That’s right, Impala fans. It looks like it’s the end of the road for the beloved sedan: at least, for now. Chevy announced it was ending production, and the last Impala came off the line in February of 2020. For those who want to claim this piece of car history, there are still 2020 Chevy Impalas for sale. But when they’re all sold, that will be the end of a long run of a sedan that began its life over six decades and ten generations ago. What has the Impala stood for over those years? Spacious style and innovation. For many years, the Impala was a leader of Chevy sales, but the 2020 Chevy Impala must now make way for a new generation of vehicles.
The Appeal of the 2020 Impala
Photos of the very last Impala to come off the line in Michigan are of a Premier trim in Cajun Red, a fitting send-off for a vehicle with a spirited history. Now, the last Impalas are available for a limited time and have a luxurious array of features, even on the base level trim. Starting at an MSRP of $31,620, the Impala is a full-size sedan that seats five, gets a fuel efficiency of 18 MPG in the city and 28 MPG on the highway, and has a generous amount of space for both passengers and cargo. With the gold bowtie on the front grille and its rather bold, athletic lines, the Impala is a striking figure.
Under the hood is a pleasing V6 engine that offers plenty of power to pull out into traffic with ease. The suspension has that luxurious softening to smooth out the road, and the handling is satisfying and lively. If you’re looking for a comfortable ride that spoils you a little but doesn’t cost a lot, the 2020 Impala is a good deal.
The Impeccable Interior
The 2020 Impala may be a sedan in a world that’s gone mad for SUVs, but there is space for days inside this very comfortable ride. As soon as you open the door to the driver’s seat, the interior will welcome you into the plush seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, sweeping lines across the dash, and soft-touch materials in all the right places. Clever storage in the front stack will hide valuables behind the infotainment screen, an unexpected space most people wouldn’t consider. The front seats are powered with lumbar control, and the steering wheel has controls for the audio system and cruise control.
From the driver’s seat, you can still enjoy a last splash of analog instrumentation in the curvy dashboard, though Chevy does include an eight-inch infotainment screen in the center stack. Powered accessories are the standard in this posh sedan, as are the center armrests for both the front and back passengers, who can enjoy a beverage with a cup holder and storage for small items. Back seat passengers will have plenty of room, even for tall adults, with a generous 39.8 inches for legroom. When the back seat isn’t in use, it can be folded down in a 60/40 split to make more space for cargo and direct access to the trunk area. It may be unnecessary to need the extra space, however, with 18.8 cubic feet available in the trunk.
Two Spectacular Trim Options
Two trim levels are available for the 2020 Impala: LT and Premier. While we are typically accustomed to wildly high numbers of options and features with modern vehicles, it’s almost a relief to have only two choices. It can be fun at times to go crazy building a vehicle with all the bells and whistles, but having two choices makes life simple again. With the Impala, the base LT trim is loaded with comfort and convenience and will not feel like the bargain it truly is when you smoothly drive those bumpy city streets. Then again, if you like having a little boost with more driver-assisted safety and tech, the Premier will be more your style.
The LT trim comes standard with cloth seats trimmed in leatherette and can come in jet black as an option to add an attractive detail inside. Three USB ports are hidden in the front seat area, with two in the center console and one in the storage space behind the infotainment screen. Loaded into the infotainment system is a SiriusXM trial, OnStar capability, Bluetooth streaming, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a 4G hotspot, and voice-activated controls for radio and phone connectivity. A six-speaker audio system completes the entertainment features.
Other standard equipment for the LT includes dual-zone climate control, keyless open, remote start, a rearview camera, heated and powered exterior mirrors, LED daytime running lights, and automatic halogen headlights. The option to upgrade the LT is available, with heated seats, a universal home remote, a heated steering wheel, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, exterior appearance details, and additional driver-assisted safety features if desired.
With the Premier trim, the features of the LT are standard or upgraded. Seats in the Premier will be perforated leather, and both front seats are heated. While the USB ports remain, wireless charging is added, and a universal home remote is also standard equipment. The infotainment system adds a GPS with maps in both 2D and 3D and an 11-speaker Bose surround-sound audio system. Headlights are high-intensity discharge, and chrome front sill plates are a little extra bling.
More optional features include a dual-pane sunroof and auto-dimming exterior mirrors with an integrated turn signal. Drivers can also enjoy adaptive cruise control and memory settings for the driver seat and exterior mirrors. A powered tilting and telescoping steering wheel is also available only on the Premier.
Chevy’s Standard of Safety
Chevy has made a point of offering fairly generous safety features across most of its vehicles, and the Impala doesn’t disappoint. Ten airbags spread throughout the cabin is more than you will find in many larger SUVs and minivans. The standard rear child door locks and the LATCH system for child safety seats are a given.
Electronic traction control will automatically shift traction to the wheels not spinning over a slippery surface to regain stability. A panic brake assist will add extra pressure if brakes are applied quickly. OnStar is loaded onto the infotainment system, and if it’s active, it will automatically call for emergency services in the case of an accident. All these features are standard for both trims.
Interestingly, the LT does not come standard with any driver-assisted safety features. To have those, they must be added as options. Once again, buyers are faced with a simple choice: to have driver-assist safety or not. It’s possible that there are drivers who do not like these features, and they will be glad to purchase a 2020 vehicle that doesn’t come with them as standard, other than the traction control and panic brake. If you want to add those driver-assisted extras to the LT, you can have lane change alert with side blind zone alert, rear cross traffic alert, and rear park assist, also known as the Driver Confidence Package.
Move up to the Premier, and it adds the Driver Confidence Package as standard, along with all the other equipment mentioned above. Additional driver-assisted safety features can be tacked on as options, like forward collision alert, which will sound an alarm if the system senses an impending accident, and a lane departure warning, which will sound an alarm if your vehicle wanders out of its lane without signaling. Otherwise, even the Premier isn’t going for too many of the driver-assisted features.
Get Your Impala Before It’s Too Late
So, whether you choose the LT or the Premier, the Impala will have the same quiet cabin with roomy seats that offer all your passengers a plush drive. You can spring for a few extra conveniences or have your Impala tipped toward its past generations when driver-assisted safety features were only an engineer’s dream. No matter which Impala you choose, you need to grab yours before the last Impala drives off a dealership lot.
