Overview & Reviews

User Reviews:

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  Good Ol reliable! - 2000 Chevrolet Prizm
  By beanz3 - May 7 - 2:22 pm

  Ive had my prizm for 13 years now. I have no trouble with it eating oil, as others have stated. The inner handles do break, however they are very easily replaced (under 5 minutes each) and if ordered online, very inexpensive (look for toyota corolla). Outer door handles break as well, the front ones arent horribly difficult to replace. After 13 years, it is now starting to act up and trying to stall if it hasnt been driven in a few days, but after warming up runs just fine. No problem with AC or heater. My cd player did stop working however.

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  Oil Eating Monster - 2002 Chevrolet Prizm
  By josiewhales - March 28 - 11:28 am

  Believe that comment about using a qt. of oil every 100 miles, its true @ 120+ K mi. And with that, the mpg is only 20 mpg avg. May be OK for low mileage but Prizm engine is not long lasting .I put new seals and rings in, still burns oil and bad mpg. Cant see smoke unless you hold throttle 3/4 down for 6-10 seconds. ( This is a must before buying ! ) Do not buy with over 100 K. It may look like a Corolla, but engine doesnt last like one. I got robbed. Wouldnt recommend Prizm.

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  My little Prizm - 1998 Chevrolet Prizm
  By booter2009 - September 11 - 3:35 am

  my Little prizm is great. Have never had any trouble with it beside that i had a little bit of arching in the main battery terminal. I bought it with about 140000 last year. This year i have just under 180000. The owner said that everything was original beside the Cads. It is just no in need of a throw out bearing for the transmission. Still a fun little car and cant wait to get it to 300000.

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  Great around-town car - 2000 Chevrolet Prizm
  By 4hudsons - July 17 - 6:43 am

  The Prism is a great around town car, but NOT for traveling. I have 260,000 miles on my manual shift and lost 4th gear last September and I am still getting over 34 miles to the gallon. The throwout bearing went bad at about 220,000 miles and we went ahead and rebuilt the motor since it was out and was losing compression. It runs like a new one except for the pesky 4th gear. The interior is very cheap and the door handles break easily. We bought this car new with only 11 miles on it, 8 we put on during the test drive. The car is great for around town and short trips less than 2 hours but uncomfortable on any further distance, especially in the back seat. The suspension is very cheap.

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  love my prism - 1998 Chevrolet Prizm
  By flamingoes - December 17 - 12:26 am

  I love my little prism. This was the first car I bought in 2002 with 59,000 miles on it. I have not had too many problems. Like most ppl on here i have replaced all my door handles inside and out, ac, the clear coat has chipped, and i have replaced some front end parts. Other than this my prism currently has 261,000! i keep thinking its almost done and it keeps me moving... never has she left me stranded and just when i think of getting a new one i think of all the fun i have had in her... havent been able to part yet... i would definitely recommend this car!

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  Good Car Until it Burns Oil Like Crazy - 2002 Chevrolet Prizm
  By greatambitions - November 29 - 1:17 am

  Let me start by saying this car has been reliable for most of its life. I bought it at 77,000 miles, and its still running at 191,000+. It is by no means a flashy vehicle, but when the engine ran at peak efficiency, it got close to 40 MPG and ran smoothly. But, at about the 130,000 mark, it started burning oil (1 quart every 1,000 miles or so). 60,000 miles later, it burns through about 1 quart every 50 miles. Further research via Google has shown that this is a common problem for the 2002 Prizms, and is related to narrow cylinders and bad seals. Keep this in mind if buying a Prizm from this final year of production. Youll be investing in lots of oil when it reaches a high mileage point.

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  Best car I have ever owned - 1999 Chevrolet Prizm
  By pteixeira - September 29 - 8:09 am

  I bought this car new, ordered it in fact, down to every feature. It was my very first new car. Fast forward 12 years and my baby has 120,000 miles on her and has never let me down. Ever. I replaced the tires a few times, the compressor on the air conditioner and a few minor things, but this car has never left me stranded at the roadside. I still get 35-40mpg. I will drive this car till the wheels fall off. I expect to put on another 100,000 easily.

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  Lemon of the Market - 2000 Chevrolet Prizm
  By chevy45 - June 16 - 4:31 pm

  This is the first car I have owned and I regret buying it. I bought it with 80K miles on it. The AC never worked, and in the summer in Florida its torture. The check engine light never turns off and the selt belt light never comes on. Muffler fell off the first week I drove it and the car sometimes stalls when I attempt to accelerate (veryy dangerous when pulling out in front of traffic). EATS OIL like crazy. Interior cheaply built & cup holder is in the way of the radio. AC is too expensive to fix. NOT reliable

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  My Grandma gifted me her 98 Prizm - 1998 Chevrolet Prizm
  By smac3 - April 23 - 1:50 am

  And its easily the best car Ive ever owned. It has just under 60,000 miles on it, and based on most of these reviews on here, Ive a long way to go before I experience any of the more serious (but routine) issues. Im looking forward to owning this car a very long time. And the gas mileage, MY GOD! Its phenomenal!

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  Great Little Car - 1998 Chevrolet Prizm
  By prizm4life - April 10 - 8:14 pm

  I purchased my 98 Prizm LSI used in August of 1999. It was probably the best car purchase I ever made. It now has 102,000 miles on it and has never let me down. Ive replaced a couple of door handles and some front suspension parts due to wear, but nothing out of the ordinary. I replaced the headliner but the rest of the interior still looks great. Chevy/Toyota really got it right on this one. I plan to continue driving it for a long time.