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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 1.8
Limited data — provisional
Safety
Low
0 inj.
✓No open federal investigations
11
Recalls
1,119
Complaints
2000
Best Yr
113
Injuries
Top issue: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINEAvoid 2000
7
Years Analyzed
11
Total Recalls
1119
Total Complaints
113
Reported Injuries
5
Reported Deaths

Plymouth Neon Years to Avoid

#1 WORST
2000

5 recalls · 100 complaints

15 reported injuries

Top issue: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

#2 WORST
2001

2 recalls · 42 complaints

1 reported injury

Top issue: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM

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 October 25, 2026.

Plymouth Neon — Year-by-Year Comparison

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

YearRecallsComplaintsInjuriesDeathsReliabilityValueBuyer ScoreVerdict
20012421—
57
39
51
Excellent
20005100152
57
39
51
Good
19990542—
57
39
51
Good
199811186—
57
39
51
Good
1997113211—
57
39
51
Good
1996026228—
57
39
51
Caution
19952411503
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.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
209
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
73
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
66
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
51
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
34
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
28
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
26
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
26

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
1995 · 511996 · 511997 · 511998 · 511999 · 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 5 recalls and 100 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: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER. 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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