Big changes in an important model always make auto executives more nervous than a bunch of cats in a rocking chair showroom.

But Chevy officials needn't worry. The verdict is already in. Auto journalists are almost unanimous in declaring the all-new 2006 Chevy Impala a major improvement over the already respected model it replaces. And wonder of wonders, in its SS form, the Impala gets the first V-8 it's had in years, and performs so well that it outdoes just about all comers in the domestic field -- including the vaunted Chrysler 300C.

	General Motors
	Chevy's new HHR is designed with styling cues from the 1949 Chevrolet Suburban.

For starters, Chevy stylists went with a design that's different enough to be fresh but not so much so that it risks turning off loyal buyers. The front end is low profile with contemporary "jeweled" headlamps and the new trademark Chevy grille that is divided in two horizontal halves.

Standard equipment is lavish, including side curtain air bags and dual-stage air bags. There's extensive use of high strength steel, and the safety cage of the car has been strengthened as well. Anti-lock brakes are standard on the 3LT, LTZ and SS models, and traction control also is standard.

The hit of the lineup, I suspect will be the SS, which finally gets performance worthy of its historic name. It's equipped with a 303 horsepower, 5.3 liter V-8 that is all new, and can rocket the sedan to 60 in 5.7 seconds. Yet it still gets 18/28 miles per gallon.

What really surprised me when I drove the SS was how much better it was in terms of handling and steering than a car that I'd always thought of as the gold standard -- the Chrysler 300C. The steering felt responsive, stable and sure-footed with the Impala, while the Chrysler seemed to have a system that was over-assisted and skittish.

	Writers have been almost unanimous in declaring the new Chevy Impala a major improvement over the already respected model it replaces.

A caveat is in order here -- the Impala does not compete against the Chrysler 300C, which belongs in a more upscale bracket. The 300C has a more attractive, contemporary interior, which looks classier.

Not that the Impala's interior is anything to sneeze at. It's just that it's not showy. But it is a big improvement over previous designs with more room, more style, better use of color and contrast, and an upgrade from previous GM models. The tolerances are tighter than ever, not a single gap could be found, and the cushions are both substantial and comfortable. GM has these important items down pat now.

This is one of the quietest cars you'll ever drive, particularly in this price class. I honestly could not hear the engine running while on the highway, and couldn't even hear it at stops either. Ride and handling are just as top notch as ever in this car. Clearly, Chevy's kept the good stuff from the previous generation and improved the rest.

The Impala will come in four varieties. There's the LS, equipped with a 3.5 liter V6 that starts at $21,990, an LT equipped with an all-new 3.5 liter V-6 (21/31 mpg) that begins at $22,520, an LTZ with an all-new 3.9 liter, 240 h hoursepower V-6 (19/27 mpg) that starts at $27,530, and the SS, which begins at $27,790. All of them come with a version of GM's familiar four-speed automatic, and that's one of the few things that gives me a pause about the Impala. Most manufacturers have long since gone to five and six speed automatics -- some seven speeds -- and gotten a great deal more efficiency and economy in the bargain. GM needs to catch up on this score.

Impala's not the only news with Chevy this year. Have you seen the new HHR? It's a multipurpose, front-wheel drive sedan with a flexible interior that can be deployed in a huge variety of ways.

It's a retro-flavored design that is supposed to remind you of a 1949 Chevy Suburban. It's cute, fun to drive, and comes equipped with a 2.4 liter, 172 horsepower four. It's built on the estimable Cobalt platform, and given how well that car performs, I'm expecting big things out of Chevy's new baby. The base engine is a 143 horsepower, 2.2 liter four.

The prices are even more hard to beat. They start at $15,900 to $18,790.

Believe it or not, I'm not done yet with all the good news.

For the hot foots among you, put the new 2006 Chevy Corvette Z06 on your list of "must sees" this year. For $65,800, you get one of the fastest cars on earth, equipped with a 505 horsepower V-8 that zooms you to 60 in 3.7 seconds, with a top speed of more than 190 miles per hour. You'll get all the goodies, too, to back up your motorized bravura. Try fiberglass springs, dry sump lubrication, titanium intake valves and connecting rods, and get this: forged aluminum pistons.

Chevy knows that the SS name has meant a lot to car buffs, and it's bringing the name back on a whole range of models. In addition to the aforementioned Impala SS, there's the Chevy TrailBlazer SS, with a 6 liter, 395 horsepower V-8 at prices ranging from $33,600 to $39,200; a Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx SS with a 240 horsepower, 3.9 liter V-8 and prices from $24,375 to $24,600; and a new Chevy Cobalt SS Coupe and Sedan without the supercharger that has prices starting at $18,79.

And good news for those of you who don't drive a stick -- you can get the Cobalts, and all of the SS products with an automatic.