2014 Chevrolet Impala: A Real-World Walk-Around

Tom Appel

12 years ago

2014 Chevrolet Impala: A Real-World Walk-Around

The front ¾ view of the 2014 Chevrolet Impala highlights the sharp body side crease just below the beltline and the subtly flared-out wheel openings. The hood depressions give the car a slightly more muscular vibe.

2014 Chevrolet Impala (front), Impala Walk Around — The front ¾ view of the 2014 Chevrolet Impala highlights the sharp body side crease just below the beltline and the subtly flared-out wheel openings. The hood depressions give the car a slightly more muscular vibe.

The 2014 Chevrolet Impala is still a year or so away from arriving in dealerships, but we’ve got a bit of a “sneak peek” right here. At a recent automotive press event at the Road America racecourse in Wisconsin, Chevrolet had a pre-production 2014 Impala on display, so we took the opportunity to fire off some quick snapshots. This was a static-only display (our first drive of the new Impala won’t happen until the end of 2012 or very early 2013), and unfortunately we didn’t get a chance to sit in the interior or pop the hood and trunk. However, we were able to soak in the exterior styling details.

It’s always nice to see what an anticipated new car looks like out in the “real world” in natural sunlight for the first time. Carefully crafted manufacturer press photos (which are usually digitally retouched these days) can often be misleading, and the harsh artificial lighting of an auto-show stage can often obscure subtle details.

The Impala name carries with it a lot of nostalgic heritage, but the latest Impala retains a thoroughly contemporary execution, with plenty of modern-day design accents. Let’s take a walk-around . . .

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Impala Walk Around

The front end features a toned-down version of Chevrolet’s signature “twin-port” grille. Restrained grille and headlamp detailing adds a “just right” amount of flash.

Like most modern sedans, the Impala has a rather high beltline. Large-diameter wheels help visually balance the tall body height, and the rakish brightwork around the side-window “daylight opening” highlights the surprisingly swoopy roofline. Is the “undercut” character crease that swoops up from the rear doors through the rear fenders daring, or just superfluous?

The rear ¾ view shows near-fastback proportions, as the roofline flows nearly unbroken into the deck lid. The flared shape of the trailing edge of the deck lid suggests a spoiler.

“Debossed” panels add some character and definition to the Impala’s hood. The crisply beveled edges make for interesting light reflections.

The Impala’s deck lid sports unique character lines that pick up the line of the roof pillars, then curve inward toward the rear of the car. The “wraparound” shape of the deck lid itself should make for a more-generous cargo opening.

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