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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  One of the Best! :) - 2000 Plymouth Neon
  By Pete13 - January 6 - 2:03 pm

  This is the second Neon I have owned and this is the even better that the first. Very good reliability and spunky at the same time. The body is well designed and it is very quiet and quick on the highways/interstate. Would feel safe to drive anywhere.

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  Pretty good. - 1999 Plymouth Voyager
  By SomePerson - December 12 - 1:40 am

  Weve had this van for eight years and it has been very reliable. It took us from Alabama to Washington State with no problems. Weve since upgraded to a Hyundai Azera, but we still keep it around because its a good reliable car. As the car ages it needs more repairs though. Gets good gas mileage and as decent features. My biggest beef against it is that it is not fun to drive at all. Over all a good car.

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  Chrysler Prowler - 2000 Plymouth Prowler
  By tnprowler - October 25 - 10:00 am

  Had a lot of performance autos, classics, corvettes, trans-ams, over the years this is the most fun I have ever had with an automobile, by far more stares. After adding some after-market performance items, I am quite happy with all aspects of this car. I believe this one will be in my garage forever!

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  Cheap but with many Questions - 2001 Plymouth Neon
  By whitespirit - October 13 - 2:00 am

  I just bought a 2001 Plymouth neon today. It was an Automatic with only a rear window defroster as an option. It had 7200 miles and only cost $7500. My old car was a 99 Chervy prizm compared to it the noen has morepower and room. The interior parts look cheaper and the mileage is worse. Over all it feels good and was a great price. I am 6"3 300 pounds and this car is easy to get into, and my shorter friends can drive it too. The interior is very roomy.

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  great - 1999 Plymouth Voyager
  By Aarncare - September 26 - 10:00 am

  My van has been a great family vehicle. I have owned it for almost a year and a half and have put 30000 miles on it already. I have driven it from MN to Colorado, up and down the mountains. Also I have taken it from MN to TX and back. I have never had any problems, this vehicle has been extremely reliable, and is great to drive. I would not hesitate to buy one.

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  Great Ride - 1999 Plymouth Grand Voyager
  By rowdie2 - September 14 - 2:00 am

  5 Years later and over 130000 miles and this Van has not been in the shop for 1 Major thing. Engine and Transmission are doing great. Purchased New and has been an excellent traveling vehicle for the family.

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  Wont Buy another Chrysler Product - 1998 Plymouth Grand Voyager
  By Johnny - September 6 - 2:00 am

  This car never leaves the city. Battery went at 12,000 mi 3 years. The replaced front brakes at 14,000 mi. Goodyear Tires at 18,000. Transmission went at 22K and was replaced. But car was out of warranty as it was 4 years old. Chrysler would only pay 40% of parts. Got them up to 60%, the dealer was pretty good on labor discount and not happy with Chrysler response.But still cost me $1,000. Going to have to buy once lease is up because I have so much money in it.

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  Wont Buy another Chrysler Product - 1998 Plymouth Grand Voyager
  By johnny - September 6 - 2:00 am

  This car never leaves the city. Battery went at 12,000 mi 3 years. The replaced front brakes at 14,000 mi. Goodyear Tires at 18,000. Transmission went at 22K and was replaced. But car was out of warranty as it was 4 years old. Chrysler would only pay 40% of parts. Got them up to 60%, the dealer was pretty good on labor discount and not happy with Chrysler response.But still cost me $1,000. Going to have to buy once lease is up because I have so much money in it.

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  Fun to drive - 5 speed - 2000 Plymouth Neon
  By TomG - July 11 - 9:13 pm

  Bought this car for my wife when it was new in 2000. Except for the fact that since it was new, it has always seemed like it has an occasional engine misfire (the dealer replaced the spark plugs and wires under warranty), the car has been great and with over 92,000 miles, the only thing I have needed to do besides normal maintenance (oil changes, etc.) is replace the front brake pads which I did myself for about $25. The best thing I did was to replace the OEM tires with some 195-60R15 Firestone Indy 500 tires. What a difference that made in handling! After the warranty expires, Ive been using synthetic oil with 10 - 15000 miles between oil changes, but changing filters at 5,000 miles.

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  Good family vehicle - 1999 Plymouth Voyager
  By JoeGiant - May 14 - 2:00 am

  Looking for a family hauler (3rd kid arrived)on the used market. Found these vans to be a dime a dozen. Great for depreciation purposes IF youre the buyer. After nearly two years of ownership, the van has held up well (we do have her in for regular maintenance). Lil underpowered with the Mitsubishi 3.0l 6cyl. Would recommend the larger 6s with the 4 spd auto trans, either the 3.3l or the 3.8l. OTOH, gas mileage for this thing is pretty decent, 24mpg highway, couple less city. Cannot complain to date. If you are into "value" for the dollar, this vehicle is worth a look.