Big sedans used to rule the roost on American highways. Chevy Caprices, Ford LTDs, and Plymouth Furys - they were all big cars with big V8 motors. But over the past few decades, cars grew smaller, engine sizes decreased, and the full-size sedan became associated with cabbies and cops rather than consumers.

Fast-forward to today; a world where massive so-called utility vehicles populate the highways, and large sedans bask in the glow of renewed popularity. Chrysler, for example, has enjoyed much success with the handsome 300, and Ford has come to market with its first all-new large car in years, the Five Hundred. Now it's Chevy's turn - but rather than answering with an all-new vehicle, the bowtie boys have come to battle with a mildly updated 2006 Chevrolet Impala.