Comments on: Chevy Prism (US)

By: Usta Bee

Usta Bee — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 23:11:39 +0000

I have a 2002 Prizm with the 3-speed auto. The acceleration is mundane especially going up steep hills. It’s shifts into 3rd gear at 47mph, and by the time you hit 75mph the engine sounds like it’s gonna blow. I couldn’t find a used 5-speed manual one at the time, which how I wound up with mine. I wish the person who ordered mine originally had spent the money for the 4-speed option instead of the sunroof.

The handling on the car sucks. It rides like my dad’s old 1989 Buick Century, floaty and bouncy, and the sway bars are useless.

The Corolla outsold the Prism 5-1, and because of the Chevy name on it you can find a used one for less money than the Toyota version.

By: gottacook

gottacook — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 21:40:02 +0000

I love our 5-speed Prizm. Nine years old (52,000 miles) and can still get 39 mpg on high-speed highway runs with a/c and a full load. At the time, the 5-speed Prizm and its Corolla twin were probably the best combination of fuel economy with decent acceleration, handling, and comfort. Except for the cramped legroom in back, it would still be competitive today. Most of them were 3-speed automatics, and perhaps those are indeed “wretchedly mundane” (the 4-speed auto cost hundreds more and few were sold, I think), but the 5-speed is strong.

Its replacement at the NUMMI facility (since 2003) is the heavier Corolla-based four-door hatchback Pontiac Vibe, whose second generation is even harder to see out of than the first. Enough of these high beltlines!

By: Runfromcheney

Runfromcheney — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 19:50:09 +0000

I must disagree with the Prizm. The Prim is actually one of the best rebadges ever built IMO. For once, GM got a good car. It had Toyota quality design, Toyota quality ergonomics, and Toyota quality quality. In fact, you could swear that Toyota actually developed this car!

And in exchange, over at the land of the rising sun, Toyota opened up the doors of the ferry to unload a shipment of Cavaliers for them to stick their badges on and market to their Japanese customers. I think we can tell who got the short end of the stick in this one.

If you ask me, the Prizm is probably one of the smartest moves GM has ever made.

By: Robert Schwartz

Robert Schwartz — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:52:57 +0000

Are you sure that is a prism? Looks more like an Impala to me.

By: Stingray

Stingray — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:27:50 +0000

First, it’s spelled Prizm.

Second, Isuzu Prism? I’ve never ever heard of this model.

If you mean the Chevy/Geo Spectrum which was the rebadged version of the Isuzu I-Mark (or Gemini in Japan) could be.

And the Isuzu cars were NOT related to the Toyotas. The I-mark was based on the FWD version of GM’s T-body, which underpinned the last european Opel Kadett.

Finally, GM sold the Prizm after I think 1989-90 and up to 1997 as a Geo, which was also a rebadged and sligthly different Toyota Corolla.