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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  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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  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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  Neon # 2 - 2000 Plymouth Neon
  By pyro498 - August 8 - 2:00 am

  This is my second Neon. The first was a 1995 that I purchased brand new. I was able to get the mileage up to 189,000 before a dumb mistake roasted the engine. The 2000 Neon is styled nicely. The windows take getting used to. The interior is improved as is the space. The engine is a little easier to work on, except the jack point ins not really in a great area. Overall the Neon is a good starter car or just a runner.

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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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  The truth - 1999 Plymouth Voyager
  By markoregon1986 - June 18 - 3:08 pm

  The engine is over powered for this transmission. it has a recall for the airbags and the cruise control. so if you get one bring it into a Chrysler dealership. I bought this car for 1,200.00 and you get what you pay for in older cars. the dealer was honest but didnt mention the common problem with this vehicle at the time which was the transmission/clutch. the computer system is notorious for failing and not registering the proper codes for when there is a mechanical issue such as a transmission issue. so yes the computer system isnt reliable. the transmissions on these vehicles are not equipped to handle that 3.3l engine and are prone to falling apart. constant maintenance and upkeep.

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  Pleased with my Neon - 2000 Plymouth Neon
  By satifsfied neon owne - May 30 - 5:00 pm

  I bought my 2000 Plymouth Neon in 2001 with 26,000 miles on it. It now has 113,000 miles! I am pleased with it, considering I only paid $8,500 for it in 2001. When I got it, I had three different people tell me that I made a mistake when I bought it, so I was scared. After 4.5 years, I am pleased. I had an oil leak and replaced a valve cover gasket, cam sensor, and rear seal. It fixed it. That cost around $350-$400 to fix. I have changed the brake pads, spark plugs/wires, air filters and oil changes. This is all I have done to car. Hopefully the car will last me another year or two.

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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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  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.