Dodge Neon 2000

The first Neon was a revolutionary car. Sporting about 30 hp more than its competitors and stunning handling, the Neon managed to look cute and clean at the same time. Its effect on the competition was immediate: smiley faces appeared in grilles and air dams, and horsepower suddenly shot up across the board.

The second generation is more of an evolution. The first-generation Neon had personality, good and bad, and there were many problem spots. The second generation is Chrysler's way of saying "no more warranty costs." Unfortunately, the superbly cute front end is gone.

In the end, the effort was worth it. Here is a Neon that should hold together quite nicely over the years. One British car magazine has even called it the best vehicle ever to be imported from the US into the UK. High praise, indeed, considering that we sent them Corvettes, Hemi Superbirds, Valiants, and many others.

This is a big small car. The interior is cavernous compared with the Corolla, and the trunk is fairly large as well for a small car.

The ride is good, and the excellent handling is still there, thanks to stiffer sway bars and other changes. Despite the added weight, the engine feels more responsive, because it now provides more low-end power.

There have been minor changes to the instrument panel, including a cruise control light (which tells you both when the cruise is on, and when a speed has been set) and an odometer that lights up when the door is opened. A truly cool white-faced instrument package is very readable at night. New cubbies and a real cup holder have been added, as well as a nonskid sunglass tray and a useful change tray. The air vents are larger and quieter, a welcome change.

The climate controls still have an incomprehensible "turn the fan left for a/c, right for vent, except when the defroster is on" system, which leads many drivers to always leave the a/c on - resulting in bad gas mileage and low power. That's especially true because the air conditioner is very powerful, and, as a result, causes a lot of drag on the engine.

The car feels more solid and smooth on takeoff. Handling is excellent. The Neon clearly outperforms its class in that area, thanks to larger sway bars and making other adjustments which compensate for the smoother ride and longer wheelbase; the car feels nimble and stable at all speeds and is unfazed by even strong winds.

With smoother shifting, better breaks, and a more refined engine, this version of the Neon is much easier to drive smoothly in the city than the original.

Extra highway power, gained from a revised fifth gear ratio, comes at the cost of engine noise when travelling over 60 mph; they went a little too far. Though we like the addition of traction control, the tachometer is part of a power lock/alarm package! The engine gave no audible indication it was approaching redline, but the rev limiter hits hard.

EPA figures show the gas mileage penalty, with highway mileage falling to a mere 35 mpg (from 41). City mileage is unchanged.