2019 Chevrolet Impala: Model overview, pricing, tech and specs
Chevy's full-size sedan enters its final model year with plenty of tech and value.
The Southern California native briefly lived in Sydney, and is proud to have developed a barely passable Aussie accent. He also serves on the board of directors of the Motor Press Guild. When not reviewing cars or nerding out on OEM premium audio, you can find manual-labor-averse Manuel doing his best to convince his closest friends to fix the very Porsche that delivered him home.
The Chevrolet Impala nameplate first came about for the 1958 model year. Since then, the car has seen 10 generations and two product hiatuses. The Impala in its current form has been on sale since 2013 and not much is new for 2019.
Due to GM's recently heightened focus on electric- and autonomous-vehicle research, the Impala, once the most popular car in the US, will end production for the third time at the end of 2019, but who knows? Perhaps the nameplate will return someday.
Click here to read our most recent 2019 Chevrolet Impala review.
Powertrain and specs
The Impala is offered with a choice of two engines, beginning with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder good for 197 horsepower and 191 pound-feet of torque. That's a bit low for a vehicle segment that typically comes standard with V6 power. But the four-cylinder Impala at 22 miles per gallon in the city and 29 mpg highway is easily more fuel-efficient than the Ford Taurus at 18/26 and the Kia Cadenza at 20/27 city/highway mpg. The Nissan Maxima comes pretty close at 21/30, but the most miserly Impala is still less efficient than the V6 Toyota Avalon with 22/32 city/highway mpg.
Meanwhile, the Impala's 3.6-liter V6 makes 305 horsepower and 264 pound-feet of torque, which is pretty good for the class, but fuel economy of 19/28 city/highway mpg is just average. Regardless of engine, all Impalas use a six-speed automatic transmission that routes power to the front wheels.
Interior
There's lots of room inside the Impala for up to five occupants and 18.8 cubic feet of their cargo. That's better than competition excluding the Ford Taurus, which boasts a healthy 20.1 cubic-foot trunk. If you need more room, the Impala comes standard with folding 60/40-split rear seats.
There's a ton of room inside the Impala for four or five occupants.
Technology
Even though it's being put to pasture soon, the Impala remains with the times on the tech front. Inside, you'll find standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on an 8-inch touchscreen. The Impala also comes standard with 4G LTE Wi-Fi and satellite radio connected to a six-speaker stereo. If you're willing to tick some option boxes, Chevy's full-size sedan isn't a slouch with available driver-assistance systems such as collision-mitigation braking, adaptive cruise control, rear cross-traffic alert, blind spot monitoring and lane departure warning, but the Toyota Avalon comes with all of that for no extra charge… albeit for a starting price about $7,000 dearer.
Options and pricing
Base prices across the Chevy Impala's three trims begin at $28,020 and top out at $36,720 plus $875 for destination. Those figures fall on the less-expensive end of the segment. The base Impala LS comes with 18-inch steel wheels with covers, stop/start for the four-cylinder engine, keyless access, power windows, push-button start, cloth interior upholstery and a power driver's seat.
The Impala LT starts at $30,520 and adds 18-inch aluminum wheels, heated and powered outside mirrors, remote start, two more USB ports, adjustable front head restraints, dual-zone automatic climate control and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
The end of 2019 will mark the third time the Impala nameplate gets cancelled.
The top Premier trim at $36,720 adds the V6 engine, 19-inch wheels, HID headlamps, LED daytime running lights and dual exhaust outlets. The Premier's cabin features an 11-speaker Bose premium audio system, perforated leather seats, embedded navigation, wireless smartphone charging, heated front seats and a power front passenger seat. Driver-assistance features include rear parking sensors, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and lane-departure warning.
Notable packaged options include 20-inch wheels, a power tilt and telescoping steering column, heated steering wheel, ventilated driver and front passenger seats and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. You can also add a panoramic sunroof for $1,050 and with all the boxes checked, an Impala can approach $42,000.
Availability
The 2019 Chevrolet Impala is on sale at dealerships nationwide now.