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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  Good Car - 2000 Plymouth Breeze
  By Carnation - March 13 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle has been fun to drive and very reliable

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  Love it! - 2000 Plymouth Neon
  By mk - February 1 - 9:43 pm

  I got my Neon used in 2004, and have put 80,000 miles on it for a total of 170,000. I have hit large road debris twice,a huge deer carcass once and a tire carcass another time. Aside from repairs to the radiator and bumper due to those incidents, I have had no repair needs outside of routine oil changes, new tires, balance and alignment. This car is inexpensive and gets great mileage and costs extremely little to maintain. The manual transmission makes it a fun little car to drive, and it does seat 4 comfortably, with a decent sized trunk. I love this little car!

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  Great Car!!!!! I recommend it!!!!!!!! - 1998 Plymouth Grand Voyager
  By BrennenP - January 24 - 10:00 am

  We have had our minivan for almost 5yrs. We love it. The only problem was that it flooded in 1998 and sprung an oil leak. We had to drive for an hour eleven times before they figured out the problem. Their customer service remained strong, though. They provided us with rental cars and in the end, the twenty-two hours spent driving there and back paid off. Chrysler gave us a complementary seven year waranty. Other than this problem, it has been a great car. We plan to buy another in 5 yrs.

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  3.3 V6 is a Great engine - 1999 Plymouth Grand Voyager
  By tmgj - January 5 - 10:26 pm

  Our van has 189,000 miles and is still going strong, original transmission and engine. A couple times a year it needs a new part or two, but its always small, cheap stuff. I think the transmission problem is with the 3.8 V6, not the 3.3 b/c me and everyone I know with the 3.3 hasnt had transmission problems. I splurged on new shocks/struts and tires and the thing cruises so smooth down the interstate youd think it was new. Weve been very happy with this van. Only gripe is the gas mileage, 14 around town, 20-21 on the highway, its about the same as an SUV.

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  Love Our 2000 NEON - 2000 Plymouth Neon
  By Satisfied In Salem - January 1 - 10:00 am

  We just purchased a 2000 Plymouth Neon, and love it so far. It is an automatic, and while some reviews say the auto. offers less power, we think its quite peppy. We love the roominess of the interior, and the sleek design of the exterior. I would recommend this car to anyone looking to buy an economical and reliable car.

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  A tribute to Hot Rods - 1999 Plymouth Prowler
  By Dave Mills - November 28 - 4:00 am

  The Plymouth Prowler was built as a tribute to the American hot rod. As a production hot rod it does quite well. Itprobably should have had a V8 engine but that is the only thing that would make it better. This car is the most fun I have ever had behind the wheel. Remember this is like a hot rod, it rides rough and its driver comfort is not the best, but what an experience. I love this car!

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  Wonderful Car - 2000 Plymouth Neon
  By Jason Medeiros - October 8 - 10:00 am

  Buy this car no problems fubn to drive

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  As much car as one person needs - 2000 Plymouth Neon
  By Str8ShootR - May 11 - 3:00 am

  I commute 70 miles each day, and this car can make it through an entire week without a refill (auto trans). Bought in 04 at 60K miles; 120K thru 08. Accelerates well enough to get into the flow of traffic on short on-ramps. Decent steering response. The budget sound system has some kick, which is needed at speeds over 35 mph because the cab is quite noisy. CD player is moody with normal discs and dislikes CD- R/RW media. Heater can be a furnace on the coldest of Midwest winter days, but only when the engine is pulling the car at 45+ mph. Surprising roominess on the driver side can accomodate even a larger man, though at the expense of anyone unfortunate enough to be sitting in the back.

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  I love this car - 2000 Plymouth Breeze
  By Peggy Setliff - March 14 - 1:30 am

  I bought this car used, it was a leased car. I have had only a couple of problems with my car but they were minor. All of my grandchildren love to drive my car too. It handles so easy and has a lot of power. It has a lot of room to be a small car, very comfortable.

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  Better car than 1st Gen Neon - 2001 Plymouth Neon
  By whippingpostguy - March 2 - 10:00 am

  I have averaged 20,000 miles a year on a Neon since 1996. The second generation, while a little heavier, is a much better car. Excellent car to buy used, its a better built car than its reputation, and you can get a bargain price.