2018 Chevrolet Impala Review

As you'd expect from a large domestic sedan, the 2018 Chevrolet Impala has a smooth ride quality, a spacious interior with plenty of room for rear-seat passengers, and a trunk that's one of the largest available in any sedan. It's also quiet at highway speeds and has plenty of power when equipped with the optional V6 engine.

This generation of Impala enters its fourth year of production in 2018, but consistent small updates to its equipment over the years mean it can be equipped with all the technology you expect from a modern car. With the addition of a rearview camera, keyless entry and start, and Chevy's quite good MyLink infotainment system (with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay) to the base LS trim, the Impala also has all the bases covered: from a cost-conscious cruiser that doesn't seem stripped down to a feature-packed, near-luxury competitor.

We do have our reservations. The base engine is lackluster, and thick roof pillars and a short rear window hamper outward visibility. Those aren't deal-breakers, but there are other choices if the Impala isn't to your liking. The Toyota Avalon is surprisingly good to drive, and has the option of a hybrid powertrain. There's also the value-packed Hyundai Azera and the Chrysler 300, which can be had with a big V8. Still, the 2108 Chevy Impala offers a lot of comfort and space, and that's ultimately the most important aspect in this class of car.

The 2018 Chevrolet Impala is a four-door, five-passenger sedan that's available in three trim levels. Thanks to equipment upgrades this year, the base LS trim is more than just bare-bones transportation. Moving up to LT trim gets you upgraded interior materials and access to a number of option packages. The range-topping Premier trim offers an extensive and upscale list of standard features.

Two engines are available for the Impala. A 2.5-liter four-cylinder (197 hp, 191 lb-ft of torque) is standard on the LS and LT trim levels, while a 3.6-liter six-cylinder (305 hp, 264 lb-ft of torque) is standard for the Premier and optional for the LS and LT. Both engines use a six-speed automatic transmission and are only available with front-wheel drive.

Thanks to changes made this year, the LS trim starts with a good selection of standard features. You get 18-inch steel wheels, sound-insulating laminated windows, automatic headlights, cruise control, power-adjustable mirrors, air-conditioning, an eight-way power-adjustable driver seat, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, and 60/40-split folding rear seats. New for 2018 are keyless entry and start, a rearview camera and Chevy's MyLink infotainment system with an 8-inch touchscreen interface, a six-speaker audio system, OnStar (includes 4G LTE and Wi-Fi hotspot connectivity), Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and two USB ports.

Moving up to the LT adds 18-inch alloy wheels, remote engine start, heated mirrors, as well as dual-zone climate control, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, power front-passenger lumbar adjustment, fore-aft adjustable front headrests, folding rear headrests, and a few other small interior trim upgrades.

The Impala LT also has access to a number of upgrade packages. The Driver Confidence package adds blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and rear parking sensors. A sunroof and rear spoiler can be added with the Sunroof and Spoiler package. The LT Entertainment Package adds navigation, an 11-speaker Bose stereo system, a CD player, ambient interior lighting and a 120-volt outlet.

There's also the LT Convenience package, which includes heated front seats and a heated steering wheel and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. The Convenience package can be upgraded with the LT Leather Package, which adds leather upholstery and a full power-adjustable front passenger seat.

The top-trim Impala Premier gets 19-inch wheels, xenon headlights, heated power seats and leather upholstery, a wireless charging pad, and some unique exterior accents. It also includes the contents of the LT's Driver Confidence, Entertainment, and Sunroof and Spoiler packages.

Packages for the Premier trim include the Premier Confidence Package, which adds adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, lane departure warning and 20-inch wheels. The Premier Convenience package adds ventilated front seats, a heated and power-adjustable steering wheel, auto-dimming rearview and driver-side mirrors, memory settings for the exterior mirrors and steering wheel, and ground illumination.

Both the LT and Premier trims also have access to the Midnight Edition Appearance package, which adds black-painted 19-inch wheels, replaces the chrome exterior trim with black-painted pieces, and includes special black interior trim pieces. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Midnight Edition Impalas are only available in black.

Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the 2014 Chevrolet Impala LTZ (3.6L V6 | 6-speed automatic | FWD).

NOTE: Since this test was conducted, the current Impala has received some revisions, including an overhaul of the infotainment system, the addition of more standard features, and changes to option packages. Our findings remain broadly applicable to this year's Impala, however.