January 31, 2005 - As we're sure a lot of you are aware, we are absolutely in love with Dodge's Neon SRT-4. We have never experienced a car that packs a s***-load of performance into an affordable package. Well, sadly, this isn't another review of the SRT-4. We weren't able to convince Dodge to loan us their turbocharged monster again.

Instead, we get the "upgraded" Dodge Neon SXT. The SXT doesn't get the big wheels or the racing seats. Even sadder, the SXT doesn't come with the bad-ass motor. We do get the big wing and a kick-ass sound system, so maybe all isn't lost.

It is a bit difficult to review the Neon SXT based on its own merits, but that's just because the SRT-4 is so damn good. But the Neon SXT does have a lot to offer, so we'll do our best to erase all memories of Dodge's compact muscle car and give a straight-forward unbiased review of the SXT. That said, we'll probably be drawing a few comparisons between the SRT-4 and the SXT. Don't say we didn't warn you...

Pricing
As with the SRT-4 (damn, we're comparing the two cars already), the Neon SXT is a very affordable car. The Neon comes in at a base price of $15,925, and one gets a lot of convenient features for the price. Of course, things like power locks, air conditioning and speed-sensitive locks are standard interior luxuries.

But we have the Neon SXT, so we have a few features added that put this above and beyond the standard Neon. The first, and most eye-catching, extra on this car is the Orange Blast paint -- which adds $150 to the price.

Let's not forget the addition of the Sport Appearance Group. This $150 option adds 15-inch aluminum wheels and fog lamps to our Neon.

But that's not all! Another Benjamin will put a big freakin' wing on the back of the Neon. It may not be functional, but a lot of people seem to like the way it looks.

Add the $545 destination charge to all that and you get yourself a car that comes in at $16,780. But guess what? There is a $940 package discount when getting the Neon SXT. So after all of that adding and subtracting, we get a car that comes in at only $15,930.

Styling
What can we say? It's a Neon. While we liked the look of the SRT-4, we're having a hard time falling in love with the standard Neon's appearance. It's not that the car looks bad, it just looks too much like a normal compact sedan. Maybe it's because we are still in the "boy racer" phase of our lives, but we want more flash, dammit.

No amount of Orange Paint and wings can make the standard Neon look exciting. But even with the orange paint and wing, nothing about the Neon looks offensive or overly flashy. As such, cops will probably not look twice at this car, so feel free to speed as much as you like. (On second thought, ignore that "speeding" statement. Never exceed the speed limit and always drive safely!)

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