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2014 Chevy Impala

uplanderguyuplanderguy Member Posts: 16,054
Just wondering what 'Joe Motorist''s opinion is. I looked at one a week ago and surely liked what I saw. I'm not in the market now, but a full-sized Chevrolet that really impressed me is something I haven't experienced in awhile! ;)
2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS

Comments

  • ferg79ferg79 Member Posts: 5
    Have been eyeing the new Impala since last Fall. Our Champagne Silver 2LT came to our home last week. Have only driven about 200 miles and no trips yet of course. Delightful to drive. Bose sound system is like being in an Orchestral Hall. We have a lot of the bells and whistles on this car, every bit worth it. I called the salesman yesterday to tell him they even put a foot rest for your left foot in the carpeting. Tried the Manual shifting, doubt we will be using it much but fantastic sensation. Electric steering is very sensitive but not overbearing. No "dive" when you brake. Backing up with the visual from the rear view camera is my wife's favorite. Very accurate and gives you about 5 or 6 feet clearance from another auto or object when giving an alarm. Side to side warnings are definitely a plus and they work. Car has leatherette interior, I would prefer real leather but it feels good.

    I could go on but bottom line? They done a great job on this one. Would recommend it to any and everyone.
  • bryanbryan Member Posts: 198
    Drove a super-loaded LTZ Saturday. Sweet ride. Are you sure this is a Chevy?

    Super driving dynamics; great V-6/6-speed auto. Similar/same combo in XTS I believe. Built on the same platform so I was told.

    Beautiful exterior styling; beautiful interior--black with Mojave leather. Fit/finish seemed highest level. Great trunk space.

    Didn't care for all the black inside--headliner/sunroof cover are black. Black everywhere in the cabin except the seats and top of dash. TOO dark for me. I will not buy until a lighter interior is offered.

    Otherwise, are you sure this is a Chevy? After the drive, I can see why all the reviews I've read so far have been so positive.
  • ferg79ferg79 Member Posts: 5
    Your thoughts on the black interior is interesting. Before I seen the car I wondered the same thing but after driving the car about 600 miles I like the interior including the black.

    The electric steering is unbelievable. My chevy PU has standard hydraulic and drives very well, brother has an older Buick that I have always salivated over with the handling etc. Drove the Buick yesterday and it cannot even begin to compete with the '14 Impala. Ride with the 19" wheels is much better than I expected.

    Great car. Best I have had since our '92 Monte Carlo.
  • hpmctorquehpmctorque Member Posts: 4,600
    "The Chevrolet Impala racked up a class-leading 95 points in Consumer Reports magazine's road test, beating the Toyota Avalon, Ford Taurus, Chrysler 300, Buick LaCrosse, Nissan Maxima, Lincoln MKZ, Dodge Charger and Hyundai Genesis and Azera. It's the first time a domestic sedan has topped CR's charts in at least 20 years, the magazine said."

    Go Chevy!
  • mtpetemtpete Member Posts: 9
    Rather surprising to see so little activity on the board about such a turnaround vehicle.

    I checked several of them out and drove one - a 2LT, fairly loaded with everything but the Bose stereo.

    First, the exterior. The fit and finish and paint job are first rate and look expensive. Panel gaps are even and thin. Nothing looks loose or misaligned, and nice design touches are evident all around. It's surprising. I didn't really care for the wheels, they seemed a bit busy, but not as much as those on the LTZ, 20". In my opinion, any of the wheels from the Camaro would be right at home on this car, and should be offered. It would complete the rather muscular design quite nicely.

    The interior is a revelation for a Chevrolet. Here I expected to be underwhelmed, but wasn't. The car had the Brownstone interior. It's fantastic. Finally, a good dark brown. There's a lot going on - many compound curves, thin pieces and parts. For the most part, it works well. Everything was well aligned, felt solid, and didn't look or feel cheap. Some reviews call out a few cheap pieces, maybe I didn't poke around enough. The doors shut with a good solid thunk, nothing rattled. And the seats! Superbly comfortable and just he right size. I passed on a Malibu last year because of its seats. These are just great. The sueded microfiber is a nice touch, and the seats feel like you sit in them rather than on them. Lumbar also adjusts vertically, another nice touch. Didn't try the heat.

    This was a 3.6 model, and the drive was just as surprising as the interior. It's quiet. Very quiet. The suspension is compliant and gives a very nice ride without being floaty like the Impalas of yore. It felt planted and secure. I suspect the low profile tires with the 20" rims would yield a firmer ride; I found this ride to be just about ideal. Other than that, it was calm and uneventful. Maybe the brake pedal is a bit squishy, but you'd get used to that. Handling though, that's also a surprise because despite the ride, it's not terrifying in the corners like the previous generation. It's no Maxima, but it's not supposed to be.

    I found little to fault. Compared to the last generation, it's superior in every metric save MPG, but it's a bigger car, and in consideration of just how good it is I think this can be forgiven. And this is the first time I've checked out a Chevrolet and saw clear improvement, found a solid competitive car, one the felt like a value at the price. That's quite an accomplishment.
  • vakmere1vakmere1 Member Posts: 13
    Be careful. This car has a lot of window dressing. A facelift and reconstructive surgery does not make this a reliable car. So far in the last week I have seen four at the dealership in the shop for things such as a collapsed headliner under the sunroof, power steering issues, a bent rim on a 20 inch tire, and the other for an AC issue. Some may say that these are typical issues in any car however I may wait a year to see if quality is there. Also the interior color choices are not very exciting. Although this car shows a lot of promise in its design and upgrades I'll wait to see if Consumer Reports can give reliability data. Once the bugs are worked out then I will consider buying one.
  • ferg79ferg79 Member Posts: 5
    Have had our Impala LT2 since May. Almost 2000 miles. An eye catching vehicle to say the least.
    Not just "Eye Candy", this car is a true luxury automobile with common folks in mind.
    The steering is impeccable, ride is one of the best I have ridden or driven, road noise is negligible, fuel milage is very good, inside comfort is better than the Chrysler 300, and the Bose Sound System doesn't hurt either.

    I am a few months from being 80 years young. I have driven many autos and trucks since about 14 years old. :)
  • vakmere1vakmere1 Member Posts: 13
    I was going to buy it but decided not to. 1 turn off is the cheapo plastic gray trim on the doors. On the website they show imitation wood grain in brown on the door panels which I think was photoshopped on the pictures. In reality they do not make these cars with the brown wood trim on the doors. The big yellow bow tie on the front grill is gaudy. The basic warranty is another one. The 2014 Impala has been out since April and I have not seen a single one on the road. I am in the Philly area. If GM is going to charge top buck for this car they should have went all the way.
    Nobody dislikes the upgraded look and ride of the car. They will have to do better with the interior colors and the trim. Make the warranty for years 50 thousand miles like Buick and I will buy one in a heartbeat.
  • jeffm5jeffm5 Member Posts: 123
    I'm starting to see some on the road in this part of the state, Pittsburgh. I was car shopping last year, coming out of a 2005 Avalon. I would have cross shopped this new Impala had it been out a year ago. I'm going to look a one soon at the local Chevy dealership just out of curiosity. Even if I loved the car, I think the fact it's reliability is unknown would have kept me from buying one. I do hope GM has a hit with this car.
  • ferg79ferg79 Member Posts: 5
    vakmere1

    I think you must have been looking at another automobile. Simply put, what you are saying about the exterior and trim can be noted as personal taste but you are wrong on some key points.

    The trim inside was never said to be "Wood", you obviously didn't read much literature. The LTZ comes with leather interior including those places you think are wood. Mine is an LT2 and I suppose I could have ordered with the leather option. Frankly, we liked and still do like the interior appointments and they definitely aren't cheap.

    Let's see, who told you the ride is bad and the upgraded exterior is not good? Some friends probably who haven't seen anymore of the car than you seem to have.

    The car rides better than the new Buick and quite frankly it is a better looking car. That "Bow Tie" is exactly as it has been for years. Interior is plush and extremely comfortable with more than ample leg room.

    You never intended to buy the car to begin with! You just decided you wanted to "Low Ball".

    You remind of the Red Neck who bought a horse from his neighbor and took it back because it only had four legs. :)
  • vakmere1vakmere1 Member Posts: 13
    Good one Ferg. I never said it was wood. Imitation wood. I never said the ride was bad. In fact I prefer it over my lacrosse. I like the exterior. In my opinion I don't like the big bow tie. I would have liked to have seen the brown wood trim on the door panels. By far this Impala is a very very good car. Personal taste yes. Interior colors could have been a little more thought out. I like the horse comment.
  • wishnikwishnik Member Posts: 2
    Does anyone know the approximate time for delivery of a new 2014 Chevy Impala? I live in NJ, and am not quite sure if the car is being produced in Detroit or Canada. This would be an LT with V6 engine, no other options but a premium color. Anyone have any information or experience with ordering one recently? Would appreciate any info.
  • vakmere1vakmere1 Member Posts: 13
    Go to a Chevy dealer near you. Talk to a sales person. It's a safe bet he can locate what you're looking for rather quickly.
  • wishnikwishnik Member Posts: 2
    Actually the Chevy dealer could not locate the car I wanted, nor would they go out too far to find one. Therefore, I had to order. I know what I was told by the dealer, but would like to hear from someone who has recently ordered to get a "real world" answer as far as wait time. Thanks.
  • vakmere1vakmere1 Member Posts: 13
    When I was at my dealer for a 2LTZ of an exterior color and interior he didnt have he gave me a rough 4 to 6 weeks to get the car I was looking for. Im near Philly and I did find one in Missouri after Googling 5 different states. They wont order unless I committ to a deal or be charged $1200 if I didnt want the car after they get it in. I'll wait until one shows up around me.
  • rjm0925rjm0925 Member Posts: 4
    edited September 2013
    Just purchased a 2014 Impala LTZ in blue ray with jet black interior. Pretty much loaded with the 2 LTZ, Nav, Bose, Comfort and Convenience, MSRP of $39,245. Ended up paying $37,450. Wasn't even considering the Impala but while I was looking at the Buick Lacrosse there was an Impala in the showroom. Once I sat in both and drove both, there was no contest! The Impala is larger, has a huge trunk, better interior, and better equipped for the $. The ride is super smooth, leather seats are sweet, My Link system is excellent, and the exterior design is fantastic. Traded a 2010 CTS, which I loved but I feel the Impala is a better car. This is going to be a big winner for Chevy and represents a fantastic value.
  • vakmere1vakmere1 Member Posts: 13
    The Impala over Lacrosse? Sweet. What is it like on the open highway? Sounds like you picked a winner.
  • thedude71thedude71 Member Posts: 1
    edited September 2013
    Actually it is real wood. It is manufactured using thin layers of real wood and formed in a special injection molding machine to protect the wood. Hence the gloss on the surface.
  • gschneegschnee Member Posts: 4
    I ordered a new 2014 Impala 2LTZ,Blue Ray Metallic Jet Black/Dark Titanium on July 10 and it arrived at my upstate Chevy dealer Aug.28. My car was built in Oshawa,ON. Canada. All V6 engine cars are built in Canada.I live in upstate New York,100miles north of Syracuse NY.
  • bluray2ltbluray2lt Member Posts: 1
    I purchased a 2LT back in April with the following options - Conv. Package, Premium Audio, Prem. seating, advance safety package, and moon roof. Would have like the push start as a car at this price point should have it standard, but back in April moon roof and nav with push start were not offered together. I am fine with that as CNET gave the Nav poor reviews as it was slow and not accurate, but I use the onstar navigation and I am impressed as from when I was shopping for cars most 14 Impalas do not have Nav even the LTZ you can get without it. My thing now is I would love to have the LED running lamps added to my 2LT. Chevy has no updates on this and my dealer stated that usually after 6 months items like that should be available. My dealer was going to order them and put them on, but they advised me that a kit would make more sense and they are not sure they would work on my car as they have had no word from Chevy about this. I know the 14 Impala is awesome as I love mine and get a lot of stares in my as the 2LT loaded and 2LTZ are so similar. I think by now the novelty of the care should be wearing off as GM did state that the large car segment is low and the LT will be top selling trim. So what is the deal chevy please release the LED lamps so they can be added to other trim levels. My dealer is very busy but they mostly sell the Cruze and Equinox and Camero. So the Impala will sell I know that, but lets give customers options to add things like LED lamps to their LT or even LS they all have same body style and I am sure they could be added. Anyone here hear about this being released, this would complete my car.
  • vakmere1vakmere1 Member Posts: 13
    GM wont give you that option I don't believe. I'm glad you like the car. I would buy one but I don't like the colors of the interiors they offer. Do you foresee any mechanical issues with this car?
  • tourbustourbus Member Posts: 14
    After a quick 3000 mile trip last week, I have not detected a single thing that I would change. All the write-ups on the new Impala are dead on. This car is quiet comfortable and fairly economical for a car of this size. I traded in a 2011 Avalon which had not given a moments trouble in 50000 miles. I had simply grown tired of it and wanted a new car. I also wanted all the new tech stuff available today that wasn't available three years ago. Although I had been ready to buy a new Avalon, after a test drive in one the bad ride turned me and my wife off. I also was not in love with the current styling the seems to be Toyota'a thing. After the last trip I am confident that I made the right decision. This Chevy in quieter, rides better, and gets as good or better fuel economy the my old Avalon. Now if it can pass the reliability record the old Avalon racked up I will be very happy. Need I mention the size of the trunk. Seems like a cave and if 19 cu ft isn't enough you can also fold the rear seats down.
  • vakmere1vakmere1 Member Posts: 13
    Fully loaded LTZ. 19 inch tires. Test drive lasted about 20 minutes. Wind, road, and engine noise was noticeable. Small details like exterior window trim rubbing against the door jamb made me a little Leary. The big eyesore was a large yellow bow tie on the front grill. Could not get as comfortable in the driver seat as I would have liked to. For 39 grand I expect better. This car has not experienced is first winter yet. Wonder if the Goodyear Rs tires can hold the road. Kurtis still out on this car for me.
  • ferg79ferg79 Member Posts: 5
    All I can say, "You never intended to like this car from the beginning. Twenty minutes Huh! What a laugh."

    One of the finest cars in this category on the road. Have had ours since May and love it!
  • vakmere1vakmere1 Member Posts: 13
    Go back to bed. I don't need to justify my opinion to you.
  • tourbustourbus Member Posts: 14
    I don't know what vehicle you would be comparing the new Inpala too, but in comparison with the old 2011 Avalon that I traded off, this car is ( not a lot) but somewhat quieter, rides a bit better and in most ways a better car. I thoroughly enjoy the new technology the new cars have. This would include most if not all the new cars. Options such a cross traffic alert and blind spot alert are some of the new tricks. Down south in the desert we don't have to worry to much about the ability to drive around in the snow so that is not much of a concern to me. FYI I did drive in the snow for many years. Didn't enjoy it. Tried to avoid as much as possible.
  • vakmere1vakmere1 Member Posts: 13
    edited October 2013
    I was comparing it to 5 other 2014 LT's and LTZ's I test drove in the last 3 weeks along with my 2011 Lacrosse. (My Lacrosse aint all that either). Each had their own set of differences in ride and quietness. The last one I drove had flaws in which couldn't justify the price. I didn't say the car sucked. Some folks (Ferg) get upset if I differ from their opinion. If I ain't diggin it in the first 20 minutes of a test drive then park it. If I was diggin it then the test drive would have been longer and I would have considered the purchase however there are other factors to consider before running to the bank. I didn't get much of a muted road or engine signature when in the most recent 2014, I felt it could have been a little quieter. Some exterior trim detail flaws that should have been caught at the factory before it left make me wonder if they are just stamping these out and baiting people with looks instead of quality workmanship. Better choices of interior colors could have been offered. (some people like all black, I don't). I read reviews on the current Goodyear Eagle R/S tires that are being put on this car and I am hard pressed to find a good review on them.
    I guess it all depends on what the standards are of the person driving the car, what they were used to before, and if they dont mind paying over 36K for a 1st run Chevy with no reliability data that has not seen its first winter yet. I would like to get one but I'll wait a year and if this car is all that then all the great reviews will have been justified. Looks aside, this car is a serious upgrade from the past Impalas however let me know how you still like it 3 years from now.
    Oh, the big yellow bowtie on the front grille? Really?!? Half the size would have worked just fine.
  • rjm0925rjm0925 Member Posts: 4
    I just passed 3000 miles and I am thrilled with my decision to buy my LTZ. My last three vehicles were 2010 CTS, 2008 ES350, 2006 A6. The driving position, interior comfort, and ride I feel are better than the three previous vehicles. I drive mostly highway and MPG since day 1 is 25.9 MPG. Everyone has their opinion but I can say that I am very happy!
  • vakmere1vakmere1 Member Posts: 13
    Interesting on Car Guru's the number of used 2014 Impalas already. Anywhere from 4000 to 11000 miles on them. Wonder why folks are unloading them so soon? Prices dont really reflect what the dealer gave the previous owners but I bet it was significantly less than the selling price.
  • j3studioj3studio Member Posts: 27
    ... can someone measure the width of their 2014 Impala with mirrors? We have lifts and I need to know if it will fit between the posts.

    :confuse:
  • tourbustourbus Member Posts: 14

    At the 6000 mile mark this car has not beem back to the dealership. GM suggesting going to 10% or below before doing an oil change. With the meter reading 22% right now I won't be taking it back for another month or so. No problems so far. No rattles, creaks, or wind or road noise. The Goodyears seem well suited to this car. At this time I am very pleased with the decision to purchase this car

  • tourbustourbus Member Posts: 14

    6500 miles and the Impala continues to impress. No, repeat no problems to report. the new tech stuff which was a major reason for buying this car, keeps working with no glitches. While I had a few reservations about all the new stuff on the car its seems as though GM worked out the problems beforehand. Mileage is improving with added miles. Now up to 32 mpg on the freeway. Steady at 21 around town. Very happy with this car. This is a 2LTZ with the 3.6 liter V6. I don't know where the performance comes from. As a much younger driver in the muscle car era I thought a mid 14 second trip down the 1/4 was pretty quick. All this with 12 to 14 mpg. I am very sure that this car would keep up with most of the muscle cars of the late 60s. Possibly beat some The steering on this car has to be experienced to be believed. No bump steer at all, just a smooth track around the corner

  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252

    Hi tourbus,

    We're glad to hear that your dealership was able to address the issues with your new Impala. Hopefully, it'll be smooth driving from now forward. If you have any future questions or concerns about your vehicle please do not hesitate to send us a message.

    Amber N.
    GM Customer Care

  • jerrypetjerrypet Member Posts: 1

    With a little over 5,000 miles on my 2014 2LTZ, I can tell you that I have never owned a more impressive automobile. I am comparing the Impala to a 2000 Linclon LS, a 1990 Olds Tornado and several Pontiac Gran Prix and Cadillac autos over the years.
    This car rides so smoothly it is hard to believe you are not in your living room, the handling is terrific, it has incredible looks and the electronic toys all seem to perform as expected. An 1900 mile round trip to NC was a pleasure throughout. Have not quite hit the 31 MPG highway yet and the Forward Collision Alert lets you get too close to the car in front before changing from green to amber, but the feature the projects red lights on the windshield when you are coming up too fast on the car in front works great. Oh - and the "Bowtie" is a little too big - even for a car this large, but no doubt it is a Chevy coming at you.
    Want to buy the best value auto on the market today - the 2014 Impala is your answer!

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