The 2020 Chevrolet Impala has a lot of great qualities. It has one of the biggest interiors of the large car segment, enough to sway potential buyers from small SUVs. The Impala has room to transport five full-size adults in comfort while boasting enormous trunk and cargo space. The sedan also comes standard with great tech features and has a welcoming, relaxed ride.

Nevertheless, the 2020 Chevrolet Impala does have its downsides. U.S. News has two important reasons why potential buyers in the used car market should avoid the sedan and opt for a competitor.

Reason #1: Lower-quality cabin materials

The Chevrolet Impala seems to divide critics over how well-built the interior is. While the four-door features plenty of soft-touch points, U.S. News says, “the more you look, the more plastic you’ll find scattered about” inside the sedan. Such is particularly true for the Impala’s center stack housing the eight-inch infotainment touchscreen. The dashboard has shiny black plastic trimmings above shiny chrome-appearance plastic, and drivers may catch glare from the Sun. Faux wood adorns the center console in the upscale Premier trim level, which CarBuzz declares “can feel cheap and nasty.”

None of these relegate the 2020 Chevrolet Impala to a garbage heap. However, it can undermine the Impala’s appeal, even though it’s outside the luxury segment.  

While the Impala does have enough room to seat five adults, there is a slight issue in the rear row. If three passengers in the back are subject to aggressive backroad cornering, it will reveal another quality control issue. The Impala’s rear seats lack adequate side support.

Reason #2: Subpar gas mileage

Depending on the trim level, 2020 Chevrolet Impala owners will get an EPA-rated 18 or 19 mpg in the city. Each will achieve 28 mpg on the highway for a combined rating of 22 mpg. For those running their Impalas on E85, the efficiency is even worse. Fuel mileage drops to 20 mpg on the highway and a lowly 14 in the city.

Therefore, the Impala has one of the lowest fuel economy figures among its competitors. Edmunds shows that even a 2020 Scat Pack Dodge Charger is better on gas than an E85-sipping Chevrolet Impala.

Is the 2020 Chevrolet Impala worth it?

Despite the Impala’s inadequate fuel economy, plasticky cabin materials, and non-sporty rear seats, it’s a good used car. U.S. News admits the 2020 Chevrolet Impala’s five-year ownership costs are exceedingly low compared with its rivals. For fuel, insurance, taxes, fees, and maintenance, the projected costs are $6,140 per year. They say it’s “below average for the class.” Moreover, most on the used market are still under their five-year, 60,000-mile powertrain warranty.

Considering the 2020 Chevrolet Impala was affordable when it was new, that still reigns true. Edmunds lists hundreds of examples, many under the 60,000-mile range. There isn’t much of a price difference between the base LT and the top-of-the-line Premier trim levels anymore. So, potential buyers can easily step into a well-stocked used sedan for around $20,000.