Four Doors and a Smile

My having to travel to Idaho has given me the opportunity to evaluate several new products. My Salt Lake City airport experiences at were very productive.

I decided to drive from SLC to Idaho Falls because it would cut the total travel cost in half… funny how that works out.

I decided to try Advantage Rental Cars for a change. After the paperwork, I was handed the keys to a new 2003 Dodge Neon SE.

I was overly pleased with the style and initial comfort of this Neon. Entry into and egress from the small car was simple enough for even a tall person.

The external look of the four door Neon has almost a dragsters look or mentality. It is low and sleek. Curvaceous and stealthy, the Neon is an inexpensive car that could sneak up on a muscle car and corner out of the way. New front and rear fascias, headlamps and tail lamps help separate this years Neon from the predecessors outdated exterior features.

Dodge Neon’s (four door sedan) have ample seating for five passengers, though the back seat is a little crowded. The Dodge Neon lineup for 2003 consists of the popular SE model, the well-packaged SXT model, the sporty R/T model and the aforementioned new SRT-4 model. This review is on the SE model.

The inside has been improved also. Featuring power steering, tilt steering wheel, cloth upholstery, front bucket seats, center console, cup holders, AM/FM/cassette, variable-intermittent wipers, rear defogger, and visor mirrors as standard pieces, I was happy to find the AM/FM CD ( 115 $) upgrade in my rental. It sure made the loss of radio stations less hectic.

Being only 5-8, I had plenty of head clearance. But those over 5-10 might find their hair touching the ceiling. For the front passenger (driver) this can be compensated by leaning the seat backwards. Being short of length in the leg department, I found the leg room excellent. But you tall people may wind up scooting the seat back (stay up front) to provide sufficient room for your legs. I was surprised how comfortable the seat was. I had no stiffness or complaints after nearly four hours of driving good.

One complaint is the instrumentation. While the lay out is good, especially in day light, the displays become less readable at night time. I found myself turning up the intensity for the gauges just to see them during night driving.

Engines make things GO
Having only rented this car and not purchased it, I was not displeased with the engine performance. Both the SE and SXT models come with a 2.0 liter four cylinder engine. This little package manages to squeeze 132 horsepower (130 ft-lbs torque @ 4600 rpm) without any trouble. There are many aftermarket devices to enhance your 4-banger, making the ultimate stealth car.

If you decide on the R/T model, you will find it is fitted with a similar sized engine that has been tweaked to boost the ponies to 150 hp. The sporty SRT-4 packs a 2.4-liter turbocharged engine delivering 215 horsepower. This makes the SRT-4 the second fastest production 0 to 60 mph Dodge, only the Viper is quicker.

Coupling the engines power to the road is accomplished by an improved four speed automatic transmission or a manual five speed (standard) and a beefed up transaxle. The automatic takes some steam out of the SE and SXT, but they don't feel underpowered. I had no problem accelerating up the steep mountain passes. One thing I did note was the quieter engine noise. I looked into it and found that Chrysler had the engine and transmission mounts revised to minimize engine noise transmission into the frame and passing onwards to the cabin.

The Feel of the Road
The SE was much more comfortable out in traffic and on the highway. I had no feeling that I was going to get squished by a semi, nor did I think that the BMWs were going to crawl up my backside as I merged onto the interstate. The 105 inch wheel base (67.4 inch width) gives the Neon the sensation of being bigger than it is.

The nice thing about these Neon’s is their handling and comfort. Vision is excellent, mainly due to Chryslers “cab forward design. Traveling up the rough hewn Utah and Idaho highways, I was at home. I did not experience the growling of the road as I had the last time through (in an Escort and later in a DeVille).

I found the handling crisp and responsive. While no circuit racer, I could easily modify the suspension and run the track with one of these. And no, I was not slalom testing this car. I did note predictable behavior with some body lean in NORMAL turns.

The brakes on my rental were anti-lock on all four corners. They provided ample stopping power, even at speeds. Attested by the surprised look on the pronghorn (the one that leapt out into my path while north bound).

I also liked the air bags on both sides up front. With all of these safety features, and great gas mileage, I could see buying one for the kids to drive. Sure would save the wear and tear on the Mitsubishi.

Becoming ever more popular is the internal trunk release. While this may not be a boon for mobsters, those of us with children know how silly it is to find a child inside the trunk. It was a great place to hide when I was little, until someone shut the lid. Now the kids (or adults) can grab the glow in the dark release and climb out. Look first though, it’s hard on the legs at speeds above 20 mph. Yeah…been there… done that (Boy, how did I ever survive my teenage years?). The trunk itself was more than large enough for a weeks worth of groceries, or five large suitcases. I did not favor the height of the lift over point though. Dodge should extend the trunk lids lip to make it easier getting stuff into / out off the trunk.

This being a rental, Advantage opted for the floor mats ( 46 $). I thought that this was a very smart idea, especially when renting cars in dusty or snowbound areas. They are held in place by floor tabs and can be easily removed for quick cleaning.

Fuel Economy
Dodge Neon SEs get lees miles per gallon than the manuals do, as expected. I filled it up halfway and calculated a grin making tally of 34.3 mpg. While in Idaho Falls my around town economy dropped to 26.5 mpg. That meant that I could drive over four hundred miles on the interstate before having to fill up (or > 300 miles in city). I believe that these numbers are better than what the Dodge boys taught. Dodge recommends premium grade fuel for the SRT-4 and regular grade gas for other Neons.

The Neon comes with a standard 3 year – 36000 mile warranty for parts and labor and free roadside assistance. You can opt for an extended power train warranty of 7 years and 70000 miles (probably a good thing if you plan on keeping it for some time). I did note their warranty for corrosion damage is still 5 years and 100,000 miles….good for the rust zones.

I had no problems with my rental Neon during the past week and 2000 miles. I believe that Dodge has finally gotten this model to the point where it will perform time and time again.

But don't rush out and buy one right away. Dodge must compete with the Toyotas, Nissans, and Fords on the market. So wait for those ever so available factory incentives and/or dealer discounts. Take advantage of these deals and you will find that your Neon is an awesome value.