i have a question concerning the '09 impala.

the impala has 210hp in a 3.5L V6, getting 18/29. while the 2008 altima also has a 3.5L V6, however the altima has 270hp and gets 23/32 mpg. why is that this altima is better? or IS the altima better? i like american cars over japanese but now its getting hard to defend american when nissan is putting out these bigger better faster cars.... i guess the only thing that the impala has going for it is the $5,000 less base price.

why is it that the japanese can squeeze out more hp and better fuel efficiency than american engines of the same displacement? is it b/c they engineer better or what?

 

the ONLY thing that is the same between the two cars is the engine displacement. The air intake is different, the fuel injection is different, the electronics is different, transmission is different etc etc etc. they could be engineered better, or gm may have thought that running it at the higher hp will be harder on the drivetrain. there could be countless reasons.

overall...are you going to miss the exra 60hp? unless you are using the car for racing, then the answer would be no. you save $5000 for the little drop in mpg,and down the road when it comes to repairing the vehicle, you will save even more when it comes to replacing things like brakes, tune-up parts, engine parts, fuel related stuff, etc etc etc.

 

The GF's 07 Impala with that 3.5L engine got 30-31 mpg on a trip to Florida all loaded down with stuff too. It burns regular gas and the nissan with that 270hp motor needs premium. I looked at them both with my GF before she got the Impala.

Edit...meant to say also that the 07 Imp and 09 would have the same engine also.

 

dont you just love it.... my gf also gotthe impala. (3.9L 3LT model with dual exhaust).
Her coworkers were like.. why did you get an american car? they break down alot etc etc.
WellI did the homework and the Impala is a fine car.
And after 1 yr and 22,000 miles... the car is still great. Mileage is nice. and no troubles. AND the engine takes REGULAR gas.... and has plenty of room inside....

As for her coworkers...one girls BMW has been back to the dealer about 4 times. Engine shuts off or windows faile to come up...
Another girls car (Acura) simply shut off on her while driving.
And the others in their mitsus- and hondas, complain that their cars are anemic going up a hill to get to their jobsite, and cant carry as much as the Impala.....

the other plus- some of those girls were also crapping bricks recently where here in California- Supreme gas (needed by their fancy engines) was close to $5 a gallon... the impala was sippin regular.

 

$5,000 is a lot of money in my neighborhood. According to the garage/dealer where I bought my 08 Impala, they have had some issues with the Altimas (they could have sold me either car). The biggest issue they have had is the computer for the drive by wire (no throttle cable). Nissan apparently had a lot of problems with it because they sell a remanufactured unit themselves. Before I bought my Impala, I did some research on the Altima and many people seemed to have issues with them. The Nissan engine is probably the toughest engine on the market but to me, other issues outweighted it. Anyway, It is partly owned by the French Government.

 

X2 the Nissan mandates you use premium to get the numbers they state...

The Impala should have a better warranty as well, they do in canada anyhow. 5 year 160,000km VS a 5 year 100,000km

bigger, nicer ride.

The nissan is a nice car to tho.

Why not chekc out a Malibu LTZ with the 3.6 its 250hp and smokes them both in the fuel milage dept, be more the same size as the nissan a well. still longer thn the nissanbut narrower then the Impala

 

^^^yea, the warranty on the 07 Impala was 5yr/100,000 miles. I imagine it is the same on the 09.

 

Although the Nissan may have more power the price is also larger.. so if you would to buy an impala you would be able to get alot of upgrade plus bigger mpg (my guess) lol

 

If its power your after opt up for an Impala SS, milage is the same as the Nissan basically due to hte Supreme mandate.

 

My 06 Impala consistently gets 24 / 32 with the 3.5 liter. The dealer reflashed the computer for E85 compatability (whatever the hell that means) and it seemed to get even better mileage after. Who'd want to buy a rice burner when you can get a cannuk made Impala?