'06 Impala Fit-and-Finish

[The O.C.]

Someone brought this up on the "old" C&G......I sat in my first Impala yesterday (LTZ, silver, with ebony leather) and was shocked at the (lack of) quality of the interior materials!!!! Although the black interior looked sharp, the plastic on the dash and lower door panels is a shiny, hard plastic. In fact, the hard plastic is so shiny, it contrasts with the (actually nice) soft plastic on the dash top and tops of the door panels. WHY can't GM get it RIGHT...???? AARRGGGHHH! AND, I actually really like the Impala overall....so this really frustrates me.... Honda, Toyota, and Nissan can now show how to do hard plastics that look good.....with a matte finish, and not a shiny one that screams "cheap." It's the EXACT same problem that I have with the interior of the Cobalt...the hard plastic is not just hard...its shiny and hard....looks and feel really cheap.... The rest of the interior was actually pretty nice.....I guess that just disappoints me even more in the hard stuff they are using.....

[I hope GMRULES again]

I thought the same thing the first time I looked inside one. I have not sat in one yet. The hard plastic reminded me of the G6. Should of been better. Edited August 19, 2005 by I hope GMRULES again

[tama z71]

why does everyone complain about the dashboard? thats something C&D would whine about. if the rest of the interior is up there, who cares? every manufacturer uses plastics now. and besides that, i dont know many people who have a tendency to caress the dashboard and lower door panels as they drive.

[balthazar]

tannersoc- you titled the thread 'fit & finish' but never addressed that. Plastic is plastic; judging quality is getting pretty nitpicky, but wood is wood and shouldn't look & feel like plastic! 'Wood' in today's cars is pathetic and far more worthy of criticism that subjective grades of plastic. It all sucks.

[Cremazie]

As it appears though, GM will be always be wrestling with percived quality V.S. actual quality issues.. All because of the imprinter they use on the plastic machine!

[sciguy_0504]

why does everyone complain about the dashboard? thats something C&D would whine about.  if the rest of the interior is up there, who cares?  every manufacturer uses plastics now. 

and besides that, i dont know many people who have a tendency to caress the dashboard and lower door panels as they drive.

[post="865"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Having good quality interior materials helps create a positive image and, like Lutz said, the perception of high quality. Sit in a 4Runner and then a Trailblazer and you'll see the difference. The same with an Accord vs Malibu (or Impala if you believe they fight against each other) and F150 vs Silverado.

I don't know about anyone else but I "caress" the dashboards, door panels, seat fabric, headliner, etc. There are major differences to be seen and felt.

[62impala]

Well, boys and girls, I drove an '06 Impala today -- It was a white LTZ, with beige leather -- the dash looks great; say what you want about the fake wood, it looks far richer than the vast expanse of beige in my '04. It is a solid, heavier, much more quiet feel when driving than my '04; if you didnt see the gold bow tie on the steering wheel and the Impala logo above the glove box, you would think you were driving a Buick or a Cadillac -- it feels that solid!! The interior controls (lights, audio system, temp controls) are truly a leap forward; so much richer looking and feeling than in my current car (a white '04 LS, also with beige leather); the wood and bright trim around the floor shifter is so much better than the black plastic stuff on the old car. The front seats felt about the same to me; not any more support on thighs or back. The 3.9 V-6 is a bit quicker and quieter, but not much more so than the 3.8 in my '04. If only they could drop that V8 in there... It looks really nice, a much-needed updating of the '00-'05. I did see some things that I didn't like, however... The bow tie logo on the steering wheel looks like a sticker that came in some kid's art book; very chintzy looking. The "leather" on the steering wheel felt cheaper than the leather in my '04; very rough and pebbly, not up to the luxury feel in the rest of the car. The door panels ARE very flat, plastic and cheap-looking; they look really bad in comparison to the door panels on my '04, and that is saying something; if anyone at Chevy is reading this, they really need to address these seemingly minor things, and then they would have a true home run on their hands. I'm a total Chevy guy, and this new Impala is a big improvement; I didn't even mind the taillights, once i got up close to them. However, if the intent was to try and pass the LTZ model off as a baby Buick or Cad, they are not quite there -- close though. I will definitely buy a new Impala LTZ -- next year; maybe by then they will have addressed some of these nagging little issues. Edited August 20, 2005 by 62impala

[HarleyEarl]

I was just in a new Impala in the showroom. The naysayers are way overly crititcal..this is a fantastic interior. Beautifully done. Give GM and Chevy some credit here.

[62impala]

I was just in a new Impala in the showroom.  The naysayers are way overly crititcal..this is a fantastic interior.  Beautifully done.  Give GM and Chevy some credit here.

[post="927"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

It IS a big improvement, Harley -- no question.
If not for the few little things I mentioned above, I would give it a 9.9 out of 10. As it is now, I would give it an 8.5; just a bit more attention to some little things, and it would be pretty close to perfect. Edited August 20, 2005 by 62impala

[HarleyEarl]

Hey I can be very critical of GM and I and all of you want it to be great once more. But, I want to give credit where it's due and this new Impala is spot on. GM has a winner here and I congratulate them.

[Northstar]

The Impala's interior is certainly an improvement, and I wouldn't say it's terrible, just average. I actually quite like the interior, it'd just be better if the materials were a notch above where they are now. I'm not asking for Avalon-grade materials, that's what the Lucerne is for, I just want something a notch above what's currently offered and a notch above the 500 (which is about the same as the Impala in terms of materials).

[HarleyEarl]

Well, if I were in the market for this type of car, I would buy it in a Chevrolet Heartbeat. And they are selling very well. There was a real buzz around this car in the showroom today. Chevy is crying all the way to the bank. It's a winner inside and out. Way to go Chevy.

[daves87rs]

I drove one myself...and liked it...rides much better than the current one.. the plastics are interesting, I'd say that... I 'd still buy it though... B)

[pow]

My complaint is that with the refinement, all of the loud and obnoxious character of the old Impala is gone. Yes, the interior quality is a bit better, but it's also blander and more mainstream. The gauges are no longer in classic 80's GM font, the doors have fewer details... it's just so... sterile. I kinda miss the cheesiness.

[Newbiewar]

well at the dealership we have 2 SS models, and I can tell you, that car is a dream... not a single complaint other then FWD... and one guy said leg room in rear was insufficent, but it handles well, it accelorates fantastically and with ease... one thing i dont necesarrily like, if your battery is dead on the car you cant open the trunk... (the show room model the battery died, and cant quite show off that roomy trunk)

[mrmonte]

I like the interior, I saw one last week at our local dealer a SS in Black, what I dont really care for is the styling, it looks like a big Camry, and the sticker was over 31 grand. Earlier that same week I was passing a Dodge dealer and they had a Charger out front an RT for 28,900 (special intro price it said) . No way would I buy the Impala over the Charger.

[HarleyEarl]

The Camry doesn't even come close to this car. It's not in the same league. This car is light years ahead of that appliance for the road in every way. Edited August 20, 2005 by HarleyEarl

[mrmonte]

Not in the styling department it can almost be mistaken for a Camry. I didnt drive it yet but I will soon and I am sure it drives nicer than a Camry (I dont own a Camry nor any foriegn car never have and only drive GM RWD always) but the styling should be more aggresive more American .

[Cory Wolfe]

Well, haven't driven nor sat in it, so I can't saw for those... Styling, however, I can. I looked at an LT. I don't like it. This is one car that looks better in pics than in person (IMO). The exterior is bland, bland, and bland. I couldn't find one thing that I liked, really. The interior... while not bad, just isn't to my liking. It, too, is bland. Although, I like the new radio (but I've already said this and it's in many other vehicles). It'll do good, though...

[regfootball]

that 29 grand charger was not a Hemi. thanks, tannersoc for shedding light on the obvious, the new impala has cheapness inside. again, my impressions of drivng the SS didn't wow me or do anything for me that made me really want the car. Still, its a decent cruiser in the classic GM vein. A great cornfield state cruiser for the interstates, and thanks for someone also confirming that yes, the rear seat is small like on so many GM cars. but i will say the new Impala is a big improvement and I would buy one over a Camry, Accord, Sonata for sure. No worries there. The LT and LTZ deserve to be huge sellers and the SS package is a nice offering for those who want a smooth v8 car. The Impala is a very good offering. It just is nothing to lust over, even the SS. There's too many more interesting cars out there. Edited August 21, 2005 by regfootball

[mrmonte]

It sure indeed was a HEMI and as I said it had some sort of promotional price sticker on the window.

[The O.C.]

Everyone wants to know why I'm giving the Impala so much crap about the interior......Why? Because it looks like SHIT....! Sorry to be so blunt....but I'm sick and tired of letting GM off the hook on this kind of stuff... Like I said....I LIKE the Impala.....and LOVE the STYLE of the interior dashboard, instrument cluster, door panels.....but the QUALITY level of the plastics on most of the dash and door panels are really low-rent stuff....and it's the supplier that GM chooses that creates that problem....certainly a cost factor. I'm not talking about the woodgrain or the metallic-silver trim....I'm talking about the huge slab of plastic all along the dash face from the passenger side over to the driver side. The dash TOP is okay....very nice soft touch plastic....it's the dash FACE that's so bad....and a real contrast with the (nice) dash top. NOW....the center stack looks really nice and I really like the new HVAC and radio controls....much better than what's found in the Malibu and G6. I probably should have titled this post as Impala "material quality" not "fit-and-finish." My error. Everything was screwed together pretty well. It was the quality of the materials that I was carping about.....it's bad enough in a "premium" compact like the Cobalt....it's even worse in a more expensive midsize-to-large sedan like the Impala... Edited August 21, 2005 by tannersoc

[HarleyEarl]

The interior is first rate, very well done. Chevrolet has made a massive improvement from the last interior. I give them credit. The materials are completely appropriate and tasteful. Good job, GM.

[The O.C.]

The interior is first rate, very well done.  Chevrolet has made a massive improvement from the last interior.  I give them credit.  The materials are completely appropriate and tasteful.  Good job, GM.

[post="1516"][/post]

Yes....but have you SAT in one yet.....and seen IN PERSON the textures and quality of the plastics?

If you rap on the dash, it's hard, hollow, and bittle sounding....aside from looking shiny....

TRUST ME....pictures make it look great....it's the quality of the stuff that lets it down

[HarleyEarl]

I was in one two days ago and completely impressed with this car.

[Northstar]

I agree the materials need to be a step up from where they are. Hopefully the Lucerne addresses this problem. It would appear that the Lucerne at least addresses the door panels needing to be softer to the touch, as it appears that it has leather on the door panels (at least on the upper-level models).

You can barely see the stiching in the leather in this pic:

[regfootball]

Everyone wants to know why I'm giving the Impala so much crap about the interior......Why?  Because it looks like SHIT....! 

Sorry to be so blunt....but I'm sick and tired of letting GM off the hook on this kind of stuff...

Like I said....I LIKE the Impala.....and LOVE the STYLE of the interior dashboard, instrument cluster, door panels.....but the QUALITY level of the plastics on most of the dash and door panels are really low-rent stuff....and it's the supplier that GM chooses that creates that problem....certainly a cost factor.  I'm not talking about the woodgrain or the metallic-silver trim....I'm talking about the huge slab of plastic all along the dash face from the passenger side over to the driver side.  The dash TOP is okay....very nice soft touch plastic....it's the dash FACE that's so bad....and a real contrast with the (nice) dash top.

NOW....the center stack looks really nice and I really like the new HVAC and radio controls....much better than what's found in the Malibu and G6.

I probably should have titled this post as Impala "material quality" not "fit-and-finish."  My error.  Everything was screwed together pretty well.  It was the quality of the materials that I was carping about.....it's bad enough in a "premium" compact like the Cobalt....it's even worse in a more expensive midsize-to-large sedan like the Impala...

[post="1513"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

proof that GM continues to blow snot up everyone's arse with all this 'we get interiors now' thing. Still the same old GM, in some ways.

[MyerShift]

I find the dash to be dull and uninspired. I do like the appearance of the audio controls/HVAC (whatever). And I for one, feel all the panels in a car when I get in. My `96 Plymouth Breeze has hard plastic, yes, but it sure doesn't glare up into the windshield. And...By the way people, just because something's new does NOT mean it's better than what came before it (like i-Drive vs. buttons). Just because we may be fans of GM doesn't mean that we are able to just kiss off glaring imperfections. What's that thing people say? Oh yeah, "Love is BLIND." I'll bet there were GM fans that praised the nasty Pontiac Aztec at launch too. Edited August 22, 2005 by S.Myers

[rkmdogs]

Did anybody notice that there is no cassette tape capability in the new audio systems? Everything is CD's or over-the-air! Time to throw out all your old favorites.

[Bluesman]

Did anybody notice that there is no cassette tape capability in the new
audio systems?
Everything is CD's or over-the-air!
Time to throw out all your old favorites.

[post="10206"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Yea what's up with that!? First you can't play your Johnny Cash 8 tracks and now this.........

:lol:

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

As it appears though, GM will be always be wrestling with percived quality V.S. actual quality issues.. All because of the imprinter they use on the plastic machine!

LMFAO!!!!!!

[Northstar]

I saw my first '06 Impala on the road today. It looked pretty good, though at first I wasn't sure what it was and it certainly didn't jump out from traffic as the 300 used too.

[HarleyEarl]

I have seen several Impalas around, but as I was walking on a sidewalk, one came towards me and from a distance, for a split second, I thought, man they sure improved the Accord....then it came closer and realized my mistake. Don't know if this was a good or bad initial observance of this car.

[HarleyEarl]

I am quite observant of materials and it's like I sat in a different brand than some of you. I was absolutely impressed. I like this car. The interior is very nice, very well put together. I give GM and Chevy some credit here. It's a vast improvement of what came before in the Impala.

[capriceman]

i sat in one i thought it was pretty decent for the sticker. i like shinny plastic that means i can say o thats just armorall i use that on my "soft" plastic to make it look shinny so it would save me money in the long run.

[Northstar]

The interior is well made and is substantial, but some of the materials, particularly on the door panels, could use some upgrading, at least on the LTZ and SS models. It doesn't scream cheap, but it doesn't scream any sort of luxury either.

[capriceman]

<_< Any way you are supposed to be wacthing the ROAD not "ew ah"ing the interior.........."WOW THERES A CIGERATTE LIGHTER" :P ....... SMASH o there was a red light....... just a thought It only matters if it is comfy for my Fat @ss :P thats it Edited September 8, 2005 by capriceman

[4gm]

One was parked near my work the other day, and it looked really good. The only problem is the front end. It's too bland. Other than that, it's a handsome, if conservative, car.

[thegriffon]

Did anybody notice that there is no cassette tape capability in the new
audio systems?
Everything is CD's or over-the-air!
Time to throw out all your old favorites.

[post="10206"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

What? You haven't worn out your old tapes yet? You can always plug a tape player into the auxillary jack.

[hyperv6]

I don't care who built it most of todays cars have cheap plastic and very cheap door panels under $40,000. The GTO is one of the few that has good interior feel. GM, Ford Chrysler, Honda, Toyota, Mazda, Nissan and other love to used hard plastics as they are cheap and light. So don't over blow GM on this many more have and are doing the same.

[The O.C.]

I don't care who built it most of todays cars have cheap plastic and very cheap door panels under $40,000.

The GTO is one of the few that has good interior feel.  GM, Ford Chrysler, Honda, Toyota, Mazda, Nissan and other love to used hard plastics as they are cheap and light. So don't over blow GM on this many more have and are doing the same.

[post="11227"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Hard plastics or soft plastics.....either or.....there's still a difference in the QUALITY of those hard or soft plastics.....and GM is missing it big in this area compared to the competition!

And YES....I WILL blow GM for this.....

Ford, Chrysler, Honda, Toyota, Mazda, and Nissan are ALL doing it better than GM (in varying degrees I might add....)

[Mule Bakersdozen LS]

I am quite observant of materials and it's like I sat in a different brand than some of you.  I was absolutely impressed.  I like this car.  The interior is very nice, very well put together.  I give GM and Chevy some credit here.  It's a vast improvement of what came before in the Impala.

[post="10475"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Me too-it looks like a great, even if not revolutionary, car-I'd snap it in a heartbeat. I also like it because its priced right and has a front split-bench seat in all the models that people will actually buy. Now about that ABS and side air bags becoming standard on every model.....

[capriceman]

i got a ride in a ford freestyle today and the whole car is in bumpy hard plastic it realy sucks it feels cheaper than the impala

[s113]

The gauges are no longer in classic 80's GM font

[post="1011"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

You mean late 1990's-early 2000's Chevrolet font? :P


Chevrolet stopped using the "classic '80's GM font" in the late 1990's, although some of the older, outgoing GM models from other brands (i.e. Buick LeSabre, Pontiac Grand Am) still have it. After looking at the gauges on a 2006 Impala LS today, I don't see a whole lot of difference between the new font and the old one, although I wish they'd kept the 10 MPH increment (e.g. 10, 20, 30, etc.) instead of switching to the 20 MPH increment (20, 40, 60, 80, etc.) Edited September 19, 2005 by s113

[Jazzhead]

The Impala's interior looks fine, and entirely appropriate for its class. AS for the hard plastic lower dash panels, I'm surprised they decided to cut costs here when the equivalent panels on the LaCrosse and GrandPrix have the sponge-soft feel. The softer material should be used, at a minimum on the LTZ and SS.

[The O.C.]

The Impala's interior looks fine, and entirely appropriate for its class. AS for the hard plastic lower dash panels, I'm surprised they decided to cut costs here when the equivalent panels on the LaCrosse and GrandPrix have the sponge-soft feel.    The softer material should be used, at a minimum on the LTZ and SS.

[post="16577"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

THANK YOU....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My point EXACTLY! (And don't use the argument that Buick and Pontiac are more upscale so they can use soft-touch....the Impala's interior would be 100% world-class with that little bit more attention to detail....)

[Polish_Kris]

Someone brought this up on the "old" C&G......I sat in my first Impala yesterday (LTZ, silver, with ebony leather) and was shocked at the (lack of) quality of the interior materials!!!!

Although the black interior looked sharp, the plastic on the dash and lower door panels is a shiny, hard plastic.  In fact, the hard plastic is so shiny, it contrasts with the (actually nice) soft plastic on the dash top and tops of the door panels.

WHY can't GM get it RIGHT...????  AARRGGGHHH!  AND, I actually really like the Impala overall....so this really frustrates me....

Honda, Toyota, and Nissan can now show how to do hard plastics that look good.....with a matte finish, and not a shiny one that screams "cheap."  It's the EXACT same problem that I have with the interior of the Cobalt...the hard plastic is not just hard...its shiny and hard....looks and feel really cheap....

The rest of the interior was actually pretty nice.....I guess that just disappoints me even more in the hard stuff they are using.....

[post="805"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

There's your example of GM's "wonderful" cost-cutting.

And what's worst, they're getting worst, one day me and Ted were looking at the Torrent, it had thin plastic running boards, and the rear bumber felt like it was going to fall off.

[Matt276]

I don't like the interiors, soooooooo cheap. BEAN COUNTERS ARE STILL THERE MORE THAN EVER. Those cars are made for fleet only. The japanese should not worry. Lutz promised world class interior, but it will never happen.. Poor GM.

[Croc]

There's your example of GM's "wonderful" cost-cutting.

And what's worst, they're getting worst, one day me and Ted were looking at the Torrent, it had thin plastic running boards, and the rear bumber felt like it was going to fall off.

[post="19841"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Yea...I've checked out Torrents too and they seem to be very solid. Moreso than the extremely popular Equinox on which they're based.

[01Malibu]

I also sat in an 06 Impala. My only complaint was the lack of backseat room. Or maybe because I couldn't find the knob to move the front seat, it seemed cramped in the back. Excellent interior and exterior. How does the interior (leg and head room) compare to 05 models?