1999 DODGE Neon 2.0L 5MT FWD (133 HP)

Vehicle Overview

After a slow start on the market, Chrysler launched a second generation of the Neon in 1999 as a 2000 model year, after just four years since the first Neon rolled out the assembly line.

The idea of an economical, sporty, youthful sedan offered by Chrysler on the American market was not bad, but the result was far under the company’s expectations. Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Volkswagen Jetta, and the recently upgraded Nissan Sentra were on top of the sales while the Dodge/Plymouth Neon struggled to survive on the market.

The exterior was enhanced with the introduction of a new pair of bigger headlights with a narrow grille under the bonnet crossed by a slim horizontal chromed line that connected the inside-mounted turn-signals. On the lower part of the bumper, a wide grille that resembled a smiling face was added. Unfortunately, it was more of a grim than a smile. One of the features that made the car look good on the first generation was the frameless windows. Starting with the 2000 model-year, the Neon featured framed ones.

Inside, Chrysler installed a decent looking dashboard, with an instrument cluster that started above the center stack and was extended to the door panel. Regardless of the trim levels, there were no standard power-windows for the rear, but they were on the options list. Another issue with the Neon was the material’s quality. The dash, door panels, center stack, and all of the other surfaces were made out of hard plastic.

Under the hood, Chrysler offered a 1.6-liter engine (the same as the one found in the first generation of the Mini) and two versions of a 2.0-liter unit. The power went to the front wheel via a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic.