Good For: A leap to the present. The 10th generation Impala finally grows back to a full sized platform, with proper rear legroom for the class. The Chevrolet flagship sedan is equipped with the usual GM gadgetry, and the LTZ trim I drove had blind spot monitoring and lane departure warnings. The two tone dashboard accentuated lines that made me feel like the driver and passenger were wrapped in individual cocoons. The Impala distinguishes itself as being the only car I've driven that reminds me of a Jaguar D-Type racer. The curvy dashboard was unique and didn't bother me, nor does it seem to be a problem for most buyers since the Impala jumps back up to the number one selling full sized car with this redesign.
Compromises: Everything I liked about the old Impala has been carved away. There is no front bench seat, and the 300hp V6 requires going up to a $31k trim level. The parking brake is an electronic switch. At one point there were too many cars moving around for the collision control system to process and it gave a false alarm and deactivated itself.
Overall reaction - Thumb down to the new definition of a full sized sedan. It takes the shape of a big car, but is less comfortable than it looks. Speaking of Jaguar, there are some reasonably preserved old XJ-12s out there that could eat the Impala for lunch...