Is the Toyota Avalon more reliable than the Chevrolet Impala?

No, the Impala has a slight edge. It has fewer owner complaints per 10,000 sold (9.1 versus 11.9), fewer recalls, and fewer unscheduled shop visits. Both sit at a good standing, and the chance of a major repair is 13% for each. The Avalon is cheaper to keep running.

Which has more recalls, the Avalon or the Impala?

The Avalon has more. Federal recall records show 11 recalls across its five model years from 2018 to 2022. The Impala has 2 across its three model years from 2018 to 2020. The Avalon covers more years, but its count is still much higher.

Which is cheaper to repair, the Avalon or the Impala?

The Avalon is cheaper. Independent repair-cost data puts it at $463 a year against $568 for the Impala. Over five years that is roughly $525 saved. The Impala does visit the shop less often, at 0.2 unscheduled visits a year versus 0.4.

What transmission problems does the Chevrolet Impala have?

Owners report slipping, shuddering, skipped gears and hard shifts, mostly in the lower gears. Some cars buck in stop-and-go traffic or will not accelerate at speed. Failures clustered between about 65,000 and 98,000 miles. Dealers often decide the whole transmission needs replacing, with bills in the thousands.

What is the Toyota Avalon fuel pump complaint?

Owners describe the engine nearly stalling for a few seconds, mostly under acceleration, then recovering with no warning light. One owner links it to the fuel pump. Other filings say dealers lacked the replacement part for months. A sudden loss of power in heavy traffic is a real hazard.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Chevrolet Impala vs Toyota Avalon: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Chevrolet Impala

Good

Toyota Avalon

Good

Slightly ahead on reliability, the Chevrolet Impala has fewer recalls and fewer complaints per car sold than the Toyota Avalon. Avalon repairs cost less. The gap is small, and the Impala's crash-linked brake complaints are a reason to inspect any used car closely before you buy.

How Do the Chevrolet Impala and Toyota Avalon Generations Compare?

The weakest Avalon years in the data, 2019 and 2020, were the first two years of the fifth generation, which started in 2019 and received a final refresh in 2022. Model year 2018 was the last year of the fourth generation, which began in 2013 and was refreshed in 2016. For the Impala, 2018 through 2020 all fall inside the tenth generation, which began in 2014. No redesign separates those years, and 2020 is the last model year in the data.

Verdict

The Chevrolet Impala is more reliable than the Toyota Avalon, scoring 78/100 vs 75/100.

A slight edge goes to the Chevrolet Impala. It draws fewer owner complaints per car sold, has far fewer recalls, and sends owners to the shop for unscheduled repairs less often. Each car holds a good standing, and the chance that a repair turns major is the same for both. The Toyota Avalon claws back some ground with lower yearly repair costs. The margin is narrow, so the condition and history of the specific car matter more than the badge.

Key Differences

1Toyota Avalon costs $105 less per year to repair
2Chevrolet Impala has 9 fewer total recalls
3Chevrolet Impala scores 3 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

4Chevrolet Impala

—

1Toyota Avalon

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair RiskSafety Rating

Chevrolet Impala vs Toyota Avalon: Which Is More Reliable?

Chevrolet Impala vs Toyota Avalon at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Chevrolet Impala	Toyota Avalon
Reliability Score	78/100	75/100
Years Tracked	3	5
Total Recalls	2	11
Complaints per 10k Sold	9.1	11.9
Annual Repair Cost	$568/yr	$463/yr
Repair Frequency	0.2/yr	0.4/yr
Major Repair Risk	13%	13%
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2020 NHTSA	2022 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	2 (1 tied)	0 (1 tied)

What Are the Common Problems With the Chevrolet Impala and Toyota Avalon?

Fuel and driver-assist faults set the Avalon apart: the engine nearly stalls for a few seconds under acceleration with no warning light, and blind spot and telematics faults keep returning, along with jerky low-speed shifting. Impala owners instead report transmissions that slip, shudder and skip gears, and steering that goes heavy as if the assist dropped out. All four Impala service brake complaints are crash-linked, and the Avalon has no brake area in its top problems. The Avalon has crash-linked fuel and speed control reports, including unintended acceleration. Air bags failing to deploy show up on both.

Chevrolet Impala vs Toyota Avalon common problem areas comparison
Component	Chevrolet Impala	Toyota Avalon
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	1.9Low	1.1Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	1.5Low	1.4Low
AIR BAGS	1.1Low	1.5Low
POWER TRAIN	1.3Low	0.8Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	—None	2.1Low
STEERING	1.2Low	0.4Very Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	0.3Very Low	0.3Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	—None	0.6Very Low
SUSPENSION	0.3Very Low	0.2Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.4Very Low	—None
ENGINE	0.2Very Low	0.2Very Low
FUEL SYSTEM	—None	0.4Very Low
TIRES	—None	0.2Very Low
LANE DEPARTURE	—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 Toyota Avalon?

Repairs cost $105 less per year on the Avalon, at an estimated $463 against $568 for the Impala. Over five years that is about $525. The Impala makes up some ground in frequency, averaging 0.2 unscheduled shop visits a year, half the Avalon's 0.4. When a repair does come, the chance it is major is 13% for both cars. An Impala transmission replacement, though, can run into the thousands.

How Does Chevrolet Impala vs Toyota Avalon Reliability Compare by Year?

Chevrolet Impala vs Toyota Avalon year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Chevrolet Impala	Toyota Avalon	Edge
2020	79/1000R / 15C	75/1003R / 10C	Chevrolet Impala
2019	79/1001R / 28C	69/1004R / 68C	Chevrolet Impala
2018	77/1001R / 59C	77/1002R / 24C	Tie

Best years to cross-shop: The 2020 Chevrolet Impala scored 79/100 and the 2018 Toyota Avalon scored 77/100 — 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 Toyota Avalon?

Pick the Impala if you want the car that visits the shop less and has the cleaner recall record. Target the 2020 model year, which ranks among its strongest, and treat 2018 with caution because it ranks among the weakest. If the car has 65,000 miles or more, ask for transmission service history, since failures clustered between about 65,000 and 98,000 miles. Test the brakes and steering assist on the drive. Pick the Avalon if lower repair bills matter most to you. Aim for 2022 or 2018, the strongest years, and avoid 2019 and 2020, the weakest. Ask whether the fuel pump has been replaced, since some owners waited months for the part. Check that the blind spot monitor and telematics module work without warning messages. Test low-speed shifting in stop-and-go traffic, where owners reported harsh, jerky behavior.

Chevrolet Impala vs Toyota Avalon: Common Questions

Is the Toyota Avalon more reliable than the Chevrolet Impala?: No, the Impala has a slight edge. It has fewer owner complaints per 10,000 sold (9.1 versus 11.9), fewer recalls, and fewer unscheduled shop visits. Both sit at a good standing, and the chance of a major repair is 13% for each. The Avalon is cheaper to keep running.
Which has more recalls, the Avalon or the Impala?: The Avalon has more. Federal recall records show 11 recalls across its five model years from 2018 to 2022. The Impala has 2 across its three model years from 2018 to 2020. The Avalon covers more years, but its count is still much higher.
Which is cheaper to repair, the Avalon or the Impala?: The Avalon is cheaper. Independent repair-cost data puts it at $463 a year against $568 for the Impala. Over five years that is roughly $525 saved. The Impala does visit the shop less often, at 0.2 unscheduled visits a year versus 0.4.
What transmission problems does the Chevrolet Impala have?: Owners report slipping, shuddering, skipped gears and hard shifts, mostly in the lower gears. Some cars buck in stop-and-go traffic or will not accelerate at speed. Failures clustered between about 65,000 and 98,000 miles. Dealers often decide the whole transmission needs replacing, with bills in the thousands.
What is the Toyota Avalon fuel pump complaint?: Owners describe the engine nearly stalling for a few seconds, mostly under acceleration, then recovering with no warning light. One owner links it to the fuel pump. Other filings say dealers lacked the replacement part for months. A sudden loss of power in heavy traffic is a real hazard.

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How we score the Chevrolet Impala and Toyota Avalon

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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