Chevrolet has a habit of affixing classic names to not-so-classic cars. The Malibu was a perfectly good muscle coupe right until Chevy took out the muscle and took out the coupe, and the Nova made a fine Nova before it became a Corolla. But old names die hard, and many faces still light up with glee when they hear I have an Impala SS. Only after I answer the question "is it still rear-wheel-drive?" do those smiles turn upside-down.From what I can tell, we're stuck with about half a population that has an accurate idea of what the heck the Impala is. Well, children, your parents probably remember it as a gas-guzzling giant born in the Elvis era that stuck around right until Reagan's second term. Your older brother will think of a gas-guzzling giant made in small quantities between 1994-1996 whose Corvette-sourced V8 could burn the back tires to kingdom come. The Impala from 2000 onwards, though, seemed to represent the car's retirement: a switch to a V6-powered, front-wheel-drive, sensation-free lifestyle practiced by its new genetic family, which incidentally included an Oldsmobile and a couple of Buicks.This Impala is a continuation of that one, but Chevy is doing what it can to restore the faith. A full-body makeover, an overhaul of the seats and controls, more advanced airbags, and major upgrades to every engine certainly help its respect quotient.