2006 Chevrolet Impala SS

Blink and you'll miss it: Chevy's sort-of-new Impala, available with a choice of two V-6 engines or the new SS-specific 5.3-liter, 303-horsepower V-8 with fuel-saving cylinder deactivation, is almost invisible. With its complete redesign inside and out, this Chevrolet won't offend anybody who finds himself at the rental-car counter looking for a large car--but GM should be aiming higher than lowest-common-denominator transportation. Whatever happened to the idea of a mainstream Chevy sedan with pizzazz and eye-appeal? It used to build 'em in the 1950s and 1960s, you know.

The SS is a step in the right direction, but isn't a complete answer to cars like the Charger. While it may deliver the same 0-to-60 time as a rear-drive Dodge Charger R/T, no one will notice. And it's a lead-tipped arrow: Dial in any more than 90 degrees of steering, and you'll be sliding out of the unsupportive seat at the same time the front wheels begin to howl in protest. There are other cars in the marketplace--not necessarily wearing legendary performance badges such as SS--that are more fun to drive, although this one does make good noises.

The cabin is either clean or bland, depending upon your view. It's curious that the shifter surround displays no markings to indicate what gear has been selected; consult the instrument cluster for that. We might be falling prey to our too-high expectations and from our rose-colored memories of past SS models. Yes, it beats the pants off the mid-1990s Caprice-based Impala SS, and it's better than the previous, ugly, V-6-only Impala, but that's not enough these days. If you think of the 2006 Impala SS as a car that keeps the old-school 1960s tradition of implanting a powerful motor in an otherwise sensible-shoes sedan, you'll be pleased. We'd like it with a bit more soul--and a whole lot more driving pleasure.