Rental review of 19 Impala LT

[PandaBear]

Flew to Yellowstone last week and rented a full size for the trip with the family. Got a 19 Impala with only 7k miles and drove 1500 more. The truck is pretty big, fit my 4 carry on plus enough for a Walmart and grocery store trip full of supplies / food / paper towels / water / etc. Fuel economy seems pretty decent for the size, handling is good (never feel like the car is too hard to control, I almost forgot it is actually not a Camry when I drove it), power is good, NVH is good, I'd say as a full size driver's car it did well.

The problem though, is the seat, and the LCD glare. I HATE THE SEAT, somehow there's a hard spot on the left and the right side of my hip bone, pinching me the whole way. My elbow also couldn't rest comfortably on the door or the center storage's cover. Maybe it is a car for a larger person (i.e. 190lb 6'4" instead of a 160lb 5'10"), but somehow I think for the size they need to make the seat more cushy instead of wasting the space between the seat and the door / center console. The LCD seems to be at an angle that always got sunlight glare, making it useless half the time. Seeing outside the car is hard but that's probably because I'm used to a smaller car (compact to mid size). It would have been a good car other than the seat and the LCD, maybe just not for me but for others.

I do like the interior layout and design otherwise, looks good, the buttons layouts seems kind of weird but that's probably personal preference. The exterior, I think I can get used to it but it is not really my thing.

Overall I'd give it a 7/10, 9/10 for driving and 5/10 for interior comfort. I'm not sure if I'd buy it though, I felt like I was sitting on a $100 Chinese sofa set the whole week vs a $1000 one.

 

[user52165]

Chevy website shows LT standard with 8 way power seat and power lumbar.

You couldn't make that work or does rental delete that?

 

[user52165]

duplicate

 

[daves87rs]

Interesting...wonder if there was an issue with the seat...the one I drove was cushy.....

 

[4WD]

Had one for a week and really liked it …
much to do about nothing when you consider all the noisy Kia's and Nissans I get stuck with for rentals

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by PandaBear
Flew to Yellowstone last week and rented a full size for the trip with the family. Got a 19 Impala with only 7k miles and drove 1500 more. The truck is pretty big, fit my 4 carry on plus enough for a Walmart and grocery store trip full of supplies / food / paper towels / water / etc. Fuel economy seems pretty decent for the size, handling is good (never feel like the car is too hard to control, I almost forgot it is actually not a Camry when I drove it), power is good, NVH is good, I'd say as a full size driver's car it did well.

The problem though, is the seat, and the LCD glare. I HATE THE SEAT, somehow there's a hard spot on the left and the right side of my hip bone, pinching me the whole way. My elbow also couldn't rest comfortably on the door or the center storage's cover. Maybe it is a car for a larger person (i.e. 190lb 6'4" instead of a 160lb 5'10"), but somehow I think for the size they need to make the seat more cushy instead of wasting the space between the seat and the door / center console. The LCD seems to be at an angle that always got sunlight glare, making it useless half the time. Seeing outside the car is hard but that's probably because I'm used to a smaller car (compact to mid size). It would have been a good car other than the seat and the LCD, maybe just not for me but for others.

I do like the interior layout and design otherwise, looks good, the buttons layouts seems kind of weird but that's probably personal preference. The exterior, I think I can get used to it but it is not really my thing.

Overall I'd give it a 7/10, 9/10 for driving and 5/10 for interior comfort. I'm not sure if I'd buy it though, I felt like I was sitting on a $100 Chinese sofa set the whole week vs a $1000 one.

DOes it feel like Audi, BMW, Lexus? Because that is what real people, not actors, are saying

 

[Andrew1972]

I rented a 2018 Malibu for a week and found it to be quite comfortable with my 5'8 - 155LB body.

No idea how the car is related to Impala as they look the same to me. The Impala was just smelly at our pick of rentals in FL so we moved to Ford Fusion Hybrid(too tiny trunk-battery?) then settled happily on a Malibu.

 

[Benzadmiral]

I love the exterior styling of the Impala, but have never driven one. I'm in the market for a newer used car and would consider one . . . but all the models to be found around here have black interiors.

 

[KrisZ]

Had an 18 for about a week when my mazda 3 was in the body shop. It is a nice full size sedan, it was very comfy to me.
But under full throttle it would torque steer a lot. Even at 60mph when I gave it full throttle, I could feel the steering getting light and wonder a bit. Personally, knowing what this vehicle is for, it has too much motor in it.

 

[Lolvoguy]

Originally Posted by PandaBear
handling is good (never feel like the car is too hard to control, I almost forgot it is actually not a Camry when I drove it)

+1
When you consider how big it is, you'd swear your driving something MUCH smaller.

Originally Posted by KrisZ
Personally, knowing what this vehicle is for, it has too much motor in it.

...said no one, ever!

After roughly 3 years with her Impala, my MIL is still amazed at the acceleration and overall comfort.

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted by Lolvoguy
.

Originally Posted by KrisZ
Personally, knowing what this vehicle is for, it has too much motor in it.

...said no one, ever!

After roughly 3 years with her Impala, my MIL is still amazed at the acceleration and overall comfort.


I just said it...
A vehicle is a balance, and there is such a thing as too much HP, especially for FWD setups.

I bet your MIL never used full throttle on it. Or if she did, got scared and doesn't anymore. So what's the point for all these ponies, other than impressive looking numbers? I would rather have a motor that doesn't overwhelm the chassis and enjoy better fuel economy.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted by user52165
Chevy website shows LT standard with 8 way power seat and power lumbar.

You couldn't make that work or does rental delete that?


I am not sure, but there's a design for everything and I think the "power seat" had some mechanism that was just hitting my hip bone, maybe it works for 95% of the people and I'm the 5%.
It could also be that I need time to get used to it, like a new mattress takes a few weeks to get used to. The 1st and 2nd days were horrible for me but after that it was annoyance.

Originally Posted by edyvw
DOes it feel like Audi, BMW, Lexus? Because that is what real people, not actors, are saying

It certainly LOOKS like it, the texture of the surface of the seat is definitely better than a Camry LE and Mazda5 Sport (base), I'd say it is on par or slightly better than Camry SE, but not as good as a Lexus IS with the premium package's leather seat. I'd say they CAN say it FEELS like a BMW (test drove, not impressed with their leatherette seat).

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by PandaBear
Originally Posted by user52165
Chevy website shows LT standard with 8 way power seat and power lumbar.

You couldn't make that work or does rental delete that?


I am not sure, but there's a design for everything and I think the "power seat" had some mechanism that was just hitting my hip bone, maybe it works for 95% of the people and I'm the 5%.
It could also be that I need time to get used to it, like a new mattress takes a few weeks to get used to. The 1st and 2nd days were horrible for me but after that it was annoyance.

Originally Posted by edyvw
DOes it feel like Audi, BMW, Lexus? Because that is what real people, not actors, are saying

It certainly LOOKS like it, the texture of the surface of the seat is definitely better than a Camry LE and Mazda5 Sport (base), I'd say it is on par or slightly better than Camry SE, but not as good as a Lexus IS with the premium package's leather seat. I'd say they CAN say it FEELS like a BMW (test drove, not impressed with their leatherette seat).



My son (3 yrs old) has BMW Z4 toy that runs on batteries and drives around neighborhood. It definitely looks better and feels better than Impala (which I had unfortunately opportunity to drive).

 

[Lolvoguy]

Originally Posted by KrisZ
Originally Posted by Lolvoguy
.

Originally Posted by KrisZ
Personally, knowing what this vehicle is for, it has too much motor in it.

...said no one, ever!

After roughly 3 years with her Impala, my MIL is still amazed at the acceleration and overall comfort.


I just said it...
A vehicle is a balance, and there is such a thing as too much HP, especially for FWD setups.

I bet your MIL never used full throttle on it. Or if she did, got scared and doesn't anymore. So what's the point for all these ponies, other than impressive looking numbers? I would rather have a motor that doesn't overwhelm the chassis and enjoy better fuel economy.



Good for you.
Pretty sure no one will ever say that statement is true nor holds much validity.

Yeah, she's 75 and loves it. With that much power, why would she need to go WOT? She enjoys it enough just the way it is.
Sometimes it's not about using 100% of the power all the time.
I also have over 300 hp on my Lexus, but it doesn't mean that I need to use it all the time, nor does it "overwhelm the chassis".

 

[aquariuscsm]

I like a car with a lot of power. I'd never want to own anything that can't get out of its own way without stressing the engine.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by Lolvoguy
Originally Posted by KrisZ
Originally Posted by Lolvoguy
.

Originally Posted by KrisZ
Personally, knowing what this vehicle is for, it has too much motor in it.

...said no one, ever!

After roughly 3 years with her Impala, my MIL is still amazed at the acceleration and overall comfort.


I just said it...
A vehicle is a balance, and there is such a thing as too much HP, especially for FWD setups.

I bet your MIL never used full throttle on it. Or if she did, got scared and doesn't anymore. So what's the point for all these ponies, other than impressive looking numbers? I would rather have a motor that doesn't overwhelm the chassis and enjoy better fuel economy.



Good for you.
Pretty sure no one will ever say that statement is true nor holds much validity.

Yeah, she's 75 and loves it. With that much power, why would she need to go WOT? She enjoys it enough just the way it is.
Sometimes it's not about using 100% of the power all the time.
I also have over 300 hp on my Lexus, but it doesn't mean that I need to use it all the time, nor does it "overwhelm the chassis".

Which Lexus you are talking about? I would say, although definiately not a fan of Lexus, that there is big difference between two.

 

[Cujet]

I very much like the new V6 Impala. Especially in higher trims. Very comfortable and capable.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted by Lolvoguy

I also have over 300 hp on my Lexus, but it doesn't mean that I need to use it all the time, nor does it "overwhelm the chassis".


Your Lexus is RWD, thus not prone to the issue of torque steer that can plague higher specific output FWD mills. If a "Joe Average" car's behaviour markedly changes when getting moderately hard on the gas and a control issue presents itself, I would say that one could indeed describe that as "overwhelming the chassis", which could, with a slow to respond and more easily confused elderly individual, lead to an accident. While one expects a certain level of Jekyll/Hyde personality from a Corvette, Mustang, Camaro, Charger....etc, that's not case for a "beige barge" which describes cars the Impala and Camry.

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted by Cujet
I very much like the new V6 Impala. Especially in higher trims. Very comfortable and capable.


I very much enjoyed the impala I had, which looked to be a higher trim 3.6 V6 model, for what it is, a comfortable, full size sedan. And that DI V6 was very quiet and had tons of torque. It pulled very nicely as well, but the massive torque steer is something that I personally hated.

Not an issue for the majority of the target audience that thinks using 25% of throttle is "enjoying the power" I guess.

Would they notice a difference if this vehicle had 250-260hp instead? Which I think would be a much better match for this car.
I highly doubt it.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by OVERKILL
Originally Posted by Lolvoguy

I also have over 300 hp on my Lexus, but it doesn't mean that I need to use it all the time, nor does it "overwhelm the chassis".


Your Lexus is RWD, thus not prone to the issue of torque steer that can plague higher specific output FWD mills. If a "Joe Average" car's behaviour markedly changes when getting moderately hard on the gas and a control issue presents itself, I would say that one could indeed describe that as "overwhelming the chassis", which could, with a slow to respond and more easily confused elderly individual, lead to an accident. While one expects a certain level of Jekyll/Hyde personality from a Corvette, Mustang, Camaro, Charger....etc, that's not case for a "beige barge" which describes cars the Impala and Camry.

Not to mention that RWD Lexus vehicles have double wishbone in front which seriously increases potential capabilities. Also, if his Lexus is RWD, as you mentioned, that means longitudinal engine etc. etc.
It is like comparing Cessna (Impala) to F16 (Lexus).