But there is one on-road aspect that earns the Impala some big kudos: its ride. The softer-sprung Chevrolet, with its gargantuan wheelbase is a sublime highway cruiser, swallowing bumps with ease and providing an all-round luxurious ride seldom found even on true luxury cars these days. For buyers looking for a comfortable sedan to use for long distance travel, the Impala is the run away victor.
What About Value?
Multi-zone climate controls, panoramic moonrooves, heated and cooled seats and heated steering wheels are found on both our test cars, as are a significant suite of passive and active safety features (adaptive cruise control on the Maxima, lane departure warning on the Impala). Both give drivers a good sounding stereo and a comprehensive set of functions through the infotainment system, too. And while the starting price of our Maxima Platinum is a few grand dearer than the base Impala LTZ, when comparably equipped as our two cars were, they’re within barely more than $100 of each other.
The Maxima’s on-paper fuel efficiency is notably better than the Impala’s with a combined government rating at 9.5 L/100 km for the Nissan versus 10.6 L/100 km for the Chevrolet. During our comparison test with mixed rural, urban and freeway driving, our Maxima delivered an average of 8.8 L/100 km, whereas the Impala showed an alarming 12.1 L/100km consumption rate.
Still, with the Maxima being a new-for-2016 design versus the aging Impala, there are bigger discounts and incentives available for the Chevrolet at the time of writing which should offset the extra fuel costs and then some compared to the Nissan.
Which One Should You Buy?
Jacob proclaims the Maxima to be his favourite based on its significantly better interior finishes and superior handling manners, as well as its runaway victory in fuel efficiency. The problem is, despite superior handling, the Maxima is no sport sedan and those looking for a sedan who place performance at the top of their wish list would do well to look at neither of these sedans.
And while dollar value is a wash for these two, it comes down to luxury for me. The Maxima is finished in nicer materials and its front seats are unmatched for comfort, but the Impala’s interior is still a nice place to be. If you’ve got people – or stuff – to carry, the Chevrolet starts to look pretty good with all that extra space. Factor in its superior on-road ride and the Nissan no longer has a sure win.
Chevrolet’s restraint in the exterior design compared to the Maxima’s over-the-top exterior styling is the subjective quality that just barely ekes out the Impala as my pick between these two surprisingly close competitors.
Pricing: 2016 Chevrolet Impala LTZ
Base Price: $39,995
Options: Navigation system, $795; Enhanced Convenience Package, $1,365; Advanced Technology Package, $950; 20-inch Aluminum Wheels, $420.
Destination: $1,650
A/C Tax: $100
Price as tested: $45,275
Pricing: 2016 Nissan Maxima Platinum
Base Price: $43,300
Options: Metallic Paint, $135
Destination: $1,720
A/C Tax: $100
Price as tested: $45,155