Topic: Comparison Test: 2014 Chevrolet Impala LTZ vs 2013 Toyota Avalon Limited

[rrocket]

What a shock. Good old Asian Driver strikes again. More below after the requisite shot:

The more things change, the more they stay the same:

" At first glance the Impala looks fairly fetching with its leather seats and soft-touch materials throughout. Closer inspection reveals some strange and alarming discoveries. Contrasting stitching from the seat leather is a common contemporary touch, but when two adjacent surfaces feature different colours of stitching as seen in the Impala’s armrest versus seat, it simply looks like cost cutting or carelessness on the designer’s part.

Panel fitment in the Impala’s interior was a bit of a concern on our test car. The dashboard aligns a centimeter or two higher where it meets the driver’s door, but the same measure lower where it meets the passenger door."

Total BS. The photos certainly do not support the conclusion of a"a centimeter or two" difference. Exaggerate much? The contrast stitching is on the seats only, not everywhere. It's SUPPOSED to be that way. The stitching on the dash, the door panels, etc, is not a contrasting color either. You don't care for the look? Fine. But don't call it "careless" or "cost-cutting". Blue thread costs the same as tan thread. Personally I think the Avalon's gaping maw looks like a large-mouth bass and the dashboard looks like the designer took a few tabs of LSD while drawing it. But that is personal taste, just like the Imp's seat stitching.

I know it would kill this publication to give a GM car a good review but geez Louise, get a grip.

[ChaosphereIX]

What a shock. Good old Asian Driver strikes again. More below after the requisite shot:

The more things change, the more they stay the same:

" At first glance the Impala looks fairly fetching with its leather seats and soft-touch materials throughout. Closer inspection reveals some strange and alarming discoveries. Contrasting stitching from the seat leather is a common contemporary touch, but when two adjacent surfaces feature different colours of stitching as seen in the Impala’s armrest versus seat, it simply looks like cost cutting or carelessness on the designer’s part.

Panel fitment in the Impala’s interior was a bit of a concern on our test car. The dashboard aligns a centimeter or two higher where it meets the driver’s door, but the same measure lower where it meets the passenger door."

Total BS. The photos certainly do not support the conclusion of a"a centimeter or two" difference. Exaggerate much? The contrast stitching is on the seats only, not everywhere. It's SUPPOSED to be that way. The stitching on the dash, the door panels, etc, is not a contrasting color either. You don't care for the look? Fine. But don't call it "careless" or "cost-cutting". Blue thread costs the same as tan thread. Personally I think the Avalon's gaping maw looks like a large-mouth bass and the dashboard looks like the designer took a few tabs of LSD while drawing it. But that is personal taste, just like the Imp's seat stitching.

I know it would kill this publication to give a GM car a good review but geez Louise, get a grip.

while I do agree that the interior was maybe too harshly dealt with, and the example they had was maybe  a pre-production press sample etc., I do feel that Autos.ca staff do indeed give GM quite high marks when they deserve it: look to the Cruze diesel review as of late, the roundup where the Cruze Turbo won vs half a dozen opponents, the Volt winning eco car comparisons, the Sonic doing more than lackluster in recent comparos, etc. They are fair and give GM their due when they deserve it, as they should. But if they drop the ball, then for sure let em have it - only then can we have better cars made by everyone when all the auto journos call manufacturers out on it - read: 2013 Malibu, 2012 Civic, etc.

[rrocket]

Even if we throw out the stitching issues, let's imagine the panel mismatch was only 3mm or 4mm.  There is still no mismatch in the Toyota.

That still makes the Toyota the winner in the interior category.

[rrocket]

So I think the early Genesis like the one I rented only had the V8 and that it was similar/same to the R Spec stove. Can't quite swear to it though. I'll say again that the one we rented pulled very well on those smooth Arizona freeways. No sport sedan but a nice cruiser sedan that wasn't dead either.

No.  The early Genesis V8 had a 4.6 and 375 HP.

The "new" one has a 5.0 and 429 HP.

[Northernridge]

So I think the early Genesis like the one I rented only had the V8 and that it was similar/same to the R Spec stove. Can't quite swear to it though. I'll say again that the one we rented pulled very well on those smooth Arizona freeways. No sport sedan but a nice cruiser sedan that wasn't dead either.

No.  The early Genesis V8 had a 4.6 and 375 HP.

The "new" one has a 5.0 and 429 HP.

Damn, I failed.

[rrocket]

So I think the early Genesis like the one I rented only had the V8 and that it was similar/same to the R Spec stove. Can't quite swear to it though. I'll say again that the one we rented pulled very well on those smooth Arizona freeways. No sport sedan but a nice cruiser sedan that wasn't dead either.

No.  The early Genesis V8 had a 4.6 and 375 HP.

The "new" one has a 5.0 and 429 HP.

Damn, I failed.

No worries.  It depends if you were using regular or premium too!  If you cheaped out and used regular, you only had 368! 

[PJ]

To me the Avalon is for people who have given up on life and just want a reliable, comfortable couch to sit on while they watch the world go by. 

The Impala is likely the best rental car Chevy has built yet.  Wouldn't buy one but hope to see one next time I'm walking out to get the car at the airport. 

I guess if I had to buy a full size sedan it would be the Charger.  It has its weak points but it also has style , character, rear wheel drive and a nice V8 engine. 

[Frontier1]

To me the Avalon is for people who have given up on life and just want a reliable, comfortable couch to sit on while they watch the world go by. 

The Impala is likely the best rental car Chevy has built yet.  Wouldn't buy one but hope to see one next time I'm walking out to get the car at the airport. 

I guess if I had to buy a full size sedan it would be the Charger.  It has its weak points but it also has style , character, rear wheel drive and a nice V8 engine.

Not gonna see it at the airport, they kept the old model a while longer for that purpose.  But on the note of renting, I can pick up an Avalon, Camry, Corolla, 14 Rav at Thriftys 10 minute drive from here.  WTF is with that?  In the other direction as I pull into Cornwall, ditto, at Nationals.

[PJ]

To me the Avalon is for people who have given up on life and just want a reliable, comfortable couch to sit on while they watch the world go by. 

The Impala is likely the best rental car Chevy has built yet.  Wouldn't buy one but hope to see one next time I'm walking out to get the car at the airport. 

I guess if I had to buy a full size sedan it would be the Charger.  It has its weak points but it also has style , character, rear wheel drive and a nice V8 engine.

Not gonna see it at the airport, they kept the old model a while longer for that purpose.  But on the note of renting, I can pick up an Avalon, Camry, Corolla, 14 Rav at Thriftys 10 minute drive from here.  WTF is with that?  In the other direction as I pull into Cornwall, ditto, at Nationals.

Too bad, only way I'll get to drive that one. 

Interesting the last two rentals I've had have been a Camry and a corolla.  Would have preferred an Impala and a Cruze.  Haven't owned a GM in years but they are my favorite rental cars. The Toyotas just so painfully dull I can't wait to give them back.  They must have had a special team whose sole job it was to tune every bit of fun out of driveing. 

[Fobroader]

So I think the early Genesis like the one I rented only had the V8 and that it was similar/same to the R Spec stove. Can't quite swear to it though. I'll say again that the one we rented pulled very well on those smooth Arizona freeways. No sport sedan but a nice cruiser sedan that wasn't dead either.

No.  The early Genesis V8 had a 4.6 and 375 HP.

The "new" one has a 5.0 and 429 HP.

430 horse Hyundai....interesting!!

Sent from my Galaxy S3

[jaari]

'd go for the Impala,  sat in a Avalon the weather stripping was falling off the door.

[Jaeger]

    Between Infiniti and Genesis...  Toss up, but leaning towards Infiniti.

The Infiniti web site is too infuriating to deal with, but I believe the V8 M56 (or whatever the hell they are calling it these days) tops out around $80k - a good deal more than the fully loaded V8 R-Spec Genesis Sedan.  The G37 (or whatever the hell they are calling it these days) is a good deal smaller than the Genesis.  I think if sport were the priority, nothing in the Hyundai stable could touch the G (or whatever) sedan.  But if it's luxury with a bit of sporting ability, the Genesis is very strong player.  And while the styling is both a bit bland and derivative - it has endured well to my eye.

On a somewhat related note - I was up at Blue Mountain for the last several days and saw two - count 'em - TWO Equus sedans.  I don't think I had seen as many as two in the wild total to that point.

[ArticSteve]

'd go for the Impala,  sat in a Avalon the weather stripping was falling off the door.

    The one I sat in had no passenger seat!   Impala all the way.

[CanuckS2K]

I much prefer the exterior of the Impala to the Avalon, but like the interior of the Avalon better.  I'm by no means interested in either of these vehicles, but if I had to plunk my hard earned cash down on either of the two it would be the Avalon......solely based on resale value and perceived reliability.  But I too, would also take the Genesis over either one of them. 

[bombastic]

Rated high but no big red recommended check mark 

New model, so no check mark for this model year until they get some data.

Many Toyota's get the big red check mark in the first year of a new model. The Rav4 has one 

And can anyone explain how is this possible for a new model? I believe yes, since 70% of the "new" RAV4 is same old.

[bombastic]

some things do never change - but at least it doesnt look like a wound weeping puss - the Toyota. God its terrible to look at - no flair, no soul, no style whatsoever. Even gandpa would kick it off his lawn...

The Impala looks fantastic and is 100000% better than it used to be. Give it another year to sort out the minor issues, and it will be the pick of the crop.

You bet, and how many times have we heard questionable fit and finish, cheap dull plastics, in Toyota the past 5+ years?

Cheap dull plastics quite a lot for Toyota in the recent years.

[robsaw]

while I do agree that the interior was maybe too harshly dealt with, and the example they had was maybe  a pre-production press sample etc., I do feel that Autos.ca staff do indeed give GM quite high marks when they deserve it: look to the Cruze diesel review as of late, the roundup where the Cruze Turbo won vs half a dozen opponents, the Volt winning eco car comparisons, the Sonic doing more than lackluster in recent comparos, etc. They are fair and give GM their due when they deserve it, as they should. But if they drop the ball, then for sure let em have it - only then can we have better cars made by everyone when all the auto journos call manufacturers out on it - read: 2013 Malibu, 2012 Civic, etc.

Perhaps the authors were also of a certain age that don't understand cm and mm.  A "cm or two" is a HUGE variance when it comes to panel fitment.  2cm is 3/4 inch.  If it really was that bad I'd say that is not mere sloppy fitment but an actual assembly error or attachment point defect.

[mixmanmash]

The important thing to take from this thread is most of us would take the Genesis over this.

You hear that GM and Toyota?

Time to bring back the G8 and time to make an Aristo for our market.

[rrocket]

The important thing to take from this thread is most of us would take the Genesis over this.

You hear that GM and Toyota?

Time to bring back the G8 and time to make an Aristo for our market.

You forget....most of us who love RWD V8 cars are the minority.

Even on this forum, there aren't many of us who own V8, RWD sedans.

I own one.  Anybody else?

[Sir Osis of Liver]

I'd stick with the Taurus SEL  awd or SHO in this class.

The only Genesis I was in, had the 6. It was disappointing, the interior was just ok, and there was a surprising amount of road noise.  The handling was not well sorted.

Given the fairly consistent positive reviews I was surprised. Maybe my expectations were too high, but I'd prefer the Charger or 300 if I really wanted to stick with rwd.

Sent from my G3 using Tapatalk 4