We are all just becoming accustomed to the fact that the Impala will no longer be just a rental car beater, as Chevrolet->ke199 has completely redesigned it and actually made it a competitor in the full-size car market and Chevy's already trying to shoot itself in the foot.

When Chevy began leaking out information about the 2014 Impala, we all assumed it would have an all-wheel-drive option, even though GM said nothing about it during the official unveiling in New York. This became even more obvious when we found out that it will be based on the Epsilon platform, which is the same platform that the AWD Cadillac XTS->ke3488 and AWD Buick LaCrosse are based upon.

To our surprise, we learned from our friends at GMInsideNews.com that Chevy has zero plans of offering an AWD version of the Impala in either the near or distant future. Chevy actually made the brash and unfounded statement that all-wheel-drive vehicles are only a small part of the full-size car market. Actually that statement is downright false, to some experts.

Paul Lacy of IHS stated last year that by 2015 AWD sales will account for nearly 30% of all automotive sales. Then again, if GM doesn’t want to take an industry expert’s opinion, it can look at sister company Cadillac. In 2009 and 2010 nearly one-half of all CTS sales were AWD models. Add in the fact that all of the main competitors to the Impala, including the Charger->ke218, Taurus, and 300, all have at least an optional AWD system.

We don’t know exactly why Chevy is not planning on an AWD offering for the Impala and we honestly think that they are taking a step backwards at the worst possible time. When you first release a vehicle you don’t want to cut out an item like AWD, which is an important purchasing point for undecided shoppers. The undecided shopper is the one you need to reel in and things like AWD make that a possibility. Bad form, Chevy.

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