What Happened to the Dodge Neon?
Andrew Koole
· 3 min read
The
Dodge
Neon is what you call a sleeper. It looks as tame as most of the small cars from the ‘90s, but there’s a surprising amount of power under the hood. When it came out in 1994, it quickly gained a large following. But after 2005, it disappeared from the Dodge lineup. The reason was simple: by the mid-’00s, Dodge Neon sales had slumped significantly.
Some blame the revamp in 2000 that traded personality and power for a more refined driving experience, but the taste of consumers is probably more to blame. Dodge hasn’t made a compact car since.
What made the Dodge Neon so special?
Before the Dodge Neon, American-made compact cars were a dull group. The Ford Escort, Chevy Cavalier, and Dodge Shadow were what
Autotrader
calls “miserable cars.” But the Dodge Neon and its upscale cousin, the Plymouth Neon, changed all that.Base models were given a 132-hp engine, but you could upgrade to 150-hp for a little more oomph. Even the beloved Honda Civic from that era didn’t surpass 125 horsepower.
Chrysler encouraged drivers to head to the track in their Neons by offering a Competition Package and offering the American Club Racer and
SRT4
trims.These upgrades allowed the Neon to compete strongly with imports from Japan and Europe. But the styling ultimately left U.S. consumers confused, and poor sales ultimately sunk the idea of a track-ready economy car from Chrysler.
MORE: 3 Funniest Dodge Car Memes
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How much do Dodge Neons cost now?
Like most used cars, Dodge Neons vary widely in price. You might be able to find a regular model from an older year for $1,000 or less while Competition Group or SRT Neons can be found on
Kelley Blue Book
for five figures. If you do choose to buy a Dodge Neon, beware of a few typical problems. Overheating from faulty cooling fans and leaky spark plug tube seals are the most common issues with these cars.
With that in mind, is the Dodge Neon a good car? Yes, most Neons are known to be dependable cars that can last a long time, and the sportier trims are also a lot of fun to drive.
Finding insurance for a Dodge Neon
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When it comes to
car insurance
, the great thing about Neons is that they are old. The last model came out more than 15 years ago, and the value depreciation brought on by those years helps lower premiums. That said, high-performance trims like the SRT4 are still pretty expensive to insure, especially for younger drivers. If you want to find cheap car insurance quotes for your Dodge Neon, you should shop with
Jerry
. Jerry is your ultra-talented car insurance broker for life. No need to sit across from him at a desk—Jerry is an app! It takes less than a minute to sign up and you’ll be presented with competitive rates from 50+ top providers. Don’t lose coverage, find savings with Jerry.
