One of the biggest come-from-behind stories of the year involves Chevrolet. The automaker recently had its 2014 Impala post huge gains in the annual Consumer Reports large sedan rankings, jumping up to claim the No. 1 overall spot for the category.
With the honor, the Impala becomes the first domestic car to earn the top spot in 20 years. European or Japanese cars have had a stranglehold on the list for the past two decades, but the Impala's victory could signify a major change within the auto industry.
"The Impala's performance is one more indicator of an emerging domestic renaissance," said Jake Fisher, director of automotive testing for Consumer Reports. "We've seen a number of redesigned American models - including the Chrysler 300, Ford Escape and Fusion, and Jeep Grand Cherokee - deliver world-class performance in our tests."
According to AutoBlog, the Impala has earned praise for its agile handling, high-quality driving performance, easy-to-use features and basic vehicle maintenance. The early buzz for the 2014 sedan even has it competing on the same level as luxury models from Audi and Lexus, which could shake up the industry.