2006 or newer Impala

Anyone used one?? 3 across pictures would be beyond amazing!! Does the headrest interfere with HBB installs??

The seats I would be using in the Impala would be:

Argos
FR85
RXT
Parkway SGL
Literider

Obviously not all at once but in different 3 across situations (2 boosters and 1 combination seat).

Im mostly worried about being able to buckle the boosters easily as my middle 2 like to do everything themselves My next worry is how the headrest protrudes outward. I may just end up having to keep them in their LBB's.

I had a 2009 as a rental, I don't know if its the same as 2006 or not. I had Nautilus, Parkway (old style), Scenera. And I had room left over because I installed the Scenera RF with latch, thought the Nauti was as far over as possible. I'm pretty sure I also did Nauti, FF Radian, RF Scenera (again with latch). A was able to buckle herself in the parkway, but there were no arm rests.

I drove a 2006 Impala prior to getting my Jeep. The only 3 across that I've done was RF/FF Marathon or Radian 65 with a HBTB on each side. The kids couldn't buckle their boosters without help but probably could have learned if given time.

Bump!

I have a 2010. The backseat is huge. I've had a RF MA70 (center, LATCH) and a Maestro (harnessed, driver, seatbelt) next to each other. It was a roomy fit. I feel like I could easily fit just about anything on the other side (maybe not a TF, but something of a standard width).

I didn't notice any issue with the headrest and the Maestro. But the headrests are pretty weird. I don't like that they're not adjustable. I also had to flip my MA70 FF and raise the harness/headrest for a kid, and no interference from the vehicle headrest. I've never tried a dedicated booster back there.

Do you need pics of anything?

I could be wrong, but I think 2009 was the last year that the Impala was made with normal, removeable headrests. After that, they've become fixed. And they're awful unless you're rearfacing or using a backless booster. :thumbsdown: I don't think I could have used dd's radian in one if she had still used it at the time.

I've rented several models from around 2006-2010 and the older version is far better for comfort, driving position, and rear seat room. The 2010 that I rented had no foot room for my mom to sit back there and the seat had to be moved forward so dd could have unpinched feet. It's sad because I LIKED that car.

Maybe they got enough complaints that they redesigned for 2012 & 2013 models? I don't know. But as long as there's fixed headrests in the rear (and front) I'd avoid buying one.

If you're interested, I have photos of 6 year old dd in a nbb in the 2010 model that I can post.

2006 was the first model year of the current gen. Impala and fixed rear headrests to my knowledge. I remember them being fixed in a 2007 Impala LS/LT trim version model we rented on vacation in 2007.

My 2006 had fixed forward headrests also.

I'm pretty sure every year 2006 and newer has the exact same back seat headrests and space. The only differences may be the ability to fold down. Some of the SS models may have adjustable headrests but I don't think that is too common.

I'm only looking at LS and LT models that offer a front bench seat

Morganthe said:

I could be wrong, but I think 2009 was the last year that the Impala was made with normal, removeable headrests. After that, they've become fixed. And they're awful unless you're rearfacing or using a backless booster. :thumbsdown: I don't think I could have used dd's radian in one if she had still used it at the time.

I've rented several models from around 2006-2010 and the older version is far better for comfort, driving position, and rear seat room. The 2010 that I rented had no foot room for my mom to sit back there and the seat had to be moved forward so dd could have unpinched feet. It's sad because I LIKED that car.

Maybe they got enough complaints that they redesigned for 2012 & 2013 models? I don't know. But as long as there's fixed headrests in the rear (and front) I'd avoid buying one.

If you're interested, I have photos of 6 year old dd in a nbb in the 2010 model that I can post.

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Really? I find my 2010 to be very spacious in the back seat. Plenty of foot room.

love-pink said:

I'm pretty sure every year 2006 and newer has the exact same back seat headrests and space. The only differences may be the ability to fold down. Some of the SS models may have adjustable headrests but I don't think that is too common.

I'm only looking at LS and LT models that offer a front bench seat

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I have an LTZ model, the "highest" upgrade, and they're still fixed.

cathleencastle said:

I have an LTZ model, the "highest" upgrade, and they're still fixed.

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:yeahthat:

cathleencastle said:

Really? I find my 2010 to be very spacious in the back seat. Plenty of foot room.

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I don't know the difference, but really, it was impossible.
We ended up changing plans of travel because there wasn't enough space to fit my child, grandmother, & mom in the outboard positions. :shrug-shoulders: My grandmother could not maneuver the seating at all.

If you can drive with the front seats forward, then yes, there would be room. But we're tall and it was a cramped vehicle for being marketed as 'full size'. (I'm 5'8, my mom is 5'10, and we all have 'legs' )

What I thought was fascinating was pulling it up next to a Passat wagon (my own car) at a parking lot -- from end to end, the Impala was longer, but it had so much less cabin space in comparison. Lots of room to transport bodies in the trunk though. :2thumbsup:

This is a 2010 or 2011 model in Jul 2010... with the front seat pushed forward about 3" to give some foot room to dd. I wasn't crazy with having her in a nbb, but there's no way the entire Monterey would have installed correctly. I tried, but that headrest was evil bad. :thumbsdown:



I did not love the belt fit either... she'd have to push it over a little when we drove.


Space in between the buckle stalks were narrow. In fact, I'd have to pull the buckle away from the seat to buckle & unbuckle her in. I used latch, but it had to be wedged in.
Because we had such a rotten time with passengers & dd's booster, we didn't rent an Impala on this last trip. I ended up in something unmemorable and unremarkable. I honestly can't remember. :scratcheshead:


I thought I had photos of our 2008 trip with another version of the Impala. We rented through Hertz that time and it was an upscale model with removable headrests. Huge difference from this 2010 rental.

Previous to that was a rental Impala in Spring 2006 -- those had normal adjustable headrests and the Maxi Cosi fit well into the middle position. Lots of interior room. My mom & dad sat on each side for several daytrips and had leg room. Fully loaded car with dh in the front passenger.

Honestly, there's no way that the Maxi Cosi would now fit ff'd in the center. It's just not possible. Carseat would be too wide and the jutting of the headrest would prevent it.

I have the highest level of 08 Impala... the headrests are NOT removable. As far as I could tell when I got it, none of the levels of Impala that year (or surrounding years) have removable (or movable) headrests. Newer versions of the Malibu (slightly smaller than the Impala) DO have movable or removable headrests.

As for the belt fit, if it was getting too close to her neck, almost all GM vehicles have belt guides for the outboard seating positions. They're usually stored along the sides of the seats. I know my Impala has them and the 11 Impala we had as a rental had them, too.

I haven't had issues buckling HBBs in my vehicle. Depending on the height of the child and whether the booster is outboard or center may make a difference for how it fit. FF car seat fit (whether harness or HBB) also depends on whether the manufacturer allows there to be space or requires the car seat back to fit against the vehicle seat back completely.

DaniannieB said:

I have the highest level of 08 Impala... the headrests are NOT removable. As far as I could tell when I got it, none of the levels of Impala that year (or surrounding years) have removable (or movable) headrests. Newer versions of the Malibu (slightly smaller than the Impala) DO have movable or removable headrests.

As for the belt fit, if it was getting too close to her neck, almost all GM vehicles have belt guides for the outboard seating positions. They're usually stored along the sides of the seats. I know my Impala has them and the 11 Impala we had as a rental had them, too.

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I"m only relating what happened with us. The Impalas I rented in 2006 & 2008 were much superior cars than the one in 2010. Seats were comfortable. The headrests were moveable (or at the very least, flat where they weren't any issues, I thought removeable, but they could have just been a lot less profile than current trend).
Belts fit everyone. Spacious interior. Trunk was normal sized. We all thought it was a really good car. My dad would have bought one if he had been in the market.

Total opposite of the rental I had in 2010 with a jutting low headrests, massive trunk and cramped interior. (We put 4 saddles and equipment in the trunk with plenty of room left over for groceries.)

As far as belt guides, I didn't have enough experience with GMs to know to look for them. They've never been necessary in the Hondas, Toyotas, & VWs I've owned and rented.

I would own the Impalas I rented in 2006 and 2008, but definitely NOT the 2010- 2011 model (not sure which model year it was) I rented for the summer of 2010. Heck, my back would hate me forever. We didn't do long distance driving and my back still spasmed badly during those 2 weeks.

IF someone else likes the vehicle, that's great. But I know from some others that summer that their experience not being able to install HBB and carseats were similar. I wasn't alone. :shrug-shoulders:

Just chiming in to agree with the others who say the newer Impala models with fixed, angled head restraints do not play nicely with HBBs. We rented a car in FL when the family went with me to the KIM conference this past August. I'm guessing it was an '11 model that we tried. We had our choice of several Impala, Malibu and Camry vehicles. DH chose the Impala - we jumped in and then I had to veto it based on how my 7 year old's HBB fit poorly. We wound up with the Camry (with adjustable, removable head restraints) instead.

I have to chime in about the headrests too. The only HBB that I have been comfortable using is the Oobr because it specifically allows for recline mode. Even on the most upright recline setting, only the headrest comes into contact with the seat back. The vivo is a marginal fit on the lowest setting and the TB was a no go. I haven't tried anything else because DH loves the Oobr and it fits DD so well.

brookity said:

I have to chime in about the headrests too. The only HBB that I have been comfortable using is the Oobr because it specifically allows for recline mode. Even on the most upright recline setting, only the headrest comes into contact with the seat back. The vivo is a marginal fit on the lowest setting and the TB was a no go. I haven't tried anything else because DH loves the Oobr and it fits DD so well.

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Definitely going to keep that in mind, since I'll probably still have my car when DD moves to a booster, though it's light years away!