Building affordable yet attractive compact cars has often been a struggle for American automakers. As a result, the popular Japanese dog tags have done well, and the US. uu. consumers are familiar with its reputation for quality and reliability. So Dodge took a different tack when it introduced the front-wheel drive Dodge Neon sedan and coupe (along with the identical Plymouth Neon) for the 1995 model year: The company made driving fun. The suspension and steering were carefully tuned so that the car handled corners well, and a couple of engines were available, including a 140hp DOHC four-cylinder, plenty of power for a budget car at the time. Of course, it didn’t hurt that neon was cute as a bug and cheaper than most of its peers, either. it quickly became popular with budget-conscious buyers and was popular with young driving enthusiasts looking for a domestic alternative to imported performance cars.
Unfortunately, Dodge missed out when it redesigned the Neon for the 2000 model year. The car was a bit more refined than the original but it was heavier, more expensive, and not more powerful. The arrival of the turbocharged neon SRT-4 sedan for 2003 brought back some enthusiasts, but by then most economy car buyers had turned to other brands. The Dodge Neon was discontinued after the 2005 model year; its successor is the four-door hatchback caliber.
Reading: Dodge neon car reviews
latest neon dodge
Sold from 2000 to 2005 in sedan form only, the second-generation Dodge Neon offered a roomy interior, a smooth ride, agile handling, and strong brakes. The downsides included weak and unrefined engines, excessive wind and road noise, and a general lack of polish and feature content compared to other budget cars. Crash test performance was mixed, as the Neon scored strong in government tests but performed poorly in Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) tests. anti-lock brakes were optional on all model years; side airbags became an option in 2001.
At first, buyers could only get a 132-horsepower four-cylinder engine with a five-speed manual or three-speed automatic transmission. Performance-oriented Neon R/T and ACR models arrived in 2001 with a 150-hp four-cylinder engine. they were faster than other neons, but you could only get them with the manual gearbox. A four-speed automatic transmission finally replaced the three-speed unit in 2002. The Plymouth version of this car was sold only in 2000 and 2001 and was never offered with the 150-hp engine or four-speed automatic transmission.
The neon srt-4 sedan is one of the few bright spots in recent dodge neon history. Sold between 2003 and 2005, this scrappy econosport sedan represented the best performance you could buy for $20,000. The key ingredients were a high-boost, turbocharged 2.4-liter engine making 215-230 hp and 245-250 lb-ft of torque (output increased slightly from year to year) and a completely retuned, track-ready suspension. Not only could this Neon get you to 60 mph in less than 6 seconds, but it was very easy to get into corners, particularly on the 2004 and 2005 models, which came with a limited-slip differential.
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beyond dodge neons
Sold from 1995 to 1999 in sedan and coupe form, the original Dodge Neon was smaller and prettier than its successor. it also offered a better mix of features and performance for its time. Refinement was never its strong suit, however, and the Neons with the base 132-hp engine and three-speed automatic transmission were loud and slow. however, when equipped with the optional dual overhead cam engine, five-speed manual transmission and upgraded running gear offered on sport and r/t models and competition-group-equipped base models, the neon first generation could be a lot more fun to drive.
Resale value has always been a weak point of the Dodge Neon, so buying a used one will cost you very little. The other side of the coin is that reliability is also below average on this car, so you should expect to put some money into repairs. A thorough inspection by a mechanic is recommended before buying; stay away from any neon with a history of engine or transmission problems.
user reviews:
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I’ve had this car for almost 2 years now and it’s been amazing, unfortunately I wrecked it but after I wrecked it I still drive it every day the only con is the timing belt I need to replace. but other than that this is the perfect first car and it’s my first car my mom had 4 of them before I got mine and she loved hers they are super reliable and won’t strand you (even after it’s shattered). I have the 2005 SXT 2.0. Couldn’t make ex Civic owners look bad with this car. I even have the 5 speed manual transmission and it makes a lot of other cars look sad. I also love the way the front looks, it looks like a happy little car as it leaves you behind. Oh and great gas mileage too with current gas prices it’s only 50 to fill it up. and for all you neon haters out there, you can suck it up. just learn how to work on cars and learn what is wrong with the car before you buy it
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I have to be honest, the Dodge Neon is the best fucking car ever made. Got mine about 12 years ago, with 109k miles on it. I have never sent this in for repair, just regular maintenance. I’ve driven this around town (most of the time), and on the highway from time to time. Mine is the 2005 SXT, 5 speed automatic. Engine performs great for a car with 140k miles. The transmission has never given me any problems. no leaks at all. I can even beat up any crap Civic/Corolla on the highway when it wants to stop, even with the newer models. This has been fantastic, I’ve never owned a better car than this, and I’ve owned a lot of cars. Even now, I’d rather go long distances in my Neon than any of the similar range cars out there. Dodge really nailed it with this model, and I’m even looking forward to getting another one, the SRT-4.
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I can honestly say this has to be one of the worst cars Dodge has ever built. My fiance and I bought ours when it was 10 even though it only had 90,000 miles on it. Since it was purchased, it has had nothing but problems. the owner before us was an elderly lady who had passed away. She treated the car like it was her first born child so I know the problems didn’t arise when she was driving it. transmission is terrible. It slips, misses, and sometimes won’t even start. The engine has terrible power and constantly leaks oil. the coolant tank is leaking. the electronics are terrible. interior lights no longer work. the interior is cheaply done. the board has bubbles all over it. The rear windows leak when it’s stormy, soaking the interior of the car. The engine is extremely loud, it sounds like you have all the windows open when you drive it. The car vibrates, shakes and bangs. The headlights have terrible visibility. The only thing that is decent on this vehicle is the speakers. It has an excellent standard sound system. The reason I’m writing a review on a 14 year old car is because they’re cheap to buy now, but I honestly wouldn’t spend $500 on this car because you’ll end up spending 10 times as much on repairs. stay away from this car. should never have been done.
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Overall this car has served me well. I bought it new in high school, in 2004 for 11k including tax. When I first got it the o2 sensor needed to be replaced which is not a good sign around 20k. luckily it was still under warranty. Since then there have been no major issues so far, but right now at 220k it is to be expected. at this point the reverse cable or at least one of the pins or bushings probably needs to be replaced. The driveshaft also needs to be replaced which is normal for a vehicle with the amount of miles this car has. Both problems happened around 219-220K. I had to replace the cam sensor at 110k and the oil switch at 185k. I changed the battery twice. Other than that, there were no major issues. Drove this car from -ca-tx-mt and ca-fl with no issues. Hit a deer at 40mph with only hood, fender and bumper damage but nothing under hood damaged. The car gets good mpg on the highway, but not too good for its class around town. I usually get between 35-44 on the highway and 25-29 in the city. Given its high mileage the values have been 25/35 unless going on a long haul ride. The interior looks good, the only thing a little worn is the armrest and the front driver’s seat. Acceleration and handling are also good and I like the towing capacity this vehicle has. All in all I got my money’s worth but at this point it’s time to move on.
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a really powerful engine. Will be dynoed to 220 whp-230 whp stock. (they make about 250hp at the crank). there is no need to build the stock engine with forged internals. Now I’m thinking of upgrading to an E85 soon with a stock big wheel turbo and according to my tuner it should be over 340 whp and over 400 lb ft of torque. The SRT-4 engine can handle 400 Whp all day as standard. At 110,000 miles the only thing I replaced on the engine was the cam sensor, magnet and coil pack. Total cost about $160. Haven’t had any problems with the transmission. However, I had a lot of suspension related issues, but this is typical of any high mileage vehicle (especially American made ones).
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hi i have a dodge neon 1998 4dr five speed manual its absolutely amazing well its not your typical neon i have your standard 2.0 dohc 16v but the difference is it has stage 2 fuel injectors and stage two fuel pump and stage 3 racing clutch and blew the caddy and cut the muffler and installed a $200 exhaust tip on it and it really sounds amazing nope not a car that is fart in a can It may sound fast and furious sound quality but one thing I can’t find out if it gets 48 mpg hwy and 39 city but according to the specs it’s 41 and 32 my neon is so fast it amazes me I’ve never lost on a race the best example i can think of how fast it is i smoked an 08 mustang gt and 2014 jeep and and mercedes suv and 2001 turbocharged five speed toyota celica ive those are just a few examples here’s a good one this guy has a lot model hatch civic or accord from the 90s i’m not sure uro but we raced one day and he didn’t win or lose we stayed neck to neck and after the race we stopped and talked and he asked me how much cash i put under the hood he said so far he has thrown 3g and i said none. I bought the car with 112,000 on the body and 60,000 on the engine for 1400 bucks. I used to have all the paperwork at all the performance. parts installed but on 12/08/14 my house burned to the ground i lost everything and even two of my dogs but long story short i can do 0-60 in a good 4.8 seconds flat but average is 5.3 to 5.0 seconds faster than i’ve had the car the rev limiter is 135 it’s set at 7500 i can’t do 90 in third gear with tac at 6500 rpms yes super high gear oh and one more thing i have an aftermarket racing spoiler on it 700$ bought to a friend for $100
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I saved for over 3 years to buy a car. i bought this one at auction for around 3k4 and it was the worst option so far. My car died the next day. I changed the alternator thinking that was the problem. No! I got stranded a couple more times. then i traded in the tps sensor for 60 bucks. It worked fine until the next 2 days. the problems usually start when the car gets hot. The engine wants to shut off, the revs drop, the car is getting no gas, and it may be a 4 cylinder, but with this problem you’re wasting gas like a 6, maybe even an 8 cylinder. Up to this point I don’t know what is wrong with the car. This car is just going to be a pain in the ass, just get a Honda.
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Being a college student, I thought I needed a car of my own. I looked around dealerships near my location and found my neon for $2,000. it worked without a problem… for about 20 minutes. it broke down even before I got home. I’ve had this vehicle for 3 months so far and have only had it for about 6 days total (due to breakdowns and long repair times). so far i have invested $1500 to fix it, even took it to the best mechanic in town (very expensive) and it still broke down in a matter of 1 day. If you are looking for a cheap and reliable car, go for the Civic!
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I bought this car in 2011. I knew it was old at the time and maybe the dealer played a part in why I am giving this car such a bad review. All four tires needed to be replaced after 1 month. a couple of months later i had to replace the battery. A short time after that, I had to wash the engine. breaks went out. At random times, it wouldn’t switch to driving, and when it finally did, it would jerk forward. Half the time it wouldn’t start. The check engine light would also come on at random times and stop whenever I went over 10 mph. I paid it off after all the hell it put me through and then it just shut down and wouldn’t boot up again. I had every intention of driving it for the rest of my college stay (which was only 1 year) and then trading it in for a new car. Instead I ended up trading it in (for $300) and getting another used car that I really couldn’t afford. This was probably a great car 11 years ago, but today I would not recommend it to anyone.
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I totaled my first 03 sxt with 240,000 miles, but I bet it could have lasted a lot longer. then i bought an 04 r/t with 100k for a great price now it’s 136k and i love it i don’t like this thing or it’s seen a lot of track days and the shifters are still great i love the car and i get about 30 mog city and almost 40 highway
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