I saw a '00 neon for sale in the paper this morning and thought is it a decent car?

any comments?
crash safety?
performance?
stack up to the crowd?

I want YOUR opinion not what msn says or the manufacturer says.

 

Mine is fine, never had any problems.

 

well, the second gen is all pretty well the same, so based on mine theyre pretty good but if i had a head on the motor and tranny would likely be in my lap

 

Lets start with safety...the Neon isn't the best out there, but its not the worst. Overall the Neon is rated at "Good to Acceptable" for a safety rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The worst area for the Neon safety wise is side impact which the Neon received a "Marginal" rating...on crash dummy tests the worst injury incurred on a front impact was to the left leg because the instrument panel moved rearward (the left leg was shattered at the knee). The engine is designed to drop out and the firewall served its purpose in a safety standpoint. The Neon received a "Good to Best" rating for head, neck, and chest protection...


Performance...your Neon is MUCH better performance wise than a stock Civic LX, DX, and would compare most to a Civic EX in almost every area. The Neon has fairly good aftermarket support and if you so choose you have plenty of room to expand your Neons performance capabilities. Even a base Neon will out handle ANY other car in its class stock vs. stock...


If it was taken care of, and you take care of it, your Neon will last just as long as any Civic.