Plymouth Reliant Overview: Specs, Generations, and Which Version to Buy
The Plymouth Reliant is a 2-door sedan built from 1981 to 1989 with 85–131 hp across 18 modifications. This overview covers its single generation and the versions worth buying.
The Plymouth Reliant is a 2-door sedan produced from 1981 to 1989, with engine outputs ranging from 85 to 131 hp. It suits buyers looking for a simple, compact American classic of the 1980s: most versions pair modest four-cylinder power with front-wheel drive, and both manual and automatic transmissions are available across the range.
Plymouth Reliant generations
1 generation (1981–1989)
The first and only generation of the Plymouth Reliant ran from 1981 to 1989 in a single body style, the 2-door sedan, and counts 18 modifications. Power spans 85 to 131 hp, with Manual and Automatic gearboxes and both FWD and RWD layouts represented in the lineup. The core of the range is the 2.2-litre (2213 cc) engine with a manual gearbox and front-wheel drive, offered in 95 hp and 97 hp forms. Above it sits the 2.6-litre (2555 cc) unit: as the 2.6 AT (102 hp) with front-wheel drive, and at the top as the 2.6 AT (131 hp) with automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive — the most powerful Reliant of all.
Which Plymouth Reliant to buy
- 2.2 MT (97 hp) (1 generation): the mass-market choice — 97 hp from the 2213 cc engine with a manual gearbox and fuel consumption of 7.1 l/100km.
- 2.6 AT (131 hp) (1 generation): the most powerful Reliant at 131 hp, with a 2555 cc engine, automatic transmission, and rear-wheel drive.
- 2.2 MT (95 hp) (1 generation): the most economical version, using 6.9 l/100km with its 2213 cc engine and manual gearbox.
- 2.6 AT (102 hp) (1 generation): a balanced automatic option — 102 hp, front-wheel drive, and 9.0 l/100km from the 2555 cc engine.
Every Plymouth Reliant on the used market is at least several decades old, since production ended in 1989. With only one generation and one body style, the choice comes down to engine and gearbox: the 2.2 MT versions keep fuel consumption under 7.2 l/100km, while the 2.6 automatics trade economy for power.
The 2.2 MT (97 hp) is worth highlighting twice over: among the manual versions it combines the higher output of the two 2.2-litre variants with consumption of 7.1 l/100km, only 0.2 l/100km more than the 95 hp version. Buyers who prioritize the lowest running numbers in the data should take the 2.2 MT (95 hp); those who want the strongest performance figures should look at the 2.6 AT (131 hp), which leads the entire 85–131 hp range.