2004 Dodge Review

Specifications

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 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, 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 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 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 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.

Steering is tight because it is performance tuned. Its more weighted than some of its overly light-steering peers, better for a sports car, and its reaction time is almost immediate, an attribute I find essential in a tuner car. In the wet, torque-steer is minimal, but on dry pavement the steering wheel does pull a little more under full throttle, which is to be expected when putting anything close to 250 lb-ft of torque through the front wheels. Still, it doesnt torque the wheel as much as I expected, and never got in the way of executing a turn.

The SRTs braking system is also worthy of praise. 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 stopping forward momentum when needed.

But the thing that got me all worked up wasnt the brakes, or the steering, handling, or even the power of the SRT-4s engine. It was the beefy exhaust note? Its twin-pipe, chrome tipped, dual opposing exhaust system makes its presence felt everywhere. I loved its throaty growl, hiccupping as its radical cams attempt to idle when theyd rather be whirring at full throttle. But then again it sounds even better at high rpm, especially when shifting gears. The exhaust rumble gives the car so much more bite. Yum.

That said, while you might delight at the barking sounds coming from behind, your passengers might cringe. They wont be put out by the SRT-4s well appointed interior though. I already mentioned the Viper-inspired sport cloth seats that hold all occupants firmly in place even during outrageous cornering. Fitting into those seats is snug to say the least, and wouldnt be a positive experience for some desperately in need of Jenny Craig. But unlike the stock Neons headroom the SRT-4 is ample, boasting 38.4 inches in the front and 36.7 inches in back, enough room for my 64″ boyfriend to see out the side windows and windshield.

Other tuner themed interior items include standard brushed aluminum pedals, satin metal finish console and dash trim, silver-face instruments surrounded by satin silver ring accents, a metal cue-ball style shift knob, a leather-wrapped three-spoke steering wheel, and a high-quality AM/FM/CD player with 6 speakers. But my favorite of all interior features was the turbo boost gauge that poked out of the instrument binnacle (followed closely by the CD player)! Overall I found the interior to be adequately finished, but lacking the sporty class of the MazdaSpeed (or even better Mazda3 GT), Mini Cooper S or VW GTI. Its as good as the Subaru however.

Additional standard features include air conditioning, cupholders, driver and passenger airbags, power windows, power locks with keyless entry remote, and cruise control. The only two optional features offered on the SRT-4 include a power sunroof and front side airbags. My test car included the optional glass sunroof.

Speaking of letting the light in, visibility is relatively good out of the front windshield. The dash is quite low, optimizing visual range, but peering out of the rear is not as ideal. The standard high-type rear spoiler obstructs vision in conjunction with a high rear seating position. I found it difficult to see when parallel parking, or just backing up in general. Also the A- and C-pillars are quite wide, so I had to be more careful when turning. But hey, it all comes with the sports car territory right? At least the SRT-4 has rear side windows and doors to fit in two additional passengers in relative comfort.

Because the SRT-4 is new to the public and considerably coveted by auto enthusiasts (including journalists), I would have liked to have seen more “SRT-4″ badging in the front sides of the car, as well as on the sport seats. As I mentioned before, the body-colored Viper-inspired front grille is enough to turn heads, as is the hood scoop and sensational wheel and tire package, but after racing by the bus stop full of highschoolers the only identification setting the rear end of the SRT-4 apart from its Neon roots is the very noticeable tall rear spoiler. While I respect Dodges subtle good taste, I wanted everyone to know that this finely tuned piece of machinery was in fact an SRT-4!

In addition, the steering wheel is very basic. Its leather-wrapped rim is substantial enough, with the 3-spoke style ideal for sport driving, but its hub is too commonplace for something this racy. Dodge needs to take a cue from automakers like Mazda and VW that have basically copied wheels from Momo and Nardi, and in some cases added the real thing to set their cars apart from the masses. The outside of the SRT-4 emanates a tuner car image, and so does the inside with the snazzy shifter, boost gauge and seats, but the steering wheel is not “in tune” with the overall theme.

The SRT-4s stereo system is also good quality, but in comparison to the Rockford Fosgate system in the Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V or the Premium Quality Kenwood CD/MP3 player in the MazdaSpeed Protegé, its not as appealing, forcing audio buffs to upgrade.

But despite only boasting adequate tunage, I have to say Dodges newest sport sedan is a fly ride to cruise around town in. The SRT-4 is fast and flashy turning almost everyones head for the exhaust note alone. What more could I ask for? Well, maybe a Viper.