2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser Review

Specifications

PT X 2 = Personal Transportation x Power Top

With this summer turning out particularly hot and dry on the northwest coast, I jumped at the opportunity to spend a few sun filled days and warm evenings behind the wheel of Chryslers latest PT offering. When Chrysler surgically excised the roof from the immensely popular PT, they also severed two doors in the process. The end result: a sporty two-door, four-seater with looks, road manners and performance well beyond its entry level pricing.

Interestingly it wasnt that long ago that I spent time romancing a sunny-weather Swede, the Saab 9-3 Convertible. Sure this little turbod beauty could leave the PT Cruiser behind on the track, but at twice the capital needed to secure Chryslers soft-top. And if it happened to be a PT Cruiser GT with a turbocharger of its own, the Swedes getaway may not be as clean as expected; with only 210-horsepower versus the PTs 220, the Chrysler drop-top may be the one saying goodbye.

The immensely popular retro-look PT - short for Personal Transport - Cruiser hit the market in the 2001 model year and was an instant smash with folks hoping to reclaim old memories by getting in touch with a bygone era, as well as younger folks who just liked the cars funky styling and extreme versatility. As the next few years passed the addition of a turbocharger transformed the compact PT into a very competent performer. Whether undertaking kid-hauling duties, picking up the weekly staples or just blasting down a turnpike or two, the PT Cruiser GT rewards on many levels.

Now I must confess, from day one I have never really liked the retro-design of the PT Cruiser, but just the same I credit Chrysler for having the gumption to have thought it up and then make it so successful. Personally I find the vehicle a little too high-waisted and old-school for me to fawn over, but we all know that, in the case of vehicles, taste is in the key of the beholder. That being said, the shapely fenders and pointy grille offer a level of distinction that sets it apart in a world of look-alike design themes. The PTs build quality appears above average too, with body panel spacing that is accurate with fairly narrow gaps.

The yesteryear appeal of the PTs exterior carries through to its cockpit and dash design as well. The primary gauges are smallish in size and set within three separate circular openings directly ahead of the driver. The large captain-style front seats provide superb comfort and adjustability. But I was slightly disappointed by the expansive use of molded plastic paneling on the doors and rear sidewalls of the cab. The door panels look attractive enough given their two-tone accented theme and curvaceous sculpting, but to the touch they feel a little low rent. Albeit this is perhaps too harsh a criticism for a vehicle that delivers so much fun, performance and style with such minimal financial outlay.

Quite outstanding for the PTs compact size is its generous legroom. Few compact cars provide sufficient rearward seat travel to fully accommodate my leg span, and therefore I was relieved to find out that the PT could accommodate me comfortably. Front or rear, legroom is abundant. Whats not in abundance is rearward visibility. When retracted, the roof embeds itself into a well that is located above the trunk, resulting in a tonneau cover height that impedes rearward visibility. Of course, the suitably sized side mirrors assist in figuring out what traffic may be coming up from behind. The yin to the yang of restricted rearward visibility is the enormous, for a compact convertible, trunk capacity, which can be made even more commodious by folding down and tumbling forward the rear seats. Such clever and efficient space usage in a convertible is extremely rare.

For this reason and a few others, since hooking-up with my PT convertible test car for a week or so, I have become quite enamored. Chrysler did a marvelous job of penning a convertible out of what was initially a 5-door wagon. The ragtops body shape wraps around its two sizeable doors and appears quite proportionate, sans a trunk deck. With the roof retracted, an awesome looking body-colored roll bar highlights the cabin area and imparts a customized appearance. Thanks to some serious wind tunnel testing, this cranial protector also helps diminish air turbulence and buffeting that can cause fatigue on long journeys, especially when a lot of highway driving is in the days plan. At highway speeds and above, buffeting and wind rush in the PT is quite reasonable, which means conversations can be maintained without resorting to hand signals or megaphones.

My test unit was the upscale GT version that comes standard with a 220-horsepower turbocharged version of Chryslers 2.4-liter, 16-valve DOHC 4-cylinder. It was capable of providing a good kick in the pants when the throttle was forcibly introduced to the floor mat, after momentary turbo-lag mind you. Shortly thereafter the high-output mill wound its self up and thrust the PT ahead with surprising vigor - and quite a rousing auditory experience I might add. The hiss of its turbo accompanies the escalating mechanical crescendo of the 4-cylinder charging to redline, at which point Chryslers optional 4-speed AutoStick jams a taller gear into the driveline and the process repeats itself. I was pleasantly surprised by the degree of refinement Chrysler has engineered into the big inline-4. It gives a strong showing at the lower end of the rev band, where most 4s are weak, but as soon as the tach registers 4,000 rpm and the turbo fully kicks in it really struts its stuff. Chryslers manual-mode transmission technology allows a driver greater input into deciding which of the autoboxs four cogs ought to spin and when. This system adds quite a performance element greatly appreciated by drivers relegated to buying an automatic transmission. Of course, a 5-speed manual comes standard, and would be the better choice if performance is your number one criterion.

Whether fastened to an AutoStick or a conventional manual transmission, the auditory commotion of the feisty 2.4-liter (148 cu in) mill surging toward redline is most pleasing. There is no thrashiness to spoil the overt harmony. Power is delivered smoothly, without any major peaks or valleys in its band. In fact it reminded me a great deal of Saabs highly praised Saab 2.0-liter (121 cu in) turbocharged 4-banger propelling the 9-3 Arc soft-top. Given the similarity in size and power, I would love to conduct a back-to-back comparison of both cars on a road track to determine if the Saabs performance really justifies nearly double the coin that Chrysler asks for its GT convertible. If, as I suspect, the difference would not be overly dramatic, one would have to question if the cachet of a Saab nameplate is worth the extra paychecks - and thats a personal thing. After all, the Saab is much more luxuriously equipped, features higher quality interior components and from a styling standpoint is pretty sexy, but Id still take the PT and use the extra bucks to finance a lot more road trips.

Like the Saab, the PT GT is quite a handler. I found its cornering ability to be well above what I expected, thanks in part to its four road-hugging 205/50/R17 Goodyear Eagles and the “sport” calibration Chrysler applied to its fully independent coil spring suspension, which is aided front and rear by anti-roll bars. The setup nicely balances ride-quality with superior handling characteristics. Tossing the PT GT into a corner was an enjoyable event - but even more importantly a predictable event. Nothing untoward accompanied enthusiastic cornering or maneuvering. Slight, twitchiness devoid, understeer is the order of the day when the PT is pushed hard into a turn. Although some body lean reinforces the reality that the PT GT is not engineered to set track records.

The PT GT is engineered however, to provide a ride far less punishing than pavement searing sports cars. But before a suspension system can function with maximum efficiency and stability, it must be affixed to a very strong and rigid frame structure. The creation of such a foundation is even more challenging when the roof is removed from a vehicle that was never inherently designed as a convertible. Clearly the chassis engineers at Chrysler applied themselves when formulating the blueprints for the PT convertible. The end result is a solid body unit the resists excessive flex and shudder. The solidity of the PT convertible enables the suspension to absorb bumps and rough surfaces without transmitting undue vibration or shudder to the passenger compartment. Despite the GTs stiffer spring calibration it checks-in with a firm, well controlled, but surprisingly smooth ride - certainly more compliant than I had expected.

In GT trim, the PT is equipped with strong, fade resistant 4-wheel antilock disc brakes and an antilock brake-based traction control system. Pulling the PT to rapid, easily controlled stops was a pleasure, as braking force applied itself commensurate to pedal pressure. Nose-dive during severe braking was minimal and non-intrusive to the process. Unfortunately this top-notch braking system is only supplied as standard equipment when the 2.4-liter turbocharged engine is fitted beneath the V-shaped hood. Otherwise a front disc/rear drum setup without ABS is standard equipment on PT Cruisers, with antilock and/or 4-wheel discs available as pricey options. Its unfortunate that Chrysler doesnt just fit the best of brakes to all PT trim levels as standard equipment. Just because the PT Cruiser sports a retro-look design doesnt meant it should be equipped with retro-brake technology. Surely the attractive entry-level price-point wouldnt suffer a great deal if an extra few greenbacks were added, regardless of trim level, to fund superior braking. Ive ranted on this issue before and will continue to do so until all, not just some, auto manufacturers get it right - dont skimp on important safety related content such as 4-wheel, antilock disc brakes. Okay - Ive recomposed myself and we can move on.

In all other respects Chrysler has generously equipped the PT convertible. Without the GT designation, its powered by a naturally aspirated version of the GTs 2.4-liter (148 cu in) powerplant pumping out a 150-horsepower and connected to a 5-speed manual gearbox. Theres also a mid-grade turbocharged 2.4-liter engine that makes 180 horsepower for those who would rather forego the chili peppers and merely add a little extra salt to the meal.

Standard safety fare includes dual front airbags and the aforementioned roll bar. Comfort and convenience goodies abound, including air conditioning, power steering, tilt steering wheel, cloth upholstery, front bucket seats, fold-flat passenger seat, under-seat storage bin, center console, cupholders, split folding rear seat, power mirrors, power windows, power door locks, remote keyless entry, AM/FM/cassette, digital clock, tachometer, rear defogger, illuminated visor mirrors, variable-intermittent wipers, power convertible top and floormats.

Chrysler ups the content level, performance and comfort levels with numerous option packages and several trim levels that enable owners to structure a PT Cruiser convertible to fit perfectly with their needs and desires. My GT tester featured soft leather upholstery, a power-height adjustable drivers seat, side airbags, compass and outside temperature readouts, plus traction control and cruise control. Chromed alloy rims brightened the outside appearance and gave the PT a bit of a hotrod look, which is further emphasized when the PTs soft-top is in place. The low-slung, nicely contoured lines of this roof are visually dramatic, again adding to the customized hotrod appearance. By the way, the roof is one of the snuggest fitting softies in the business. It seals tightly and its heavy insulation keeps the PTs cabin quiet and cozy when Mother Nature chooses to water her garden.

If the PT Cruiser ragtop were to cost substantially more than it does, I would still consider it a great little 4-seat convertible; but it doesnt and thats one of the most compelling arguments it has going for it. I ask the question: how can you not help but admire a potently powerful, great handling, spunky little ragtop that demands one of the lightest wheelbarrow loads of cash going? This is a remarkable sun-fun set of wheels that performs in realms similar to premium drop-tops costing much more, such as the princely and pricey Saab 9-3 Arc. Chrysler has done a remarkable job of adding “power top” to the meaning of “PT.”