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Chrysler Neon (1999 - 2004)

HOW TO SWITCH YOUR GAS SUPPLIER (some text hidden) --NONE--

BY ANDY ENRIGHT

Introductionword count: 128

The Chrysler Neon is a car that offers an unusual proposition. Because it doesn't fit into the pat pigeonholes into which we slot most of our cars, many buyers have been confused as to exactly what they're getting. On the one hand, the car was initially marketed as an economy car, but the 1999 restyle saw it gain some more upmarket aspirations. What is a Neon and, more importantly, does it cut the mustard as a used proposition? Although it still fails to offer the sophistication of cars like the Ford Focus, the Neon does offer a lot of metal for the money and a degree of exclusivity. Used examples aren't too thick on the ground, but the plus side is that most have been well looked after.

Modelsword count: 13

Models Covered: Neon - 1999 - to date: 2.0 saloon [SE, LX, R/T]

Historyword count: 139

The Neon was first launched on a wave of publicity back in 1996, Chrysler bringing the car to the UK as an aside to their right-hand drive push for the Japanese market. The early cars were peppy and enthusiastic but rather unrefined and markedly lacking in sophistication. The cheap and cheerful angle didn't cut it with British buyers who were used to genuinely cut throat pricing from Korean rivals. The second-generation car was a different kettle of fish. Better built, smoother, more luxuriously equipped and with a marketing push that was better tailored to the UK market it seemed to have what it took to succeed. It seems few of you agreed and sales slowed to a trickle. Initially available in SE and LX guises, the entry-level SE was deleted in 2001, and a sporty R/T variant was introduced.

What You Getword count: 294

This BMW 3 Series-sized saloon is good value in plush LX form, no question and it's worth stepping up to the LX from the somewhat sparse SE version. For the same kind of money, all you'd get is a pretty ordinary 1.6-litre Vauxhall Astra or Ford Focus. The Neon, on the other hand, comes with a 136bhp 2.0-litre engine, leather trim, twin front airbags, air conditioning, ABS, power steering, alloy wheels, traction control, woodgrain trim, a six-speaker stereo and the option of automatic transmission. You can even get a sporty R/T version with bodykit, alloys and an uprated 150bhp engine. It helps that all the improvements are shrouded in smart bodywork that sets the Neon firmly apart from apparent Korean rivals like Hyundai's Elantra, Daewoo's Nubira and Kia's Shuma. Where these cars continually remind you of the money you've saved, the Neon feels a class above. The people who tend to buy this car in the UK (the average ownership age is 53) will love all of this. The cabin is a world away from the cheap plastic fittings that characterised the old one. Soft-touch materials are everywhere and most of the switchgear is well placed and easy to find. Criticisms are limited to a steering wheel that adjusts only for rake and not for reach and a rather strangely angled windscreen that can make it slightly awkward to see things like traffic lights when you're directly below them. There's a reasonable amount of space too - enough to make downsizing into Neon ownership a realistic proposition for owners of larger Mondeo and Vectra-sized models. Rear seat passengers get more room for hips, shoulders and heads, plus there's more space for their luggage, thanks to a 13.1cuft boot accessed through 60/40 split-folding rear seats.

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Category: Compact Family Cars

Performance
40%
Handling
40%
Comfort
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Space
30%
Styling, Build, Value, Equipment, Depreciation, Handling, Insurance and Total scores are available with our full data feed.

This is an excerpt from our full review.
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