2006 Chevrolet Impala

Chevrolet has been making the Impala since the 50’s. They took a little break from production then came back to the line up in the mid 90’s. Still a staple of the Chevy family the newest versions are now available with a Flexi fuel option. Still a nice family car great for both urban and suburban areas. Those who have them in more rural areas don’t have too many complaints. I give the Impala a 3 for its style. Chevy has just made it blend in with all the other cars and has taken away its more eye catching attributes. Interior is nice and clean, though some of the plastic is cheap and chips.

Comfort wise 3 is what it gets also. The seats, though nice, are firmer then needed and there are issues with the adjusting controls for the seats (electrical). Cannot quite get the seats to stay in a comfortable reach of the pedals. On the plus side the seats go back far enough to compensate for long legs and the back seat leg room is comfortable for most adults, though those over 6’ will be cramped.

Reliability ranks a 4 and most people do not seem to have problems with breaking down, though in very cold weather they do not like to start easily, so people may want to keep them in a garage if living in colder areas (under 20 degrees). There is an issue I see a lot of…the engine likes to leak fluids. We charge a lot of money to clean up these leakage spots as they are considered hazmat clean ups, so look for these leeks both when and after purchasing this car. The leaks are due to poor rubber quality used in the hoses so look for dry rot, holes, cracks and tears.

No complaints with the performance, definitely a 4. The tires that come with the Impala are not great and I would suggest getting better ones but otherwise this car handles rain and snow (under 12”) very well. The ride is smooth and the engine’s pep is ready and waiting. There are some clicking sounds in the steering that can be annoying. There is also no noticeable difference with the performance when using E85 other then it’s hard to find stations that sell it.

Unfortunately this car, like so many Chevys, loses value too quickly. Do to this I can only rate it a 3. Otherwise general living expenses with the Impala are not absurd. Regular upkeep will keep them running very well and will keep from loss of MPG. The costs range between $60-90 for tune up and oil change. The mileage is very good on this car and ranges from 29-35 MPG and when using E85 the MPG loss is only a mile or so a gallon and well worth the savings.

Overall the Chevrolet Impala is a 4. I have owned different years of this car and am always sorry to sell them off.