James Fabin’s 2006 Chevrolet Impala Driving Impressions:
There was something familiar about the keys I held to the 2006 Chevrolet Impala, a sense that I had done this dozens of times before. But this time, one thing was different: I wasn’t standing in a rental car lot. And because I knew the Impala picked up a number of major improvements for 2006, I was excited to see how far this car had progressed. Really, I wanted to see. I’m not being sarcastic.

Adjusting the Impala’s seat, mirrors, and steering wheel to my likings was easy – the controls seemed to magically appear just where I expected them to be. At first the new Impala appeared to be missing buttons – the large dash was just too clean and tidy. But all the radio controls were present, with the climate controls stashed just below those – nothing missing here. However, taking to the road was not as delightful. While Chevrolet’s minimalist approach to interior design is nice, it went a little too far with the “delete” option by removing the gear markings from the automatic shifter surround. The large shifter clunked limply through each of its options with a fairly heavy rowing action, and the only indication of what gear was selected was on the dash below the speedometer.

Under normal driving conditions on a straight road, the Impala soaked up bumps while providing a smooth ride that wouldn’t be out of place for a luxury car. It felt solid and actually drove like a smaller vehicle, in part due to its small turning radius. The mirrors seemed somewhat small at first, but somehow they nearly eliminated every blind spot from around the vehicle. Parking the Impala was easy thanks the great visibility, and if it wasn’t for the oversized steering wheel constantly reminding you this is a large car, you’d swear this vehicle was two feet shorter than it is.

On the highway, the Impala’s 3.9-liter V6 engine felt powerful and sounded refined. The transmission was quick to downshift to help overcome slower vehicles, but upshifts were on the harsh side. With speed comes wind and the Impala allows an excessive amount of roar into the cabin – so much so that I repeatedly checked to make sure all the windows were closed and even pulled over at one point to ensure all the doors were shut tight. In addition to wind noise, too much excess highway racket is allowed into the cabin.

More aggressive drivers will find the Impala’s suspension to be too soft. Push the car into a corner and the suspension responds with excessive body lean, the tires barking in protest. The Impala has a natural tendency to understeer at the limit and providing more throttle input only provokes the vehicle to protest louder. Emergency maneuvers are not the Impala’s strength either – attempting to swerve and miss an obstacle at 40 mph will have you fighting the Impala’s suspension to maintain control. One thing any driver will like about the Impala is the brakes, which respond quickly with heavily boosted, speed erasing power.

Thom Blackett’s 2006 Chevrolet Impala Driving Impressions:
There’s no disputing that domestic car makers have seen their share of criticism over the past several years, 99 percent of it deserved. However, in retrospect one can think of it as tough love, since it was those harsh words and demand for improvement that led to cars like the 2006 Chevrolet Impala.

With a recent price reduction that put our LTZ model in the mid $26,000 range, the Impala even offers a dose of value. The standard-issue 240-horsepower V6 offers plenty of power for this large sedan, and the smooth-shifting yet outdated four-speed automatic transmission is nearly seamless in its operation, even when the throttle is matted for power. Torque-steer is nearly nonexistent, but there’s a bit of squat and dive resulting from hard starts and stops. Quick highway passes are a breeze, pulling away from red light racers is doable, and you can even catch a little rubber from the inside front tire on hard turns. My main complaint with the Impala LTZ’s powertrain, aside from engine noise that can be a bit much at full revs, has to do with the touchy gas pedal – in slow starts or while cruising at a good clip, all is fine, but sudden starts and accelerating from a slow roll can bring on a snappy response that’s hard to regulate.

That quibble carries over to the brakes, as well, though there’s little else to complain about, except for an ABS system that is a little quick to react. Otherwise, the four-wheel disc setup does a terrific job of bringing this Chevy to a quick and secure stop. The 2006 Impala LTZ is equally adept at handling, offering an acceptable amount of body roll for a large sedan, absorbing bumps with little impact on the somewhat vague steering system, though understeer rears its ugly head when this front-driver gets pushed hard into a corner.

Buyers looking for a true sport sedan won’t be satisfied with the 2006 Chevrolet Impala, plain and simple. But for those who seek an affordable ride that blends decent power with acceptable handling into a spacious package, Chevy has something worth consideration.

Christian Wardlaw’s 2006 Chevrolet Impala Driving Impressions:
Call this an American Toyota Camry with just a few faults that keep it from being 100-percent competitive. It offers decent acceleration, though this 3.9-liter V6 sure doesn’t feel like it’s putting 240 horsepower to the front wheels. It lacks some mid-range grunt for passing, and the transmission takes a moment to downshift for added power. Also, I caught the transmission napping from time to time when cruising around town. Still, this four-speed unit shifts well and smoothly most of the time. Handling lands in the adequate category, too. The Impala’s nose, like many front-drive sedans, is quick to understeer in tighter turns. The slow, numb steering does its part to discourage rapid transit, and it’s nice that the tires don’t squeal much when under duress.

Where the Impala shines is in its braking and ride quality. The brakes are responsive, with good pedal feel and easy modulation, proving effective for quick stops. The suspension filters all but the sharpest impacts from the interior, providing a good blend of road feel and smoothness. In fact, I think it’s better than the rather stiff Honda Accord. The 2006 Chevrolet Impala is not fun to drive – the closest you can get to good times is with the V8-powered SS version – but neither is it a chore.