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Dodge Neon 2.0 LX
Sold As Chrysler Neon in Europe
Americans like their theme parks big. They like their buildings big and their arenas too. It's no surprise,therefore,that they also fancy big cars. The Dodge Neon is no exception.
This 4 door sedan gets around using 132 horsepowers provided by its 4 cylinder 2 litre engine. Such engines may seem monstrous in Europe but to an american anything under 4 litres is a lawnmower. The Neon is heavy , so it takes a long 10 seconds to get it from nil to sixty (Chrysler claims to get it there in 9.5 but I haven't seen it go nearly as quick).
On the upside, My Neon allows great vision - you see anything that goes on around it, which contributes to safety (The fact that the car weighs tons more than it could also makes it a big fat safe fort). On the other hand, I was surprised that a market-aware american manufacturer pays so little attention to details. The noise in the cabin is terrible. The needle on the gas gage jumps up and down so that one second you have enough for a trip around the world and the next you're empty. I was appalled by an insensitive steering wheel that responds about as well as a senile old man. Fianlly , the trunk is surprisingly small for such a large vehicle.
The last straw struck me when I read about what comes as standard with the car. It reads (among worthy valuable things such as twin airbags and remote locking) "Forward only electric windows". As if that is something to take pride in on the edge of year 2000.
I don't know why it's so poular in the states (did I mention it was big?).But as far as I can see There are better things to do and better motorcars to buy for 12,000$ (in the US). Call it chrysler ,call it Dodge, call it Miss Piggy for all I care, the Neon still gets thumbs down.
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