Thanks for the good review. My father has an '06 Impala (the first year of the current design), which he purchased new. I agree that the interior is very outdated and cheap. Very roomy though, on the positive side. I believe it is the last car available in the USA, in which you can opt for a column-mounted shifter, with true bench seats.

After 6 years and 130,000 miles, his Impala LT with the push rod 3.5 V6 and Hydramatic 4-speed auto has been absolutely reliable. Surprisingly the interior has held up very well with hardly any wear on the seat fabric and carpet. It might be kind of low-rent to start with, but it has proved very durable. Let's see, the only thing that has ever gone wrong, is that recently the electric motor that controls HVAC temperature changes went bad. We ordered the part online for $25 retail, and changed it ourselves (a very simple procedure, requiring just a screwdriver).

The car gets great mileage for a full size. The 3.5 V6 is the base motor, but has more than adequate power. I do not like push rod motors (besides in cars like the Corvette), but I have to admit it is about as smooth as one can get. It's very strong off the line and at stoplights, but is less powerful on the high end. I would love to drive a 2012 model like yours with the new 3.6 motor, along with the new 6-speed auto; it is the same engine that is optional in the Cadillac CTS, and I bet it is a blast to drive.

I was skeptical when he bought the car, but it has proven to be a very good value. Yes, the Impala has faults, but it is a lot of car for the money, especially the base model. For example, our Impala is a full-size car with a V6 and all power options, but we paid less than $20,000 for it. Now that the 2012 model has been upgraded with a new drive train, it's an even better deal. My Dad is absolutely going to buy the next-generation Impala in about a year... good cars make repeat buyers.