Overview & Reviews

In its day, Plymouth was one of the best-selling and most beloved brands in the U.S. Owned first by Chrysler and then by DaimlerChrysler, the marque existed for more than 70 years before being discontinued in 2001.

The Plymouth Motor Corporation was born in May of 1928 as a marketing subsidiary of the Chrysler Corporation, with Walter Chrysler as its president. The first Plymouth, the Plymouth 4, followed soon thereafter, cruising into showrooms in 1929. The car was based on a Chrysler model, the Chrysler 4. Its low price and solid quality established Plymouth as the brand to beat for consumers seeking affordable transportation.

The 1930s saw Plymouth investing in the development of a new vehicle; the Plymouth PA was launched in 1931. Featuring then-innovative rubber engine mounts, the car was a hit, and helped Plymouth sail past more established brands like Buick to nab the 3rd-place spot in national car sales, behind Ford and Chevrolet. By 1939, more than 3 million Plymouths had been built, and its name had been officially changed to the Plymouth Division.

In the years following World War II, Plymouth introduced models like the Cambridge, Suburban and Cranbrook. The look of the vehicles was a departure from the prevailing aesthetic of the time. They were chunky and tall whereas the most popular vehicles were long, lean and low. V8 engines and automatic transmissions were also new additions to the Plymouth brand in the '50s. By the time the decade drew to a close, more than 12 million Plymouths had been built.

The '60s saw the birth of the pony car, and Plymouth was at the forefront of the movement with its legendary Barracuda, which was initially based on the Valiant compact when it was introduced in 1964. As the years went on, the Barracuda offered a range of powerful V8 engines and a choice of body styles, including a convertible. The decade also saw the introduction of a pair of muscle cars based on the midsize Belvedere: the bare-bones Road Runner and the more luxurious GTX. The psychedelic era also gave rise to the brand's potent 426 Hemi V8 engine.

The fuel crisis of the mid-1970s spelled trouble for Plymouth, as high fuel prices caused poor sales for its larger models. Plymouth saw some success with its Valiant, Duster and Volare compacts. But the lone shining star on the sales charts was the subcompact Horizon. Otherwise, the company suffered slow sales due to an aged and dwindling lineup. Things didn't get much better for Plymouth during the '80s. In spite of the debut of the popular Voyager minivan and a couple of other new models like the Caravelle and Sundance, the brand continued to struggle.

By the time the '90s rolled around, Plymouth was no longer a full-line make. Chrysler had plans to reinvigorate the brand with the introduction of new models, but all that changed after the company's merger with Daimler at the end of the decade. At the close of the '90s, Plymouth's lineup had been reduced to just five vehicles: the Voyager and Grand Voyager minivans, the Breeze sedan, the Neon compact and the Prowler sports car. DaimlerChrysler soon decided to pull the plug on the long-neglected brand, with the last Plymouths being made in model-year 2001.

User Reviews:

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  MY LAST PLYMOUTH - 1998 Plymouth Grand Voyager
  By MARC - November 14 - 4:00 am

  3.3L engine. Blew gasket at 67k - out of warranty. Thereafter, major components were replaced, water pump, alternator, a/c compressor... Blew front rocker arm at 98k. Blew back rocker arm at 104k. Replaced head at 106k. All expenses from my own pocket.

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  Look Elsewhere - 2000 Plymouth Neon
  By Jason - August 25 - 11:06 am

  Did not have a great experience with this car. Build quality was horrible. The brake pads fell off locking the wheel on way to work. Also had the brakes not work at all (vacuum problem) and almost ended up in the Bay. Lots of rattles, bumper faded (seems to be a usual problem with red Neons). Car feels small, but did have a comfortable seat. With seats down, you could fit quite a bit of stuff. Had a 5 speed manual transmission (automatic was only 3 speed!) which was a bit clunky. The rubberized plastic parts were peeling before I bought it, and only got worse (even with my obsessive car detailing!).

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  Bad Reliability - 2000 Plymouth Voyager
  By trekiew - August 15 - 10:00 am

  Have had multiple mechanical problems. Though it is still covered under waranty, still is a big hassle. In the last year, we have had transmission replaced, the A/C compressor replaced, belts replaced, something in the steering column, etc... The dealership has been friendly - but enough is enough!

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  Worst vehicle I have owned! - 1998 Plymouth Grand Voyager
  By M Jackson - May 29 - 8:26 am

  Bought used at 70,000 miles. The lifters had just been rebuilt. In 3 years of ownership, we replaced the serpentine belt 9 times, the power steering pump, the water pump, the fuel pump, the key ignition because the key would not turn, (the locksmith said he replaces at least 1 a week on these vehicles), crank sensor, map sensor, leaking valve cover gaskets, the cd player, the passenger seat would not lay back, the power windows get stuck, the van smoked constantly, poor acceleration.... I paid it off 2 months ago, and now the timing belt broke causing engine failure because of poor engine design! I have had this van towed countless times and have been stranded more times than imaginable. We will never buy again!

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  LEMON - 1999 Plymouth Voyager
  By argus7 - April 17 - 2:00 am

  This thing is a piece of junk. Constant engine problems: Massive oil leaks and burned valves. Chrystler says tough rocks. I will never buy another Chrystler product again.

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  My mistake - 2000 Plymouth Grand Voyager
  By biohazard8724 - November 22 - 10:00 am

  I never wanted to buy an American car but this one was in our price range. What a mistake! Buy a Honda or Toyota.

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  Bad buy - 1998 Plymouth Grand Voyager
  By viktoo - July 2 - 2:00 am

  Extremelly disappointed. At 33000 miles the transmission went on the highway. The car was in the shop every three weeks with something going wrong. I also had a toyota that was at 93000 miles and still going strong without any problems. This car was just a major disappointment. Plus hardly and driver leg room. On long trips i would just cramp up.

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  Dont buy one - 1998 Plymouth Grand Voyager
  By dont buy one - May 4 - 10:00 am

  This is the worst car Ive ver owned!! I have nothing but problems. Blown head gasket, engine fire, rebuilt transmission,serpentine belt replaced 3 times,never ending brake problems. Its in the shop just about every other month. I have spent thousands in repairs. I will never but another Chrysler product.

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  Dont buy this van! - 2000 Plymouth Voyager
  By bimmerphile - September 14 - 8:10 pm

  If you want to purchase transmissions like theyre going out of style, then the 2000 Plymouth Voyager is the van for you. When I initially purchased it in 2002, I had no idea they had such a penchant for going through transmissions. Come to fine out, the have done this for over a decade, and Chrysler has done nothing to remedy the problem. They keep selling a van to the public knowing the transmission will fail. Its irresponsible and immoral. Im on my third transmission now with less than 100,000 miles. For this reason alone, dont buy this van.

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  Not the safest car - 2000 Plymouth Neon
  By Dink2008 - December 25 - 3:36 pm

  I just received this car from my parents and I absolutely dislike it. When driving it, I can never feel comfortable because it does not feel like a safe car at all. The vehicle is thrown all over the road and has no power while going uphill. On the other hand the gas mileage is pretty fair, and the sound is alright. Over all I believe there are more downs than ups for this car and I would not recommend it if you are looking for a safe car.