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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  1998 Ply Grand Voyager - 1998 Plymouth Grand Voyager
  By ecreager - March 7 - 10:00 am

  I bought this vehicle new in 1998. it has been through 95,000 miles, many long distance trips, hauled kids to college and back, sat in office parking lots hundreds of days, and it is still reliable, relaxing to drive, and pretty. the quad seats in back, the two sliding doors are its most valuable assets, as well as the cargo room. Like it so much I plan to buy another mini van.

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  prowler - 2000 Plymouth Prowler
  By michael pond - February 17 - 2:00 am

  great car. wanted one since I saw concept car, Didnt want to pay $80,000 asking price when first into.

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  Factory Problems - 1999 Plymouth Voyager
  By George Roberts - February 9 - 2:00 am

  When van had been purchased 3 days, it was returned for resurface of rotors. To date the Chrysler service people have attempted to fix this problem,(a problem that most folks never experience when owning a car)3 times. I have fixed rotors once and they are needing repair again. Other problems, cruise control and transmission tore up.Now it is using 2 qts. oil in 3000 mi.Had to replace all 4 tires at 23,000 mi because the belts were busted.

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  No more Chryslers in my drive - 1998 Plymouth Grand Voyager
  By geezer - January 3 - 10:00 am

  Van has leaked oil out of every possible gasket. Front main seal blew at 38000 mi. Air conditioner has been replaced, along with dryer. Chrysler reps wouldnt offer the time of day , as vehicle was 2000 miles past warranty period. Worst vehicle mechanically I have ever owned.

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  1999 Voyger performance - 1999 Plymouth Voyager
  By Eddie Money - December 4 - 3:26 pm

  I bought this amazing minivan with 212,000 original miles with everything original except the tires and couple of belts. Ive had other mini and full size vans, but this baby just goes and goes and everything works. Needs improvement on CV joint for its not easy to service. Other than that this is a great mini van and having such excessive miles everything in this van works great.

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  dont like - 1998 Plymouth Grand Voyager
  By cfl6770 - November 28 - 10:00 am

  under carriage is aluminum and bends when you go over a bump. Major componets begin to fail at 70,000 miles

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  too bad - 1998 Plymouth Grand Voyager
  By it is unfortunate - November 4 - 10:00 am

  Bought new in 98...drove all of the available vans at the time & decided this had the best bang for the buck...from day one we have had problems...70k miles - 4 complete sets of brakes (calipers, rotors, pads, entire overhaul), trans has slipped from day 1 - the dealer cant fix it - AC has broke 2xs - windows open & close on whim - power steering noisy - no one can ever seem to fix it - side door got "stuck" & had to be removed to get it to work again - every annoying problem you could think of...it is a shame - cause I love the design - plenty of room - many features that I use on a reg basis (temp, compass, rear heat/ac, auto door locks, etc)

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  Not recommended - 1998 Plymouth Grand Voyager
  By appalled - October 18 - 2:00 am

  This has been a terribly expensive vehicle to own, mainly due to the transmission problems that plague these minivans. I understand that Chrysler has yet to properly address the issues entirely. The air conditioning system developed a substantial leak just before 80k miles. Apart from these significant issues, it is quite useful for hauling a family, although you will spend plenty of time at the gas station - we see 19 mpg in mixed driving. This will be my last Chryler product. I look forward to selling it after almost a year of ownership.

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  Prowler is an unbeatable sports car !! - 2000 Plymouth Prowler
  By Mark Tarleeni - October 5 - 10:00 am

  When i enter my prowler, im transported to a nother dimenshion!! I test drove new corvetts, and ther is absolutly no comparison to the feeling i get when i drive my prowler!! The prowler gives me more power and speed than any vehichle i ever owned!! the powerful v6 lights up the huge back tires instantly!! I cant wait to drive my prowler!! its an incredible RUSH !!

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  good - 2000 Plymouth Neon
  By Prescott White - September 3 - 10:00 am

  runs great interior great a little ding on the drivers back door other then that great low miles good on gas nice smooth ride