If you’re in the market for an affordable but reliable car, consider one of the discontinued vehicles being phased out after the 2020 model year. They include the
Chevrolet Impala. Just because a car has been discontinued doesn’t mean it’s undependable. In fact, Consumer Reports recently compiled a list of six discontinued vehicles that owners say are very reliable. One of the cars that made the cut is the Impala. Let’s look at its reliability and the other models on the shortlist.
Consumer Reports surveys its members annually. These questionnaires allow owners to record their experiences with vehicles they’ve purchased over the years. For 2020, CR’s surveys gathered data on a whopping 329,000 vehicles spanning model years 2000 to 2020. The owners who fill out the yearly surveys record any problems they experience with their vehicles in the past 12 months. They also note which issues are serious and which ones weren’t. They’re asked to include problems covered under warranty, but the surveys don’t include issues resulting from an accident or recall. Consumer Reports looks for problem areas with engines, transmissions, climate systems, brakes, and electrical systems. There’s even an area where owners can write about their experiences with these problems. Then the CR staff inputs the data into a reliability history file that encompasses model years from 2000 to 2020. The vehicles that don’t experience many issues earn higher predicted reliability scores, while those that see multiple problems get a lower score. Which 2020 models made the list of most reliable discontinued vehicles?RELATED: The Chevy Impala Isn’t Completely Dead Yet Consumer Reports‘ overall scores show two vehicles garnered the highest ratings. Both earned 89 out of 100 points. They’re the Lexus GS and the Lincoln MKZ. The Lexus GS’s EPA rating is 32 mpg on the highway and only 13 mpg in the city — average compared with others in the class. But it earned a five-star rating for reliability, which few vehicles get. It also came in third on CR’s list of luxury midsize cars. Lincoln’s MKZ was second in Consumer Reports’ midsize luxury class, coming in just ahead of the Lexus GS. It beats out the Lexus because of its fuel economy ratings of 29 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway. However, unlike the Lexus GS, it received only 4 out of 5 stars for reliability. Tied for third place are the Lincoln Continental and Chevy Impala. The Continental gets around 32 mpg on the highway. Its reliability rating is 4 out of 5, and it came in fourth place in the luxury midsize car category. Like the Continental, the Impala scored an overall rating of 85. How did the Chevy Impala fare?Originally, the Impala was at the bottom of Consumer Reports’ lists in the large-car segment. But a 2014 redesign propelled the Chevy up the list. The 2020 version made it to the number two spot in its class. Powering the Impala is a 3.6-liter V6 paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. The combination gets this sedan 34 mpg on the highway but only 14 mpg in the city. The Impala excels in other areas, though. It handles well, boasts excellent braking, and offers fairly comfortable front seats. One of its best features is the trunk. It’s so large it can accommodate four big suitcases and at least two duffel bags. Payload capacity is rated for 945 pounds, which is plenty for hauling a large number of items. Regarding reliability, the Impala earned four stars. Since the 2014 redesign, this Chevy has experienced only a few problems. There were some issues with the fuel system one year, a couple of minor engine problems, and some trouble with the climate system for a couple of model years. The Chevy Impala has been a solid choice for many drivers wanting roomy sedans. And now that it’s retired, the 2020 model earns the distinction as one of the most reliable discontinued cars. Home/ Maintenance Cost / Chevrolet Impala There is much more that impacts the cost of car ownership than just the sticker price or MSRP. When buying a car most people have an easy means to find the MPG or fuel economy, fuel costs, registration fees, and insurance premiums as part of their average car annual costs - how do you know how to find maintenance costs? Most people know that certain brands have good cars that are reliable (Honda) and others are very unreliable (Land Rover). While these associations are often grounded in fact - there’s far more data we can use to determine which Hondas (e.g. the Honda Civic vs. Ridgeline) are reliable and which Land Rovers (e.g. the Evoque vs. Range Rover Sport) are unreliable. How reliable is a Chevrolet Impala and what are the expected maintenance costs?To look into your specific vehicle’s maintenance costs we’ve developed some aggregated data from RepairPal, Warranty companies, and long-term quality studies to determine both maintenance costs and the overall reliability of a Chevrolet Impala and compared its results across other makes and models. In this article we’ll examine:
Some vehicles may appear to be a smart purchase due to low down payments and purchase prices, however you should do some research on exactly how much the car will cost you throughout each year. This article writes about the details of the true cost of maintenance of a Chevrolet Impala in order to answer these above questions to save you time and money. Overall Reliability Ratings: Is The Chevrolet Impala Reliable?Overall the Chevrolet Impala reliability is 61.7 and that makes it very reliable. The chart below illustrates exactly how this ranks compared to some other cars, but the average overall rating is 57 as some comparison. This data is based on a mix of examining the cost and frequency of maintenance, the warranty coverage, and by looking at long-term reliability by looking at how long these vehicles are typically kept on road. Keep in mind this comparison is amongst all cars, not just compact or subcompact cars in the same class as the Chevrolet Impala. You might notice these figures differ substantially than those you might find in J.D. Power or Consumer Reports. Most publications look at reported issues in the first months of ownership to the dealership (such as JD Power), or ask for owners biased reviews over longer term cycles of their new vehicles. This study instead looks at real world repair costs and frequencies from repair shops and wholesale auction data. Annual Maintenance Cost of a Chevrolet ImpalaOverall - the Chevrolet Impala has yearly car maintenance costs total to $568 . The table below shows a complete ranking of how various cars rank in this overall system as some comparison. Given that the Chevrolet Impala has an average of $568 and that the average vehicle costs $651 annual --- the Impala is substantially cheaper to maintain. How Frequently Does a Chevrolet Impala require maintenance?To examine the frequency of major maintenance we examined how many times the vehicle needed major unscheduled maintenance over a 3 year span. This “major” maintenance item is an expensive system breakage (generally a part or a component with pricing over $1,000) that requires repair.
It’s worth pointing out that there are lots of reliable vehicles that may also require frequent, but affordable maintenance. Many domestic brands for example require higher maintenance visits, but at a cheaper overall cost (since labor and parts expense are typically cheaper for domestic brands). This doesn’t mean the car breaks less often, but does indicate that when the vehicle has issues its very easy to fix - which is arguably even more important. Severity of Repair and how it impacts overall reliability for the Chevrolet ImpalaSome repairs can be outliers as they cost way more than the average repair cost. To identify these “big deal” repairs where an engine, transmission, or major component needs replacing, RepairPal uses a severity score for their consumer reports and reliability rating. You can use a vehicle’s severity score to determine how likely that specific make and model will have a major issue. Severity scores are given as percents, with a score closer to 100% showing the vehicle is very likely to need major repairs. These scores are especially important for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), who enforces the safety standards to reduce vehicle-related accidents; vehicles in need of repair are a hazard to the driver and everyone else.
Long term reliability and the “Keep on Road” score of the Chevrolet Impala.Although reliability encompasses many things, there is a score from Dashlight that seeks to give a good overall impression of an owners ability to “keep on the road”. This study looks at trade-in vehicles both in terms of overall mileage, and the number of reported “red light” issues for those trade-in and auction vehicles. A red-light issue is when there are major engine, transmission, or other powertrain issues that require substantial repairs. This index is good for a couple reasons shown in the 2 x 2 chart below: Cost / Frequency to Repair Low High Low Low frequency of issues, and when they do occur they will likely be remedied so few cars will be traded in with issues Although repairs are low in frequency, because they are very high cost its likely many trade-in cars will show these major issues High Although repairs are frequent, the low cost of repairs means few cars are traded in with issues Highly likely cars will be traded in with a high frequency of major issues So in essence this is a good estimate of how expensive it is to keep a car on the road reliably vs. getting a newer car. It's also a good metric to balance out the superior reliability of some brands (e.g. Lexus) with the cheaper cost to repair some domestic brands (e.g. Ford). Overall the Chevrolet Impala has a long term quality rating of 43.4 compared to an average of 43 across Makes and Models we examined. Please note this is not compared amongst cars from the same bodystyle (e.g. hatchback) or class (e.g. subcompact) or size (e.g. small cars) but amongst all cars. Factors That Impact Maintenance CostThere are a number of things that impact the exact maintenance costs of your Chevrolet Impala. Generally these fit into a few main categories:
The region and driving conditions Would you rather buy a delivery van from Boston or a one owner van from a Grandma in rural
Southern California only driven to church? Usage has a lot to do with expected vehicle maintenance costs, and in general the harsher the driving conditions, the more maintenance required. Good Bad Warm temperate weather Hwy cruising commutes Unsalted roads Smooth level roads Extreme Heat or Cold Stop and Go Traffic, short trips Salted Roads (de-icing) Pothole heavy hills The Preventive and Routine MaintenanceRoutine maintenance costs and requirements depend on your vehicle’s make and model. These routine maintenance costs will likely help you avoid the higher costs of unscheduled maintenance. Most of the time - you can explore your vehicle maintenance schedule located in the car owner’s manual in the glove compartment to find out which maintenance services your car requires and how often these services need to be done.
In addition to these basic maintenance requirements, vehicles often require some wearable car part replacements that ultimately affect ride quality. As your car gets older in model years or if it is a used car, you might notice replacement costs starting to rise. For example, your Chevrolet Impala might also require replacements. Your average yearly cost of owning will also rise in effect to age. Also, more expensive cars are made of pricier parts, which can be more costly to replace. Replacement and car repair costs include but are not limited to:
The exact trim levels, configuration, and options and packages on the vehicle While we treated all [MAKE] [MODEL] the same in this article - sometimes maintenance costs vary quite highly depending on the exact trim level (e.g. LX, EX-L, EX on most Honda models), engine configured (e.g. the fuel efficient four-cylinder engine BMW is more reliable than the six cylinder turbo), standard features (e.g. airbags, sunroof, etc), as well as additional options (e.g. leather seats, heated steering wheel) and packages (e.g. technology package, utility package) the vehicle has (Toyota infotainment touchscreens in 2002-2004 were not highly reliable).
Will having back seats increase your maintenance costs? When deciding on the best car for you, it’s important to note the amount of legroom and overall cargo space available to you that will fit your lifestyle. Due to the technology and build of the larger vehicles now, maintenance costs to do not vary that much from SUVs to sedans. A sedan will usually have a lower CPM than most SUVs, mainly due to the higher cost of tires and brake repairs. However, these prices do not deviate that much from one another to detract from the roomy vehicle with foldable rear seats you could have. If you’re a large family, a three-row car is definitely worth the maintenance costs, but if you’re short on a budget and don’t use your car much, only having a first row (Smart car) may work for you.
Refinance a Chevrolet Impala:If you’re concerned about maintenance costs - there are other ways to save on your vehicle. WithClutch can also help you save time and money by refinancing your car loan. You may be drastically overpaying on your car loan. Use the free Auto Loan Refinance Calculator to find out how much you could save. Not only can WithClutch help you lower your monthly payment, you can also find your vehicle's window sticker using their free Window Sticker Tool. This feature is available to all makes and models, including but not limited to Toyota, BMW, Acura, Nissan, Mazda, Hyundai and Subaru. Start saving here! How many miles will a Chevy Impala last?What is the lifespan of a Chevy Impala? On average, owners of various Chevy Impala year models have reported that this vehicle lasts about 160,000 miles before running into issues, with numerous owners reporting that their Chevy Impala has lasted 200,000 miles or more without breaking down.
What are common problems with Chevy Impalas?Chevrolet Impala Common Problems. Transmission Failure. Transmission problems have been reported in some units of the 2011 Chevy Impala. ... . Power Lock Malfunction. ... . Heater Issues. ... . Excessive Oil Consumption. ... . Passlock Issues. ... . Intake Manifold Gasket Failure.. What year Impala is most desirable?Five Of The Most Collectible Chevy Impala Models. 1958 Chevy Impala Rochester Ram Jet Fuel Injection. Photo credit: Mecum Auctions. ... . 1961 Chevy Impala SS 409. Photo credit: Mecum Auctions. ... . 1963 Chevy Impala Z11 Lightweight. ... . 1969 Chevy Impala SS L72 427. ... . 1973 Chevy Impala Air Cushion Restraint System (ACRS). Which Chevy is better Impala or Malibu?If you are looking for a car with a bigger passenger and cargo capacity, the Impala will be the one you go to. However, if you are looking for something with a little better fuel efficiency the Malibu should be your choice. The Malibu is also the cheaper option, but the Impala has more power and performance.
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