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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  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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  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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  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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  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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  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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  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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  trouble after 90,000 - 1998 Plymouth Grand Voyager
  By tbal - October 21 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle has bee a lot of trouble after we hit about 90,000 miles. Had to have transmission replaced and the A/C evaporator replaced. The engine is the 3.0 litre V6 and is now begging to smoke when started and makes the infamous "ticking" sound for several minutes when cold. Had problems with the belt tensioner. The electronics now seem to be giving out.... the intermitent wipers have stopped working and the instrument panel flashes on and off occasionally. The acceleration is adequate but somewhat lacking with the A/C on.

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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.