The Poor-Man's Evolution
Written: Apr 08 '03 (Updated Jun 12 '03)
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Pros: Loads of power, tight chassis, good brakes
Cons: Rough ride, no limited-slip
The Bottom Line: It's a good little tire-burner with a few faults. EDIT: See end for new information!
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| Nightshade_01's Full Review: 2003 Dodge Neon SRT-4 4 Dr Sedan |
The Dodge Neon SRT-4 is one of the latest entries to the sport-compact market, a screaming yellow zonker with a boy-racer wing and a fake hood scoop. In my personal opinion I think the Neon is quite possibly the ugliest small car on the market. The headlamps are too big, the grille is disproportionately large, and the tail end just looks goofy, like it's sticking its butt into the air like some arrogant housecat. That said, I went to take an SRT-4 for a spin. The idea of a hot-rod Dodge that regular people could afford intrigued me, so I swiped the keys to the retina-burning yellow monster on the dealer's lot and took off.
Power delivery for the SRT-4 comes from a turbocharged and intercooled 2.4L four cylinder. The normally-aspirated version of this engine does duty in the PT Cruiser and Dodge Stratus as base engine. (The base Neon gets a wimpy 2.0L four). In SRT trim the motor makes 215 horsepower and over 200 lb-ft of torque, all channeled through a 5-speed stick to the front wheels only. Wheelspin is abundant--a bit TOO abundant--and it can be difficult to gain purchase on even dry pavement. Going around corners showed this car's biggest weakness. The car makes do with a fully open differential, which means all the power takes the path of least resistance. While this makes it cheaper to build, its omission is a serious mistake for performance enthusiasts.
This car corners excellently for a front-driver. It grabs on to turns and tracks evenly throughout, in a class where the cars are prone to heavy understeer. The tires are well-matched for the performance aspirations, letting you know audibly when you've reached the car's limits (which are quite high). The tires however do not seem to be made for all-season driving. While not a problem in the middle of the desert, those in colder climes may want to consider different rubber, as I nearly lost control when I hit a patch of wet road. Don't ask me how the road got wet, I haven't got a clue.
Fortunately there's plenty of whoa for all this go. Four wheel discs with ABS bring this car to a stop in VERY short order, and after considerable abuse by yours truly, they refused to fade. That definitely made me happy.
As for the interior, there isn't much to write home about. There's white-face guages (which I liked) and a lot of fake carbon fiber trim everywhere. I know it was fake because they'd never put the real stuff in a $20,000 econobox-turned-hotrod.
All this said, I don't think it's a car I could live with. Why? Well, there's a couple reasons. First off the exhaust, which the salesman described as "powerful" sounded more to me like the muffler was about to fall off. Loud does not equal powerful.
The other problem was the suspension. While it provides for a great-handling car, it also provides a harsh ride. While you sort of expect that in a car like this, it was rough on the relatively smooth New Mexico roads. Imagine owning a car like this in Pennsylvania? Your fillings would rattle out of your teeth.
There's also the matter of that stupid wing on the back. If only it was a delete-option, but it's not. At least on the Evolution you can get a more understated piece. This one has a tendency to impair your visibility and enhance others visibility of you. Specifically others who drive Crown Victorias with lights on the roof. The yellow paint didn't help either.
The final verdict? Well the final verdict is, I don't know. On the one hand it's a real fast car for not much money. On the other it's rough, loud and could be difficult to live with. I guess this one's a judgement call.
If this kind of car appeals to you, but you find the Neon is just too rough to live with, you've got a lot of choices. There's the Ford Focus SVT, Mazdaspeed Protege, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, Subaru Impreza WRX, VW Golf GTI, VW New Beetle Turbo/Turbo S, Mazda Miata, Nissan Sentra SE-R and Spec-V, Mitsubishi Eclipse, Honda Civic Si, and probably a few more that I missed. Jeez there's a lot of these things!!
(NOTE: I rated this car average in reliability due to Chrysler's reputation for less-than-perfect workamanship. A turbocharger adds complexity and could make this car more repair-prone than other models, especially as it gets older.)
(EDIT: As of this writing, Dodge is apparently addressing some of the issues. Mopar Performance is making available several performance parts, including a limited-slip differential, short-throw shifter, ceramic-coated intake manifold, gauge packages, a blow-off valve, and a "stage 1" turbo upgrade, boosting the Neon's horsepower and torque to 240 and 260, respectively. The addition of an LSD will greatly improve traction off the line and in turns, and the extra power won't hurt either. Parts are due to be available at any Dodge dealer for install on any SRT-4 starting in late June/early July 2003)
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 21,200
Condition: New
Model Year: 2003
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Epinions.com ID:
Nightshade_01
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Member: Jim Rebholz
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Reviews written: 112
Trusted by: 12 members
About Me:
I'm a car nut, a computer geek, and an anime fan. What else is there?
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