Used 2001 Chevrolet Prizm Consumer Reviews
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A very good little car
I bought this for $3000 over the summer to replace a Cavalier. Mileage is great, performance is pretty good considering it only has 125 hp. Put some decent tires on it and cornering is really fun. Stereo is not too shabby either. Only drawbacks that I have encountered are fading paint, the interior plastic around the door frame is peeling (that most have come from the GM part of the joint project), and no center armrest. Besides that you can't beat it. Like everyone else has already said, it's just a Toyota with a Chevy emblem on it. A very easy way to save $2000 vs a Corolla, and even more on gas. This thing is bulletproof with proper maintenance. The perfect city car!
Great vehicle all around!!!
Well its my second one the first Prizm I owned I bought in 97 with 102K miles I finally passed it on to my kid brother in 03 with 230k miles and its still driving today. My 01 Prizm has 255k miles on it and still runs like new, these cars are amazing they don't look like much but they are great. The thing I love the most is with $20 bucks of gas you can run around town all week. They have great power and acceleration,no timing belt, however oil is very important to these cars!
Very good car
I have had this car for 9 years and it is a very reliable commuter car. Does what I need it to do and does it when I need it to do it. Good car. Excellent reliability.
Prizm Cuts Through Clutter
This is a wonderful automobile because I get 42 mpg highway and a little city combined. The seats are a little uncomfortable, but my car has 113000 miles on it and it drives like a brand new car. Would deff recommend to a friend! I guess you could say i'm one of "the 9/10 ppl who would recommend Prizm to a friend". Prizm definitely "cuts through the clutter". In the mid 1990s I was "getting to know Geo" through the Geo Storm. Well, the Geo, or excuse me Chevrolet Prizm has my vote as one of the top cars of 2001. I hope I never smash my car. I am obsessed with Prizm. Prizm is good. I will buy a first generation Prizm (92 and older) second generation (93-97) Prizm also with my 01 Prizm
Need more pep? Clean MAF sensor
This car is a great reliable car, however I noticed some hesitation and loss of hp, so I did some research, and after replacing the air filter and cleaning the Mass Airflow sensor with electronic cleaner, I noticed an increase of pickup. I have 122,000 miles on it, so I guess after all that buildup, it slowed it down.
Wouldn't Encourage Anyone to buy this car
I bought this car used about a year ago, and its been nothing but a headache. I got the car at 141k miles and the ac compressor was shot, fuel pump was shot, struts are bad already, 3 broken door handles already (even if your gentle they're very weak. The worst part is this car burns oil like no tomorrow. The motor has a weak start, i can rely on it to start, but im not sure how far it just might go.. the only really positive thing i can say is that its decent on gas, but its a very tiny car. Im 6 foot and i hate getting in and out of it, it feels like your pressed against the steering wheel. I wouldnt get this car unless your 4 foot 2 and like to put more in oil then you do in gas.SeriouslY
My little car
I bought my prizm in 06 when it was 5 years old. It runs like a champ! The only time it's in the shop is for an oil change or new tires. The only parts giving out are minor and probably due to age. The plastic trim around the windows has become brittle, the door handles on the drivers side have both snapped, cruise control has stopped working and the drivers side window motors have worn out. Low and medium air conditioner are out, but it still cranks cold on high and the heater works great. I've been teasing with the idea of a new car because of the great deals available, but my little car is still driving great and I'm not ready to give it up! I think I'll invest in it instead!
My 2001 Prizm experience
Overall a good car with a variety of small faults: 1-upholstery gets holes from cigarette ash too easily. 2-headliner becoming unglued front/back windows. 3-rear cup holder flimsy. 4-dash light between tach/speedometer out very expensive dashboard dis-assembly to replace. 5-all dash lighting is terrible*too faint/hard to read. 6-center storage box*awkward to use. 7-window mechanism: driver's replaced* passenger's sticks [slam door]to un-stick?! 8-interior plastic strip above left rear door slowly shredding pieces. 9-Dashboard arrangement is poor, e.g., have to look to operate radio selections. 10-rear wiper a +. 11-bumper paint if 'touched' flakes off to reveal black undercoat.
Not as good as they used to be
I bought this car because I have a '97 Prizm that I have really liked and been impressed with. While most aspects of the '01 model are better, the reliability has decreased in my opinion. I've had multiple problems with it within the first 6 months of ownership- most of them fairly minor, but a couple fairly expensive. The dealer replaced several sensors under warranty, but several other things have gone wrong since the warranty expired. Most alarmingly, the engine seems to be burning a lot of oil (about 1 quart every 1000 miles), especially considering that it only has 63,000 miles on it. If only was as reliable as my bullet-proof '97 Prizm.
Good city car, some disappointments
I have a '97 Prizm that I really like, so I bought an '01 Prizm for my wife. Personally, I think they started to cheap out the newer models. My '97 with 112,000 miles on it feels, looks and drives better than my wife's 01 (with 62,000 miles), not to mention being more reliable. Since I got the '01, I've had to put in new MAF and O2 sensors and had vibration issues with the tires. Now the charcoal canister has gone out for another $385. I've been very disappointed after my great experience with the '97. In all fairness to GM/Toyota, it seems like the previous owner really beat up on the car, which may explain some of the repair issues.
My little Prizm
Not a bad car for the price... its zippy, handles well and its good on gas. In over a year, no real problems, the biggest one was that I needed to replace two bulbs. It runs and handles well all year long.
Excellent & reliable car * low cost ownership
Exterior in good condition * paint is starting to thin out * interior has minor problems esp with interior plastic trim above windows * not available * Cup holders weak as are the plastic door knobs * 2 lights on console out * expensive to replace * I use it for short trips * performs well * overall Prizm is a low cost car to own 96,000 easy miles... I'm 87 years old so I find entering / exiting Prizm requires physical yoga. Designers were remiss when it came to the "soft" parts like upholstery / plastic / headliner / etc. Dome light on / off for years warranty guys couldn't ensure its operation.
- Safety
- Technology
- Performance
- Interior
- Comfort
- Reliability
- Value
Mom's Car
I bought my Prizm in 2002 with 33,000 on it. Engine light came on once while under warranty. Regular maintenance. Other than some new tires and a couple of brake jobs, no great expense (knock on wood). I drive 22 round trip to work and have driven to DC and back to MA twice a year for past four years. Handles great on the highway and off. Great car.
weak econobox
Base model with a few options. Looking for Totota reliability, but used car dealer can't seem to fix horn/cruise control issue (they don't work, and need a new relay). Low seating. Checked oil after 1 month, 3.5 quarts low! Yikes, that doesn't leave much. After filling oil, a month later it needs 1.5 quarts. Another reviewer noted his mother ran her Prizm 3 times with no oil; maybe because it burns. Someone else said it burns oil at highway speed. Could be. I don't see any drips in the garage. 3- speed auto stinks on the highway, car really doesn't like going over 60. Engine is making lifter noises. If engine holds up, this will be good around-town econobox for my HS kid.
Tim's
I have about 21,000 miles on this vehicle and it still drives like it was brand new. Have had absolutely no problems; not so much as a hick-up. Only wish that I had purchased a 4 speed automatic instead of 3 speed. Overall, I am very satisfied.
OK car
I had a 95 Geo Prizm and was very pleased with it and got and 2001 because the 95 was totaled. The 2001 is alot smaller and was cheaper than the corolla. This is a 1 person car and is really meant for city use.
ratings
I love driving it, but the insurance is high
reliable little car
Car was real good around town until I went on 1300 mile trip. It is too small for trips and wind was trying to toss it into the ditch. It had little pickup on mountain roads. Good for around town. Needs armrest and better cupholder position. I have had alignment issues too.
Perky, peppy, but small vehicle.
This is a good little car especially around town. Great gas mileage combined (30+). People are squeezed into the back seat. The head and leg room for driver is adequite even with moonroof. Trunk is good for groceries but not much else.
Great Used Car
I bought this car after 2 Brothers of mine have previously owned Prizms. I bought it because it is a Toyota Corolla that is 2 grand cheaper. Same engine, and basically the same car. I bought my Prizm with 34,000 miles on it, and 10,000 miles later I haven't had a single problem. Its a great car.
Peppy, gas sipper, too small for a 6 er
This is a little too small for my 6 foot frame, but the fuel economeny is amazing. I am driving this car as a loaner as my 2000 Dodge Neon is in the shop (again and again). When I got this car the fuel light was on so I put in $3 of gas. (What I would burn in the Neon in 2 days). It filled the car to over 1/4 tank and it's still at 1/4 after a full day.
The Lil Car that could
This car was originally bought for my mom, and shes an older lady so she doesnt know too much about car maintenance. The engine in this car has ran 3 times with no oil AT ALL, i know it sounds impossible but its true. And i just did her tune up because her last one was at 60k miles.. the car is at 80k now. The engine in this car is extremely fuel efficient and reliable. This is an excellent first car.
Very good first car
I've only had this car for about a year, and it was my first car. and I think for it being my first, I did pretty darn good. It's good on gas, and very easy to drive. The headlights turn themselves on at night, then off when the car is turned off, so I never have to worry about forgetting and leaving them on. The only annoying thing I can think of is that it doesn't always accelerate as fast as I want it to. Overall, a great, cheap, reliable car.
Good car/Great Value
Good car, very good value. I bought this car because its a Toyota for less money. The chevy dealer gave me a good price and when you compare the price to the Toyota corrolla its a great value. I have had the car for 1.5 years and 26,000 miles and NO TROUBLE SO FAR. I dont expect any - I expect the same good reliability that you get in a toyota corrolla. But I didnt have to pay the extra dollars for it. The LSI features gives the car the little added touch and I think its well worth the extra cost for that package. I am very pleased with this car.
Great Little Sedan
This is a great family car, with enough room for Mom, Dad, and a couple of kids. Came with front dual airbags and there are rear seatbelts with shoulder straps and a special hook-up for an infant carseat. Makes me feel pretty safe. There is plenty of leg room for the average person and a good size trunk for lots of stuff. I find that the car handles very well and is fun to drive on the highway. It has real good pick-up. I like this car and friends that have driven my car have loved it too!!
Reliable and Practical
I did lots of research before I bought this car, and it paid off. As many probably know, it's basically a Corolla with a Chevy emblem slapped on it -it has the same great reliability as a Toyota but is significantly cheaper. I own the 5-spd manual, which accelerates reasonably well and gets good gas mileage. There have been no problems with this vehicle. All I've had to do was regular maintenance. This is a basic economy car, so if you're looking for excitement and luxury, look elsewhere. That said, it is a reasonably comfortable ride, but the back is lacking leg space. I would highly recommend getting the manual transmission if you want improved gas mileage and quicker acceleration.
Great Little Car
Solid transportation, great in snow. A much better deal than its Toyota twin!
My Prizm
I have had my car for seven years and only have had to replace one sensor and that was last week. I have kept up the maintenance regularly and just replaced the front brake pads last month. I drive it almost only in town and have 46K miles on it. Overall, it has been a good reliable car.
My first car
The car is adequate. It doesn't have a lot of kick when you accelerate...a lot of cabin noise. The gas mileage is great!
Prizm Review
The Prizm is an excellent value for someone in the market for a small used car. My Prizm has been extremely reliable in the year that I have owned it. The 3-speed transmission sounds like it's laboring at speeds above 55 mph(good around town however). 4-speed would be much better I think. There is decent acceleration for a small car. Back seat is cramped - a friend got in and almost couldn't get back out. Overall, I'm pretty happy with my car. Paid $5999 for a loaded '01 over a year ago - can't beat the price for the quality of the car.
Bad Luck
I have had the worst luck with this car. Three months after I bought it, it began to stall out when I would start it after not driving it for awhile. (The mass airflow sensor was faulty.) On a road trip my timing belt snapped resulting in needing to totally replace the engine. The most recent thing to go wrong with this car is that the hood latch was faulty resulting in my hood being bent beyond a cheap repair. (Had to replace the hood, both quarter panels, paint them and finally replace the hood latch.) Everything that has gone wrong with this car was an expensive fix. The other issue I have with this car is it gets less than 30 mpg highway.
Good looking and GREAT gas mileage
Its a great lil car with good features, but make sure you have handbook or else you can't fix clock. Gas mileage right now is 36m/gal, the dealership said it might get 29m/gal. With gas prices right now this is its best feature.
Great little car
I just recently bought my prizm from a dealership after spending months looking at corolla's. i couldnt believe the fact that they are the exact same car. the only thing i wish it had was a center armrest console. but it drives great, gets great gas mileage and was priced to sell so im more than happy!
Good Value
I bought my 2001 Prism in 2006. It is very reliable. I am the 3rd owner. I bought the car with only 11,900 miles. Now I have 25K (2008). So far, replaced the battery, motor in the power window (drivers side), front brakes & recently all 4 tires (which were org). Considering the vechicle is 7 years old, so far so good. I bought the Prism since it's the Toyota Corolla. I intend to keep my Prism for many years to come.
Shift Lover
The reason I traded my 2002 Impala in was that my wife and I were done travelling. We just needed economical, reliable city transportation. The Prizm is exactly what we needed except now wish I had a manual transmission.
Great car
I have owned my 2001 Prizm for almost four months and all I can say is it has been a great car so far. I drive it every day, 20 miles to school, about the same to work, 7 days a week and it has been very reliable. The fuel economy is the best. I also love the 5 speed manual transmission in mine. It maneuvers nicely and is just the right size for a single college student girl IMO. I recently totaled my Prizm, but bought it back because I love it. I have to say that the quality of the manufacturing is excellent. My prizm was rammed into the side by a mini van and the only damage was cosmetic. Neither frame nor engine were affected at all. The car keeps on ticking! Great car IMO!
Good Car
I bought this car for only $2,600 at a reputable local dealership. It's not new, the check engine light is on, but it runs/drives good. However, it seems to be getting poor gas mileage, and I still have to figure out why (has gone through almost 1/2 a tank of gas while only having gone 130 miles). I do mostly highway driving so this was quite surprising as I was expecting the rated 30 MPG city/40 MPG hwy as it has the 4-speed auto. I was impressed with the near-perfect reliability rating from consumer reports for this year/model. The only problem I've had besides fuel economy is that when the A/C is running the engine sometimes idles erratically, not sure why.
A great bet
Although not the most stylish or fast, this is truly a reliable car. First one that I bought and owned, I haven't had a major problem after 60,000 miles of driving. The only problems were a burnt out light bulb in the dash, and a little leaking brake fluid now that my brakes are getting to the point of needing replacement. It handles fairly well in the snow with the cooper tires on it. The side air bags give it a good safety rating, and the overdrive on the Lsi means great gas mileage. I know there's a Chevy emblem on the front but there's "Toyota Corolla" printed on the gas cap ;) It's just a good, solid car.
great car to buy used
I bought this car new for about 16000 and got exactly what I expected, decent pick-up for an economy car and reliability. I would probably not buy it again unless it was used. These cars depreciate faster than the corolla. A used Prizm would be an excellent first car. Much better choice than a used civic, which will cost more.
Excellet Buy
I bought this car a month before heading off for college. It was practical purchase: not a Celica, but no POS either. I have been extremely happy with the car.
Super Car!
My Prism looks just like the one shown on the web site. It is an excellent auto. Love the mileage. Comfortable, quite, peppy, crisp handling, low maintenance. What more could you ask for?
My Chevota AT, 1.8
I got this car a few months ago. I deliver pizzas in it right now, have had no probs so far with almost putting 10k miles on it. It has 146k miles on it. I think it could be a little more peppy, but am happy with it as it is. Changed plugs 2 days ago, kinda hesitates a bit now, i think it needs time to adjust itself.
Great Value
This is a great car for reliability and fuel economy. We have had no problems with it and have only changed the oil on a regular basis. It's not a fancy car but for pure value its a great great car.
My Third Prizm and NOT a Charm!
This is my third Prizm and it has had alignment problems from the work go. I have spent more on alignments and tire replacements for this car than the other two Prizms combined. Between the repairs and the depreciation, it is hardly worth keeping. It is good in bad weather; snow, sleet, etc.
Not the sportiest car on the block...
...but it's definitely not a bad bargain. I was looking for a used car that would be reliable but still within my budget and I found this at an auction for cheap. With the Prizm line now discontinued, I'll bet auto dealers are eager to get rid of them. If you get the LSi type you'll get cruise, power windows, and CD with a better than expected set of speakers, and it's still about $3000 less than a comparable Corolla. It won't have the same resale value, but that's the trade off. I'm about 5'11 and have no problems with the front seating, but leg-room in back is non-existant. Really wish it had more power. Perfect for those who want a small sedan but can live without something flashy.
2001 Prism 4 DR Sedan
I bought this used for my wife - was upside down in her trade-in but dealer worked a very good deal - same as a Corolla but cheaper. Was a program car. Not very comfortable for long trips, but good for trips around town. Performance is as expected with an engine this size. Have had one alignment with no further problems - has been trouble-free since purchase!!
Great Deal
We have had no trouble with this car. It was a one-owner lease, bought by the dealer for sale. The price was quite competitive. We are very pleased with all aspects of the car.
Best Used Car Value around
I researched used cars for quite some time and this is easily the best deal for under $6K. We got an '01 with 31000 miles and still 5 more months of warranty for 6K out the door. The acceleration is sufficient and the mileage wonderful. A comparable Corolla would be 10K. Just can't beat this car value.
Nice family car
Haven't had any real problems. I have had my car for three years and the only thing I have had to do is oil changes and get new tires. Although my check engine light is on (not sure why) I bought my car with only 36,000miles on it and am just getting ready to do a tune up on it. Reliable car.
Prizm is a Great Value
I bought my Prizm in Nov of 2001. I really have enjoyed this car a lot. It has given me excellent fuel economy and the handling has been very good. I have had no mechanical problems of any kind. As far a dependable transportation goes this car is it. Period!!