Size aside, Caprice sedans and wagons are pretty handsome machines. Much of thecredit for their current graceful appearance goes to a 1993 redesign that opened up the rear wheel arches and allowed a widened rear track. Even with requisite bright trim in place--there's plenty, from the grille and its companion standup hood ornament to window surrounds to the standard full wheel covers--Caprices manage to avoid (or at least make a virtue of) excess while maintaining the "formal" look that's played so long and so well in the American market. The Impala SS is another story altogether. Each of the three available paint colors covers more than just the main body panels; bumpers, door handles, grille and side moldings join in the monochrome treatment. Window frames are given a classy black satin finish. The Impala's large 17-in. polished alloy wheels and lowered ride height add to the purposeful look. For all its size, this car is downright stylish. There's more here than mere cosmetics, of course. The size of the Caprice permits four large doors for easy entry and exit (and a good-sized tailgate on the wagon), plus a monstrous trunk. Those are virtues that the target audience (overwhelmingly male, more than 75 percent at or beyond retirement age) appreciates. Wagon buyers will approve of the two-way tailgate, which swings down to act as a mini-tailgate or opens to the side for use as a door. A rear window wiper is standard.
This is familiar territory for anyone who has ever ridden in a fullsize American sedan. A pair of bench seats carries six people in stretch-out comfort. The wagon adds a small third seat for two children or flexible adults, and the Impala has individual front seats--we make this distinction, because it's hard to think of the Impala's front seats as sporty buckets. Individual though they are, the Impala's front chairs lack sufficient lateral support to encourage the kind of fun and games the chassis can indulge. Like the standard bench, they are fine for extended travel, however. Luggage space is more than adequate. The sedan's trunk holds over 20 cu.ft of luggage, a figure that the wagon more than doubles at 54.7 cu. ft. The large dashboard holds a digital speedometer (Impala has analog speedometer and tachometer dials) and analog readouts for fuel level and coolant temperature, a standard AM/FM/cassette audio system--which can be upgraded with a CD player--plus standard air conditioning. There's still room for a good-sized glovebox and passenger airbag. What there's not much room for is options. All the basic comfort features are included, from a tilt steering wheel to power door locks to attractive cloth upholstery. Leather seat surfaces are available (standard in the Impala), as are power front seats. All Caprices have automatic transmissions, column-controlled on sedan and wagon and operated via a floor-mounted shifter in the Impala. Like every GM automatic on the market, our test car's 4-speed was smooth and positive, an excellent representative of its breed. |
