'06 Impala Fit-and-Finish

[2005 EquinoxLS]

I heard the 2006 lost an inch of back seat room versus the 2005. I am wondering where the inch went? Thicker front seat? I must say though I do like the interior especially in the dark grey version. At least there is a choice other than tan and grey.

[Cory Wolfe]

I finally got my chance to sit in one... I have pics posted in the Lounge here.

Anyways, I did find the lower plasic to be quite hard. And shiny. Other than the grain, it looks like it could have come from my 95 GAGT. Probably did. The top was great, though. Wasn't shiny nor hard. I wasn't a fan of the fake plasticky wood either. Anyways, it looks great regardless of the material quality problems. My favorite thing about it is the HVAC vents. They're just so cool. Close them completely for a clean look... The Cobalt has them too, but look better with the wood surrounding.

[ewm2]

I actually like that chevies have the cheap hard plastic on the lower half of the dash. It is really easy to clean and looks better over time then my wives car which has the soft spongy stuff. While that looks and feels better initially, it gets scratches and tears from getting in the car with boots, or putting anything in the bottom of the car. They could do a better job of making the hard plastic with a more flat finish however.

[Dsuupr]

Having test driven both the 500 and the Impala, I find the; 1. Impala interior to be much nicer than the 500 2. 500 to have a firmer more "European" suspension but not necessarly being nicer to drive (more bumps passed through). I didn't get to take the 500 on the twisty back roads that I took the Impala on, so I won't comment on which one feels better when being thrown around. 3. The 500 to have a cheaper overall feel As probably expected, my money goes on the Impala being the sales champ over the 500. If nothing else, the Impala has the better track record when it comes to quality.

[rearden82]

It amazes me how GM just never learns how to make decent interiors. Even when they try to use nice materials, they manage to assemble them in a way that looks like cheap crap (i.e. the CTS). GM really needs to fire everyone in charge of interior design, hire away designers from pretty much any other car company in existence, and stop giving the beancounters so much influence. It'd be one of the best investments they could make. I notice a lot of people making excuses for GM's interiors by saying they're "good enough" for the class of car. Unfortunately most consumers don't agree. The "well, it's good enough" line of thought is why GM went from almost monopolizing the car industry, to where they are today.

[The O.C.]

It amazes me how GM just never learns how to make decent interiors. Even when they try to use nice materials, they manage to assemble them in a way that looks like cheap crap (i.e. the CTS).

GM really needs to fire everyone in charge of interior design, hire away designers from pretty much any other car company in existence, and stop giving the beancounters so much influence. It'd be one of the best investments they could make.

I notice a lot of people making excuses for GM's interiors by saying they're "good enough" for the class of car. Unfortunately most consumers don't agree. The "well, it's good enough" line of thought is why GM went from almost monopolizing the car industry, to where they are today.

[post="26033"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Agreed....and new cars like the Impala and Cobalt have great-looking interior designs that are marred by material quality that was obviously chosen for it's cost (or lack thereof.)

GM knows how to do it good....I just picked up my '06 C6 and, with the exception of the cheesy silver center-stack trim, the interior is first-class in my opinion....and I can be quite critical of GM's interiors....

The Impala and Cobalt, however, seem to be designed to a specific price-point...and I don't know if that was the smart decision....

[cavalier36]

I really like the 06 Impala.. i have yet to drive one of even sit in an 06, but it has to be an improvement over the 05 model.. Im going to be ordering a new car next week and have no idea what i want still.. right now its a toss up of eiether an Impala SS, G6 GTP, Equinox LT2, or a CTS 2.8L... I have only driven the GTP so far.. with the Impala SS im concerned about fuel econony even though they say it gets like 26 mpg.. the CTS would probably get the best fuel econony out of the 4, but it also is the most expensive.. the CTS is around 33K sticker while the other three are around 27K.. in looking at it i think the CTS isnt much better than the GTP.. not really enough to justify spending nearly 5K more on the CTS..

[knightfan26917]

Im going to be ordering a new car next week and have no idea what i want still.. right now its a toss up of eiether an Impala SS, G6 GTP, Equinox LT2, or a CTS 2.8L...

Wow...that's quite a variety of vehicles you are considering for your new purchase...!

I suggest test-driving them soon ... so you can go back and drive each again, if you deem that necessary before you order.

I just test-drove the '06 impala earlier this week and was rather impressed ... I also drove the Colorado....


Cort, "Mr MC" / "Mr Road Trip", 32swm/pig valve/pacemaker
MC:family.IL.guide.future = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/
Models.HO = http://www.chevyasylum.com/cort/trainroom.html
"I wanna drive" ... Trace Adkins ... '(Her Favorite Color Is) Chrome'

[LosAngeles]

The bone-hard dash and door thing is pretty weird on a big car like the Impala...it's like that on the Mustang too, as well as the Freestyle, I think.....kinda crazy coming off of the last 20 years of all cars having padded surfaces

[62impala]

Well, I have driven a new Impala - It was a white LTZ, with the beige interior - It looks wonderful --- major upgrade in appearance from the 00-05, no question - the wood looks very nice -- but I have to say, the door panels look very much like something made at Rubbermaid --- very flat and hard -- the leather on the steering wheel didnt feel like leather at all -- very coarse, pebbly -- and the gold bowtie sticker on the steering wheel looks like it came out of a kid's cut- out book -- I have an 04 impala. so i know what I'm talking about -- This is a great re-do, but Chevy skimped a bit, here and there -- as they always seem to do. For another 100 bucks of so of cost, they couldve sold this new car for another grand or so --- Maybe next year they will address these few minor issues, and make the Impala the grand slam that it can be, rather than the solid double that it is now...

[Drew Dowdell]

I'd like to invite you all to go sit in a new Passat. My partner and I were looking at one last weekend just to get a baseline compairson to his current <'01> Passat. The door panels, dash, everything is all hard surfaced.

[pow]

I'd like to invite you all to go sit in a new Passat.  My partner and I were looking at one last weekend just to get a baseline compairson to his current <'01> Passat.  The door panels, dash, everything is all hard surfaced.

[post="28902"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Soft {does not equal sign} good and hard {does not equa signl} bad.

[Drew Dowdell]

Soft {does not equal sign} good and hard {does not equa signl} bad.

[post="28953"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Soft != good and hard != bad

[Matt276]

I have an 04 impala. so i know what I'm talking about --
This is a great re-do, but Chevy skimped a bit, here and there -- as they always seem to do.  For another 100 bucks of so of cost, they couldve sold this new car for another grand or so ---

[post="28891"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

You're right, just spend a couple hundreds more for better interior material and you will sell the car for more easily. GM does not get it. I'm surprised they have not learned their lessons.

[The O.C.]

I'd like to invite you all to go sit in a new Passat.  My partner and I were looking at one last weekend just to get a baseline compairson to his current <'01> Passat.  The door panels, dash, everything is all hard surfaced.

[post="28902"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Wrong and incorrect.

The new Passat has soft-touch on the upper dash and door panels.

The lower dash and door panels ARE hard (like the Impala's) but still nicely-grained and matte-finished (UNLIKE the Impala's)

[Whistler]

I haven't sat in the Impala yet, but I was looking at an HHR yesterday and was a little dissapointed by that interior. It looks great in pics, and in person the design is great... radio great, guages great... but whats with the plastic they use for the dash? Its hard and all grainy and rough. It doesn't look too good up close... Still a nice car though.

[2005 EquinoxLS]

A few hard surfaces shouldnt sway one to look elsewhere if they like the car. It doesnt bother me that the Equinox has hard surfaces on the dash. I dont sit and touch them continually. I do care if it all fits together well and that it does.

[The O.C.]

A few hard surfaces shouldnt sway one to look elsewhere if they like the car. It doesnt bother me that the Equinox has hard surfaces on the dash. I dont sit and touch them continually. I do care if it all fits together well and that it does.

[post="32807"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

The point IS...

It's not the fact that the surfaces are hard.....it's the actual QUALITY of those hard surfaces.....

MANY imports use plenty of hard plastics too....but for some reasons, they choose hard plastics that are matte-finish, nicely-grained, and attractive to the eye and touch.

In GM's case, many of their hard surfaces are shiny (as opposed to matte), brittle and hollow when you rap on them, and have questionable grain-quality that doesn't seem to match the other plastics inside the cars.

Impala is a perfect example. The top of the dash and door panels are soft, richly-grained, and pretty much top-of-the-class. The lower dash and door panels, for example, are hard, hollow, brittle, with a grain that doesn't even look like it's TRYING to match the rest of the interior.

MAN if they JUST fixed that aspect, the Impala interior WOULD be world-class.....'cause the rest of it is pretty damn nice.

[Northstar]

I think the Impala's interior has a few hard surfaces here and there that don't feel that great because there'd be little reason to buy a Lucerne or DTS if you could get the same quality in the Impala. The DTS (from what I felt just touching stuff through the window, I didn't feel like sitting in it) had much better materials and everything felt pretty solid and substantial. Maybe that's GM's biggest problem: if they made all Chevys as nice as Buicks and Cadillacs, no one would buy Buicks or Cadillacs.

[steamer]

I briefly test drove a new 2006 Impala at my local dealer when I was in there for an oil change earlier this morning. The interior is nice, but that is where it ends. GM needs a little more refining in the engine compartment. I believe the car I drove was a 3.5 liter, and based on my brief around the block loop, it isn't anything to write home about.

[CARBIZ]

Based on driving the 3.5 every day, it is more than fine. Love the gas mileage. For $25k (Can) there isn't anything that can touch this car. My only real complaint is the interior is too light.

[RBB]

Maybe that's GM's biggest problem: if they made all Chevys as nice as Buicks and Cadillacs, no one would buy Buicks or Cadillacs.

[post="32933"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

Actually, GM's problem has been that they've made their Buicks and Cadillacs interiors almost as nice as Toyotas and Hondas, then lowered the quality on the lesser models so you couldn't get an interior in a Chevy that was the same as a Caddy or a Buick.

But they're getting better.

-RBB

[I hope GMRULES again]

Based on driving the 3.5 every day, it is more than fine.  Love the gas mileage.  For $25k (Can) there isn't anything that can touch this car. 
  My only real complaint is the interior is too light.

[post="33810"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post]

The 2 light colour interior colors are better than the horrible dark ebony. I test drove one today and it had the ebony interior with the wood grain trim, talk about a dull and awful mix. I took one for a spin but I would have to rent one and drive it for a couple of days to get a real feel for the car. What mileage do you get with it? It does seem to be a lot of car for the money. I think I prefer driving the Malibu /G6 but when you start adding everything onto those cars like side air bags and on star your at the price of an Impala LT.