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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  Very Dependable Daily Driver - 2000 Plymouth Breeze
  By sabz51 - August 29 - 4:29 am

  I have the 2000 Breeze with the 2.4L engine in it. The car overall is very basic, but very practical. The thing has never left me stranded and always starts right up, even in -30 below Wisconsin winters. The car only has 88,000 miles on it, and is still running like its brand new. It does have a very minor rust patch on the front of the hood, but other than that, everything is spot on.

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  Great vehicle for 8 years - 2000 Plymouth Voyager
  By Peter B - August 15 - 6:43 am

  We bought this vehicle new in 2000. Since then we have put on 172,000 miles with almost no problems. One $80 dollar sensor and a $220 transmission leak. Thats it other than stuff you would normally have to service. Not the most flashy vehicle but a solid value.

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  worth the cash - 1999 Plymouth Voyager
  By heatherhop - March 29 - 10:00 am

  with a 3.3 v6, no problemsfor the first 3 1/2 yrs. only had a leaking trans relay (350.00),also alot of road noise from the rear tires at highway speed

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  Great Little Van - 1999 Plymouth Voyager
  By N Bos - March 17 - 9:46 pm

  Our Voyager has been just perfect. It is very dependable; we have had no major repairs and are up to 80,000 miles. Its construction is well thought out and offers lots of good features. Our only regret is no reading lights or temperature controls for the back seat. Our fuel ecomony has been 19 mpg city / 21mpg highway, which is not bad.

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  Would buy another - 1998 Plymouth Grand Voyager
  By ztagwil - October 11 - 11:55 am

  We were fortunate to have bought an experimental van by Chrysler. It is an Expresso Grand Voyager, 6-cyl, 3.8L. It has a truck chassie and a towing package. We have pulled a camper for 8-9 yrs. Have 195k. It has been a tank, very comfortable with 4 captains chairs. Replaced transmission once. We need another van, to carry 7, and to pull our camper. We think, that if you can find one of the 1600 ever made, you can trust it. Looking for a sleeper (one with low mileage).

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  Best mule I ever owned - 1999 Plymouth Voyager
  By JLA - July 31 - 6:06 am

  I have had this van for 10 yrs. Great AC, safe on the road and pretty good MPG. It has lasted through my daughters middle school years, high school years and my private business. It has transported cheerleading teams, volleyball teams, bowling leagues and swimmers. It has traveled back and forth over the state of FL. Has pulled hot dog carts and tree roots and is a trusted old friend. Most reliable of any cars/vans I have ever owned.

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  STILL a good car! - 2001 Plymouth Neon
  By ehbowen - May 19 - 5:40 am

  I purchased my 2001 Neon new in November 2000 and kept it for more than eight years. It was the stickshift LX model, and I added a Chrysler-brand cruise control. Other than routine maintenance, the only service it needed was when the engine computer went into an error state. The car was still driveable and I drove it to the dealership, which repaired it under the emissions warranty even though the car had over 60000 miles on it at the time. The only negative I have to say about the car is that its a little too low-slung; very easy to scrape the front end on sloped driveways. I sold the car to my 16-yr old niece last year, and she loves it-- its STILL a good car!

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  Been good for us - 1998 Plymouth Grand Voyager
  By Happy Owner - May 17 - 7:26 pm

  Ive read a lot of bad reviews on this vehicle but our van has been nothing but great! We bought ours new 10 years ago and have only replaced drivers door window regulator (100,000) the water pump (150,000) and starter (160,000) beyond the usual batteries, tires, transmission service, oil changes etc. The transmission did shift rough a couple of times early (30,000) but dealer fix this under warranty. Van rides very smoothly, handles -like a van- and is great for hauling stuff and family trips and vacations. We have been very pleased and some what suprised by how reliable this vehicle has been. It has the 3.3 V6.

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  Warning - 1999 Plymouth Grand Voyager
  By Kenny Mack - April 16 - 10:00 am

  We had the van for 5 years, and the biggest concern was with the steering/alignment. Within the 1st month of ownership, we had to get the front end aligned. We had 5-6 alignments, 2 sets of tires & tie rods replaced (all before 60,000 miles). Now we are getting rid of the money pit.

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  oil leak problems - 1999 Plymouth Voyager
  By michelle - March 31 - 4:43 am

  I bought this van used and I loved it until it developed an oil leak. So far I have replaced the valve cover gaskets, oil pan and gaskets and the oil is still leaking. These repairs have totaled $750.00. Had it into the mechanic today and was told they will redo the valve covers, and if it doesnt stop leaking then its a head gaskets. Other than struggling with the oil leak its a pretty good vehicle.