Chrysler officials say a beefed-up engine will be offered later but for now Neon buyers will have but one choice. While Chrysler has done a good job reducing road and wind noise, I was disappointed with the engine roar that penetrated the cabin. Carrying on a conversation in a normal tone of voice while driving 60 miles per hour in fourth gear is a challenge. It's pretty raucous inside the Neon on the high side of 4,000 rpms. The Neon offers crisp handling around town and does a good job of eating up curving roads.
Body roll is well controlled at robust speeds.
These good handling traits are achieved with a satisfactory ride quality. The interior is attractive and the dashboard and switchgear are well designed. I particularly like the black on white gauges found in my Plymouth Neon LX tester. The climate control setup is user friendly and the stereo, a typical Chrysler design, is easy to use. The Neon caters to the front seaters while leaving those in back a bit shortchanged.