The Chevrolet Impala is a critical test-bed for two future GM technologies in 2015: a bi-fuel CNG option and the forthcoming SuperCruise automated highway driving system.
We caught up with a 2015 Impala LTZ featuring the shield grille that comes on LTZ cars with the Safety tech option package – and this is still the best-looking full-size sedan from Chevy in decades.
The current setup does not yet incorporate lane-keeping and automatic steering, but that is certainly in the pipeline. The Cadillac CT6 is tipped to debut a true SuperCruise functionality next year — with on-ramp to off-ramp highway driving handled exclusively by the car itself.
The CNG bi-fuel option is also available as of this month to retail and fleet customers. Running on gasoline or compressed natural gas, this ingenious tech is switchable back and forth between the tanks as needed. CNG is about half as expensive as gasoline, and produces only half the emissions — so it is a win-win aside from a trunk space cut and a price jump versus standard Impalas.
As a CNG and gas V6, the Impala bases at $38,000. For many fleet customers, however, this will pay for itself much faster than the base 2.4-liter with mild hybrid eAssist.
The trims and three engine options are detailed below.
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The 2015 Impala looks amazing in the flesh and on the streets. One might even say it is… “really, really, really ridiculously good-looking.”
Even its base trims are very cool and dark up front, with a really solid appearance that is unique and very attractive.
Yes, on a Chevy Impala!
The 2014 Impala comes in three engine options, from the eAssist 2.4-liter up to the 3.6-liter V6 that should be a must for anyone reading this.
The headlights are even quite interesting, which is special at this price point. HID bi-xenons are optional, with LEDs ringing the main beams and white LEDs down below.
The Impala’s lighting is far classier than any Ford Taurus SHO, and makes the Impala look – at first glance, at least – like a viable Audi A6 competitor.
Impala’s with the Driver Assistance Package include a special grille style.
Inside, things keep getting even better. Remember complaints last year about Malibu’s back seat being smaller than before? Where did the room go?
It went to the Impala! This car is not only extremely wide and long, but inside: every dimension tops the Audi A8 LWB by at least a few inches. Seriously, the Impala is TGrande.
Refinement and rigidity feel nothing like the shakey old Impala, while things are very hushed inside even over bumps.
The last piece on this birthday cupcake of a redesign? A trunk of 19 cubic-feet.
That is huuuuge.
Congrats, Impala — keep up the good work!
A special nod of deep respect for the chief architect of this new Chevy: General Motors Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson.
General Motors is better prepared for the future now – via Akerson – than after any other departing GM CEO in memory. A harder job than his over these (often hellish) five years is impossible to imagine.
Congratulations to Akerson and the Chevy Impala are well-earned, to be sure.
Models Comparison (– NA, Round White Circle-Optional, Yellow Circles-Standard)
| Highlights | LS ECO | 2LT | 2LTZ |
| ECOTEC® 2.5L 4-cylinder DI engine with Variable Valve Timing and intake Variable Valve Lift |  |
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| Engine, ECOTEC 2.4L DOHC 4-cylinder DI with eAssist technology and Variable Valve Timing (VVT) |  |
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| 3.6L DOHC V6 DI engine with Variable Valve Timing (VVT) | |
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| Front wheel drive | |
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| Remote vehicle starter system | |
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| Air bags, 10 total, frontal and knee for driver and front passenger, side-impact seat-mounted and roof rail for front and rear outboard seating positions | |
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| Lane Departure Warning | |
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| Forward Collision Alert | |
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| Side Blind Zone Alert | |
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| Rear Cross-Traffic Alert | |
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| Rear Vision Camera | |
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| Air conditioning, dual-zone automatic climate control | |
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| Power sunroof | |
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| Seats, front bucket | |
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| AM/FM stereo with CD player and auxiliary input jack | |
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| Chevrolet MyLink®1 Radio, AM/FM stereo with CD player | |
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| Chevrolet MyLink® Radio with Navigation, AM/FM stereo and CD player | |
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| 8″ diagonal color infotainment display | |
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| SiriusXM and HD Radio™ audio system | |
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| Bluetooth® for phone, personal cell phone connectivity to vehicle audio system | |
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| OnStar, 6 months of Directions and Connections plan | |
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| Starting from $29,945* | Starting from $30,895* | Starting from $35,215* |
Official 2014 Impala Specifications from Chevy.
2014 CHEVROLET IMPALA PRELIMINARY SPECIFICATIONS – Overview
| Model: | 2014 Chevrolet Impala |
| Body style / driveline: | front-drive, front-engine, four-door, five- passenger sedan |
| Construction: | integral |
| EPA vehicle class: | full-size |
| Manufacturing location: | Detroit-Hamtramck, Mich.; Oshawa, Ontario |
| Key competitors: | Chrysler 300, Ford Taurus, Nissan Maxima, Toyota Avalon, Hyundai Azera |
Engines
| Type: | Ecotec 2.4L DOHC I-4 w/ eAssist | Ecotec 2.5L DOHC I-4 | 3.6L V-6 VVT DI |
| Displacement (cu in / cc): | 145.4 / 2384 | 150 / 2457 | 217 / 3564 |
| Bore & stroke (in / mm): | 3.46 x 3.85 / 88 x 98 | 3.46 x 3.97 / 88 x 101 | 3.7 x 3.37 / 94 x 85.6 |
| Block material: | lost foam cast aluminum | cast aluminum | aluminum |
| Cylinder head material: | lost foam cast aluminum | c ast aluminum | cast aluminum |
| Valvetrain: | DOHC with four-valves per cylinder, continuously variable valve timing | DOHC with four valves per cylinder, continuously variable valve timing | DOHC with four valves per cylinder; continuously variable valve timing |
| Ignition system: | individual coil-on-plug | individual coil-on-plug | individual coil-on-plug |
| Fuel delivery: | high-pressure direct injection and electronic throttle control | high-pressure direct injection and electronic throtle control | direct high-pressure injection and electronic throttle control |
| Compression ratio: | 11.2:1 | 11.25:1 | 11.5:1 |
| Horsepower (hp / kW @ rpm): |
182 / 134 @ 6200 (est.) | 196 / 145 @ 6300 (est.) | 305 / 227 @ 6800 (est.) |
| Torque (lb.-ft. / Nm @ rpm): |
172 / 233 @ 4900 (est.) | 186 / 253 @ 4400 (est.) | 264 / 358 @ 5300 (est.) |
| Recommended fuel: | regular unleaded | regular unleaded | regular unleaded |
| Emissions controls: | close-coupled, catalytic converter; variable valve timing; positive crankcase ventilation evaporative system | close-coupled, catalytic converter; variable valve timing; positive crankcase ventilation evaporative system | dual close-coupled catalysts and single underfloor catalyst; variable valve timing, evaporative system |
| Estimated fuel economy (city / hwy): | 25 / 35 | 21 / 31 | 19 / 29 |
Transmissions
| Type: | Hydra-Matic 6T40 six-speed automatic | Hydra-Matic 6T70 six-speed automatic |
| Application: | 2.4L / 2.5L | 3.6L |
| Gear ratios: (:1): | ||
| First: | 4.58 | 4.48 |
| Second: | 2.96 | 2.87 |
| Third: | 1.91 | 1.84 |
| Fourth | 1.45 | 1.41 |
| Fifth: | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Sixth: | 0.75 | 0.74 |
| Reverse: | 2.94 | 2.88 |
| Final drive ratio: | 2.64 – 2.4L 3.23 – 2.5L |
3.77 |
Electric Drive System (for eAssist)
| Type: | belt-driven, liquid-cooled motor/generator unit and lithium-ion battery system; air-cooled power electronics and battery pack |
| Maximum electric generating power: | 15 kW @ 1570-3180 rpm |
| Maximum electric motor torque (cranking): | 110 lb.-ft. / 150 Nm |
| Maximum electric motor torque (electric assist): | 79 lb.-ft. / 107 Nm @ 1,000 rpm |
| Maximum electric motor power (electric assist): | 15 hp / 11.2 kW @ 1,000-2,200 rpm |
| Lithium-ion battery: | 115V, 0.5-kWh, 15 kW peak power |
Chassis/Suspension
| Suspension (front): | MacPherson strut; twin-tube dampers with gas-charged valving; 28.5mm hollow direct-acting stabilizer bar; hydraulic ride bushing |
| Suspension (rear): | multilink with coil springs and stabilizer bar; gas-charged twin-tube dampers |
| Steering type: | electric variable-assist rack-and-pinion(belt-driven with V-6 models, dual pinion with 4-cyl. models) with Pull Drift Compensation |
| Steering ratio: | 15.2:1 |
| Steering wheel turns, lock-to-lock: | 2.73 |
| Turning circle (ft / m): | 38.8 / 11.75 |
Brakes
| Type: | split, dual-circuit four-wheel-disc with power assist |
| Rotor diameter x thickness (in / mm): |
front: 12.6 x 1.2 / 321 x 30 (vented) – all models rear: 12.4 x 0.9 / 315 x 23 (solid) – all models |
Dimensions
Exterior
| Wheelbase (in / mm): | 111.7 / 2837 |
| Overall length (in / mm): | 201.3 / 5113 |
| Overall width (in / mm): | 73 / 1854 |
| Overall height (in / mm): | 58.9 / 1496 |
| Track (in / mm): | front: 62.2 / 1580 rear: 62 / 1576 |
| Curb weight (lb / kg): | 3800 / 1723 (est. – LT model w/ V-6) |
Interior
| Seating capacity: | 5 (2 front / 3 rear) |
| Headroom (in / mm): | front: 39.9 / 1013 rear: 37.4 / 950 |
| Legroom (in / mm): | front: 45.8 / 1163 rear: 39.8 / 1011 |
| Shoulder room (in / mm): | front: 57.9 / 1470 rear: 56.9 / 1445 |
| Hip room (in / mm): | front: 54.9 / 1394 rear: 54.1 / 1374 |
Capacities
| EPA interior volume (cu ft / L): | 123.8 / 3505 |
| Passenger volume (cu ft / L): | 105 / 2973 |
Cargo volume (cu ft / L): |
18.8 / 532 |
| Trailer towing maximum (lb / kg): | 1000 / 454 (3.6L and 2.5L) |
| Fuel capacity (gal / L): | 18.5 / 70 (2.5L and 3.6L) 15.8 / 59.9 (2.4L) |
Tom Burkart is the founder and managing editor of Car-Revs-Daily.com, an innovative and rapidly-expanding automotive news magazine.
He holds a Journalism JBA degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Tom currently resides in Charleston, South Carolina with his two amazing dogs, Drake and Tank.
Mr. Burkart is available for all questions and concerns by email Tom(at)car-revs-daily.com.