Full Test: 2001 Dodge Neon R/T

Before we take a look at the Neon R/T, let's examine the confusing pricing/marketing strategy that's prevalent among American carmakers. A Dodge Neon R/T is actually a Dodge Neon with the R/T package ... sort of. The window sticker, however, shows Neon R/T in bold print at the top of the sticker and then a base price of $12,715 (plus destination). But this is actually the price of a base Neon. Look farther down the sticker, and you'll see the Customer Preferred Package 25H ($3,590 after credit) which is actually the R/T package, though this is not indicated. Continue to scrutinize, and a $250 engine option appears -- the high-performance engine that puts out 150 horsepower. "Hey, I thought the hot engine was standard on the R/T," one might exclaim. Well, yes and no. This is an example of that automotive oxymoron, the mandatory option, as this engine must be ordered if a "25H" (aka R/T) is desired. Why they don't make it part of the 25H package and increase the price of the package by $250 escapes us. And how does a power sunroof constitute a "Group"? There are also two discounts shown at the end of the sticker: a Customer Preferred Discount of $860 and a Leather Group Discount of $160. Why don't they simply decrease the cost of the packages by these amounts and skip the baloney? Evidently, some genius with a master's in marketing is trying his best to give the impression of value by playing a shell game with the car's pricing. But again, DaimlerChrysler isn't the only manufacturer that is guilty of this attempt to give the consumer a sense of value. OK, enough of the tirade, let's look at the car that this sticker is stuck to.

A Neon R/T is only available in the four-door body style; the Neon coupe was dropped when the car was redesigned as a 2000 model. For you trivia buffs, the "R/T" nomenclature stands for Road/Track, a moniker Dodge first used in the 1960s on its muscle cars, such as the Charger R/T. Considering that those beasts were meant primarily to accelerate hard in a straight line and didn't like to corner or stop, we imagine the "Track" selections would've been limited to quarter-mile venues. But we digress.

Reviewing the equipment that comes with the Neon R/T seems to validate the badge on the car's fenders, as it comes stocked with performance features such as 16-inch alloys wearing 195/50R16 Goodyears, sport suspension tuning, four-wheel disc antilock brakes, traction control and dual exhaust tips. The leather-wrapped steering wheel and gearshift knob are hefty and feel great in the driver's hands, but that odd-looking four-spoke wheel has got to go. Keyless entry, air conditioning, power front windows/locks/mirrors and lighted vanity mirrors leave nothing further to desire ... except maybe power rear windows and cruise control. The strange combination of power windows in front and manual in the rear may make sense considering that most of the time, a car has just one or two occupants, and they usually sit up front. Or maybe it just saves money, but for more than 16 grand, we think the rear windows should be self-winders, as well.

Our bright red test car was quite the extrovert with stylish mesh wheels (that made our Editor in Chief cringe at the thought of cleaning, something he envisioned requiring a toothbrush) a rear spoiler, rocker panel extensions and foglights. However, we feel the Neon could do without the tacky rear wing, as it adds even more height to the car's big butt.

Jumping into the R/T, some of us were immediately reminded of our long-term Chrysler PT Cruiser, in that the seats are relatively high and flat, like sitting up on an upholstered bar stool. Not exactly a sporty driving position and not much thigh support, either. The interior decor drew mixed reviews from our staff; one editor felt that it was much improved over the previous-generation Neon, as a few nice features such as a padded center console armrest up front and chrome door release levers add an upscale touch to the cabin. But another driver griped about the hard plastic on the lower door panel and the power window pod that jabbed into the knee of his left leg, though in fairness, this dude sports a rather lengthy inseam. And there were a few other annoyances such as the lack of cruise control, no one-touch down for the driver's window and the awkward ignition key release procedure, which requires pressing a button next to the key slot in order to turn the key to Off.

Though rated at a respectable 150 horsepower, the Neon's 2.0-liter inline four didn't win us over. Unlike the dual overhead cam 150-horse engine of the previous-generation R/T, this version is of single overhead cam design. It still has four valves per cylinder, so nothing is functionally lost. In terms of sheer output, the Neon R/T is more potent than its primary sporty compact sedan rivals: the Nissan Sentra SE (145 horsepower), Ford Focus ZTS (130 horsepower) and Mazda Protege ES (130 horsepower). But numbers don't always tell the story, as a fairly quick 0 to 60 mph sprint of 8.3 seconds, for example, doesn't convey the engine's buzzy nature, which makes it seem that although the R/T can definitely run, it doesn't seem to enjoy it. The sole transmission choice is a five-speed manual gearbox, which is what most enthusiasts prefer, but somewhat vague gearshift action and a heavy clutch effort further blunt the driver's efforts to enjoy this car in a straight line blast through the gears.

Braking ability is excellent, with a stopping distance from 60 mph of only 122 feet -- a performance that would do a BMW proud. And although there was a considerable amount of nose dive when the brake pedal was spiked, solid pedal feel and even modulation inspired confidence among our staff.

The previous-generation Neon was a car favored by those who delved into recreational racing events (such as SCCA autocross), due chiefly to its nimble handling. The current version should please those folks, as well. Handling is about as good as it gets in a small front-driver, with the Neon demonstrating an eagerness for the twisties through its well-weighted steering, balanced chassis and flat cornering attitude. The R/T's composure when pressed in the curves was the most endearing trait of the car. Test pilot Neil Chirico was moved to say: "Short wheelbase vehicles always go through the slalom with ease, and this vehicle was no exception. It has a nimble overall feel and is quite tossable when tackling the twisties." And we'd like to extend more kudos to the suspension team for providing this level of handling along with a ride that won't beat one up when the car is negotiating pockmarked pavement.

The safety issue is a mixed bag for the Neon. The car would seem to excel in active safety (the ability to avoid an accident) given its combination of agile handling and powerful stopping ability. But passive safety (how well the car protects occupants if an accident occurs) is mediocre in terms of the offset crash test, where the car scored a "Marginal" rating. In frontal impact tests, the Neon scored four out of five stars, which we consider good. In side impact tests, the Neon scored three out of five stars, which we consider average.

But now comes the big question: Would we buy the Neon R/T? Before we answer that, let's look at what else we could get for around $17,600 or less (we can do without the leather seats): a Mazda Protege ES is similarly priced; a Nissan Sentra SE is nearly $1,000 less; and a Ford Focus ZTS is nearly two grand less (though it wouldn't have a sunroof). Let's just say that we wouldn't necessarily be visiting a Dodge dealership to get our econocar jollies.