Publication: The Vancouver Province
ByLine: Bob McHugh
Date: Wed 23 Apr 2008

A 2008 Chevrolet Impala lies behind that attention-grabbing paint job on my test drive this week. The other interesting thing about this vehicle is that it came with an almost full tank of E85 (85-per-cent ethanol) fuel.
The reason that’s unusual is that there are only three E85 filling stations in Canada and all of them are in Ontario. From a B.C. perspective, why would you buy a vehicle that runs on E85 fuel? And for that matter, what’s the point in even trying to sell them?

To answer the second question first, it’s a “build it and they will come” scenario. If GM and other auto manufacturers can put a sizeable fleet of E85 vehicles on the road, the hope is that an energy supplier will step forward and provide the fuel.
You don’t pay extra for the FlexFuel E85 system and it allows the Impala to run on straight gasoline or any percentage mix of ethanol with gasoline up to 85 per cent. The driver doesn’t have to do anything (other than fill the tank) as the system automatically adapts to whatever fuel is in the tank. Switching to cleaner alcohol fuels, like ethanol, reduces both air-quality pollution and GHG (greenhouse-gas) pollution, by up to 80 per cent. And, just as important, using ethanol also lessons our total dependency on oil.
Husky (Mohawk) Energy is the largest producer of ethanol in Western Canada and currently offers it as an additive, in an up to 10-per-cent mix with gasoline. Spokesman Grahame White said, “We leave all possibilities open, but right now we have no plans to provide E85 as a fuel at any of our stations.”
The cellulosic ethanol, which my test Impala was run on, can be produced from a variety of organic materials, including woodchips, instead of food crops like wheat or corn. Yet, it appears unlikely that E85 fuel will be available in B.C. without a big push by consumers for it and probably some political cajoling of energy companies.
The Impala comes in LS, LT, LTZ and SS trim levels. The 3.5-litre E85 FlexFuel engine is standard in LS and LT models. The 3.9-litre E85 FlexFuel engine is standard in LTZ (and available in the LT) and a 5.3L V8 engine comes in the Impala SS and it also has Active Fuel Management.
The test Impala was a base LS trim with a sport package, an audio upgrade and seating for six passengers. All this brought the full price to $28,320. Price alone will put the Impala on many family-sedan shopping lists.
THE LOOKS
Completely redesigned a couple of years ago, the Impala has smooth, clean lines that still look good and fresh. Made in Canada, the attention to detail is impressive and Chevrolet claims tight body-panel tolerances of 3.5 mm or less.
THE INSIDE
While generally classified as a mid-size sedan, the Impala actually offers close to full-size room inside.
There are clever storage compartments beneath the rear seat cushions and the back seats flip-down to expand cargo space for long items. And the trunk is huge (527-litres/18.6 cu ft).
Impala is one of the few sedans around these days to offer six-passenger seating.
The centre front-seat occupant has to make do with just a lap seatbelt. When not used as a seat, the seatback flips down to act as a wide central armrest and it even has a storage compartment.
SAFETY
An important safety improvement to the ‘08 Impala is the inclusion of StabiliTrak, an electronic stability control system, as standard on LT, LTZ and SS trim levels. A tire pressure monitoring system is also standard and so is the OnStar system, with its core safety, security and information services.
The Impala has lower anchors for a child seat for all three rear seating positions. This is a real plus, as most vehicles only provide two, even if there are three rows of seats. The centre rear-seating position was rated poor for a booster seat because of a detachable seatbelt. A booster seat can be used, but care should be taken to attach the seatbelt correctly.
The owner’s manual also clearly states “never secure a child restraint in that centre front seat.”
THE DRIVE
Good power, exceptionally quiet interior, comfortable ride and a pleasant and easy drive, but the base Impala LS is not the sort of car you get too excited about driving.
That said, it is a very good match with the fleet sector of the market, as it offers good size and excellent value for the money and the SS trim has impressive power numbers.
The 3.5-litre V6 (standard on LS and LT) generates 211 horsepower and 214 pound-feet of torque. A four-speed automatic is the only transmission offered, though smooth and competent, it lags behind five- and six-speeds with manual mode now offered by the competition.
Ethanol has a higher octane value that gasoline, so the 3.5-litre V6 ran beautifully. It started easily and (unlike diesel) it doesn’t smell. From a driving perspective there’s really no difference between it and gasoline.
The energy content of ethanol, however, is not as good as gasoline, so fuel consumption is higher and the distance you can drive on a full tank is reduced. It varies from and engine to engine and higher compression engines are more suited to ethanol.
The overall difference in economy for the 3.5-litre V6 in the Impala is approximately 23 per cent when running on E85. Unfortunately, since the E85 fuel is not available locally, on a retail basis, a price comparison was not possible.
THE SCORE
Will the FlexFuel E85 system in my test Chevrolet Impala (if it remains in B.C.) ever be filled with E85 again? Probably not — and that’s a pity, as this fuel deserves serious consideration in the fight against global warming and lessening our dependency on oil.
2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA FLEXFUEL E85