Chevy Impala (Tenth Generation)

       For the majority of my childhood, the Impala was General Motors' ugly, bloated attempt at a full-size car. The eighth and ninth generations were bland, covered in cheap plastics, and were so bad that they were mostly used by police forces and rental car fleets instead of actual customers. So the tenth generation's handsome looks came as a shock when GM pulled off wraps in New York in 2012.

      The front fascia features bold, crisp lines, and almost appears to have been chiseled out of rock like Mount Rushmore. The wide grille features two chrome cross-bars as well as a chrome surround, but doesn't look overdone, lending the Chevy an upscale but not gaudy appearance. Connected to either side of the grille are rectangular headlights, with a single xenon headlamp and two conventional units inside. While a relatively simple design, the headlights look clean and aggressive. Flowing down from the rear edge of the headlights are sharp creases, which then form the sides of the handsome lower grille.  Rounding out the lower front fascia are luxurious fog light housings, which wrap the fog lamps in hook-shaped chrome trim.

      Distinct character lines stream back from the headlights, underneath large side view mirrors, and through the simplistic door handles. Right at the back edge of the rear doors, powerful haunches rise out of the bodywork, giving the Impala a muscular appearance. Elegant chrome badging spelling the model name behind the front wheel and the Impala logo behind the rear side mirror are placed well and make the car look a bit more fancy. However, the indent along the bottom of the side of the Chevrolet looks odd and is unnecessary clutter on a overall pretty clean design.

     The stylish body creases culminate in semi-rectangular taillights, which are composed of two Camaro-esque red sections and a small white reverse light. These taillights don't have the most complex design but are still eye-catching enough for a $27,000 sedan. They also fit in with the rest of the Chevy family, such as the taillights of the Malibu, Camaro, Corvette, and Traverse, while still appearing unique. However, it is the chrome bars connecting the taillights and housing the license plate that add a touch of luxury to the basic rear fascia. This thin silver bar features chiseled lettering spelling "Impala," and looks upscale and modern. The bumper, on the other hand, is quite plain and could benefit from reflectors or chrome tipped exhaust pipes.
     The Impala is a handsome sedan, with a bold face and strong, clean lines. While the rear fascia could be a bit more detailed, it is still attractive enough, and completes the simple but striking appearance of the Chevy Impala.

Grade
Front: A
Back: B+
Overall: A