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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  Its a Minivan - 1999 Plymouth Grand Voyager
  By derm911 - October 22 - 2:00 am

  We bought it for the child seats. The seats and being able to get to the kids while driving have been great. Now that our kids are bigger we are trying to sell a well maintained vehicle with only 41k. The only trouble is even though it was less $ up front it has poor resale value. We paid $21,500 new and now no one will come look at it for $8500 even with new tires and brakes. Imports (Honda, Toyota) are thought of as more reliable and their resale values are much better. The Japanese have better brand name for used vehicles.

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  I musta got a good one - 2000 Plymouth Voyager
  By dap56 - October 22 - 1:33 am

  7 passenger, 3.3LV6, with drivers side sliding door, 95,000 miles, and just had my first semi major repair (starter). The rest of the car is original, even the marker bulbs. One serpentine belt change, its on its 3rd set of tires and brakes, which is all normal maintenance on any car along with oil and filter changes every 5000 miles. Ill probably swap out hoses, belts and fluids at 100k just as a matter of principle. Very comfortable and has been more reliable than my wifes Honda Accord. Now that the kids are gone, Id like to get rid of it for something that gets better mileage, but I just cant justify it.

• 

  Good Vehicle - 2000 Plymouth Grand Voyager
  By Jim - September 10 - 10:36 am

  Weve had our Grand Voyager for over 5 years now. It is our third one in a row, and we have had no problems with any of them. We considered trading on an SUV, but based on mileage, seating capacity and utility a minivan still made more sense for us.

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  Travelin - 2001 Plymouth Neon
  By deaggle - September 4 - 2:00 am

  We bought a 2001 Neon LX in 2002, the car overall does exceptionaly well, has enough power. The sound system is magnificient, comes loaded with a 4 disc in-dash changer and a 6 speaker system. Its very reliable and comfortable for heavy traveling. Fuel Economey is above average for a 2500 lbs car that was fully loaded, but it could be better. A good idea would be to put 4 disc brakes with ABS. We would suggest it as a good starter car for anyone with a small family.

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  fast eddies ride - 1999 Plymouth Prowler
  By fast eddie - July 24 - 2:00 am

  It dosent get any better than this. As a roadster it should be rated a 10. It is everything a roadster should be. Dont use it for your weekly shopping, or family trips. It wasnt designed for that.

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  hmmm...(scratching head) - 2000 Plymouth Voyager
  By javajane - July 22 - 4:56 am

  This was a great size for our family of 5 and for toting around sports gear and all the kids friends. But now that I will be traveling longer distances, need something more fuel-efficient. Also had issues with wiper arm; replaced 3 times in 2 years - go figure! And at $70 a pop, that adds up. We are trading down to a smaller size.

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  Not a reliable minivan - 1999 Plymouth Grand Voyager
  By minivan driver - July 17 - 1:10 am

  Bought van in 2001 with 60,000 miles. Have had to rewire engine compartment ($800) and replace A/C ($1200). Now having trouble with power window. I had a 1992 Grand Voyager that went for 130,000, had to replace transmission and A/C on it, too. So looking forward to buying new transmission on this one. Aside from that, Mrs. Lincoln, not a bad van. Plenty of room, plenty of power. But next van will be a Toyota, Honda, or Nissan. Sorry, GM and Ford and Chrysler, but youve got to build better cars!

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  Love Our Plymouth Minivan - 1998 Plymouth Grand Voyager
  By Mopar_Al - May 22 - 2:00 am

  Only "major" problem was a sudden leak in the fuel tank which Chrysler quickly (and wisely) paid for despite being well outside of warranty period. Changed transmission fluid at around 30K and have had *no* problems. Over 60K now and just recently replaced serpentine belt, otherwise just oil changes and a set of tires (btw, dont put Costo Kirkland tires on this vehicle, they dont handle well.)

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  2000 Plymouth Neon - 2000 Plymouth Neon
  By Gary Bader - March 25 - 3:03 pm

  It is a great car. I had very little problems with it. I would buy another one. Great in the snow.

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  1999 Plymouth - 1999 Plymouth Grand Voyager
  By El Tee - March 14 - 10:23 pm

  Replaced transmission within first 25000 miles. 2nd transmission replacement at 79000. Brake system components lack integrity. 3.3 Chrysler engine lacks adequate horsepower. Spare tire rack cant securely hold a full size tire for spare. Seats must be phyisically lifted out if one wishes to create more room - very heavy/cumbersome. Sound system needs upgrading.