Overview & Reviews

Building affordable yet appealing compact cars has often been a struggle for American automakers. Popular Japanese nameplates have done well as a result, and U.S. consumers are familiar with their reputations for quality and reliability. So Dodge took a different tack when it introduced the front-wheel-drive Dodge Neon sedan and coupe (alongside the identical Plymouth Neon) for the 1995 model year: The company made it fun to drive. The suspension and steering were carefully tuned to make the car handle well in the corners, and a pair of engines was available, including a 140-hp DOHC four-cylinder -- a lot of power for an economy car at that time. Of course, it didn't hurt that the Neon was cute as a bug and cheaper than most peers, either. It quickly caught on with budget-minded shoppers and was popular with young driving enthusiasts looking for a domestic alternative to import performance cars.

Unfortunately, Dodge lost its way when it redesigned the Neon for the 2000 model year. The car was a bit more refined than the original but was heavier, more expensive and no more powerful. The arrival of the turbocharged Neon SRT-4 sedan for 2003 brought some enthusiasts back into the fold, but by then most economy-car buyers had flocked to other brands. The Dodge Neon was discontinued after the 2005 model year; its successor is the Caliber four-door hatchback.

Most Recent Dodge Neon

Sold from 2000 to 2005 in sedan form only, the second-generation Dodge Neon offered a roomy interior, a smooth ride, nimble handling and strong brakes. Downsides included weak and unrefined engines, excessive wind and road noise, and an overall lack of polish and feature content compared to other economy cars. Crash test performance was mixed, as the Neon earned solid ratings in government tests but performed poorly in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) testing. Antilock brakes were optional on all model years; side airbags became an option in 2001.

Initially, buyers could get only a buzzy 132-horsepower, four-cylinder engine with either a five-speed manual transmission or a three-speed automatic. The performance-oriented Neon R/T and ACR models arrived for 2001 with a 150-hp four-cylinder. They were quicker than other Neons, but you could only get them with the manual gearbox. A four-speed automatic 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 the four-speed auto.

The Neon SRT-4 sedan is one of the few bright spots in recent Dodge Neon history. Sold from 2003 to 2005, this scrappy econosport sedan represented the most performance you could buy for $20,000. Key ingredients were a high-boost turbocharged 2.4-liter engine good for 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 under 6 seconds, it was a cinch to place in the turns, particularly the 2004 and 2005 models, which came with a limited-slip differential.

Past Dodge Neons

Sold from 1995 to 1999 in sedan and coupe form, the original Dodge Neon was smaller and cuter than its successor. It also offered a better combination of features and performance for its day. Refinement was never its strong suit, though, and Neons with the base 132-hp engine and three-speed automatic transmission were noisy and slow. However, when equipped with the optional twin-cam engine, the five-speed manual transmission, and the upgraded running gear offered on Sport and R/T models and Competition Group-equipped base models, the first-generation Neon could be a lot of 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 flipside is that reliability is also below average on this car, so you should expect to put some money into repairs. A thorough check by a mechanic is recommended before you buy -- steer clear of any Neon with a history of engine or transmission problems.

User Reviews:

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  2005 Dodge Neon SXT - 2005 Dodge Neon
  By Eliot Andreu - October 4 - 4:55 pm

  I have a 2005 Dodge Neon SXT with 158,000 miles and it runs, drives, and performs great. I sold my last one which was a 2003 with 102,000 miles and it was an excellent car as well. People say bad things about the Neon, but I have nothing but positive things to say, because they are great little gas savers, that are easy to work on, they get great gas mileage, and as long as you change your oil regularly, you shouldn't have any problems.

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  Best and strongest car ever built - 2005 Dodge Neon
  By Bryson - March 28 - 1:46 pm

  I have had this car for almost 2 years and its been amazing unfortunately I wrecked it but after I wrecked it I still drive it everyday the only con is the timing belt i need to replace it. But other than that this is the perfect first car and it is my first car my mom owned 4 of them before I got mine and she loved hers they are super reliable and wont leave you stranded (even after its wrecked). I have the 2005 SXT 2.0 couldnt I make ex civic owners look bad with this car I even have the 5 speed manual trans and it makes alot of other cars look sad. I love the way the front ened looks too it looks like a happy little car as its leaving you behind. Oh and great fuel mileage too with todays gas prices it only costs 50 to fill it. And to all the Neon haters out there yall can suck it. just learn how to work on cars and learn whats wrong with the car before you buy it

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  BEST CAR EVER - 2005 Dodge Neon
  By Andrew Flowers - February 9 - 4:05 pm

  I gotta be honest, the Dodge Neon is the freaking best car ever made. I got mine around 12 years ago, at 109k miles. I have never sent this for repair, only regular maintenance. I have driven this in the city (most of the time), and on the highway occasionally. Mine is the SXT 2005, 5-speed automatic. Engine has an exellent performance for a car with 140k miles. Transmission has never given me any issues. No leaks at all. I can even beat the hell out of any shitty Civics/Corollas in the highway whenever they wanna pull up, even with the newer models. This has been fantastic, Ive never owned a better car than this, and Ive owned lot of cars. Even now, I prefer driving long distances in my Neon than in any of the similar-range cars that exist. Dodge really nailed it with this model, and Im even looking forward to get another one, the SRT-4.

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  Honest Opinion - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By Vinh - November 30 - 10:01 am

  Overall this car has served me well. I bought it brand new back in highschool ,in 2004 for 11k thats including taxes. When I first got it the O2 sensor needed to be replace which isnt a good sign around 20k. Luckily it was still under warranty. Since then there has been no major issues until now but right now at 220k its expected. At the moment, the reverse cable probably has to be replaced or at least one of the pins or bushing. The drive shaft also needs to be replaced which is normal for the a vehicle with the amount of mileage this car has. Both issues occurred around 219-220k. I had to replace the CAM sensor at 110k and oil switch at 185k. Changed the battery twice .Other than that no major issues. I have drove this car from -CA-TX-MT and CA-FL with no problems. I hit a deer at 40mph with only hood, fender, bumper damage, but nothing was damaged under the hood. The car gets good MPG on the highway but not too good mpg for its class in the city. I usually get between 35-44 on the highway and 25-29 in the city. Since its high mileage the values have been 25/35 unless I go on a long distance trip. The interior looks good the only thing a bit worn out is the arm rest and front driver seat.Acceleration and handling is also good and I do like the tow capacity this vehicle has. Overall I got my moneys worth but at this point its time to move on.

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  35000 Miles at 308 whp and 328 torque!! - 2005 Dodge Neon
  By Singh - September 18 - 1:01 am

  A really strong engine. They are dynoed at 220 whp-230 whp stock. (They make about 250 hp at the crank). There is no need to build the stock engine with forged internals. I am now looking to go e85 with a big wheel stock turbo soon and according to my tuner I should be over 340 whp and over 400 lb ft torque.The srt-4 engine can handle 400 whp all day in stock form. At 110,000 miles the only thing I had replaced on the engine was the cam sensor, magnet and coil pack. Total cost of about $160. I have had no problem with the transmission. However I had many suspension related problem but this is typical with the any high mileage vehicle (especially american made) .

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  I love this car! - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By spooledup - March 19 - 8:29 am

  I cant get enough of this car. Ive owned it for a little over 5 years and now have over 170,000 miles. It still runs smooth as it did with 65,000 miles and Ive never had an issue with the car other than regular maintenance. Ive changed the timing belt, water pump, clutch/fork, spark plugs, oil, and cam shaft sensor twice, battery and tires. Thats it! All those things would need to be changed on any car so I would say this car is extremely reliable. Its never once left me stranded, and I dont drive like a grandma either. Speaking of which, the performance of this car is amazing. My car is still stock and Ive beat everything from ls1 camaros, to evos and stis.

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  2000 Dodge Neon - 2000 Dodge Neon
  By leviathaan - February 27 - 10:46 am

  I bought my 2000 Dodge Neon automatic with 40,000 miles on it, it currently has 259,000. No real issues, replaced all 4 struts, rotors and 1 battery in the 7 years Ive owned it. It has a slight tick in the engine, but other than that nothing wrong with this one, even after hearing all the horror stories, mine is still going. It still gets 30mpg in both the summer and winter.

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  02 Dodge Neon (Automatic) - 2002 Dodge Neon
  By andrew30947 - November 16 - 3:01 am

  As I said it is an automatic and Dodge made a programming error in the Neons automatic transmission so thats about the only problem. I bought MJ this year with 83K miles (now 90k) when I bought the car I had no experience in the mechanics and if I had I wouldnt have bought THAT Neon BUT I am glad I did. If you like paying people to fix your car, do not buy a Neon. If you can fix things on your own get it. MJ has been through a LOT (off road, 3 or 4 wrecks, and a half country trip) but she keeps going, I did pay quite a bit to fix her up but a lot was the previous owner (the wrecks were limited to suspension damage and a cracked rim) since the complete fix I havent spent a dime.

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  Has served me well for 67k miles - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By powerllama - October 15 - 11:38 pm

  I bought this car new in 2004. Ive driven it ever since. I dont put as much mileage on cars as do other people, but 9 years and 67k miles can do a lot. The car is incredibly roomy on the inside, and easily fits four. Though its not great for road-trips, as it doesnt have cruise control. But boy is it quick. It doesnt handle corners well, and has a giant turning radius, but in a straight line its hard to beat for the price. Other than that, its just a normal car. Nothing too special about it.

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  "Lets run em!!" MOPAR OR NO CAR!!! - 2004 Dodge Neon
  By imboosted - June 29 - 9:33 pm

  At first i wanted an MS3, theyre great cars. Only problem is, theyre as plentiful and as common as roaches!! Every1 i know has on and it sucked for me in making my nxt performance decision. I looked at the cobalt ss supercharged, but then i remembered my brother had 1 and i was always told to stay away from civics. so the nxt logical choice was the srt-4. I cant tell you how glad I am to be the owner of this car. IT IS AWESOME!! picked mine up, she was stock. added a few things..(Mpx exhaust,, BIG front mount, greddy turbo timer, AEM intake, and AGP wastegate) and now shes unstoppable. I eat stngs, comaros, Zs, WRXs, GTIs, MS3s for breakfast!! I can even hang with GS vettes. Great car!!