Out in the African savanna, the fleet-footed impala, a member of the antelope family, makes life difficult for its predators who might be shopping for their next meal. To get away from the feeding zone, the impala explodes into stampede at the first sign of danger, zigzagging to confuse the predators. For out in the wild, the impala is sought by lions, leopards, cheetahs and other such meat-eaters.
Here in
America, our own Impala, of the Chevrolet family, was sought out by different
breeds during the Muscle Car heyday like the Mustang, Road Runner and Barracuda.
Today, most of those other breeds are long gone and the rest, Mustang for instance,
have moved on to other game, like snake hunting (Viper, anyone?) or ship hunting
(Can you say Corvette?).
No, the Impala of today's world is more a family car with four doors, room for five, and a huge trunk to boot. It has a tried-and-true V6 (either 3.4- or 3.8-liter) and solid construction for long lasting durability.
There isn't much to dislike about the styling of the 2004 Impala, as long as you're not buying the car for that reason. It's a bit boxy, but not as terrible as, say, the Aztec or any AMC sedans from the 70s
Fortunately for us, though, we got to drive the new SS version of the Impala, and let us say that having a fast sedan with good handling characteristics really makes the smiles shine through.
The heart of this Impala beats with a supercharged version of the 3.8-liter Series II V6 that has powered GM vehicles for more than five decades in one form or another. It doesn't have that "techie" sound of a dual overhead cam engine but its horsepower (240), torque (280 lb.-ft.) and fuel economy (18 city/ 28 highway) make it the perfect choice for this sedan.
Mated to a smooth-shifting heavy-duty four-speed automatic transmission, this Impala got going like its animal brethren. Though it didn't exactly explode of the starting line it did get the pulse racing and left us with a feeling that there was more there than we expected.
Surprisingly, we found the SS to handle better than expected in the twisties as well. A four-wheel independent suspension with struts all around, stiffer spring rates front and rear and stabilizer bar increases of 4 mm front and 2.5 mm rear make for more sport and a greater "fun factor" with the SS designation, compared to the plebian Impala.
Out on our test loop through some hills and twisty/curvy roads, we found the SS to be a natural at handling speed and direction changes easily. The only downside was the apparent heaviness of the car that could be felt more on quick changes, with body lean but not much tire squeal if any.The most fun we've found with the SS is getting on a highway…hit the gas and hang on. Don't be surprised when you look at the speedo and find yourself doing 80 before you make the end of the ramp.
As with most "performance" packages these days, different looks help set the car apart from other plebian rides. The SS is no different.
Outside, there is a new decklid spoiler that replaces the wing of the LS model and body colored appliqué surrounding the tail lamps. There's also a nifty looking wheel/tire package with 17-inch "diamond cut" wheels and P235/55R17 tires, body colored side molding (also found on the LS version), dual chromed exhaust tips and fog lamps…all included. Oh, and don't forget to get the black paint (wink, wink, nudge, nudge).
Inside, there's "SS" embroidered on the seats, on the doors and in the floor mats. There are also "SS" plaques in strategic locations. Other touches include a comprehensive gauge cluster (with boost gauge) and taught leather upholstery on all seating surfaces.
The Impala's interior is a very nice place to spend a trip in. Once we got the eight-way adjustable seat configured and steering wheel at the angle we like, we found the seating position to be more true than on other GM cars and comfortable for long jaunts down the highway.
The controls for everything from the radio (redundant on the wheel) to the climate system fell easily to hand. They also felt more upscale and didn't show a lot of nicks and scratches.
Of course, this car isn't as cool looking as the previous generation SS, which was basically a Caprice with monochromatic paint, cool five-spoke wheels and a Corvette motor. This SS is much more just an extension of the Impala line rather than a stand-alone like the last one was.
Now for the bad news…
We were a bit disappointed that the front fascia wasn't at all different from the regular Impala. We felt it would have had a more powerful impact with even a simple grill redesign.
Also, the seat heater on the driver's side did not heat the seat evenly, leaving cold thighs and hot buns.
And let us not forget the worst GM invention ever: washer fluid that sprays out of the wiper blades. Come on GM, there's a reason why no other manufacturer uses this technique…it doesn't work. We found the system to be sub-par at cleaning dirty windows and thought the streaks left were a hindrance to an enjoyable driving experience.
Not a whole lot of bad stuff, but it had to be said.
On price, we saved this last bit for last like usual, but this time we really didn't want to mention it. You see, cars get more expensive with each passing year and the Impala is no exception.
Our car's base price (which included most of the good stuff like the supercharged engine, wheels and tires, four-wheel antilock discs, leather seats and power driver's seat and floor shifter and center console) was a high $27,335.00.
Add in options like the $1425 SS preferred group (cargo net, 200 watt premium sound system with CD and steering wheel controls, heated outside mirrors and auto dimming rear view mirror, driver info center and OnStar.), the $445 comfort seating package (power passenger seat, heated seats for driver and passenger), a $350 driver side-impact airbag and $325 for XM and you get a grand total (including the obligatory destination charge of $660) of $30,540.00. The SS is a bit pricey but not too stratospheric considering the performance gains and other niceties.
It is a car Darth Vader wouldn't mind being seen in.