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VEHICLE BUYER'S GUIDE

Plymouth Neon1995–2001

Year-by-year buyer intelligence from NHTSA safety data — reliability, value, and which years to target or avoid.

🚗 SEDAN
Plymouth Neon
1995–2001
B
Defect Risk
Recall intensity
0.0/yr · seg. median 0.0
Limited data — provisional
Safety
Low
0 inj.
✓No open federal investigations
7
Recalls
94
Complaints
2000
Best Yr
21
Injuries
Top issue: AIR BAGS:FRONTALAvoid 2000
7
Years Analyzed
7
Total Recalls
94
Total Complaints
21
Reported Injuries
0
Reported Deaths

Plymouth Neon Years to Avoid

#1 WORST
2000

2 recalls · 0 complaints

Top issue: No complaints on record

#2 WORST
2001

2 recalls · 0 complaints

Top issue: No complaints on record

Federal Defect Investigations

NHTSA investigations are the stage that precedes a recall. 2 past investigations into the Neon became recalls.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Data current as of September 11, 2026.

Plymouth Neon — Year-by-Year Comparison

Every model year ranked by Buyer Score. Click any year for its detailed problem report.

YearRecallsComplaintsInjuriesDeathsReliabilityValueBuyer ScoreVerdict
200120——
57
39
51
Excellent
200020——
57
39
51
Excellent
199900——
82
39
67
Excellent
199800——
82
39
67
Excellent
199700——
82
39
67
Excellent
1996253—
57
39
51
Good
199518918—
57
39
51
Avoid

Buyer Score = Reliability (65%) + Value window (35%). Deaths and injuries sourced from NHTSA complaint filings. Year links open full NHTSA problem reports.

Known Plymouth Neon Problems

Most frequently reported components across all model years, from NHTSA owner complaints.

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
17
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
8
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
6
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
5
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
4
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
4
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
4
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
3

Complaint counts across all model years. Numbers indicate frequency, not severity.

Shopping by Era

How each generation of the Neon compares — best year within each era shown.

Pre-2013

Older Neon models are deeply depreciated but carry higher wear and repair risk. High mileage is common. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and verify full recall history.

Proceed with Caution
1997 · 671998 · 671999 · 671995 · 511996 · 512000 · 512001 · 51

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best year Neon to buy?+

See the Buyer Score table above for a full ranking of every Neon model year.

Which Neon years have the most problems?+

The 2000, 2001 model years have the highest problem scores in our analysis. The 2000 Neon leads with 2 recalls and 0 owner complaints.

What is the Buyer Score?+

The Buyer Score is a composite metric that combines reliability (65% weight) and depreciation value (35% weight). Reliability reflects recall and complaint severity. Value reflects how much of the vehicle's depreciation has already been absorbed by prior owners — a 4–6 year old vehicle typically sits in the sweet spot.

What are the most common Neon problems?+

The most frequently reported Plymouth Neon issues involve: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP, STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR. These are aggregated across all model years from NHTSA owner complaint filings. Frequency of complaints does not necessarily indicate severity.

Deep-Dive Research

Common Problems

Full year-by-year breakdown of every documented defect for the Plymouth Neon.

Reliability Score

Reliability rating and score breakdown compared to similar sedan vehicles.

Years to Avoid

Every Neon year ranked by problem score — worst years listed with full reasoning.

Found the right year? Verify the specific car.

A buyer's guide shows model-level risk. A VIN report shows the individual vehicle — accidents, odometer history, open recalls, and auction records.

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