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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  Reliable and great value - 2000 Plymouth Neon
  By vplsek - January 24 - 2:00 am

  Very good reliable car.

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  Best car purchase Ive made - 2000 Plymouth Neon
  By Robert - November 30 - 1:46 pm

  Bought new with 14 miles on it, 7 were my test drive, the other 7 were at the plant as it was a Quality Control test car. I get 30 miles to the gallon, regularly driving 120 miles at 65 to 85 mph (60 miles one way to work). My LX is the loaded version, Silver, 5spd man w/traction control and 4 wheel disc brakes, sun roof, premium sound w/4disc cd & cassette. For the pounding this car has taken, I have more than gotten my $16,425 out of the car. At 183000 miles I replaced the timing belt (before failure) even though rated at 100k miles, your milaege may vary & it is recommended to do at 100k because of the newer type engines easily damage when the belt goes.

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  2000 Plymouth Neon Highline - 2000 Plymouth Neon
  By sfox74 - November 19 - 2:00 am

  The 2000 Neon is a great economical car. I have not had any problems with it other than the normal things that would need done to a car while owning it. I would recommend this car to anyone look for something cheap to drive that looks pretty good too!

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  Pleased Overall - 1998 Plymouth Grand Voyager
  By tgardner - June 7 - 10:00 am

  I love this vehicle! I have maintained it with few things go wrong. I love the ability to have a clear view, it is very spacious and comfortable. Love the quad seats, have used the fold down seats to sleep when it rained while we were camping! I have 5 kids (some adult) and we can all pile in with our belongings and still be comfortable! My husband does not like the headlights-he says it everytime we drive at night. They dont light up enough of the road, even on highbeams. We have had to replace brakes much more frequently than previous vehicles. A few things have broken on the interior. Nothing else but enjoyment from this van. It is a dream to drive.

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  Great little car--surpasses reputation - 2001 Plymouth Neon
  By saramoor - May 18 - 3:56 pm

  This is a great little car! Ive had no problems with it (other than the typical brake pad change and new tires. I have 80,000 miles on it, so thats typical by this point. I had a Honda Civic SI previous to my Neon and it was TERRIBLE. I know people love Hondas, but this Plymouth Neon has been GREAT! Much better, at least in my experience, than my Honda. It feels solid, is comfortable and Ive had no problems. Nothing has ever broken or snapped off; its really been great.

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  Transmission problems - 1998 Plymouth Grand Voyager
  By DeanesMiniVan - December 7 - 2:26 pm

  I had always wanted a Mini Van w/a left side door ,we bought one( A Plymouth Grand Voyager) from a couple and it ran like a dream for a week then all of a sudden it would move in Reverse, but will not move in D 1 2 .Do you have any idea if its the filter ,bands, or what! It has approx 120,000 miles ,By the way the couple was not hard on this van ,they just got a newer one.

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  1998 Plymouth Grand Voyager - 1998 Plymouth Grand Voyager
  By Hayseed - October 24 - 10:00 am

  This has been a great vehicle thus far. It has 57,000 miles on it. The air conditioning compressor froze up around 48,000 miles. Warranty paid for itself. Lots of room with the seats out. You can fit a Queen size mattress between the wheel wells. We love it.

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  Good - 1999 Plymouth Grand Voyager
  By Treeman2007 - October 19 - 2:00 am

  Breaks down quite often. Suspension is about as good as the bike that i had as a kid. if you ride on a long car trip and put your arms on the arm rest, your arms start to vibrate; however, the expresso serves its purpose in our household. the suspension problem along with the ignition starter that dies quite often are some of the problems with the expresso mini van.

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  Best bang for your buck - 1999 Plymouth Prowler
  By Brianpantera - August 21 - 7:43 am

  My 1999 Plymouth Prowler is a drop dead gorgeous car. I feel like a movie star every time I take it out. The only negative is there is no storage space, unless you buy the factory trailer.

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  guess we were lucky - it has been great - 1998 Plymouth Grand Voyager
  By jmonti - August 13 - 10:00 am

  the only problem we have had is the fact that when the compressor does come on, engine does fluctuate. we have been very pleased, do prevent maint. on time, dealership has been great. i hope it lasts-