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.
Plymouth Neon Years to Avoid
5 recalls · 100 complaints
15 reported injuries
Top issue: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
2 recalls · 42 complaints
1 reported injury
Top issue: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
Plymouth Neon — Year-by-Year Comparison
Every model year ranked by Buyer Score. Click any year for its detailed problem report.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | Injuries | Deaths | Reliability | Value | Buyer Score | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 2 | 42 | 1 | — | 60 | 38 | 52 | Excellent |
| 2000 | 5 | 100 | 15 | 2 | 22 | 38 | 28 | Good |
| 1999 | 0 | 54 | 2 | — | 69 | 38 | 58 | Good |
| 1998 | 0 | 118 | 6 | — | 67 | 38 | 57 | Good |
| 1997 | 1 | 132 | 11 | — | 60 | 38 | 52 | Good |
| 1996 | 0 | 262 | 28 | — | 60 | 38 | 52 | Caution |
| 1995 | 2 | 411 | 50 | 3 | 26 | 38 | 30 | 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.
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.
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
A buyer's guide shows model-level risk. A VIN report shows the individual vehicle — accidents, odometer history, open recalls, and auction records.