Best and worst Chevrolet Impala years — which to avoid

While the Impala earned the status of a reliable ride, there are some Chevy Impala years to avoid because of the large number of complaints. Buying a reliable used Impala gets way easier once you realize the issues and figure out which years are best skipped, and that’s what our team will help you accomplish in this guide.

We’ve scoured all the available sources on Chevy Impala reliability ratings, driver complaints submitted to NHTSA, as well as details on official recalls scheduled for specific Impala models. Our team has outlined the results and highlighted the best years to buy and worst Chevrolet Impala years to avoid so you can make an easy decision and avoid potential picks harmful to your budget.

Why you can trust REREV’s advice on which car model years to avoid: Our car experts look at official data, ask real drivers what they think, and talk to experienced mechanics to make sure our list is useful. This reliable info can make buying a car easier for you. Want to know how we do it? Find out more about our research methodology.

How we rated the best and worst Chevrolet Impala years

We rated the Chevy Impala years as best or worse depending on their reliability scores and overall number of complaint records. Naturally, we based most of our research on NHTSA and IIHS records since these are verified and trusted organizations for public driving safety.

However, our team also wanted to give you the other side of the story – the perspective of former Chevy Impala owners and their experiences. To do that, we’ve decided to go through the ratings on renowned platforms like Consumer Reports searching for Chevy Impala reviews, as well as records on Edmunds and KBB.

To round up our research, we also went through the most frequently visited Chevy Impala forums including Reddit and some Impala-specific threads like Impala Problems. Please note that we mostly focused on recent Impala models produced from 1999 onwards since the model has been produced since 1958 and we couldn’t cover all the older models in this guide. Here’s what we found out regarding the reliability of specific Impala years:

Most common Chevy Impala problems

When it comes to the Chevy Impala most common issues that Impala had as a model, it’s difficult to grasp the bigger picture. The reason for this is the fact that 10 generations of Impala were made, so it’s impossible to rate the older models without taking the way previous owners treated the cars into consideration.

1. Oil dripping onto the exhaust manifold

It’s a fairly common complaint among Impala owners regarding the oil coming out of the exhaust. This is one of the major problems that Impala drivers have faced over the years and it’s often caused by leaking head gaskets and piston rings that got worn or went bad.

Of course, this is a dangerous problem that even triggered the recall in 2015 and it mostly involved 2000-2004 Impala models. Sometimes oil leaked onto the hot exhaust manifold, causing white smoke to occur and that represented a fire hazard. You can probably guess that this is a bad thing and a serious safety risk that pretty much got resolved with the second recall since the first one wasn’t so effective.

2. Problems with the engine cooling system

Another problem that often occurs for certain Impala models that could affect the engine operation is the cooling system issue. Drivers have reported coolant leak situations and there are also other issues causing frequent symptoms of low coolant levels in the system.

Most of the time, it required replacing the radiator hoses and this was the best-case scenario. Sometimes, these faults were caused by a faulty radiator or a faulty water pump. Because of this, it’s crucial to have a trusted mechanic check the Impala you wish to buy for coolant leaks before you make the purchase.

Otherwise, you may have to pay around $450 for radiator hose replacement, or up to $1200 for the radiator or water pump replacement.

3. Automatic transmission problems

Before the introduction of the tenth generation of Impala, owners of previous generation models reported symptoms of bad shift solenoid. This reflected the models with an automatic gearbox and because of the solenoid failure, drivers have experienced rough shifting and improper gear changes.

Once again, this problem could lead to expensive repairs usually ranging from $700 to $1000, so you can see why we advise you to skip the models with this issue. This was especially expressed in the eighth generation of the Impala equipped with a four-speed automatic transmission.

4. Braking system faults

Finally, we move on to the more recent Impala models that struggled with bad rear brake caliper pistons. Because of improper piston lubrication, air pockets often formed within the system and which caused low braking performance.

While it’s mostly associated with rear brakes only, this issue significantly affects driving safety and there was a recall in 2018 that dealt with this problem for 2018 and 2019 Impala models. Along with the caliper piston issues of the tenth generation, there’s also the reported parking brake problem with the ninth generation.

Worst Chevy Impala years to avoid

Back in the day, we had simpler times for the automotive industry when vehicle technology was limited only to essential components. So, the early generations didn’t have many reported problems, which changed drastically in the early 2000s. If you are wondering “What are the worst Chevy Impala years”, this list will give you an answer:

• 2000
• 2004
• 2006
• 2007
• 2010
• 2011

That’s why we’ll start with the eighth generation of the Impala to discuss the most problematic model years.

Eighth-generation Chevy Impala (2000 and 2004 model years)

While the seventh generation of the Impala was pretty reliable, yet unfavored by drivers due to the drastic design change, things got much worse with the following generation. The eighth generation picked up where the previous one has left things in terms of design, but not when it comes to reliability.

Drivers have reported various issues that reflected the 2000 to 2004 models, so it’s best to avoid these altogether. If you plan on buying an eighth-gen Impala, it’s best to go with the 2005 model year, although it also received some complaints.

The main problem of the eighth-gen Impala was a bad shift solenoid that led to rough shifting. Other problems included the speedometer not working along with the rest of the instrument cluster gauges, and 3.4-liter V6 engine issues. Frequent engine overheating also led to numerous complaints so it’s best to avoid this engine and this generation of the Impala, if possible.

Ninth-generation Chevy Impala (2008-2009 model years)

As mentioned, the eighth generation received quite a lot of criticism and driver complaints, but things got better with the following generation. The ninth-gen Impala was seriously improved mechanically, and it was a completely different car in terms of the transmission and the engine. You could go with the 6-speed automatic transmission that didn’t have as many problems with rough shifting as the 4-speed one.

Even so, there were some complaints about the 2008 and 2009 production years including the key being stuck due to the failed shifter, and power steering hose leaks. Also, this was when Chevy struggled with engine oil leaks onto the exhaust manifold a problem that continued after the eighth generation. When it comes to the tenth generation, the only major problem was unlubricated caliper pistons that got resolved with the recall.

What are the best Chevy Impala years to buy?

While there were some pretty bad Chevy Impala years mostly in the 2000 to 2004 period, this model is overall highly regarded among automotive experts. There are some bulletproof engines like the 3.9-liter V6 introduced with the ninth generation that lasted quite a long time without many repairs going on.

Also, the old 5.7-liter V8 engines were well-known among Chevy fans and you can still find a model with a stock engine without any problems. That leads us to the question – what are the best Chevy Impala years? The best Chevy Impala years are 1996 and 2018, but here’s a complete list:

• 1994
• 1995
• 1996
• 1997
• 1998
• 1999
• 2012
• 2013
• 2015
• 2016
• 2017
• 2018
• 2019
• 2020

Overall the major transmission and engine cooling problems got sorted out with the latest models of the ninth generation and the tenth-gen Impala. The final generation was also the best-looking one among modern Impala models from the seventh generation, and it was an objectively good car. We’ll also give you a brief overview of the two best model years so you can easily make up your mind.

1996 Chevy Impala

The 1996 was one of the best-rated Impala model years ever produced since it only received a single complaint filed to the NHTSA. That is, it had only one reported problem with several instances of it being reported, and that’s the A/C heater issue.

Other than that, it didn’t have any model-specific issues like engine or transmission faults, and it has a positive 4.7 out of 5 rating on Edmunds.

2018 Chevy Impala

Among newer Impala models, the 2018 stands for the epitome of reliability as it received positive driver feedback and a low number of complaints made to car safety organizations. In fact, the only few issues with this one include problems with the electrical system and body/paint issues.

Braking system faults were sorted out during a recall as we mentioned earlier, and the recall mostly included all of the affected vehicles so buying a used one still makes a good choice.

Is the Chevy Impala worth buying?

If you ask any Chevy fan, the Impala probably holds a special place in the driver’s heart. It’s simply a special model and one of the Chevy models that were in production for the longest time. In terms of reliability, it’s a model that’s worth buying, especially if you can afford a low-mileage used tenth-gen Impala.

It’s a great family car and the older coupe models are still genuinely good muscle cars with an old-school American V8 under the hood. You should only beware of the mentioned problematic years that made many fans step away from the Impala, but we hope that you won’t have to after reading this guide.

Check out the Toyota Avalon years to avoid, Ford Taurus years to avoid, and Nissan Maxima years to avoid to see when they were at their best and when they weren’t doing so good. We’ve got all the details on the good years and the not-so-good ones, making it easy for you to get the lowdown on these cars.