Best Car Reviews - 1998 Plymouth Voyager/Grand Voyager 2WD

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Introduction

The 1998 Plymouth Voyager/Grand Voyager 2WD is a practical front-wheel-drive minivan designed for families needing seven-passenger seating, a low step-in height, and adaptable cargo space. The Grand Voyager’s longer body gives it more room behind the third row than the standard-wheelbase Voyager. In V6, four-speed automatic form, it offers a useful balance of everyday drivability and family-hauling capability, although ownership condition matters greatly on a vehicle of this age.

Design and Exterior Features

This generation introduced a more rounded, cab-forward minivan shape than its predecessors, with a large glass area, short hood, sliding side door, and a broad rear opening for loading. The long-wheelbase Grand Voyager measures about 199.6 inches long, while the regular Voyager is shorter. For 1998, Plymouth added new colors and an Expresso appearance-oriented package; the model line also received details such as updated front airbags and trim changes.

Rounded 1990s minivan styling with strong outward visibility.
Front-wheel-drive packaging keeps the floor low and cabin space efficient.
Long-wheelbase Grand Voyager provides greater rear cargo room.
Manual sliding side door and rear liftgate improve family access.
Available Expresso package added visual accents, privacy glass, keyless entry, and a CD player.

Interior and Comfort

The Voyager/Grand Voyager cabin is focused on flexible family transport rather than luxury. Cloth upholstery, front bucket seats, a rear bench layout, and room for up to seven occupants were typical. The tall roofline, wide doors, and upright seating make entry easy, while the Grand Voyager offers about 20.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind all seats. Materials are functional rather than premium, but the layout is intuitive and the broad glass area helps visibility.

Seven-passenger seating capacity.
Available long-wheelbase body for improved cargo flexibility.
Front bucket seats and practical storage areas.
Air conditioning, power accessories, cruise control, and tilt steering varied by trim and options.
New seat fabrics and adjustable front head restraints for 1998.

Performance and Handling

The supplied configuration identifies a six-cylinder, regular-gasoline, front-wheel-drive model with a four-speed automatic transmission. This combination most closely matches the 3.3-liter V6, rated at 158 horsepower and 203 lb-ft of torque, paired with Chrysler’s four-speed automatic transaxle. It is not a quick minivan by modern standards, but the V6 supplies useful low-speed pulling power for loaded family trips. Published figures for comparable V6 four-speed Grand Voyager models are about 17 mpg city and 24 mpg highway, equal to roughly 13.8 and 9.8 L/100 km; a 19 mpg combined estimate equals about 12.4 L/100 km. The supplied 16.5283 consumption figure has no stated units or test cycle, so it should not be treated as an official rating.

3.3-liter V6 with 158 horsepower and 203 lb-ft of torque.
Four-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive.
Regular unleaded gasoline compatibility.
Comfort-oriented ride and light steering suit suburban and highway driving.
Acceleration figures vary by wheelbase, equipment, and test method; no single verified number should represent every V6 version.

Technology and Connectivity

Technology reflects the late 1990s. The Voyager was available with AM/FM audio, cassette or single-disc CD equipment depending on trim, plus convenience equipment such as keyless entry and cruise control. It has no factory smartphone integration, navigation, Bluetooth, reversing camera, automatic emergency braking, or modern lane-support systems.

AM/FM radio was standard equipment.
Cassette and available single-disc CD audio systems.
Available remote keyless entry on selected packages.
Available cruise control and power convenience features.
No modern connectivity or active driver-assistance technology.

Safety Features

Safety equipment included dual front airbags and three-point front belts, while anti-lock brakes varied by trim and equipment package. For 1998, Plymouth fitted next-generation depowered front airbags. In NHTSA frontal-barrier information, the Grand Voyager received three out of five stars for both driver and passenger protection. The IIHS moderate-overlap frontal result for the related 1996-2000 Chrysler minivan design was Marginal, a significant reminder that this is an older vehicle without today’s crash structure or side-curtain airbags.

Driver and front-passenger airbags.
Depowered, next-generation front airbags for 1998.
Available four-wheel anti-lock brakes on higher trims or option packages.
NHTSA frontal ratings of three out of five stars for driver and passenger.
IIHS moderate-overlap frontal rating of Marginal for the 1996-2000 design.

Pricing and Variants

Original pricing depended on wheelbase, trim, engine, and equipment. A 1998 Grand Voyager base model had an original MSRP of about $20,705, while Grand Voyager SE models were listed around $22,990 and better-equipped versions around $23,975. The shorter Voyager was positioned below it, with Base, SE, and Expresso versions. Key rivals included the Dodge Caravan/Grand Caravan, Ford Windstar, Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey, and Chevrolet Venture. Today, purchase price is less important than maintenance history, rust condition, transmission behavior, and proof that recall work has been completed.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Useful seven-passenger family capacity.
Grand Voyager wheelbase offers strong cargo practicality.
3.3-liter V6 provides respectable low-end torque.
Front-wheel drive helps keep the floor low and access easy.
Affordable entry point for buyers who find a well-maintained example.

Cons

Transmission reliability is a major concern on neglected examples.
Crash protection trails modern minivans substantially.
Fuel economy is modest for a front-wheel-drive family vehicle.
No modern infotainment, camera, Bluetooth, or driver-assistance features.
Age-related electrical, cooling-system, and suspension repairs can add up.

Maintenance and Common Issues

A reliable model-specific yearly maintenance average cannot be verified because these vans are now nearly three decades old and repair needs vary dramatically by condition, mileage, climate, and prior servicing. Buyers should budget beyond routine oil, tire, brake, and fluid service for age-related repairs. Common owner-reported issues for this generation include automatic-transmission failure or harsh shifting, instrument-cluster and electrical faults, cooling-system and head-gasket problems, serpentine-belt and accessory-drive trouble, and power-steering or suspension wear. A pre-purchase inspection should include a cold start, transmission road test, leak check, charging-system test, rust inspection, and VIN-based recall search.

Rating

Overall rating: 5.8 out of 10. Design: 6.5 out of 10 for its efficient minivan packaging. Comfort: 7 out of 10 for space, visibility, and family usability. Performance: 6 out of 10 with the 3.3-liter V6. Technology: 3 out of 10 because it predates modern connectivity and safety aids. Safety: 4 out of 10 due to its older crash-test performance and limited passive-safety equipment.

User Reviews and Feedback

Owner feedback is mixed but consistent: people value the room, easy driving manners, and ability to carry families or bulky cargo, while many warn that repairs can become expensive when maintenance has been deferred. A carefully maintained example can remain useful, but a cheap neglected van can quickly outweigh its purchase-price advantage.

Owners often praise the spacious cabin and flexible passenger capacity.
Many appreciate the comfortable ride and easy outward visibility.
The V6 is generally viewed as more suitable than the base four-cylinder for a loaded van.
Transmission reliability is one of the most frequent long-term complaints.
Electrical faults, cooling issues, and aging accessories are recurring ownership concerns.

Best Cars in This Category

1998 Toyota Sienna
1998 Honda Odyssey
1998 Dodge Grand Caravan
1998 Ford Windstar
1998 Chevrolet Venture

Summary

The 1998 Plymouth Voyager/Grand Voyager 2WD suits budget-minded buyers who need genuine minivan space, simple controls, and a comfortable family-oriented layout. The V6 four-speed version is the more useful choice for passengers and cargo, but it should be purchased only after a thorough inspection and service-history review. Its value lies in practicality rather than modern safety, technology, or guaranteed low-cost ownership.