Though Chrysler had continually improved the interior of the last generation Neon, the interior of the new Neon was completely redesigned and is much nicer than before. For starters, there's more of it. The bigger cabin offers more front hip room and more space for nicer seats. The driver sits a little higher than before for improved visibility.
Back seat passengers benefit the most from the larger interior with more head, shoulder and hip room. The trunk is significantly deeper than before. The rear seats split and fold down for carrying additional cargo.
Sporty new gauges grace a redesigned instrument panel with a wide dashboard brow. Premium door trim and materials that are soft to the touch provide a richer appearance and feel. The interior comes standard with four cup holders and AM/FM/cassette with six speakers. As noted, the G package comes with sportier seats and upgraded interior trim.
The new Neon rides smoother and quieter than before. There's less wind noise, less engine noise, less road noise and less vibration. It's much quieter than a Chevy Cavalier, which doesn't seem as refined by comparison. The new Neon seems to ride better than a Honda Civic.
Chrysler redesigned the Neon's fully independent MacPherson-strut front and rear suspensions. The ground clearance was raised slightly to provide significantly more suspension travel. (Jounce travel was improved by 15 percent in the front and by 30 percent in the rear.) This greatly improves overall ride quality while decreasing the chance of bottoming under heavy loads. Softer springs and premium shocks give the Neon a smoother ride.
Neon's redesigned 2.0-liter engine feels more powerful than its predecessor. A new air induction system broadens the torque curve, which makes the car feel more powerful around town. A new exhaust manifold, cylinder head cover and timing belt cover, and attention to a myriad of details reduce noise.
The brake pedal feels firmer. The brake system was redesigned for improved pedal feel. The thickness of the front brake rotors was increased and low-metallic linings were used to keep them from squealing. We recommend the optional four-wheel disc brakes with ABS for improved performance on mountain roads.
So far, we've only driven the new Neon at Chrysler's proving grounds at Chelsea, Michigan. While there, we drove the Neon back to back with the Honda Civic, Chevy Cavalier and other cars in its class. We drove them over different types of pavement and on a short road course designed to test handling.
The Neon seemed better than its competition, both in terms of handling and ride quality. It rides nicely, handles well and is fun to drive.
We also drove last year's Neon, which actually felt a little lighter on its feet and is a bit more fun to drive. But the new one isn't exactly a boulevard cruiser. It's more stable than before and its manners are much more refined. We'd rather live with the new one. In spite of all the features and technology that have been added, the new Neon weighs just 50 pounds heavier than the previous model.