2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser Review

Specifications

Back to the Drawing Board for the Vee Dub Convertible

The Chrysler PT Cruiser is a “love it or hate it” kind of vehicle. Some love the retro styling, some dont. I cant say that I fell for it initially, but it did earn a special place in my heart as it was the first vehicle I ever tested as an automotive journalist. I liked it not only because it handled well, had a generous amount of passenger and cargo room, as well as spirited performance, but also because its just so hot. So how did Chrysler make the PT Cruiser even hotter for 2005? Drop its top.

I have to admit to eagerly anticipating its arrival and my opportunity to test it out, as somehow chopping the roof off has transformed the vehicle, giving it a new more youthful appearance. How do you think I felt when I caught word that I would not only be getting the new PT ragtop, but an even hotter PT Cruiser GT Convertible that features the addition of a turbocharged engine, suspension upgrades, racier wheels and tires and more.

As always seems to happen when a convertible is parked in my garage, the week started off overcast with some showers. But come Tuesday, the sun was out and therefore so was I. With temperatures soaring, it was ideal for top-down PT convertible cruising, made even better being that I had a few friends visiting from out of town.

One day I picked up my girlfriend and we decided to go for a highway cruise. She was amazed at how little wind was blowing through the car with the top and windows down. It was also great that while we were regaling each other with stories of the years passed, we didnt even have to raise our voices above normal volume. I understand now that this was all thanks to the stylish sports bar that creates a wind tunnel affect. It also is reinforced for safetys sake. Again, of all the entry level convertibles Ive tested the GT had the least amount of top-down-induced airflow and was the most comfortable to talk to other passengers in, without causing one of us to yell out, “SAY THAT AGAIN, I CANT HEAR YOU THAT WELL.”

Dropping the top on those superb summer days was also an easy process. It only took a quick twist of a single roof-mounted latch located at the top-center of the windshield surround, the pressing of one button located on the centre console and the attachment of an ever-so-annoying tonneau cover. The process to drop the top takes a mere 10 seconds after unhooking the latch, but putting the cover on is more time consuming. Yes the cover has its practical purposes, such as keeping dust and debris out of the motorized mechanisms, while adding to the cars overall good looks, but its a royal pain. This, of course, is a problem facing so many entry-level convertibles and even some priced over six figures.

Visibility out the back when the top was down, however, was not ideal and probably the worst that Ive experienced out of the convertibles I have tested. When the top was up, what-would-be “C” pillars are so wide that backing up and parallel parking was quite challenging for me. When the top was down and the tonneau cover was on, the rear end was rather tall making it harder to see while backing up. Although reversing and parking took more time than usual, while on the road moving forward I was able to see all that I needed to out the rear window and via the sideview mirrors.

What I can say that was the best out of the entry-level 4-seat convertibles Ive ever tested was its handling. The GT corners marvelously due to its meaty 205/50R 17XL performance tires coupled with a smooth-riding sport suspension. Even while zipping along the sinuous twists and turns of the ever-so-beautiful coastal highway near my home, the convertible hugged the ground and was surprisingly stable. I recall testing the 2004 VW New Beetle Convertible Turbo on the same stretch and found the stability control flashing before my eyes even though I wasnt pushing the car nearly as hard as I did the GT Turbo. Although both brands turbos handled the curves well, the Chrysler surpasses the VW in this category.

But pushing the GT was a lot easier considering it has a much more potent 220 horsepower engine than the Bug, rated at only 150 horsepower. Laced with the top-of-the-line optional engine, the GT convertible scoots up the road quickly thanks to a 16-valve, SOHC, turbocharged, 2.4-liter inline-4 producing an equally impressive 245 lb-ft of torque. Taming the high-output turbocharged engine was the optional 4-speed automatic transmission with AutoStick sequential shift capability. Rather than the throttle-and-brake driving style that most automatics offer, the AutoStick mode was a great complement to a great convertible. Manually shifting it made for quick and responsive gear changes, ideal when I needed a few extra horses to boost me up a hill or when passing a fellow commuter. It was also perfect for slowing me down without the need to tap the standard 4-wheel disc brakes with ABS. Incidentally, a 5-speed manual is standard.

I also got a kick out of the PTs awesome audio system. The top was down, the sun was out, warm wind a blowing and tunes from the optional AM/FM/6-disc in-dash CD changer featuring 6 premium speakers were booming. Again, even with the top and windows down, sound quality was great. I couldnt ask for more.

Well, maybe I could have asked for a little less attention while cruising the city streets. Then again, maybe not. The sleekly styled graphite metallic exterior paint coupled with a taupe pearl beige interior was as classy as can be. But adding even more flash were the optional 17-inch chrome-finished 5-spoke rims. I was stuck in rush hour traffic, with the top down of course, when a group of teenaged boys crossed the street in front of me. I heard one of them say “nice rims (ha ha)” with a sarcastic undertone. I thought to myself, hey youre walking and Im cruising, whos laughing now? But in reality they are nice rims that add to the sporty attributes of the ride, benefiting both style and performance. Like I said, the car is either loved or not.

What adds to the practicality of the GT convertible are all the standard features. Included in GT trim are power locks and windows, a keyless remote entry, traction control, security alarm, air conditioning, heated front seats, fog lamps, halogen headlights and much more, with a base price of only $27,565. Thats thousands less than the base VW Beetle Convertible Turbo GLX, and the Cruiser comes standard with a CD player! In addition, the price as tested on the PT Cruiser was $30,515, again thousands less than the price as tested on the VW GLX Convertible, and making it the most affordable drop-top available without sacrificing the necessities.

Further adding to the practicality of the convertible is the generous cargo capacity, the most in its class at 7.4 cubic feet with 50/50 split folding seats. That is more than the VW at a mere 5.0 cubic feet, and the Vee Dubs rear seats dont fold flat. Although I didnt need the extra room to haul any of my sports gear, Im sure if I kept one around for more than a week it would come in very handy.

Fuel consumption was as expected, not great but not bad at 25 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway. The biggest negative was that the turbocharged engine requires a higher grade of octane than the base engine, and therefore the gas bill was a little more than average. Still I have to admit it was well worth it.

Overall, I found the PT Cruiser GT Convertible to be a fantastic car. While it offers more power, cargo and people room than others in its class, particularly the VW New Beetle Convertible, it delivers a smooth ride, great handling and a modest price tag.