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2004 Dodge Neon SRT-4 Road Test

Taking Imports Out of the Tuner Equation

Wow! There is no better way to describe the driving experience in the 2004 Dodge Neon SRT-4 other than wow! From the first time the ignition was ignited and the ferocious roar of the beastly engine and snarling exhaust was disturbed from its slumber, to the first time that I sat in the Viper-inspired front bucket racing seats and felt like a racer, to the first time the turbo spun the front wheels as I took off in a flash, it was nothing but wowing.

But before I came face to face with the All-American mighty might tuner car, I tested the car it is based on - the 150-hp Neon R/T. I have to admit to being fairly impressed with the performance it provided, but nothing could have prepared me for the SRT-4.

It started when I first saw it. The "Flame Red" exterior immediately caught my eye, not hard considering red is my favorite

There is no better way to describe the driving experience in the 2004 Dodge SRT-4 other than wow! (Photo: Alexandra Straub, American Auto Press)

color. The exterior displays all the requisite components of legitimate tuner cars: air scoop, high-type rear spoiler, flashy grille, red brake calipers, beefy tires and rims, and a visible intercooler through the front grille, adding sufficient attitude to what started out as an economy car. In the end, the SRT-4 looks menacingly up to no good at all, a far cry from the merely pesky Neon it is based on.

Of course I was even more interested in driving it than looking at it, so off I went. The short-throw shifter and clutch combination works flawlessly,

The exterior displays all the requisite components of legitimate tuner cars: air scoop, high-type rear spoiler, beefy tires and rims, and a visible intercooler through the front grille. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, American Auto Press)

making rowing through the gears a lot of fun. To accomplish this Dodge laced the SRT-4 with a standard NVG T850 Heavy-Duty 5-speed manual transmission connecting through to a limited slip differential. Despite its "heavy-Duty" badge the clutch is not a chore to depress. Instead its firm without being overbearing, making stop-and-go traffic hardly more difficult than the base Neon. Probably a better comparison would be its high-horsepower competitors, the Subaru Impreza WRX and MazdaSpeed Protegé. The SRT-4s clutch, to me, was the easiest to get the most out of.

That may have something

The SRT-4s 230-hp engine puts it ahead of the Subaru WRX, MazdaSpeed Proteg?, Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart, VW Golf GTI VR6 and Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, American Auto Press)

to do with the little Dodge offering more under the hood to get the most out of in the first place. While the 170-hp MazdaSpeed is plenty of fun, only the WRX comes close to matching the SRT-4s power, being only 3 horsepower shy of the Dodges 230-hp. Where it lacks is in torque, 33 lb-ft short of the SRTs 250. Others in the class pale in comparison too, with the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart at 162-hp, Mini Cooper S at 163-hp, Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V with 175-hp, and VW GTI VR6 at 200-hp.

In first gear the grunt of the 2.4-L DOHC 16-valve turbocharged 4-cylinder isnt quite as apparent as in the other gears. Once in second I hit the gas, when in no time at all the turbocharged boost came into play sweeping me back

The minimal-turbo-boost-in-first-gear system keeps city driving civilized without killing the fun. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, American Auto Press)

into the seat and nearly off the pavement. The same effect hurtles the car forward in third and fourth gear with fifth allowing a sensational top speed of 148 mph - try that in a Chevy Cavalier. Its peak torque range is achieved between 3,200 and 4,200 rpm, with 0 to 60 mph arriving in less than 6.0 seconds - impressive!

I liked the minimal-turbo-boost-in-first-gear system for multiple reasons. One, it regulated my city driving, meaning if I gave the car more gas than needed it wouldnt just take off in wild abandon (much like I experienced in the Jetta). Two, it made the city driving experience more enjoyable as it comes across tame in traffic. Its this kind of diversity, its balance of engine refinement and shear horsepower that makes the SRT-4 so good.

But the car is not all about straight ahead acceleration. Handling

Performance-tuned like every other component on the car, the 4-wheel discs with 4-channel ABS and racy red calipers did a superb job. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, American Auto Press)

in the rain or shine is outstanding. The SRT-4s four-wheel independent suspension enhances its edginess without compromising the smooth ride; and that despite its massive P205/50R17 Z-rated tires on 17-inch aluminum rims.

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