Chrysler Neon Overview: Specs, Generations and Which One to Buy
Chrysler Neon specs across both generations (1994–2005): a front-wheel-drive sedan with 115–147 hp, plus advice on which version to buy used.
The Chrysler Neon is a compact front-wheel-drive sedan built from 1994 to 2005 with outputs from 115 to 147 hp. If you are comparing chrysler neon specs, the lineup is simple: one body style, 1.6 and 2.0 engines, manual or automatic gearboxes. It suits drivers who want an inexpensive, straightforward sedan with easy-to-find parts.
Chrysler Neon generations
1 generation (1994–1999)
The first-generation Chrysler Neon was sold from 1994 to 1999 as a sedan only, with front-wheel drive and four modifications. All notable versions used a 2.0-liter (1996 cc) engine, and power ranged from 133 to 147 hp. The Chrysler Neon 2.0 MT (147 hp) was the mass-market choice and accelerated to 100 km/h in 8.8 seconds — the quickest figure in the whole model range. The same 147 hp engine was also offered with an automatic, while the Chrysler Neon 2.0 MT (133 hp) returned 7.9 l/100 km with a 10.8-second sprint.
2 generation (1999–2005)
The second-generation Chrysler Neon ran from 1999 to 2005, again as a front-wheel-drive sedan, this time with three modifications. Power dropped to a 115–133 hp range. The Chrysler Neon 2.0 MT (2nd generation) makes 133 hp, reaches 100 km/h in 11.2 seconds and consumes 8.0 l/100 km; the 2.0 AT with the same 133 hp does it in 12.4 seconds at 8.7 l/100 km. New for this generation was the 1.6 MT with a 1598 cc engine: 115 hp, 10.2 seconds to 100 km/h and the lowest consumption in the range at 7.3 l/100 km.
Which Chrysler Neon to buy
- 2.0 MT (147 hp) (1 generation): the fastest Neon in the data, with a 0–100 km/h time of 8.8 seconds from its 1996 cc engine.
- 2.0 MT (133 hp) (1 generation): the economical first-generation pick at 7.9 l/100 km, while still hitting 100 km/h in 10.8 seconds.
- 2.0 MT (2 generation): the mass-market later version — 133 hp, 11.2 seconds to 100 km/h and 8.0 l/100 km, from the newest 1999–2005 production run.
- 1.6 MT (2 generation): the thriftiest Neon at 7.3 l/100 km, and its 115 hp engine still delivers a respectable 10.2-second sprint.
On the used market, the second generation (1999–2005) is simply younger, so a given car has had fewer years to accumulate wear; the first generation (1994–1999) is now over 25 years old at minimum. The range's mechanical simplicity — one body style, front-wheel drive and only two engine sizes — makes it easy to compare cars directly, which is exactly what searches for chrysler neon reliability come down to: pick the specific version and check that individual car.
Which Chrysler Neon to avoid
The Chrysler Neon 2.0 AT (2nd generation) is dominated on the numbers: with the same 133 hp as the 2.0 MT of its generation, it is slower (12.4 versus 11.2 seconds to 100 km/h) and thirstier (8.7 versus 8.0 l/100 km). Choose it only if an automatic gearbox is a requirement.