2020 Chevrolet Impala

Chevrolet drops a number of optional features and other mechanics before it enters its final year of production. In addition, the LS trim will no longer be offered, which means the 2.5-liter Inline-4 engine will be replaced by the standard V6. With the Dodge Charger, Chrysler 300, and the Nissan Maxima existing side-by-side to the Impala, it would be tough competition. 

With one trim at the rear of the lineup, Chevrolet offers two trims for the 2020 Impala - LT and Premier. The LT is priced at $31,620 and packs all the standard specs including the 3.6-liter V6 and an FWD system. Apart from the mechanics, there are features like cruise control, a 6-speaker audio system, satellite radio, dual-zone front climate control, etc. However, the seats are faux-leather-covered. For the added opulence and more creature comforts, the Premier trim is available at $36,720. It offers leather upholstery, a power-adjustable front passenger seat with a heating function.

Which trim should you buy?

When you are thinking about the Impala, you should choose the Premier trim since it offers more value. The base LT trim is more like a barebones car with very few creature comforts. We also recommend you opt for the Premier Confidence package along with the Premier trim as it adds more driver aids like forward collision warning, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control. 

Powering the 2020 Impala is a 3.6-liter naturally aspirated V6 engine that is capable of belting out 305 horsepower and 264 lb-ft of torque. The engine is mated to a 6-speed shiftable automatic transmission system that sends power to the front wheels as standard. You don’t have an option for AWD drivetrain configuration in this segment. Moreover, Chevrolet ditched the smaller and underpowered 2.5-liter inline 4 engine for 2020 MY which raised the base price tag by quite a margin. 

The present 3.6L V6 engine is more powerful and of course, is more refined. The gearbox is buttery smooth and the acceleration is smooth without any lag. The Impala does a decent job when it comes to acceleration. The sedan takes 6.2 seconds to reach 60 miles an hour and does complete a quarter-mile in 14.8 seconds, which is not the best but is better than a few from the competition.

The sedans related to the Fiat-Chrysler group, i.e., the Dodge and Chrysler use the same powertrain and are slightly underpowered in comparison to the Chevy and Nissan. The latter cars are slightly better in real-world accelerations but the Dodge has more steam than it shows. Nissan Maxima comes equipped with a slightly smaller engine and a CVT transmission which explains which it is the quickest of the lot on the 0-60MPH run.

How well does the 2020 Chevrolet Impala handle?

As a family sedan, the 2020 Impala offers a comfortable ride quality and has softer suspensions to deal with potholes and rough patches easily. The electronically-assisted steering wheel is quite responsive, in fact overly sensitive, and offers slightly lower feedback.

 Around the corners, you will experience body rolls but it feels stable. The throttle response is on point for a naturally aspirated engine without any jerk or stutters and highway drives are bliss in this sedan. In short, the 2020 Impala offers a more comfortable driving experience than agility.

2020 Chevrolet Impala Braking Performance

The 2020 Impala sports a set of 12.6-inch front brake rotors and 12.4-inch rear brake rotors. And they provide good stopping power for a big sedan as it takes only 120 feet to come to a standstill from 60MPH.

The numbers are not quite a bad racket. However, ABS and EBD help make the braking more stable and prevent nose dives. The curb weight is not disclosed by the manufacturer but will be similar to the competition but not lesser.

All four cars pack similarly sized brake rotors and among them, the Nissan Maxima does the best in terms of braking performance for it weighs slightly lower than the competition. Chevy stops at 120 feet and the braking performance is decent for its size.

Naturally Aspirated V6 engines consume a little more gas than the inline 4s available in the market and that is what we see with the Impala. Its powerful and high revving engine gets an EPA rating of 19 MPG in the city, a decent 28 MPG on the highways, and 22 MPG combined. Backed up by an 18.5-gallon gas tank it can travel up to 518 miles on the highway on a full tank. 

The Chevy disappoints the audience for its gas-guzzling nature and also offers the least driving range. Impala’s fuel economy figures are the lowest in the competition and cannot be called a fuel-efficient car. Nissan Maxima squeezes slightly better mileage than the competition but it comes with a slightly smaller fuel tank. Dodge and Chrysler offer balanced fuel economy and the best overall highway driving range in the competition.

The cabin of the 2020 Impala is dated by design but is one of the most comfortable cabins in the segment. The interior components and materials are mostly plastics which is a bummer in the segment but is not as bad as it sounds. The dashboard is all plastic-made but is designed quite well and has a blacked-out color profile with silver linings. The infotainment screen at the center comes with touch sensitivity and has climate control knobs below it. You also get a leather-covered steering wheel and an analog-digital instrument console. The seats offer excellent cushioning but are faux-leather-covered as standard and do come with power-adjustability for the front row.

In terms of interior dimensions, the Impala does a great job. Both the front and rear rows offer a balanced cabin space for 5 people with ample head and legroom. This ensures effortless drive even in the back seats for prolonged periods. For a mid-size sedan, the cargo capacity is slightly on the bigger side and can hold up to 18.8 cubic feet of luggage. You can fit in one or two of your large suitcases inside the boot if you are thinking of traveling interstate.

The Chevy Impala offers the best space cabin in the competition. The massive front legroom slightly cuts into the rear row legroom but that is comparable to what the rivals offer. The Dodge and Chrysler are almost similar to each other when it comes to the front row dimensions but the latter is more spacious especially in terms of rear row headroom. The Chevy wins once again in providing a slightly bigger cargo capacity than the competition. Standout interior features are:

• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• 8-way power-adjustable driver and front passenger seats with multi-level heating options
• Leather upholstery

What’s there to keep you entertained?

The MYLink system found on the 2020 Impala is one of the most intuitive interfaces available. It has a minimalistic design approach but has quite some functionalities found on the modern-day system. You get an 8-inch touchscreen display as standard. The touch responds to inputs quickly but it is best operated manually through the buttons and knobs. 

For starters, the standard features include a 6-speaker audio system, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity, satellite radio, an auxiliary audio input. You can also equip the infotainment with Navigation, wireless device charging, and an 11-speaker Bose premium stereo. Standout infotainment features are:

• 8-inch touchscreen display with MyLink system
• Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
• 11-speaker Bose premium audio
• Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity
• SiriusXM
• Navigation services

While aging on the inside the 2020 Impala does not seem to carry forward the same aspect on the exterior and is quite a modern-looking mid-size sedan. The design aesthetics are quite sharp and are quite similar to the Malibu. The front has high-intensity-discharge headlights with a fairly large intake grille with the bowtie badging. The rear looks quite sporty with sleek LED taillights and chrome-fitted dual exhaust outlets. 

The roofline has a sloping aesthetic, making the car more aerodynamic. As standard, the Impala comes fitted with a set of 18-inch alloy wheels and 19-inch wheels on the higher trim. In terms of exterior dimensions, it is quite compact in terms of width compared to the competition but is quite long. The ground clearance and curb weight figures are yet to be disclosed but are predicted to be very similar to the competition. 

The Fiat-Chrysler brothers share similar chassis and are quite similar except for the curb weight where the Chrysler weighs the most in the competition. The Nissan and Chevy are quite compact compared to the other cars. All four cars have their distinctive design language and we think that the Maxima and Charger are the show stoppers in terms of overall looks. Standout exterior features are:

• 19-inch alloy wheels.
• LED DRLs and tail lights with HID headlights.
• Chrome-coated exhaust cutouts.
• Heated side mirrors.
• Dual-pane sunroof

Chevrolet has worked well in making the Impala a tough car with the right safety features on offer, especially on the higher trim. The 2020 Impala has been rated well by the NHTSA with a 5-star rating and the IIHS rated it with “Good” remarks in the majority of categories. In terms of standard safety features, the present-day Impala boasts 10-airbags, stability control, auto delay off headlamps, and a post-collision safety system. More advanced driver assistance features can be added via optional packages. Standout safety features are:

• Tire pressure monitor
• Stability control
• Forward collision warning
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Lane change alert
• Lane departure warning
• Rear parking sensors
• Adaptive cruise control

2020 Chevrolet Impala vs 2020 Dodge Charger

The 2020 Charger looks menacing on the outside compared to the Impala with updated looks and a longer wheelbase. The advantage of choosing a Charger over an Impala would be the optional and more powerful V8 engines on offer. That being said, the Charger offers a slightly better fuel economy over the latter. The Impala has a more comfortable cabin and added practicality over the former. It is good for interstate travel but you would have to make frequent stops for refueling. 

2020 Chevrolet Impala vs 2020 Chrysler 300

The Chrysler 300 offers similar performance to the Charger. However, the interiors are slightly better in the Chrysler 300. Priced slightly lower than the Impala, the Chrysler 300 is a better buy because of its almost similar interior space but a better fuel economy without compromising much on performance. 

2020 Chevrolet Impala vs 2020 Nissan Maxima

The Maxima is priced quite higher than the other cars in the competition and about 5 grand more costly than the Impala. But Maxima offers better performance, best-in-class mileage figures, and braking performance. Impala offers a more spacious cabin and is more practical. So the comfort factor is well sorted in the Impala.

Except for the fuel economy, there are no major cons that you should be concerned about if you are considering buying the 2020 Chevrolet Impala. It has a very comfortable cabin experience with decent electronics and features and is one of the best in terms of interior spaciousness and practicality. But, as it goes out of production, the depreciation would be more compared to the competition, and we think that the 2020 Chrysler 300 is a better buy.