The Toyota-built engines that drive the Prizm include a standard 1.6-liter twin-cam 4-cylinder delivering 105 hp at 5800 rpm and 100 lb.-ft. at 4800 rpm, and an optional 1.8-liter twin-cam delivering 115 hp and 115 lb.-ft. Both engines are phenomenally quiet and smooth, especially when idling. But unfortunately neither engine delivers much of a punch.The ride, on the other hand, is smooth for a car in this class. The 4-wheel independent suspension on our test model managed bumps without spreading the news around.
The struts on the Prizm have been recalibrated to make the already-smooth ride even smoother. Cars fitted with the 1.8-liter engine have a rear stabilizer bar for flatter cornering.
The prizm's brakes are large for a compact (10.04 in. front and rear) and, complete with the optional ABS, provided excellent stopping during our test drive.
Our LSi's electronic 4-speed transmission was smooth, but we're sorry to report it wasn't geared for quick acceleration.
The most overwhelming impression we had after driving our Prizm is that it has such a quiet temperament, it sometimes comes across as a ghost car. With the whispering engine, low interior noise level, unobtrusive acceleration and effortless steering, the Prizm is the automotive equivalent of room-temperature water.
Those people who think of their car as basic transportation will be pleased with the prizm's stoic performance; those folks who prefer a bit of an edge to their driving experience might find this car's ghostly characteristics unsatisfying.
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