KansasCity.com's view

The Impala is back, but it’s much different from the V8-powered Impala SS of just a couple years ago.

That car was a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive sedan powered by a whopping 5.7-liter V8 engine. It had body-on-frame construction similar to the Buick Roadmaster and Cadillac Fleetwood, and sat low to the ground on fat tires and alloy wheels. Even though it was somewhat of an anachronism, it gained cultlike status among enthusiasts who loved its bad-boy looks.

The 2000 Impala, however, is now Chevrolet’s flagship sedan. This front-wheel-drive, four-door sedan is a sure sign that Chevrolet understands just what it takes to build a competitive family sedan capable of facing off against competitors such as the Toyota Camry, Oldsmobile Intrigue and Pontiac Grand Prix. The V6-engined Impala is cleanly styled, solidly built and starts at $19,265. The fancier Impala LS, with 3800 engine, anti-lock brakes, traction control and tire monitoring system, has a base price of $22,925.

Impala has long been a revered nameplate for Chevrolet. Since the 1950s more than 13 million have been sold. This car has a good chance of restoring the name to prominence.

While the new Impala shares its wheelbase and platform with the Pontiac Grand Prix and Oldsmobile Intrigue, it looks and feels distinctly individual. The ride is taut without being harsh, six people can ride inside and the trunk is spacious. While the styling is somewhat akin to that of the smaller Malibu, it comes off looking more modern and contemporary, thanks in large measure to the dominant headlights and large, round taillights.

The standard engine is a 3.4-liter V6 with 180 horsepower. A 200-horsepower, 3.8-liter 3800 Series II V6 is optional on the base model and standard on the LS, the car I drove.

Traction control, anti-lock brakes, a tire inflation monitoring system and a ride and handling suspension package are included with the 3800 engine.

The 3800 steps out smartly from a stop with a minimum of engine noise and vibration. The engine and front suspension are mounted on an aluminum cradle to isolate the rest of the vehicle from unwanted noise and vibration.

The automatic transmission shifts seamlessly, but could profit from a gear-lever mounted button for shifting out of overdrive, a feature found in most of its import competitors.

Inside, although technically six will fit, five is the practical limit. The LS gets front bucket seats and a console that is handy as well as practical. Spending time in these seats is not the least bit bothersome because they are firmly padded and contoured to provide support in the small of the back.

Interior styling is less subdued than the exterior. The instrument panel has a number of cutlines, or seams, and some of the plastic surfaces looked and felt hard. The gauge package, though, was excellent — the best in a Chevrolet outside of the Corvette.

Our dark-red test car had light tan leather upholstery. I th ink a slightly darker tan would have looked richer, but that is a fairly minor point.

Dual front airbags are standard, and a side airbag in the driver’s seat is optional on the base model and standard on the LS. It seems curious that a side airbag is not offered for the passenger seat.

One of the Impala’s most interesting items is the AM/FM stereo with the Radio Data System (RDS). RDS does some amazing things, such as interrupt a program to broadcast traffic or weather bulletins, automatically change time when you go from one time zone to another and search for 25 different types of programming, such as sports, classical music or soft rock. The functionality of the RDS system depends on radio stations broadcasting digital signals with the necessary information, however, and I found few of them in our town at this time.

In the future, however, RDS will be everywhere.

Our test car’s stereo had eight speakers, an amplifier and home-stereo quality sound.

It’s hearte ng to see Chevrolet jump back into the heart of the sedan market with a car that is as roomy as a full-size and as maneuverable as a mid-size. While its styling won’t knock your socks off, it is simple, clean and unadorned. Sounds like the perfect recipe for a hugely successful family sedan.

Price

The base price of our Impala LS was $22,365. Options included leather bucket seats, electric sunroof, AM/FM/CD stereo, heated seats, alarm system and electrochromic rear-view mirror.

The sticker price was $25,240.

Warranty

Three years or 36,000 miles.

Point: The Impala is impressive for what it does well: it provides room for five in an attractive package; it handles responsively without being too rough; and it provides good value for the dollar spent.

Counterpoint: Offering a side airbag only for the driver seems shortsighted. The instrument panel could have fewer seams and more muted colors, true, but it functions better than any other Chevrolet.

SPECIFICATIONS:
ENGINE: 3.8-liter V6
TRANSMISSION: automatic
CONFIGURATION: Front-wheel drive
WHEELBASE: 110.5 inches
CURB WEIGHT: 3,466 lbs.
BASE PRICE: $22,365
PRICE AS DRIVEN: $25,240
MPG RATING: 20 city, 29 hwy.