It's not been the vehicle of choice for the 35-year-old mother of two, but maybe it should. The 24-year-old junior executive might not impress the ladies on Friday night but his boss might see maturity when he picked him up at the airport in the 2008 Chevrolet Impala LTZ rather than a little foreign job. Fashion has a way of repeating itself and the family sized four-door sedan may experience resurgence if Chevrolet continues to build cars this well.

Because of rising gasoline prices, some are reconsidering the values they expected in an SUV and are looking once again at the sedan. In addition to guzzling gasoline the higher profile of an SUV is simply not as safe as a sedan. There is an illusion of safety because the driver has a commanding view of the road, but a tall profile vehicle is simply not as safe as a well build 4-door sedan.

The 2008 Chevrolet Impala LTZ that I drove this week was not a revolutionary vehicle. Rather it's an evolution of a basic design taken to a logical conclusion. It had a spoiler and great looking five-spoked machined wheels shod with 18" performance tires. Handling was superb, thanks to the LTZ suspension, but every time I drove the car, I had to remind myself that it was not a sports car. From the outside it was a sizable vehicle but not too large to park, measuring less than 17 feet long. The chiseled edges looked handsome and modern without breaking any design rules.

Inside the 2008 Chevrolet Impala LTZ was a refreshing environment with everything tastefully crafted. The rich looking woodgrain was not overpowering and you did not find the distracting contrast of materials as on some vehicles. Everything was in it's place and easy to understand. OnStar is standard equipment and can be upgraded to turn-by-turn Navigation. XM radio along with an outstanding sound system provided uninterrupted entertainment and news. The only improvement would have been a little more room in the rear seats.

Large enough for a family yet compact enough to maneuver through traffic; the 2008 Chevrolet Impala LTZ is powered by a 3.9L V-6 engine equipped with standard E85 FlexFuel capability and Active Fuel Management. While Flex Fuel capability may not prove to be as valuable as once hoped, Active Fuel Management is a fuel-saving technology that shuts off half the engine's cylinders when full power is not needed. General Motors believes it can improve fuel economy by up to 12 percent in certain driving situations. Rated at 28 MPG on the highway the Impala blows away SUV mileage and rests almost in the economy car range. Combined with the 5-star front and side crash ratings, the 2008 Chevrolet Impala LTZ is both safe and economical.

The base Impala LS starts out around $22,000 while the 1LT and 2LT packages offer a bit more luxury. The LTZ that I drove offers performance without jumping completely into the ultimate 2008 Impala SS.

I have to admit, the 2008 Chevrolet Impala LTZ makes a lot of sense for a lot of people. It's certainly worth the test drive.