Roominess and comfort are enhanced by Impala's ample proportions and the packaging of some surprisingly innovative features. Impala blends valuable attributes of a large car with those of a mid-size, at a Chevrolet price. Impala is classified by the EPA as a "large car" and offers more room than a Lexus LS 400, but its turning circle is the same as the smaller Taurus.

The engineering team's approach to packaging was called RoomFirst^TM design. It ultimately resulted in a vehicle that feels bigger on the inside than it is on the outside.

"The guiding principle was to put roominess before all other objectives," said Brand Manager Don Parkinson. "This RoomFirst philosophy challenged designers and engineers to create more interior room where none seemed possible before."

Driven to create the leanest interior possible, engineers were able to recapture space, millimeter by millimeter, which gradually added up to an impressive amount of interior space for the Impala customer.

For example, a clearance of 25 millimeters for lock rods inside the doors is common. Impala's designers were able to reduce this clearance to just 8 millimeters.

Impala's designers also moved interior components farther outboard to help create a more roomy-feeling interior. For example, they moved the steering column 15 millimeters to the left, placing it closer to the center of the driver's seat. Front seats were also moved farther outboard, which in turn left room for a larger center console. "We've totally taken the needs of the sedan customer to heart in designing Impala's efficient envelope," Parkinson explained. "Impala uses its interior space very efficiently."

Seat Comfort for the Long Haul

Engineers complemented Impala's breakthrough in packaging efficiency by making seat comfort one of the program's highest priorities.

Impala's seats are the product of one of the most extensive research and testing programs ever conducted for a General Motors sedan.

"We completely went back to school on seat development," Total Vehicle Integration Engineer Dwight Bliss said. "The effort included a seating classroom, dubbed 'Seats 101,' to help us identify the basic elements that add up to a comfortable seat - like the shape for thigh and lateral support, seam location and sew patterns, and the ways to reduce heat buildup."

Bliss noted that the seating team included a certified physical therapist to help analyze dozens of competitive seat designs for strengths and weaknesses.

"We even changed our approach to testing," said Bliss. "In previous programs, seats were tested on 45-minute drives, since 96 percent of all trips are under 45 minutes. Our new test more than doubled that standard."

The extensive testing and research paid off: On an internal comfort scale of 1 to 5, a score of 4 represents a very good seat, with no pain or discomfort issues during a two-hour test. Impala's seats consistently scored in the neighborhood of 4.3, while every competitor tested failed to meet the 4.0 mark.

Designers incorporated a slightly raised rear seat to provide rear-seat occupants with a better view through the windshield. This enhances rear-seat passenger comfort and reduces the feeling of rear-seat isolation.

Following are a number of additional comfort and convenience enhancements found throughout the new Impala, including:

• Standard Rear-Seat Headrests. Rear-seat headrests are standard at the outboard seating positions of both Impala models. The uplevel Impala LS features headrests of the "halo," or see-through design, for enhanced rearward visibility
• Dual Front Temperature Controls. Standard dual front temperature controls allow the driver and right front passenger to adjust the temperature in their respective zones for greater comfort
• Steering Wheel Controls. To achieve an additional measure of convenience, Impala features optional steering wheel-mounted controls for Speed Control (Resume and Accel.) and the audio system
• Non-Intrusive Trunk Hinges. With 17.6 cubic feet of space, Impala's trunk is nearly two cubic feet larger than Ford Taurus'. Non-intrusive gas-assisted hinges reduce the likelihood that cargo will be damaged by closing the trunk, even when filled to capacity

Introduction | Styling |  Interview with John Cafaro on Design  | Impala Provides a Total Performance System
Impala Safety Means Going the Extra Mile | Impala Makes New Strides in Comfort | Impala Provides Quality at Every Turn
2000 Impala Specifications | 2000 Impala Standard Features and Options | Timeline: The History of America's Favorite Full Size Car