2014 Chevrolet Impala Named First American-Brand Top Sedan In 20 Years

Consumer Reports has designated the 2014 Chevrolet Impala as the top-rated sedan, marking the first time a domestic model vehicle has earned the title in the past two decades. This marked quite a turn around for the vehicle, which previously scored a low of 63, jumping to 95 this latest time around, wedging it firmly in the "Excellent" category.

Despite having been placed at the top of its respective category, it also beat out nearly every other vehicle Consumer Reports looked at, with only the BMW 135i and the Tesla Model S beating the latest Impala model. Until this year, the "Large Sedan" category in which the designation was given has been dominated by either European or Japanese cars.

Unfortunately for Chevrolet, despite having achieved a score of 95, the 2014 Impala still will not be given a "Recommended" title because of how new the vehicle is – the 2012 model didn't receive a Recommended designation, either, due to how low its score was. Still, the vehicle is said to be found as competitive to cars that are priced $20,000+ over it, such as the Audi A6.

The high score was achieved in part by the car's handling, with it being "agile," with what is said to be excellent braking and "capable acceleration." The sedan is said to feel like a luxury vehicle when driven, and to have several upsides besides how it handles, such as a massive trunk and intuitive controls.

Consumer Reports' Director of Automotive Testing Jake Fisher said: "The Impala's performance is one more indicator of an emerging domestic renaissance. We've seen a number of redesigned American models – including the Chrysler 300, Ford Escape and Fusion, and Jeep Grand Cherokee – deliver world-class performance in our tests."

SOURCE: PR Newswire