Last updated: 2026-10-10
Chevrolet Impala vs Nissan Maxima: Reliability Compared
Chevrolet Impala
Nissan Maxima
Between the Chevrolet Impala and the Nissan Maxima, the Impala comes out slightly ahead on reliability. It needs fewer shop visits and fewer of its repairs are major. The Maxima has fewer owner complaints per car sold and a slightly lower yearly repair cost, so the gap is small.
How Do the Chevrolet Impala and Nissan Maxima Generations Compare?
Verdict
The Chevrolet Impala is more reliable than the Nissan Maxima, scoring 78/100 vs 76/100.
A slight edge goes to the Chevrolet Impala. It needs fewer unscheduled shop visits, and fewer of its repairs turn out to be major. The Nissan Maxima counters with fewer owner complaints per car sold and a slightly lower yearly repair cost, which keeps the gap small. Both cars sit in good reliability standing, so the choice depends on which problems you can live with, not on a large difference in dependability.
Key Differences
- 1Nissan Maxima costs $28 less per year to repair
- 2Nissan Maxima has 2.6 fewer complaints per 10k sold
- 3Chevrolet Impala scores 2 points higher in reliability
Category Scoreboard
Chevrolet Impala vs Nissan Maxima: Which Is More Reliable?
| Metric | Chevrolet Impala | Nissan Maxima |
|---|---|---|
| Reliability Score | 78/100 | 76/100 |
| Years Tracked | 3 | 6 |
| Total Recalls | 2 | 4 |
| Complaints per 10k Sold | 9.1 | 6.5 |
| Annual Repair Cost | $568/yr | $540/yr |
| Repair Frequency | 0.2/yr | 0.3/yr |
| Major Repair Risk | 13% | 15% |
| Safety RatingNHTSA overall | 2020 NHTSA | 2023 NHTSA |
| Frontal | ||
| Side | ||
| Rollover | ||
| Year Wins | 3 | 0 |
What Are the Common Problems With the Chevrolet Impala and Nissan Maxima?
Crash-linked reports separate these two. Impala owners describe air bags that did not deploy in serious collisions, including a rollover with no warning lights beforehand, and four brake complaints that all end in crashes. Transmissions that slip, shudder and shift hard, and steering that goes heavy, add to the list. Maxima complaints lean toward warnings and driver aids: sudden power loss with many dash lights, a forward collision light that stays on, front radar messages, and trim or glass that breaks loose. None of the Maxima areas are marked crash-linked.
| Component | Chevrolet Impala | Nissan Maxima |
|---|---|---|
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1.9Low | 0.9Very Low |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1.5Low | 0.5Very Low |
| POWER TRAIN | 1.3Low | 0.3Very Low |
| AIR BAGS | 1.1Low | 0.2Very Low |
| STEERING | 1.2Low | —None |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 0.4Very Low | 0.7Very Low |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | —None | 0.5Very Low |
| SUSPENSION | 0.3Very Low | —None |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 0.3Very Low | —None |
| STRUCTURE | —None | 0.3Very Low |
| ENGINE | 0.2Very Low | —None |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | —None | 0.2Very Low |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | —None | 0.2Very Low |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | —None | 0.2Very Low |
Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.
Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Chevrolet Impala or Nissan Maxima?
How Does Chevrolet Impala vs Nissan Maxima Reliability Compare by Year?
| Year | Chevrolet Impala | Nissan Maxima | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 79/1000R / 15C | 74/1001R / 21C | Chevrolet Impala |
| 2019 | 79/1001R / 28C | 76/1001R / 18C | Chevrolet Impala |
| 2018 | 77/1001R / 59C | 72/1002R / 36C | Chevrolet Impala |
Best years to cross-shop: The 2020 Chevrolet Impala scored 79/100 and the 2019 Nissan Maxima scored 76/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.
Who Should Buy the Chevrolet Impala vs the Nissan Maxima?
Chevrolet Impala vs Nissan Maxima: Common Questions
- Is the Chevrolet Impala more reliable than the Nissan Maxima?
- Yes, by a slight margin. The Impala averages 0.2 unscheduled shop visits a year against 0.3 for the Maxima, and 13% of its repairs are major versus 15%. The Maxima has fewer complaints per car sold. Both cars are in good standing, so the difference is small.
- Which has more recalls, the Impala or the Maxima?
- The Maxima has more. Federal recall records show 4 recalls across its 6 model years, while the Impala has 2 across 3 model years. The Maxima covers more years, so check the specific year you want with its VIN.
- Which is cheaper to repair, the Impala or the Maxima?
- The Maxima is cheaper by a small amount. Independent repair-cost data puts it at $540 a year versus $568 for the Impala, roughly $140 over five years. The Impala's lower shop-visit rate narrows that gap in practice.
- Do the Impala or Maxima have crash-linked complaints?
- The Impala does, in several areas. Owners reported air bags that did not deploy in serious collisions and four brake complaints, all tied to crashes. The Maxima's main complaints, such as power loss with warning lights, are not marked crash-linked in this data.
- What goes wrong most often on the Nissan Maxima?
- Brake-related complaints lead, with nine reports. Owners describe the car losing power while driving and lighting up several warnings at once. Next come a forward collision warning light that stays on and a front radar obstruction message that disables adaptive cruise control.
Related Reliability Comparisons
More Chevrolet Impala comparisons
Decided between Chevrolet Impala and Nissan Maxima? Run a VIN check before you buy — uncover hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls.
How we score the Chevrolet Impala and Nissan Maxima
Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.
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