Add

Car of the Year for 2002: The Chevrolet Prizm Base

The 2002 Prizm is an important vehicle to Chevrolet for the sedan market segment. The Base is a member of a series of two trim levels for the Prizm which include Base and LSi. The four-door car with its front-wheel drive is positioned to aggressively fill this niche for Chevrolet. There is strong competition from vehicles from Honda.

2002 Chevrolet Prizm Base Specs

The Prizm Base is equipped with a Toyota 1.8 liter four-cylinder engine that utilizes 16 valves. The engine is mated to a Borg Warner 5-speed Transaxle. This configuration has proven to be a successful design for Chevrolet.

The 2002 Prizm’s standard fuel system runs on gas. The fuel is regulated electronically, with a fuel-injected MFI style of design. The fuel capacity of the car is 13.20 gallons.

The front brakes are disc while the rear brakes are drum. Steering is handled through a power-steering rack-style configuration. The Prizm uses power-assisted brakes, with Non-ABS support. Load balancing is provided by coil front springs and coil in the rear.

Statistics

The dimensions of the Prizm Base are 66.70 inches wide by 174.20 inches long. It sits 53.70 inches off the ground. It seats a standard five passengers, with 4 doors. The wheelbase of 97.00 allows for extra leg room for the rear passengers.

The original manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) was $16,395 when new, with a dealer invoice cost of $15,116. This price was in line with the industry average price for a 4-door Sedan.

There is a 36,000 mile, 36 month warranty with this vehicle, including a powertrain warranty of 36,000/36 miles/months. This is normal for this price range.

Fuel Efficiency

The Prizm Base received a miles-per-gallon rating of 29 - 32 in-city driving and 33 - 41 when it came to highway driving. Being a gas-powered non-hybrid car, this was within normal parameters.

What We Think of the Chevrolet Prizm

The 2001 model began the promise of the Chevrolet Prizm. The 2002 expanded on this success and has proven to be a strong seller in most markets. Even with strong competition from other manufacturers Chevrolet hopes that the Prizm Base will continue to be a profitable vehicle.