Technical
The Neon was originally available only as a 4-door sedan sporting a 2.0L inline 4-cylinder engine. It developed 132 hp and 129 lb/ft of torque. As 1996 rolled around, a sporty 2-door version made its appearance and brought with it a DOHC version of the 2.0L. The result was 150 hp and 131 lb/ft of torque. As of 1997, it was an option for the saloon. Transmission choices were between 5-speed manual and a 3-speed automatic. Braking was achieved with front discs and rear drums. The Sport and R/T (1998) models included rear disc brakes. The suspension was fully independent.
On the road
The SOHC 2.0L showed some good pep. It was not particularly powerful however it motored around with sufficient vigour to make driving fun. The sound generated by the engine was not exactly enjoyable; it was more of a high-pitched grinding and whining noise. The harder it was pushed, the worse it sounded. Wind and tire racket also participated in the concert of reverberations generated by the Neon.
As I was cruising about town, I quickly noticed how the manual transmission's shifter was easy to manipulate. I later found out from the owner that the entire unit had recently been replaced. This was not one of the Neon's most common problems although the clutch cable, smooth and linear in the tester, had a tendency to slack off.
Steering was nicely weighted and pleasingly precise. The on-center feel was a little vague but not drastically annoying. The brakes were fair and no more. The pedal is firm and free of feel. One instance of hard braking proved to be tedious for the system. The brakes did squeak a bit; a very common issue on these cars. The ride was dryer than I remembered, perhaps even to dry. It did not soak up much and most road irregularities easily penetrated into the cabin. The knocking noise from the rear suspension (another common problem) did nothing to improve the situation.
The Neon was originally available only as a 4-door sedan sporting a 2.0L inline 4-cylinder engine. It developed 132 hp and 129 lb/ft of torque. As 1996 rolled around, a sporty 2-door version made its appearance and brought with it a DOHC version of the 2.0L. The result was 150 hp and 131 lb/ft of torque. As of 1997, it was an option for the saloon. Transmission choices were between 5-speed manual and a 3-speed automatic. Braking was achieved with front discs and rear drums. The Sport and R/T (1998) models included rear disc brakes. The suspension was fully independent.
 |
On the road
The SOHC 2.0L showed some good pep. It was not particularly powerful however it motored around with sufficient vigour to make driving fun. The sound generated by the engine was not exactly enjoyable; it was more of a high-pitched grinding and whining noise. The harder it was pushed, the worse it sounded. Wind and tire racket also participated in the concert of reverberations generated by the Neon.
As I was cruising about town, I quickly noticed how the manual transmission's shifter was easy to manipulate. I later found out from the owner that the entire unit had recently been replaced. This was not one of the Neon's most common problems although the clutch cable, smooth and linear in the tester, had a tendency to slack off.
Steering was nicely weighted and pleasingly precise. The on-center feel was a little vague but not drastically annoying. The brakes were fair and no more. The pedal is firm and free of feel. One instance of hard braking proved to be tedious for the system. The brakes did squeak a bit; a very common issue on these cars. The ride was dryer than I remembered, perhaps even to dry. It did not soak up much and most road irregularities easily penetrated into the cabin. The knocking noise from the rear suspension (another common problem) did nothing to improve the situation.
 |