Used Plymouth Sundance Buying Guide: Engines, Duster V6 and Recalls

If you're shopping for a used Plymouth Sundance, buy a 1991-1994 car with the 2.5-liter four or, better yet, the 3.0-liter V6 Duster, and be ready to walk away from a neglected one. The Sundance is the Plymouth twin of the Dodge Shadow, sold from the 1987 model year through 1994 as two- and four-door hatchbacks. Most survivors are cheap, tired and rare, so the recall list and an underbody look matter more than the trim badge.

I used Consumer Guide's 1990-94 Sundance file, a Truth About Cars junkyard piece on a 1992 Duster published in August 2026, and NHTSA's recall data for 1986 through 1995, all checked on Oct 20, 2026. If you've already read our used Dodge Shadow guide, a lot of this will feel familiar. Consumer Guide runs the same trouble-spot list for both cars, so I won't copy it out again. What follows is the Plymouth side.

The engines, and which one to want

Consumer Guide lists a 93-hp 2.2 four as the base engine, a 100-hp 2.5 from 1988, and a turbocharged 2.5 that made 150 hp, or 152 hp and 210 lb-ft from 1991. The turbo was limited to the RS in 1991 and was gone after 1992. Transmissions were a five-speed manual or a three-speed automatic.

The one I'd hunt for is the 1992-93 Duster, which used Mitsubishi's 3.0-liter V6 at 141 hp and 171 lb-ft. Sources disagree on the dates and the gearbox. Consumer Guide puts the Duster in 1993 and says the V6 came with a four-speed automatic. The Truth About Cars says it was built only for 1992 and 1993, and that the 1992 Duster's optional automatic was a three-speed costing $557. Check the window sticker or the VIN on the actual car instead of trusting the ad. Our Plymouth VIN decoder will tell you the engine code.

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Field guides, red flags, and the occasional discount.

Year-by-year notes

1987-89: early cars. Even the start date is muddy: Consumer Guide says 1987, The Truth About Cars says 1988, and NHTSA's database lists a 1986 model year for a fuel leak recall.
1990: a driver airbag became standard, according to Consumer Guide.
1991: trims were America, Highline and RS.
1992: the RS was dropped and the Highline got body-colored fascias.
1993: antilock brakes became optional.
1994: the last year, with a motorized front passenger shoulder belt. The Neon replaced it that January.

Consumer Guide rates the Sundance 43 out of 100 and says the back seat is tight for anyone over six feet. Cars were built in the U.S. and in Mexico; the junkyard Duster came from Toluca. HLDI's loss figures, where 100 is average, came out at 108 for collision, 141 for injury and 82 for theft. That injury number is bad, and I wouldn't ignore it on a car you'll drive every day.

What to look at in person

Start with the paint. The Truth About Cars says the paint and clearcoat on these cars was quick to peel, and the Denver-area Duster it found had about 150,000 miles. Peeling clear is cosmetic, but on a car worth this little it often tells you nobody cared about the rest either. Then sit in both front seats and lean back hard; two driver seat-back bolt recalls cover these years. Work every power or motorized belt, open and close the hatch, and look under the car for fuel weeps on early models.

Price is the easy part. Consumer Guide's 2014 range for a good one was $1,000 to $1,600. The Truth About Cars works out the base 1992 Sundance's price at about $19,304 in 2026 dollars, and a 1992 Duster two-door started at $9,849 with $900 air conditioning.

Recalls worth running by VIN

88V105 (1986-87): fuel can leak in cold weather.
88V129 (1988): the front passenger lap belt retractor's child seat locking feature.
92V053 (1988-89): automatic shoulder restraint problems.
08E033 (1987-90): this covers certain Federal-Mogul aftermarket ball joints, not factory parts.
89V237 (1989-90): valve cover gasket.
99V212 (1991-94) and 97V078 (1991-92): driver seat-back bolts.
96V229 (1991-92): steering wheel armature. 90V162 (1991): front caliper guide pin bolts. 92V015 (1992): steering column coupling bolt.

NHTSA's lookup returns an error for 1995, so don't read anything into a blank there. Use our Plymouth recall check by VIN for the car you're looking at, and check NMVTIS for salvage or junk brands. For a roomier Plymouth from the same years, see our used Plymouth Acclaim guide.

One note on history reports

On a car this old, odometer gaps and title brands are what a report is good for. Don't expect a service history. CarVins resells CARFAX and AutoCheck reports under license and has no affiliation with either company or with Chrysler. As of late October 2026 the price was roughly $5.50 for a guest and $4.50 for members, or about $6.75 for both reports, against about $39.99 to $44.99 retail. Check the cart total, since it can change.