (subjective, but I think it looks good).


Cons
  • Rear visibility.
  • No backup camera.
  • Only partial power seats. Power lumbar and tilt, but manual track adjustment.
  • Funky dashboard design.
  • The engine compartment looks like a nightmare for DIY work.
  • Finally, a really small personal gripe: I don't like the steering wheel design. It looks weird to me.







 
Alas,if sales continue as they are,Impala is doomed to be dropped in the next couple years.
 
The water looks cold. My sil is from Kingston, I have cousins there, TO and Ajax.
Thanks for the child seat photo. My point exactly with the Canyons and Colorado CC trucks.
It depends on who is driving which side the rear facing seat can go.
If both parents are taller than 5'4", they will need a bigger car or truck.
 
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Steering wheel reminds me of 1980s Chrysler.

Somewhere in the bowels of Government Motors they must have a lot of K cars posted up on an inspiration wall...
smirk.gif
 
Exterior styling is very nice, interior dash looks like its out of a weirdo-spaceship, not nice at all. Under the hood is unfortunately all shrouded under plastic, i hate that!
 
Thanks for the review.
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I am surprised they wanna can this car, given the positive reviews received from the general public.
 
I would refrain from buying an Imapala. We have one. Was only good when it was brand new (less than one year old). By now it is just a time bomb. Worst reliability I have ever seen in a sedan. It is second to our old Ford Aerostar.
 
I don't like the steering wheel. The Caprice has a much different one and the Malibu's is similar to the Caprice's.

I like the dash. It is similar to that in both my other Chevrolets.

Caprice

Malibu


I find it nicer than the Toyota rentals I have had.
 
Steering wheel is a design nod to the 70's rectangle in the center Chevy used to do

ss_dash.jpg


It's a looker from the outside. Nor sure about that dash though.
 
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Originally Posted By: ls1mike
I don't like the steering wheel. The Caprice has a much different one and the Malibu's is similar to the Caprice's.

I like the dash. It is similar to that in both my other Chevrolets.

Caprice

Malibu


I find it nicer than the Toyota rentals I have had.


I should clarify, I like the front of the dash and the controls layout. What I really didn't care for was the two tier design in the top of the dash that swoops into the door panels.
 
Originally Posted By: AirgunSavant
How about the mpg.... The mpg man
smile.gif



Looking back at my gas receipt it looks like 29 mpg including some "spirited" driving.
 
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Originally Posted By: glock19
Originally Posted By: AirgunSavant
How about the mpg.... The mpg man
smile.gif



Looking back at my gas receipt it looks like 29 mpg including some "spirited" driving.


Nice! Thank you!
 
Originally Posted By: glock19

I should clarify, I like the front of the dash and the controls layout. What I really didn't care for was the two tier design in the top of the dash that swoops into the door panels.


Got it see it now. I didn't bother me in the Impala I test drove, but the Caprice and Malibu don't have that.
 
All the Impalas for sale from Hertz around here, about 200 of them have the 2.5 4 cylinder in them. So good thing you didn't get one of those.
 
Originally Posted By: glock19
Finally, a really small personal gripe: I don't like the steering wheel design.


That steering wheel would work perfect for me because I rest my hand at the 6:00 O'clock position whenever I'm driving at low speeds. It's the 3-spoke steering wheels that I don't like.
 
I really enjoyed my impala rental i had as well. The v6 is necessary! I think the sticker price for it with the 6 is too high though.
 
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