The optional 3.6-liter aluminum V-6 makes an adequate 305 horsepower at 6800 rpm, winds to 7300 rpm when the six-speed automatic is locked in Manual mode, and is expected to deliver an EPA-estimated 29 mpg in highway driving. (A missing essential: a redline on the tach.) Later this year, two four-cylinder engines—a 2.4-liter with eAssist mild hybridization and a base 196-hp, 2.5-liter four-banger (shared with the Malibu) join the team to jump highway mileage over the 30-mpg hurdle and degrade accelerative might.
To keep commotion at bay—more important for the four-cylinder versions, surely—there’s a generous allotment of acoustical laminated glass, triple door seals, and cavity baffles. We suspect this Impala is the quietest Chevy in history. The suite of safety gear is unmatched by current competitors. In addition to four-direction alerts, the options list offers full-range adaptive cruise control, automatic-collision-avoiding brakes, lane-departure warning, and a backup camera. A cabin loaded with 10 airbags is standard, as is a domed hood to protect hapless pedestrians.
The long roof sweep, the extended seat travel, and the carved-out front-bucket backrests yield limolike legroom: a net gain of 5.7 inches over the 2013 Impala’s combined front and rear leg space. The front cabin has a proper dead pedal, well-sculpted three- and nine-o’clock wheel grip positions, and seats with ample lateral support. The back seat is geared more for quick adult trips to lunch or the links than to accommodate kids, so there are no climate or entertainment controls back there, and the hinged armrest doesn’t double as a storage bin. The backrests fold in 40/60 sections, but with an 18.8-cubic-foot trunk under the Impala’s high decklid, that configuration probably will be reserved for ski trips or Home Depot excursions. One item remaining on the engineers’ to-do list is to cover the unsightly front seat tracks that diminish rear-cabin ambience