The Chevrolet Impala is a full-size car built from 1981 to 2026 over 6 generations. Most were assembled in Canada — 95.5% of those on record. Engines offered: 4-cyl, Hybrid, V6, V8. Worth buying? It scores near the top of what we track at 4.5/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the Impala is
The Chevrolet Impala is a full-size car that Chevrolet built from 1981 to 2026 — 46 model years. Our measurements put it at 6 generations, the current one starting in 2000. It has been offered with 4-cyl, Hybrid, V6, V8 power. Its closest siblings in the Chevrolet range: Caprice, Impala Limited.
Where the Impala is built
A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 8,418 Impalas on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 2G1, 261 | 1983-2020 | |
| the United States | 1G1 | 1981-2020 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Chevrolet VIN decide which of these 6 lines your Impala belongs to. What every character in a Impala VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Chevrolet Impala adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
Impala generations, and what changed
These boundaries are not copied from a brochure — they fall out of the measurements. Where the Impala's length or wheelbase jumps between consecutive model years the platform changed: a facelift moves a bumper by centimetres, a new generation moves the whole car — for the Impala that gives 6 distinct generations below.
| Generation | Length | Wheelbase | Weight | vs previous | Weight change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971-1972 | 542 cm | 304 cm | 1709 kg | - | - |
| 1976 | 569 cm | 304 cm | 1895 kg | +27 cm | +186 kg |
| 1977 | 534 cm | 290 cm | 1752 kg | -35 cm | -143 kg |
| 1981-1985 | 543 cm | 295 cm | 1758 kg | +9 cm | +6 kg |
| 1995-1996 | 544 cm | 295 cm | 1810 kg | +1 cm | +52 kg |
| 2000-2020 | 508 cm | 281 cm | 1540 kg | -36 cm | -270 kg |
Chevrolet Impala tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment Impala owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What engines does the Chevrolet Impala have? Power & range
The Chevrolet Impala is offered with 4 powertrains — 3.6L 6-cyl, 5.3L 8-cyl, 2.5L 4-cyl, 2.4L 4-cyl Hybrid. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 4 for the Chevrolet Impala, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| V6 | 3.6L · 6-cyl | Automatic (S6) | FWD | Regular |
| V8 | 5.3L · 8-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | FWD | Regular |
| 4-cyl | 2.5L · 4-cyl | Automatic (S6) | FWD | Regular |
| Hybrid | 2.4L · 4-cyl | Automatic (S6) | FWD | Regular |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
The Impala by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Chevrolet Impala. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | Impala | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 98 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 10,367 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 4.5 / 5 | Best and worst years |
| Crash safety | ★★★★★ NHTSA | Frontal, side, rollover |
| Insurance | $2,091/yr | Estimated full coverage |
| Used value | 2,157 listings | What it sells for now |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Chevrolet Impala?
The Impala is a full-size car, built from 1981 to 2026 across 6 generations. Engines offered: 4-cyl, Hybrid, V6, V8.
Where is the Chevrolet Impala made?
Across 8,418 cars in our records the split is: Canada (95.5%), the United States (4.5%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.
How many generations does the Impala have?
6 by our measurements, the latest starting in 2000. We draw the boundaries where length or wheelbase jumps between model years — a facelift moves a bumper, a new generation moves the whole car.
What is the Chevrolet Impala warranty?
New models carry 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the Impala reliable?
It scores 4.5/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific Impala?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
More in Chevrolet
| Model | Years | Recalls | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Silverado | 1999–2026 | 444 | 27 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Chevrolet Equinox | 2005–2026 | 64 | 109 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Chevrolet Camaro | 1981–2026 | 204 | 25 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Chevrolet Traverse | 2009–2026 | 75 | 23 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Chevrolet Tahoe | 1995–2026 | 169 | 24 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Chevrolet Corvette | 1981–2026 | 153 | 21 mpg | 4.0/5 |
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