A Dozen Reasons the 1973 Chevrolet Impala Is a Great Value

The fifth-generation (1971-1976) full-size Chevrolet Impala was a spectacular sales success for The General, with nearly a million moved out of showrooms for each model year. The extra-cheap Biscayne got the axe after 1972, leaving just the entry-level Bel Air, the mid-grade Impala, and the high-zoot Caprice as 1973's big Chevy coupes and sedans. Of those, the Impala was likely the best per-dollar deal, and this magazine advertisement shows why.

That said, some of the reasons given for that great Impala value were forced down GM's throat by new federal emissions and safety requirements. These include the door crash beams, flow-through ventilation, 5 mph bumpers and three-point belts with warning light. Still, the Turbo-Hydramatic automatic really was one of the world's finest automatic transmissions at the time, and those full-foam bench seats were at least as comfy as anything in an Oldsmobile.