Cars.com Reviews the 2009 Chevrolet Impala

The Chevy Impala may not set your heart fluttering, but what can you say? The Impala sells — well and consistently. Sure, much of that can be attributed to fleet sales, but at a time when GM is reeling, can you really argue with success? Nevertheless, Cars.com reviewer Joe Bruzek takes on the 2009 Impala and refuses to pull any punches. Read his full review to find out why the Impala is the definition of vanilla on beige, and why it also maintains that strong sales record.

2009 Chevrolet Impala Review

2009|Chevrolet|Impala

Comments

take the G8, spruce up the interior a bit, give the rear seats a little bit more thigh support, and drop in the 3.6L V6 and 6-speed auto from the Camaro, and you have yourself a new Chevrolet Impala, a car that GM really needs.

It basically time the Impala gets redesigned and interior upgraded. I think most people will appreciate buying the big car on the cheap from rental companies. Most people will need to adjust to the get back to basics attend. I think the review means to say that not having a navigation system isn't a big deal but it is not quite clear. I don't think its a big deal since an aftermarket Garmin or TomTom is inexpensive and both can pack alot of features. The little thing llike usb is an issue but other cars have it too. Stablity control will eventually be standard, I lived without for along time on my old car. Its a nice safety feature, resale value will eventually be hurt because it will be standard on all cars like a tire pressure gauge. TPS became standard because people would not take responsiblity for checking their tires.

This review leaves out the biggest problem with the Impala: it's not all that roomy. There are compact cars with more rear seat leg and head room. You get a lot of size for the money with the Impala, but you don't get the benefit from that size.

However, suggesting that the Impala needs to upgrade to match the new $28,000 Taurus seems to overlook the different niche Chevrolet has pursued.

As to suggestions about making the G8 an Impala that I've seen here and elsewhere: the Impala is successful for its low price and smooth, quiet ride. The G8 never tried to focus on either of those things, and failed miserably. It's designed for people who want a high-performance but un-luxurious full-size sedan, which seems to have been approximately no one. The G8 is only loved by people who wouldn't buy a full-size sedan anyway.

Was the G8 that big of a failure?

Months before GM cut the Pontiac brand out from under the G8, they'd already cut production of 2009 models to under 1,000 to wait for 2008 inventories to move off the lots. As with the Saturn Astra, GM expected only modest sales but got even fewer.

Impala is not smaller than any compact car in the rear. That said, its not as roomy as some players. Interestingly enough the Impala has more rear legroom than the 2010 Taurus.

Nav systems are not purchased by the overwhelming majority of buyers, its not a must have feature for most buyers. When the Malibu came out much was made about lack of nav but the car has sold well anyway. Everyone knows you can get a great aftermarket system for $300.

"Impala is not smaller than any compact car in the rear."

The Nissan Versa (and maybe some more) beats it even in the listed dimensions, and the physical shape of the car does give it less real-world leg and head space than many much smaller cars.

I saw one getting loaded onto a tow truck yesterday.

Not that I really care:

Impala: Rear shoulder 58.6 Rear hip 58.6
Versa: Rear shoulder 50.7 Rear hip 47.2

Big difference. And yes packaging could be better but this vehicle architecture is old (think original Lumina) and designers did the best they could with the constraints they faced.

"Failed miserably" is a gross oversimplification and downright exaggeration of the entire G8 story. Suffice it to say, the car is an absolute success...go drive one...the marketing was an absolute failure (nobody buys a car they don't even know exists). If it were marketed as a Chevrolet from the beginning, sales volume would have far exceeded what it did as a Pontiac. Chevrolet branding would have provided tremendous exposure to potential customers.

Brady -
You're obviously new the site. Don't question OS. He's never wrong.

Leg and head room on the versa and impala are equal. The impala has a slight advantage in hip and shoulder (you can fit fat people more easily).

People complain that the camry is outdated - the impala looks about 20 years old.

Sheth,

This is what I said: "There are compact cars with more rear seat leg and head room." The Impala is undoubtedly wide. Furthermore, the bigger difference isn't the numbers but the way the cars are shaped. The Impala's seat is lower and offers less foot space under the front seats, so two adult rear passengers won't be as comfortable as in many much smaller cars. (Same with the first-gen LaCrosse, same to the extreme with the last Grand Prix.) That's a problem when size for the money is the Impala's primary selling point.

The G8 just isn't the sort of car people are interested in. Look at the similar cars that do sell well.

The Charger is cheaper. Like the Impala, it's just a big car that's not too expensive.

The 300/300C is stylish and luxurious. Its power isn't for sport so much as for a luxury-level lack of effort in performance. Same with the Maxima.

The G8 offers clean but rather anonymous styling and competence but no luxury. It makes up for that with sporty handling -- sporty handling that's best noticed on a track rather than in safe daily driving at that -- which few buyers of full-size sedans are looking for.

It didn't sell as a Pontiac -- there is no skewing that -- and it wouldn't sell as a Chevrolet. The Impala certainly isn't a great product, but like the 2000-2006 Taurus, it's offering what people are actually looking for.

http://db.theautochannel.com/db/newcarbuyersguide/show_car_capacities.php?car=2009-Nissan-Versa-Hatchback-1.8-S&id=24736

http://db.theautochannel.com/db/newcarbuyersguide/show_car_capacities.php?car=2009-Chevrolet-Impala-2LT&id=24721

Versa > Impala in front and rear head room and rear leg room.

I'm inclined to say "so what", but I just wanted to stop the numbers war that was brewing.

Hey don't knock the Impala as it's the best Government Motors can do. The fact that it only retains 35% of it's value after 3 years is just like GM itself - pathetic.

Hey Brady,

you know, i'm really starting to think you don't know anything about the G8, it was heralded as a great performer, but it was also a great long distance cruiser, and had a quiet interior, the G8 is for people who need a full size sedan thats smooth and relaxing in the city, and awesome on the track, not too mention it's cavernous interior and trunk, and it gets the same mileage as the current impala ss, don't replace the whole lineup, just replace the old ss, with this new and much better ss, the reason the G8 did terribly was because it had basically no marketing support, which is what they should not repeat again

in conclusion, the G8 buyer is someone who would want to buy a camaro or a mustang, but also need a family car(just about every guy in America with a family) sporty handling, great power, with a hushed ride and smooth ride

so thats why nearly everyone who reviewed the G8 compared it to being a BMW 550i for half the price, hmm, check your facts Brady

if GM were to just take the G8, put it as the next Impala SS, actually market it, and sell it with only the 6.0L V8, sales would be bonkers, not camaro bonkers, but it would be more than the G8 could manage

and Dave Wuss, i don't believe you seen the Malibu, CTS, Enclave, 2010 Lacrosse, GMT900 lineup, the G8, Camaro, Corvette and the list goes on, so before leaving anymore stupid comments, just stop, and think for a couple seconds

Steve,
This first lesson is free:

Malibu - a failure by every possible measure. Even with fleet sales it STILL gets outsold by a last generation platformed Camry by 2 to 1!
CTS - GM finally makes a decent car but even then it's only good enough for 3rd place. The 3 Series outsells it 2 to 1 and the MB moves more C Class than GM does CTS.
Enclave - Another GM sales disappointment as even the Outlook was outselling it. Neither vehicle can even touch the Lexus RX sales figures.
2010 Lacrosse - No one cares about another unproven GM car that's bears the Buick nameplate except you and the people in the old folks home. The average Buick buyer is 68 years old!
G8 - A total flop.
Camaro - It has the cheapest interior in it's class and the dinosaur era Mustang is still outstanding every month.
Corvette - If you are educated, have any semblance of taste and know anything about sports cars the last thing you'd buy is a Corvette.

If you haven't figured it out yet it's about SELLING cars. Americans have spoken loud and clear - we prefer the style and quality of Toyota and Honda over Government Motors.

It's an ugly a$$ car! Why can't we Americans design a decent car? I think the cheeseheads back in Detroit should be routed out for allowing this POC to be built! Can't they see, as Dave suggests, that these cars are Dinosaurs?

Gad I know we have the designers to pull off better looking cars, hell I live but a few minutes from one of the greatest car design schools in the world, Art Center here in Pasadena. What happens from graduation to being employed by Ford, GM, Chrysler....? Maybe they need to look at getting rid of some of the fat cheeseheads from Michigan and allowing their designers from California a shot at designing cars that are good looking and efficient.

MY 2 CENTS.

Steve,

The G8 lacks a luxury ambiance. It feels like a Dodge Charger, not a BMW. That's what separates it from the large $30k sporty sedans that have not flopped. Drive the G8 back-to-back against a Nissan Maxima, or even just sit in them back-to-back and the impression will be immediately clear. The G8 is competent, and a Maxima or 300C is luxury-nice. The G8 has a very different focus from the competitors that have succeeded, and it's not a focus the market has demonstrated an interest in.

Brady, i still don't think you understand, GM brought out the G8 to only sell about 30,000 a year, the reason it did not do well was because it was barely marketed, you can't sell a car no one knows about, and i'm not directly comparing it to the BMW, it's driving style is just very close to the BMW, sporty when you want it, soft when you want it, i don't believe you have even seen a single review for this car, it has a larger interior than the charger on a 5 inch shorter wheelbase, it has a trunk almost the size of the impala's

so let me retell you this again, the G8 was a flop because it was poorly marketed everyone seems top know that except you

as for Dave Wuss

Malibu- what you expect it to outsell the camry in the first year GM tried to make a decent car? your an idiot

CTS- again, just because you redesign a car, doesn't mean sales jump 300%

Enclave- Same as Malibu and CTS

2010 Lacrosse- why do you think there even introducing the car, its obviously supposed to bring more old people into there dealers(sarcasm)

G8- You can't buy a car that you don't know even exsists, Great car, horrible marketing

Camaro- do you seriously expect it to outsell the mustang in the first month, and i guess you would rather take a horrible chassis and nice interior over a great chassis and a cheap feeling interior

Corvette- so you don't get carbon fiber trim and a 5 way setting for the traction control, it's a drivers car(which this thread obviously does not even understand)

GM is putting out better product than the japanese, it all matters on perception, which GM ruined in the last 30 years, now all the customers are flocking to severely boring cars from japan

"GM is putting out better product than the japanese..." Ahh not exactly as it's Government Motors who filed for bankruptcy not the Japanese. You've been schooled.

"Malibu- what you expect it to outsell the camry in the first year GM tried to make a decent car? your an idiot"

The 2008 was the first year GM ever tried to make a decent car?

And there were plenty of advertisements for the G8, comparing its performance to the M5. But as it happened, people who wanted lots of performance didn't take to the idea of a large sedan.

Dave-

So even with GENERAL Motors in bankruptcy, they still are able to put out a better product than the japanese, think you should have chose better words

Brady-

It was the first time the Chevy Malibu was competitive with the japanese brands

They really advertised the G8, the commercial comparing it to an M5 never aired on television, the only commercials on TV were the one with Spy Hunter and the one where it was a hot wheels, which were terrible commercials, if the commercial comparing it to the M5 had appeared on TV and was frequent, then people would have found out about the G8, but instead, GM went with those awful commercials, if GM were to just move the G8 into being an Impala SS, just the SS, not the whole lineup, with the 6.0L V8, it would get the same mileage as the currently awful SS, but with just about everything better, and market it with lots of commercials making it look like a budget M5, you can't tell me that would not work(talking G8 quota of 30,000 sales a year)

Steve, here is some advice for you.

Before you go around calling people idiots and stupid and such, make sure your facts that you are blurting out are 100% true. It works out better in the end; otherwise, it just shows how stupid and ill-informed you really are. Opinions are nothing without fact. Also, proper grammar and punctuation help quite a bit when arguing, and your lack of both make you look even more childish. There is a line between arguing/discussing and just blatantly attacking someone, and unfortunately you are not on the right side. Sure, things get heated sometimes on here, but most of us can control it.

Back on topic-

I wouldn't call the Malibu a total failure, but in reality, it isn't that much of a key player in the market anymore. It had great hype in the first few months of its existence, and then that just about died off. GM didnt have faith in its own product to sell, and they flooded rental car fleets with the Malibu, which is something they could have done with the lackluster G6 or halfway-decent Aura. Granted, the Camry does have its fair share of fleet sales, but people still buy the car because of the reputation behind it and it actually caters to them better than the Malibu does.

The CTS saw the same super-hype right before and after its release, some claiming that Cadillac made a better sports sedan than BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Those feelings died back quick as well when the unreliability aspect of the CTS reared its ugly head; many owners have put loads of money into their new cars to fix things that are not covered by the warranty. Word spread, and people shied away from the vehicle. As a result, Cadillac killed the CTS coupe, something it really should have built, and instead made up a pseudo-wagon with a huge D pillar to appease enthusiasts. Is the CTS wagon going to sell? No, not at all, especially with the SRX being redesigned soon.

The Enclave also saw very good sales in the beginning; in fact, it was being "oversold" for quite some time, as the factory was taking orders for months. That said, people began to realize that it is a Buick; the "old-person" reputation that Buick has is going to be hard to shake off. This is along with the fact that it is more expensive and less fuel efficient than its three other siblings for the same furnishings. People stopped buying the Enclave and went the the Acadia, and most recently the Traverse.

The 2010 LaCrosse could be a hit, but GM has to find some way to personify it as a young-person's vehicle. If they do that, then this could be the car that saves Buick.

Many people know about the G8, but what the vehicle provides just did not appeal to them. The V6 and 5-speed auto is a great powertrain, but it isn't as efficient or fast as other V6's from comparable vehicles in its class. Also, the rear seat isnt very supportive for such a large car, and its has pseudo-headrests. With more and more people looking to sedans to haul the family, safety is their number one concern as well as rear-seat comfort. People wont buy a car if they think their rear-seat passengers will get seriously hurt in an accident. This is why the third row in the Rav4 does not sell well. Also, people began to see the ergonomic flaws abound in the G8- the window and door switches are in the middle of the car, and the radio in the V8 and so-equipped V6 versions is a total foreign concept to most Americans. The controls were built for Australians.

The Mustang doesn't have a horrible chassis for one; it actually drives very well, almost as good as the Camaro. Still, the Mustang outsells the Camaro because it is lighter and less expensive. The Camaro will begin to sell just as well as the Mustang as soon as GM starts advertising it. The interior isn't that bad, but for many Americans it needs to at least be interesting. The Camaro is an expanse of black plastic.

If you Corvette money, you wont be buying one. People that are looking at a base Corvette go ahead and buy Audi TT's, BMW Z4's, or 370Z's, simply because the vehicles are higher quality. People that have money for a Z06 and ZR1 don't even consider buying a Chevrolet, especially when they can get a 911 or R8 for the same money and better looks.

Personally, I do not think that GM is putting out a better product than the Japanese. Their engines are more advanced (besides those in the new Equinox), their transmissions have more gears (or none at all), and their interiors are of higher quality. Some GM vehicles may be competitive, but when you look at the volume-sellers like the Tahoe, Aveo, Impala, Colorado, Cobalt, pre-gen Equinox, HHR, G6, Vue, and pre-gen LaCrosse, it is easy to see why Japanese vehicles from Toyota, Honda, and to an extent Nissan have taken over.

There is one field that GM and the other American car companies will dominate, and that is full-size pickups. The Silverado and Sierra are at the top of their class for good reason.

AV,

OK, so i have been a little childish, and i wrote these comments quickly, which explains the bad grammar, i agree with you on certain instances, but i have to disagree on certain things too,

Malibu- just like you said, it comes down to reputation, the malibu won't be loved by everyone like the camry and accord all of a sudden, reputation takes a while to build

CTS- I thought the gaffes in the Nav and carpet fitment issues(biggest reliability isues) were covered under warranty

Enclave- your completely right

2010 Lacrosse- the lacrosse will be like the 2003 CTS was to cadillac, it will bring in younger buyers

G8- I'm still going to stick with the fact it was poorly marketed, and i personally like the rear seats on the G8, they felt comfortable to me, the V6 powertrain's good, if the G8 runs into 2010 it'll also get direct injection on its V6, but the V8 GT's powertrain is better(though it does have a little shiftshock at lower gear changes) the window switches and the radio have their flaws, but they are things you get used to when you buy a new car, usually, and i can say it was built for Australians

Camaro- i completely agree with you, and i might have gone too far when i said the mustang has an awful chassis

Corvette- I agree, but if a buyer does not care if he has a high quality interior, and just wants a Vette for the drive, they'll get one

There whole entire GMT-900 is great, the GMC Yukon won a J.D. powers award for initial quality

And you can probably admit at this rate, GM will end up being competitive to the Japanese soon

"It was the first time the Chevy Malibu was competitive with the japanese brands"

The Malibu was quite well-reviewed both in 1997 and in 2004, and then people quickly got tired of it. Virtually every GM that's criticized today was praised when it first came out, heralded as the example of GM finally getting it right -- the 2005 Cobalt and Equinox being two recent key examples.

And I don't see the LaCrosse suddenly bringing young buyers into Buick; younger buyers aren't buying new full-size sedans. But it certainly looks as though it will give other old-buyer cars like the Avalon a good run for their money.

Brady,

I know that the 1997 and 2004 Malibu's were well reviewed, and then grew old a year later, but each Malibu pieced together what is today's malibu, overtime they got higher quality interiors, better driving dynamics, and became just a bit more reliable each time, which is what they really need to compete with the japanese, and each time they have gotten closer and closer to the japanese in each category

as for the 2010 lacrosse, first off, it's not full size, it's the size of the malibu, what it will do is the same thing as cadillac cts did in 2003, make young people know buick is not just for old people, they'll have to make it high tech with ipod compatibility, but Buick also needs to give a sporty driving demeanor, thats what will make the buick lacrosse not have an old person image

Over time, the Malibu's competition also improved. It was always decent but not a class leader, and that remains the situation. The primary distinction of this generation is they got the styling right.

And the new LaCrosse is definitely a large car, not a midsize one. Here's a Cars.com comparison of the 09 LaCrosse, 10 LaCrosse, and Toyota Camry and Avalon -- scroll down to the specs:
http://tinyurl.com/nqtevr

They had also gotten the interior mostly right

And i was going off wheelbase when i said the lacrosse is not a full size car, it has about 1 inch shorter wheelbase than the malibu

Still, if they were to base the regular next gen impala models off the new lacrosse, with the same 6 cylinder engines, and had an SS model based off the current G8, that would be pretty good, that seems somewhat plausible too

They got the interior styling right. Quality's just okay and packaging is poor.

And I don't think it makes much sense to judge the size of a car based on its wheelbase. You get big-car maneuverability, big-car driving dynamics, and big-car appearance from the other dimensions. A midsize wheelbase just cuts into passenger space and extends the overhangs.

I think the Onstar navigation solution is available on all trim levels, if you pay the monthly fee for it. You may get it free for a year with the Ultimate package. In either case, I wouldn't bother. It's simply awful compared to a more capable portable unit (with a real screen).

Dave:

You really arent too bright. The CTS routinely outsells the TL, IS, G37 sedan and occasionally the ES350. The 3 series has about 5 variants which is one reason it outsells virtually every comparable entry lux model. If we compared sales of the 3 series sedan to the CTS I'm sure the race would be close.

As for the Malibu, its a success compared to its predecessor. GM cannot build as many Malibus and Toyota can build camrys. The Malibu is outselling the old model at a higher price with FAR more retail sales. For the year Accord and Camry sales have declined more than Malibu sales. I would not call that a failure. You are totally unreasonable and ignorant with regards to the car business. YOu don't offer any facts or sales figures to back up anything you say.

BTW, the Camaro has done well in its first two months on the market and GM is rushing to catch up with demand. Mustang sales have been down for many, many months and the new model has not reversed that trend as of yet.

Toyotas sales are down almost 40% for the year. Last month they did far worse than Ford and somewhat worse than GM. Ford and Hyundai and GM are gaining share- Toyota is currently losing share. What planet do you live on? Toyota is now saying they may not be profitable again until 2011 and will lose at least $5B in the current fiscal year. Americans have spoken? Are you sure? They are speaking and they are saying that they are increasingly interested in what GM, Ford and Hyundai are selling- at Toyota's expense.

"You're obviously new the site. Don't question OS. He's never wrong.

Leg and head room on the versa and impala are equal. The impala has a slight advantage in hip and shoulder (you can fit fat people more easily)."

One thing is for sure- you are always wrong. As someone else noted the Versa is considerably smaller in hip room and slightly larger in rear legroom. Hard to say the Versa is larger and even if it was its the exception and not the rule. The Impala has more space than virtually every compact car on the market. Thats just reality.

AV:

Why dont you do a little fact checking of your own before lecturing other people. American cars need more gears? Are you serious? The RAV4 and Scion models and Corolla use for speed autos. The first mainstream midsize sedan with a 6 speed was the Fusion- not made by a Japanese company in case you didn't know. The first Japanese midsizer with a 6 speed was the 2007 Camry and the Aura came out a few months later with a 6 speed as well.

Advanced engines are lacking? Really? How does GM's 3.6L or 3L or Ford's 3.5L lack in technology to Japanese V6s? I am really curious about that issue. Honda is still using SOHC valvetrains and timing belts. GM's new 3L DI V6 gets more hp/l than any mainstream JApanese V6. And Detroits V6s have been using regular fuel forever. Only recently did Toyota and Honda V6s stop requiring premium for max performance. Nissan's V6 still needs premium.

Interiors? Check out the inside of the Camry and compare it to the Fusion or Malibu. The Camry is no better. The flex and lambdas are MUCH better than the Pilot inside. The Highlander's interior LOOKS Ok but in person its nothing but hard plastics.

"Over time, the Malibu's competition also improved. It was always decent but not a class leader, and that remains the situation. The primary distinction of this generation is they got the styling right."

You arent telling the whole story. The 2008 Malibu had a 6 speed auto, a fully competitive, quiet four cylinder, great styling, a nice interior, a up to date DOHC V6 and a class best quiet ride. It was more than a good looking car. It was a good looking car that performed as well as the class leaders in every way.

What are the quality issues with the Malibu? CR recommends it. Care to share what you know?

"And I don't see the LaCrosse suddenly bringing young buyers into Buick; younger buyers aren't buying new full-size sedans. But it certainly looks as though it will give other old-buyer cars like the Avalon a good run for their money."

yeah you are right- you are saying the same thing doubters said about the Enclave. Not only has it sold well but the average buyer was 12 years younger than Buick's average buyer prior to the Enclave. I'm sure the LAcrossse will "fail" in a similar manner.

The Avalon doesn't even try to be fashionable or appealing to those under 60. the Lacrosse is the anti- Avalon. Just look at the ads and you will see Buick is hardly targeting Avalon owners.

Sheth-head,
Everyone knows government motors is #1 at everything. What flavor is the Kool Aid today?

"GM cannot build as many Malibus and Toyota can build camrys."

Right. GM has a severe capacity shortage. They just can't get those new factories built fast enough!

"The Malibu is outselling the old model at a higher price with FAR more retail sales."

Source?

"You arent telling the whole story. The 2008 Malibu had a 6 speed auto, a fully competitive, quiet four cylinder, great styling, a nice interior, a up to date DOHC V6 and a class best quiet ride. It was more than a good looking car. It was a good looking car that performed as well as the class leaders in every way."

The 2004-2007 model was a highly competitive car, too. The new one advances in two key ways: quietness and style. Interior quality remains a problem (assembly and materials, not reliability). The previous V6 engine was never out of date -- better power and fuel economy than the Camry of its day.

That's another recurring GM trend: always underrate the old car when the new one appears.

And the new one is behind its class leaders in some significant ways. Interior space is a big one. Visibility is another. Interior quality is a third. Driving dynamics are impressive but not everything, especially in a family sedan.

Dave:

You never offer any real response to anything. I never said GM is #1 at everything- unlike you I dont make ridiculous generalizations. Dont be mad at me because GM is making competitive vehicles- don't shoot the messenger.

Brady:

My source is GM. They did a presentation at some point last year and noted Malibu transactions were up about $4k vs the old model. GM's monthly sales press releases note increases in retail share for the Malibu. They have been doing that ever since the 2008 model came out, trust me. You can research the releases yourself at media.gm.com.

"That's another recurring GM trend: always underrate the old car when the new one appears. "

Every automaker does that- they want people to buy the new model. When a new model comes out they tell you its more efficient, quieter, more powerful and more feature laden than the old model. DOnt act like GM alone does this. Lets be serious here. I understand you really dont like the Malibu but most agree its much better than the old one. The old car did not have a state of the art transmission or engine. I agree the powertrain was adequate for average buyers but it was not state of the art. To say the new car advanced only in design and quietness is incorrect. Period.

"And the new one is behind its class leaders in some significant ways. Interior space is a big one. Visibility is another. Interior quality is a third. Driving dynamics are impressive but not everything, especially in a family sedan."

Wrong. Its slightly smaller than the best selling camry and 3rd best selling Altima. it has a larger trunk than Accord. Interior materials are on par with Accord and superior to Camry. Interior design is second to none. Most non luxury cars have soft touch materials on the upper dash and hard plastics on the low plastics that would not normally be touched by occupants. This is the case in the Camry, Malibu, Accord and most other family sedans. Provide me with specific examples of lackluster materials in the Malibu.

Government Motors owns the car market as every car they make is #1 in it's respective class. Let's look at this dominating class of cars: Cobalt, Malibu, Imapla, G6, Aura, Astra, 9-3, and Aveo. Soon Government Motors will have to build more factories just to keep up with the demand. This dope-slap was Free.

And yet DAve you dont respond to any of the points I made. Why is that? You are mocking non existent statements. Never said anything about class leading across the board. What I did say is that Toyota and Honda definitely are not class leading across the board. Sorry to hurt your feelings.

I see Dave T has dope-slapped you too. Just because a thought germinates in that little brain of yours does not make it a fact. The American made Venza was designed in good old California. Next time get your facts straight bozo.

Dave:

I never said NO Toyota models are designed in America. I said MOST are not. The products that are ONLY sold here (Tundra, Venza, Avalon) because they would fail in other parts of the world are designed here. The best sellers (Camry, Prius, Corolla, Lexus models) are not designed here. The overwhelming majority of GM/Ford/Chrysler models are designed in the US. As I said, there is more to making a car than assembling pieces.

2009 Chevrolet Impala car is really awesome.Its solid feel at highway speeds is really impressive.Thanks for this great information.I also like 2009 Chevrolet Equinox car.Its interiors are designed with cloth upholstery, and gauges are surrounded by faux aluminum accents which is really a good thing.I like some features which are really very good such as automatic headlights, a driver information center, multi tier cargo storage system etc.It is a very roomy and very comfortable car.So overall this a stunning car.For more detail refer http://www.automotivecraze.com/2009-chevrolet-equinox-review/