Chevrolet Impala reliability by year
19 recalls and 6,135 owner complaints across 16 model years. Best year to buy: 2019. Year to avoid: 2014.
Worst model years to avoid → — the single year to avoid for every model line we track, ranked side by side.
Years to avoid — and why 9 flagged on the NHTSA record
Cleaner on the data: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 . Still verify the specific vehicle.
At-a-glance: every year color-coded
Each cell shows the last two digits of the model year and its 0–10 reliability score from NHTSA data. Click any year to see the full record. ★ best year · ✕ year to avoid.
Year-by-year reliability 16 model years · newest first
Common trouble spots across the Impala aggregated across 16 model years
Common questions
What's the best year to buy a Chevrolet Impala?
Based on NHTSA complaint volume and severity weighting, the 2019 Chevrolet Impala scores 8.4/10 — the strongest in the 2005–2020 range. 26 complaints on file, 0 active recalls. Reliability scores reflect the federal complaint record, not subjective owner reviews.
Which Chevrolet Impala year should I avoid?
The 2014 Chevrolet Impala scores 5.6/10 — the weakest in the lineup. 630 owner complaints with NHTSA, 7 active recalls. That doesn't mean every 2014 is a problem — it means failure rates run higher than peer model years on the same platform.
Which years of the Chevrolet Impala should I avoid?
On the NHTSA complaint and recall record, the model years to be most careful with are 2008 (avoid — the electrical system — 5 fire-related complaints and 2 crash-related complaints on the electrical system); 2007 (avoid — the electrical system — 6 fire-related complaints and 3 crash-related complaints on the electrical system); 2006 (avoid — the steering — 12 fire-related complaints and 3 crash-related complaints on the electrical system); 2005 (avoid — the steering — 7 fire-related complaints and 5 crash-related complaints on the electrical system); 2013 (high-risk ownership — electrical system: 44 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 42,000–84,255 mi); 2012 (high-risk ownership — electrical system: 51 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 35,000–78,000 mi). The cleaner years on the data are 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015. This is our read of the federal data, not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection of the specific vehicle.
How many years of the Chevrolet Impala are tracked?
16 model years (2005 through 2020) with NHTSA records on file. Total across the lineup: 19 recalls and 6,135 owner complaints.
What's the most-reported problem on the Chevrolet Impala?
electrical is the most-reported category — 1,495 complaints across 15 model years. Average shop repair runs about $850.