Roomy for its size - I am 6'2" and I can comfortably fit in the car. Good gas mileage. Fun to drive. Surprisingly responsive to performance modifications. Great price. Reliable - I beat the snot out of mine racing it and it stands up to the abuse quite well.

Hmmm, well I bought it because it was cheap so I won't complain about a plasticy interior or wind noise at highway speeds. It is better than in that regard than some other cheap cars I have had and of course it is not on a par with much more expensive cars.

I bought my '98 Neon R/T for a hair of $12,000 titled taxed tagged and on the road. I would and have recommended them.

I have put nearly 70,000 miles on my car since purchasing it in April of '98. It has had 1 problem in that time and that was directly attributable to my racing the car. My dealership did cover the repair under warranty.

The Neon has been everything I bought it for and a whole lot more. I wanted a cheap car that would last so I could turn wrenches on my old '66 Fury. What I ended up with is a cheap car that is another performance project and a whole lot of fun.

Want to know about my car? Check this URL:

http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Track/6965/neon.htm

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Ford Festiva - the Neon is better but it should be for the price difference. Subaru Legacy - the Subaru is cramped and weak in comparison, and it has some of the inexpensive car vices that people curse the Neon for. Honda Civic - I chose the Neon over the Civic, I considered the Civic somewhat overpriced for what it is.

Initial: They vanish soon after.
Price
Styling
Economy

lack of structural intregity
wind noise
engine noise
poor attention to detail during assembly
lack of ethical treatment by Daimler Chrysler

DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS VEHICLE>
It is a service time bomb. In 117K i have had the following done

Head gasket 39K
A/C compressor 41K
Timing belt, sensor, tensioner 45K
Car shutters and jerks violently at interstate speed. 4 dealerships in 4 states changed the computer, crankshaft and camshaft sensor, coil, pulgs, cap, rotor,wires, both oxygen sensors, timing belt again with pully and tensioner, fuel filter and fuel pump while I was on vacation at 72K, still have not solved problem

head gasket 80K
a/c compressor 89K

The jerking is now so bad that it cannot be driven, the delaership says I need a complete top and bottom end rebuild.

Numerous internet searches have shown that the NEON has an endemic problem with head gaskets and general overall fit and finish.

this car was fun to drive for about 1.5 years, it is basically a throw away vehicle. Consumers will be able to do much better with a used Jetta, Mazda than with a Neon. I am trying to be objective, but if you could see the letters I have received from Chrysler and the time and money spent you could understand my point of view. STAY AWAY from Chryslers VEGA.

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I have bought a used volvo 240 like i had in college, I know what to
expect and how to fix inexpensively.

Handling is excellent, interior is very large for this class (my 6'2" son fits in the rear behind me at 6'). Regular maintenance has been inexpensive, and (contrary to U.S. reviews here) the local dealerships have been great, no more than 1 day wait for service, warranty claims completed with 'no-questions-asked'

Quality of parts and materials is below average (but so was sticker price). Some replacement part prices are WAY too high (just paid $375CDN for a new radiator fan, JUST the PART! That's higher than Honda even (and that dealer apologized for the high price at $270CDN !!!)
Exhaust system is prone to serious vibration in wet or snowy weather (even though mounts and flex-joint replaced) Chrysler is aware, but unable to fix permanently.
The frameless door glass is VERY poor design, I haven't had such sealing problems since my '75 Triumph Spitfire roadster.
Manual transmission linkage (cables I think) is not very positive or precise, way too easy to miss a shift.
Overall NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) is pretty primitive, reminds me of small British cars from the 60's and 70's (and we know what THAT lead to)

A car obviously built to a price, but with some character and 'cheekiness' added in. I've owned several Chrysler products and I have much admiration for their product planners and designers, but far less for their Quality Control engineers and the accountants who seem to rule the final product.
Given that used Neons are relatively low-priced and the cost-of-ownership is fairly low (unless you need a new radiator fan) they are good value for someone not smitten by the Honda/Toyota "runs like a clock, and just about as appealing" transportation appliances.

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Reminiscent of early Audi Fox sedan the way it seems to 'egg' you on to push harder(though much more reliable) More character than Toyota Corolla and MUCH more enjoyable than Pontiac Sunfire

Fuel milage thats about it

The a/c drags the small engine down way to much compressor is way to loud engine to loud even worse with windows down no power in rear doors what a waste this car is the worst vehicle i have ever owned Fisher Chrysler where i bought in Yuma Arizona is the worst dealer ever no customer service and they claim to be a five star dealer.

Too much

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It compares to a Ford Pinto

I love this Neon. It looks great, and rides great. It has lots of typical Dodge driver features, such as left foot rest and cup holders. Mine is dark forest green with grey interior and when I see it in the parking lot, I am thrilled it's mine. And I have been getting 28-30 mph driving back and forth 15 miles each way to work, a little highway, mostly town.

It is quite noisy, and I can't easily fit my son's bike in it (not really a problem, or I would have bought a minivan)

I was very lucky to get this car used with 10,000 miles on it at a very low price (couldn't really afford a "new" car, but couldn't pass this up). The going price around here for the ES with a few more options than I have (CD changer) is about $16,000 (but no sales tax), and I probably wouldn't have spent that - I would have bought a PT Cruiser instead. All in all, I am very happy with this car, just as I was with my '96 Neon (had to sell it to buy a 1970 Plymouth AAR Cuda...). I would highly recommend the 2000 Neon ES to anyone wanting a car that's sporty and lots of fun to drive. And I can't wait to drive a full tank on the highway to see what my mileage it! It's the first car I've ever had that got better than advertised mileage (good since gas here is $1.66/gallon).

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1996 Neon - it was a 5-speed, new one is an auto. I still prefer a 5-speed although this automatic seems to work just fine. I also drive a 1989 Colta Vista 4WD in bad weather. Quite a transition when I go from one to the other!

This car has superb acceleration and handling. The looks are 21st Century. Very silent ride upto 130 KMH and then engine noise creaps in, but the engine sounds great so who cares.The stereo screams out beautifully with booming bass. You just feel great in this car.

People stare at the car all the time. I guess that's a weakness because it could cause accidents.

I paid 20,000 CDN. and love it. I would recommend this car to everybody.

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I've driven an 89 Accord, 92 Integra, 93 Festiva, 93 Gallant 89 Mazda 626. The 626 hatchback was my favorite so far but I have the feeling that this 2000 Neon is going to take that spot very soon.

Excellent Radio, handling beats anything in its price range. Huge Interior, backseat bigger than some cars twice its price.

One of the singularly worst automatic transmissions ever built. Windows are not attached to sill, so wind blows right into the car at highway speeds. Extremely noisy.

With the 5 speed this car is very quick, but the idiots at Chrysler chose to mate a very high revving multivalve engine with a 3 speed auto. What in hell were they thinking. i mean, the car goes to 50 mph in first gear, and the sohc engine has very little power below 3000 rpm or so. what you end up doing is pressing the accelerator hard just to keep up with traffic. another gear would do wonders, but i talked to a chrysler salesman and he said that there are no plans for a new 4 speed in the neon. if you must drive an automatic small car, avoid the neon.

On a side note, be prepared for a noisy cabin. The wind noise and engine noise are all raucous. road noise is surprising low, but its noisy enough without it. car handles exceptionally well, better than any stock civic or corolla i've driven.

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94 Dodge Shadow, 99 Honda Civic Si

Cheap. peppy engine. Good torque. Innovative styling. Lots of space. Decent ride and handling. Seating is above average. Fit and finish above average. Paint has held up after 5 years. Basically a low maintenance vehicle so far.

Noisy engine. Lots of wind noise. Clunky Transmission. Brakes always squeal, above average maintenance on brakes. Gas mileage is average.

14,500. Recommended for people who want a peppy cheap vehicle with nice styling.

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Honda Civic

STRONG ENGINE,GOOD HANDLING STOCK, NICE 6 SPEAKER STEREO
NICE INTERIOR

NOISY MOTOR, WENT THROUGH 2 HEAD GASKETS, LOTS OF WIND NOISE AT HIGH SPEEDS

ALL IN ALL IT HAS BEEN A RELIABLE CAR, DID ALL KINDS OF MODS CONSISTING OF ICEMAN AIR INTAKE, 8.5 MM MAGNACOR WIRES
STRUT TOWER BAR, PACESETTER HEADER, CUSTOM EXHAUST WITH 2 DTM STYLE MUFFLERS,2.0 INCH EIBACH LOWERING COILS, MID HEIGHT WING AND 17 INCH RACING WHEELS, AND WITH BEAING THE
CRAB OUT OF IT FOR 72,000 MILES IT HAS HELD UP PRETTY GOOD WITH ALL THE CHANGES MADE, NOW I AM STRIPPING THE CAR OF ALL IT'S PERFORMANCE PARTS AND TRADING IT IN FOR A 2000 NEON. TOO BAD NONE OF MY PARTS FIT SO WILL PROBABLY PUT THEM EBAY TO GET RID OF, SO AFTER THAT I RECCOMEND IT FOR 2 REASONS,1 IT'S DIFFERENT AND 2 IT'S NOT A HONDA OR AND ACURA LIKE EVERYONE ELSE IS DRIVING

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89 LEBARON GTC TURBO, FORD PROBE GT TURBO, 88 ESCORT GT

Great lease deal of $300/month with $0 down and o% financing for 36 months. 150hp engine that goes 0-60mph in 7.9 sec. Unique styling that looks great.

The engine is a bit loud when above 3000 rpm and the poor view out the rear windows make backing up awkward. It could use a rear wiper and abs brakes should be standard.

This car is very affordable for under $19,000 with lease options that could not be beat. It is fun to drive and has great acceleration when revved up to 6500 rpm. I highly recommed buying this car.