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Not Your Father’s Prizm - The 1998 Chevrolet Prizm LSi

Several things can be said about the Chevrolet Prizm series: including the polarizing reactions most buyers have towards their car. The four-cylinder engine is at the heart of the strong emotions, it is powerful for its class and delivers a large amount of torque.

Stop and Go

The restyled Prizm LSi is equipped with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that utilizes 16 valves. The engine is mated to a Borg Warner five-speed transaxle. This has resulted in an increase in horsepower and torque over the 1997 version.

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 LSi 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 $14,714 when new, with a dealer invoice cost of $13,566. This price was in line with the industry average price for a 4-door Sedan.

Fuel Efficiency

For the 1998 Prizm, the fuel configuration is a electronic MPI, using gasoline for fuel. A fuel-injected MFI configuration. The gas tank holds 13.20 gallons.

The 1998 Prizm gets 33 - 37 miles/gallon on the highway and only 28 - 31 in the city. This is below average for a sedan car.

Parting Shots

The 1998 model year was very successful for the Chevrolet Prizm. The introduction of several trim levels (along with the LSi version) meant that buyers could find the version that best suited their needs.