2001 Chevrolet Impala base model review from North America

So far, the only problem I have had is a very, VERY slight antifreeze smell when I drive it. I had it looked at and was told I have a small leak, and to keep an eye on my antifreeze level. I knew this might be a problem, as I have read several reviews on this site about 2001 Impalas having that problem. I am hoping that any problems that might have arisen during the first few miles were taken care of my the previous owners.

So far, so good.

First off, I should say that I am the second owner of this car, so I am not exactly sure if the last owners took good care of it, or if Chevy did a good job, I am hoping it's a little of both, or maybe the latter.

I am very impressed with how well this car handles in ice and snow, especially since I have discovered that I have no ABS in this car. It's possible that I am mistaken on that though, and that maybe the ABS light isn't working. I'll have to check on that.

This car is very fast for a 3.4 engine. It's great for highway driving, and rides very smoothly.

And the highway mileage is wonderful, I am averaging 30-32 MPG highway. Living in Iowa, that's great since I have to drive out of town to do any kind of mall shopping, etc. It's great to find a decent V6 with that kind of mileage, in a day and age of 3 bucks a gallon for gas.

The interior is very roomy. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to find a vehicle that matched my Blazer room-wise, but this did, and it's great. I think Chevy did a great job making everything fit that was necessary to the interior. The trunk is huge, which is good for out of town trips, especially camping. And the fact that the back seats fold down is great too, giving more room with the trunk. The seats are pretty comfortable. Everything is within arms reach, so it's pretty nice.

My Impala is equipped with radio and cruise control on the steering wheel, which is something I really wanted. In my Blazer, I always had a problem controlling the radio while driving, and never really felt safe about it.

One of the things I absolutely cannot get over about this car is the fact that I can listen to a radio station, and it can tell me the call letters, frequency, and what song I am hearing. Being a huge music fan, I love this feature. Especially because I tend to be one who forgets where on the dial a station is located. Also when I use the seek feature, it lets me choose what kind of music I am seeking, and chooses only those stations for me. How great is that?

I love having the remote lock/unlock feature. I have never had this feature before, and it's nice. I can set how I want my alarm to chirp when I lock and unlock it, plus I can choose whether or not I have the lights flash to tell me if it's unarmed or armed. Really handy when you're in a noisy or bright atmosphere.

I think this is a good looking car. Mine is navy blue, and it looks pretty sharp. One thing I have always liked about the Impalas are the round tail-lights. It distinguishes them from the crowd.

Another thing I like is the slightly tinted plastic over the headlights (I don't know the technical term for those). I always thought those looked sharp on other vehicles, as it does on this Impala.

I wouldn't change a thing on this car. I absolutely LOVE IT!!!