2014 Impala is First Domestic Sedan to Top Consumer Reports Rankings
For the first time ever, a North American vehicle scored the highest rating in Consumer Reports’ sedan category. That vehicle is the 2014 Chevrolet Impala.
The news is significant because since the magazine began using numerical scores over 20 years ago, the winners have always been foreign brands such as Honda or Toyota.
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In an interview with Automotive News, Jake Fisher, director of Consumer Reports’ automotive testing, had praise for the Impala. "The domestic automakers, they do a lot right but there's often something that's holding them back. This car just kind of gets it all right. They really have a winner here."
Two vehicles scored higher than the Impala’s 95 points but were from different categories. The Tesla Model S scored 99 in the hatchback category and the BMW 1-Series coupe scored 97.
“Consumer Reports’ engineers found the Impala rides like a luxury sedan, with a cushy and controlled demeanor, while delivering surprisingly agile handling, capable acceleration, and excellent braking. The Impala corners quite well for a large car, with prompt turn-in response and controlled body lean. Steering is nicely weighted; it’s light enough for parking maneuvers and provides decent feedback. When pushed to its handling limits, the Impala proved secure, responsive, balanced, and easy to control,” the review states.
Of the outgoing model their stance was quite clear. "It has been transformed from a woefully uncompetitive and outdated model that was to be avoided even as a free upgrade at the rental-car counter into a thoroughly modern and remarkably enjoyable vehicle."
They can’t give the car their “recommended” label since no reliability data has been gathered yet.