The redesigned 2014 Chevrolet Impala won’t have front bench seats, according to General Motors. In fact, the 2013 Chevrolet Impala is the last passenger car in North America to offer them. The front bench seat was first seen in 1911 on Chevrolet's first vehicle, the Series C Classic Six. This option will still be offered on pickup trucks and SUVs. GM doesn’t expect customers to take much notice that the front bench option is no longer available since front bucket seats have become standard. Last year, just one in 10 Impala customers asked for the $195 bench option in the LS and LT models. In the statement, Clay Dean, GM director of design, said that bucket seats are preferred by many people due to their sportiness even when they’re not driving sports cars. They also like having a center console where they can conveniently store their phone and other personal stuff. But then Dean doesn’t discount the possibility that the bench seat could reappear in smaller cars due to the nostalgic factor. Dean pointed out that customers still like them and many still remember snuggling up to their date at a drive-in movie. He said that the seats could possibly return in very small cars such as the EN-V urban mobility concept vehicle whose customers may prefer getting a sense of open space.
2014 Chevrolet Impala won’t offer front bench seats
by Andrew Christian, Email, 01 Oct, 2012
