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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  GREAT CHOICE - 2000 Plymouth Neon
  By T FOSTER - September 20 - 2:00 am

  I THINK THE nEON IS GREAT, ITS STYLISH WITH THE BUBBLE EYES. THE GAS MILEAGE IS ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL, I MEAN $13.00 TO FILL UP, EVEN WITH GAS PRICES BEING $1.40 PER GALLON. VERY VERY ECONOMICAL. IT IS COMFORTABLE, HOWEVER IF YOU HAVE TO LOAD KIDS OR HAVE A NEED TO HAUL THINGS, IT IS NOT MUCH SPACE. GREAT FOR TRAVELING IF YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PACK ALOT. THE SOUND SYSTEM IS GREAT. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS IN NEARLY 4 YEARS, ONLY REGULAR ROUTINE MAITENANCE AND THATS ONLY INCLUDED: OIL CHANGES, BRAKES, & TIRES. THATS IT!

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  Its a shame they stopped making these! - 2000 Plymouth Neon
  By MadScotsMan - September 1 - 2:56 pm

  This car was originally purchased for my wife in 2002. I have been driving it regularly since 2006. It has 122,000 miles on it it runs like a champ. No major issues at all. I drive about 50% dirt roads and it handles great in all road/weather conditions...particularly good in snow with good tires. I drive in some pretty awful conditions and am quite confident in the Neon. This has proven to be one of the most reliable, fun to drive and economical cars Ive ever purchased. The only problem Ive had is leaky window and trunk seals. I look forward to many more enjoyable miles out of this fun and terribly underrated car. Excellent rally-cross capabilities!

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  Great buy - 2000 Plymouth Breeze
  By very good buy - August 8 - 8:10 am

  Just bought used with 156000 miles on it and this thing still thinks its new. Great pick up, takes turns like my Camaro and dosent use any gas. At over $3.40/gal for gas I plan on keeping it a very long time. The lie that only Honda and Toyota are reliable and dependable is crushed in my mind

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  great car - 2000 Plymouth Breeze
  By ctrower - July 6 - 10:00 am

  this car has to be one of the greatest car that plymout have made in year this car handles like a dream and has wonderful pick up speed it was a wise move on my part to get this concerdering what i paid for it!!!!!

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  1999 Gr Voyager SE - 1999 Plymouth Grand Voyager
  By AMLF - May 10 - 2:00 am

  We bought our van in 2000 (with about 25,000 miles); it now has about 65,000 miles and has never left us stranded or caused any trouble. The quad seating is very comfortable and it rides as smooth as any car weve ever owned. What consumers need to remember is that the key to making any vehicle last for any length of time is maintenance. Weve changed the oil every 3000 miles and done every maintenance or tune-up task either on time or ahead of schedule. We believe our blessings with all our vehicles lies with our commitment to maintenance. Manufacturers can only do so much and then it is up to consumers.

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  2001 Plymouth Neon A LOT OF LITTLE CAR - 2001 Plymouth Neon
  By jamesrizzuti - May 9 - 4:02 am

  The little Plymouth Neon is fun to drive, feels very solid on the road, and in general has a well designed interior. For a compact car, it has remarkable interior room for 4 adults, and the back seats fold down to allow more truck originated space. Its probably the best little car Ive ever driven.

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  Great Car - 2000 Plymouth Breeze
  By seilerr - April 29 - 10:00 am

  Was not the car I wanted to buy, but was what I could afford. Bought 1 year old, and had been a rental car. Now that I have it, the car is great. No problems at all even with the rental car history. I am glad I bought it.

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  We love it! - 2000 Plymouth Grand Voyager
  By Sandy - February 21 - 5:16 pm

  We have had our van for over six years and have had no problems with it. It has been reliable in all weather conditions and comfortable for our teenagers while they were growing up. All in all we love it.

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  Love my NEON!!! - 2000 Plymouth Neon
  By javaman39 - February 2 - 10:00 am

  I have had other "same size/quality" cars like my Neon before, but I have to admit that I got the most for my dollar with this purchase! Great on Gas, Handles well on all roads, great interior as well as a sporty exterior makes this a fun car to drive, not to mention the fantastic audio system!

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  soccer mom - 1999 Plymouth Voyager
  By Jessica - January 8 - 10:00 am

  Our first mini-van.. Why did we not get one sooner. I love the ride compared to the rough truck feel of my hubbys suv. I can say my mini-van is much better and safer to drive because I can see all around me. I think the true test is whenever we go somewhere as a family we take the mnin instead of his suv. I have over 50,000 miles on it and have had zero problems. It also is ised as a truck whenever needed with the seats out it can carry a lot!