[CHEVYFANATIC]

i am a Chevy fan as we have an 07 Tahoe that is a great vehicle and if we could afford it we would get a Silveradio, but she has long commutes so the Malibu is to me a better car for the money and there are so many on the road, so that tells me people like them.

 

[Silver LTZ]

IMO the Impala is pretty dated, and has a chassis that isn't as tuned as well as a Malibu either. Plus the Malibu looks better. But if she is driving it, you might not have a choice LOL.

 

[RaineMan]

Impala's #1 problem is Malibu. Test drive them back to back... you'll go home in the Malibu.

Malibu is newer... it came out in 08 whereas the Impala came out in 2006.

Malibu has more technology and gets better gas mileage... Impala is still cruising around with a 4-speed transmission designed in the 90's.

I can't stand the seats on the Impala... they are overly flat and don't offer much support, even on the top-of-the-line SS model.

Malibu wins in every comparison between the two.

 

[CHEVYFANATIC]

I wonder if the Impala will just go away because of the Malibu.

 

[DrivenDaily]

When I was choosing mine it was between an '08 Impala (used, with 31K miles) and what I thought was an '08 'Bu. The Impala is a very comfortable car, easy to get into and out of, and plenty of room inside. I drove it after driving the 'Bu. Still liked it but I was more impressed with the 'Bu. After I chose to buy the 'Bu my thinking was corrected when I looked at the paperwork again and discovered it was an '09 instead!

The 'Bu handles way better as far as sportiness goes but it suffers from an opening where I had to learn how to get in without smacking my head. Still, I'm glad I got it.

 

[GadgetGuy1981]

Driven: I'm 6'6 - I definitely had to invent a new entry method... I'm sure it looks funny when I'm getting in my '10.

I rent cars all the time on business travel, and I have to say that the Impala (the last one I rented was an '09 LT) drove like a watercraft compared to my 2010 'Bu.

In fact, the only car that I've driven with the suspension dynamic like my Malibu has (or at least feels like) was my wife's old 325ci convertible, which couldn't come close to the Malibu in power.

 

[RaineMan]

I wonder if the Impala will just go away because of the Malibu.

Sadly I doubt it. GM gets too many fleet sales from Impala to get rid of it... I think it is on its way to becoming the next Ford Crown Vic... unchanged for many many many years.

The real unfortunate thing is that GM had an excellent car in the Pontiac G8. Pontiac should have been kept alive as a niche brand with just the G8 and Solstice. They could have continued to sell those two models in Chevy dealers and would have done quite well with them. Now if customers want a sporty roadster or RWD sedan GM has nothing to offer.

 

[Silver LTZ]

Now if customers want a sporty roadster or RWD sedan GM has nothing to offer.

Just the Corvette convertible and CTS. But they are priced higher. If they still made the G8 I would own one as we speak....

 

[Len McRiddle]

I had an Impala and I loved it. It was a 1964 SS with the 409/425HP and every option. Those were the days.

 

[RaineMan]

Giddyup 409.

 

[GadgetGuy1981]

I had an Impala and I loved it. It was a 1964 SS with the 409/425HP and every option. Those were the days.

Len - That must have been one SCHWEET ride!

Sadly I doubt it. GM gets too many fleet sales from Impala to get rid of it... I think it is on its way to becoming the next Ford Crown Vic... unchanged for many many many years.

The real unfortunate thing is that GM had an excellent car in the Pontiac G8. Pontiac should have been kept alive as a niche brand with just the G8 and Solstice. They could have continued to sell those two models in Chevy dealers and would have done quite well with them. Now if customers want a sporty roadster or RWD sedan GM has nothing to offer.

They should have done with Pontiac's best, what Chrysler did when it closed Plymouth, but still wanted the Neon and PT Cruiser... They should have re-badged them as Chevrolet, or even introduced the G8 as the new Impala, or even call it something like the Chevy SS (God knows that ugly-a$$ pickup-wannabe SSR doesn't deserve that name).

In fact, with the shutdown of Olds in 2003, Buick did it with the Bravada *Ahem* Rainier... Almost identical in every way! I bought one!

 

[RaineMan]

Now see... I liked the SSR. My dad had one when they first came out... it was pretty cool. GM had to buy it back though b/c they couldn't stop the driveshaft from making horrible noises.

Personally I think the Rainier is the best looking of all the TB clones... plus it was available with the 5.3 in short wheelbase form.