Chrysler PT Cruiser > Reviews (25)

THE PT CRUISER. The brainchild of the Chrysler corporation was born in the year 2000. It has a styling that is part Retro and part Modern, the retro styling taken from the designs of the 1930's with a stand up front grill and rounded wings bulging from the front and rear of the car. The retro has been carried on into the interior to enhance the overall effect.

Many people stop and stare at the car and pass many different comments about it, some love it, some hate it, but to be serious you can't knock it.

The PT represents a new way of thinking about small vehicle proportions , because it's tall, providing ease of entry and exit, and above all an upright seating position, giving a commanding view of the road.

The PT has flexible and comfortable seating, which will carry 5 adults with ease, as there is ample head and leg room for the rear passengers.
The rear seats can be lowered or removed altogether,
opening up a spacious load area, and with a unique 5 position parcel shelf, the loads can be endless (not for small elephants, or large ones for that matter).
The ride quality I find is very good, with a firm grip to the road and a responsive steering hugging the corners. Although not a fast car it sure is fun to cruise in.
The interior is well designed and the controls are near to hand, although the rear wash/wipe is a little out of reach.
The turning circle is a bit on the poor side, especially when negotiating supermarket car parks etc.

There are 3 models within the range, Classic - Touring - Limited all with slightly different levels of specification.
The Classic in my opinion suffers slightly, as this model is fitted with rear drum brakes, and so does not have the luxury of ABS as the other 2 models.

The following as far as I am aware are standard equipment throughout the range (but don't hold me to it). Power steering, Traction control, Cruise control, Alloy wheels, Air conditioning, Central locking with Immobilisor, Heated electric door mirrors.
All come with a 2.0ltr 16v DOHC (double overhead cam) petrol, or a 2.2ltr Diesel powered engine, with a manual or automatic transmission driving the front wheels. I personally would prefer a rear wheel drive as it's easier to push than pull.

Within the spacious interior of the PT, there are small touches Chrysler have incorporated to help you cruise. With the likes of cup holders for the the front and rear passengers, power outlets in the centre consol and rear load area, for mobile phones or tyre inflaters. Illuminated vanity mirrors for the front passenger and driver. (how he'll manage to put his lippy on while driving - I'll never know)
Child proof locks are fitted to the rear doors, and with all the windows being electrically operated, the rears can be locked from the front. Giving that little extra saftey for the rear passengers.
If you get lost while out cruising, use the map lights (for reading maps) or use the onboard compass, (saves on buying a sat nav).
Also the pollen filter is nothing to be sneezed at.

I had the option of purchasing "supagard" at an extra cost of £295 inc VAT (prices may vary).

Which protects the paint from harmful sun rays, tree sap and nasty birdie poop. Also the interior upholstery and carpets are scotchguard protected, from all your minor spills.

On the downside I have found that the rear view vision is lacking slightly, but is easily remedied by the removal of the rear centre headrest.

At speeds of approx 60mph and over with the windows open, you will incur noise from wind buffeting. I have found the cure for this is to turn the volume up on the 6 speaker CD/radio/cassette
It has been noted that the spare wheel being of the space saver type, is located underneath the car and sited close to the exhaust. This has caused a problem with the wheel carrier getting hot and partially melting into the tyre, although you should not exceed 50mph with this type of spare, it could reduce your speed and your tyre life.
(as far as I'm aware Chrysler have been notified about this problem).

OK. The PT Cruiser might not be your cup of tea (I don't drink tea anyway), but the cruiser has a large following World wide. With owners clubs being setup, what other modern car has this following?
I'm not trying to sell membership to any of these clubs, but as a member of one I can obtain upwards of 15% discount on parts and accessories including tyres. This comes in handy when the warranty runs out.
But don't take my word for it, nip down to your local dealers and test cruise one for yourself.
Once you've been hooked I just like to say
HAPPY CRUISING