2005 Chrysler PT Cruiser Reviews

The look hasn't changed; full points for still being one of the funkiest cars on the road – especially with a front grille that looks like a big grin and chrome door handles with buttons.And the PT feels the same – until you put your foot down. What's under the bonnet is bigger and better. Chrysler has responded to criticisms that the Cruiser was underpowered by upping the ante with a 2.4-litre engine.There's more torque in this 16-valve, four-cylinder version. The engine no longer feels like its struggling to pull the big body of the PT.And the gears are tight in the five-speed manual ... "as tight as Pinky Tuscadaro's butt", quips a male friend of mine. (Apologies to anyone who didn't watch Happy Days ... or its re-runs).Those who already own PTs – especially the 122 die-hard enthusiasts in the PT Cruiser Car Club – will tell you that the bigger engine isn't the only attraction for their much-loved cars. It's the whole package that sets their spark plugs firing. In my eyes, though, grunt is good. More grunt? Well, that can only be Grrroovy.Whoops, sorry, wrong era. But there's a lot of that going on when you're talking about the Cruiser.Most people think 1950s ... a car to go with big skirts, bobbysocks and stovepipe pants.Others say we should be thinking more along the lines of gangster cars in the vein of Bonny and Clyde or Al Capone.But I'm told that the PT was actually styled on a 1940s' car.To save confusion, picture someone in the '50s, restoring a prewar 1940s' car. Then transport it to 2005, upgrade the engine and add the latest gadgets such as airbags, power windows, a sunroof, adjustable armrests, side mirrors that fold in like cute ears, cruise control – even seat warmers – and you have a funk-mobile that's still turning heads. Love it or hate it, the Cruiser does command attention.Inside, the black leather and suede-trim seats, sleek silver dash, cue-ball knob on the gearstick and holes in side-door pockets add to "the" look.But enough talking, I'm ready to rock and roll.SEAT-BELT warning – as loud and annoying as it is – it does its job very well.Seats in the back fold down and clip out to make the boot space even bigger.IT has a big turning circle that takes a while to get used to.Lack of lighting on the instrument panel and in the glove box.

23 June 2006 Cruiser Cabrio - you are the sunshine of my life02 Jul 2005 Happiness is a bit of funk02 Mar 2005 Back to the '50s05 Feb 2005 Passion for retro fashion|http://search.carsguide.news.com.au/news/research/specifications/search-results.do?pageSize=&clearCompare=true&make=CHRYSLER&model=PT+CRUISER&year=2004 |http://search.carsguide.news.com.au/news/find-a-car/power-search/search-results.do?searchType=5&clearCompare=true&view=1&make=CHRYSLER&model=PT+CRUISER&priceFrom=&priceTo=

While I was growing up in the bush, people were making music surrounded by a culture that became a lifestyle.By the time I woke up and it all meant something, I'd virtually missed the Beach Boys, started drinking the wrong beer – there is, as I found out later, no such thing – and the Woody wagons of western America only appeared in a blur as a Morris Traveller with WA number plates.Which is why Chrysler decided to let us more mature drivers relive the bits of our youth that we either missed or couldn't afford.A bit like reading a Phantom comic where the writer says: "For those who came in late..."Welcome to the PT Cruiser. This is a wagon of the 1950s without the dry rot of side panels made of wood, an engine without a downdraught carburettor resembling a sparrow's throat, and, God bless them all, seatbelts.I must say I like this. The PT Cruiser is an extremely thought-out package that makes the wagon a very appealing machine for the thinking family. It was raining hard when I unloaded the groceries the other day, but the high hatch lid kept me dry. The plastic bags of food were strung on neat hooks provided by a moveable parcel shelf.If I wanted more space, I would have folded the split rear seats flat, then folded the front passenger seat forward to create a giant flat sleeping or loading zone.Its US heritage – despite the fact it's made in Mexico – reflects in the plush ride, accent on soft furnishings, and a few garish fittings dug up from the Beach Boys days.There's lots of leather in the Limited edition, with some stylish panels of alcantara thrown in, plus a gearshifter comprising a naked vertical rod of chrome topped by a black sphere.In my day, that would be an eight-ball, drilled and tapped in my father's garage to suit the thread of the gearshift rod.The dashboard is predominantly soft-feel black plastic, with silver finishes to the instrument surround.It all looks nice, but it's a bit messy. The electric window switches are top and centre on the dashboard. The buttons on the doors are locks, not window buttons.There are plenty of cup holders, indeed there is sufficient personal storage space, along with lots of sensible switchgear, including simplistic ventilation controls.In the PT Cruiser's latest guise, the engine goes from 2-litre ordinary to 2.4-litre ovation. It's obviously a lot better, though it could still be a lot better.The 2.4 is practically the same style of engine, just with more herbs. It is faster off the line, substantially more torquey and seems to have got quieter. The handling, however, is ordinary.The car tested was a five-speed manual with a notchy, yet positive, shift. A four-speed auto is optional, though don't expect tyre-screeching acceleration.I like this car. But don't buy it for its performance. Buy it because it is different, because it is surprisingly roomy, has one of the most versatile interiors on the market, and has loads of features.And you'll never lose it in the shopping car park.

The Chrysler PT Cruiser certainly looks like no other car on the road, has attracted a core of diehard fans and even spawned a club of owners.But does it raise your pulse?Since it was launched in 2000, it hasn't raised many pulses. Last year it sold only 974, which was 102 more than in 2003, but 120 fewer than the quirky Toyota Prius hybrid.However, pulses may quicken now that Chrysler has replaced the two-litre engine with a 5kW more powerful 2.4 unit. Power is now up to 105kW at 5200rpm and torque up 14 per cent to 214Nm at 4000rpm, but it's still no hotrod.Launch from the lights is prompt, but overtaking power is a little slow on stream and it struggles under load and on steep gradients.The engine sounds noisy and harsh, but transmission vibration has been reduced by twin-counter rotating balance shafts that smooth out the four-stroke beats.Chrysler doesn't seem to have upgraded the clutch to account for the extra power and torque, so you get a bit of shudder until you master matching engine revs to road speed.The light clutch may be handy for some drivers, but it makes smooth driving a needless chore.Fans of retro styling will admire the attention to detail, such as old-style chrome door handles with push buttons and the abundance of chrome inside.But the now-leather steering wheel is a little too old-fashioned with tilt-only adjustment and no audio controls, despite the volume knob being way over on the left for American left-hand-drive.The upright stance of the car is reflected in the interior accommodation which is high and straight.While there are 32 different seating configurations thanks to split rear seating, there is only room for four adults or two adults and three small children. However, legroom is quite good.New for 2005 is a Grand Tourer (GT) edition with performance suspension and tyres on 17-inch alloy wheels.The combination helps control the daunting understeer of this front-wheel-drive machine.Other new touches include a body coloured rear roof mounted spoiler, silver shift knob, leather steering wheel, overhead console, front and rear fog lights, electronic touch pad on the boot and stalk cruise control as standard on all models except the manual Classic model.All models (Grand Tourer, Classic and Limited) offer manual or automatic gearbox.Standard safety equipment includes front and side driver and passenger airbags, low-speed traction control and four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes.Options include a security alarm, sunroof and new exterior and interior colours.

Its eye-catching retro-styling puts the car in the same league as the popular new Mini Cooper and well above the less-than-gorgeous VW Beetle.In such an ideal world, a V6 engine and/or a turbocharger would help the package along nicely.Throw in a top-quality suspension and handling package, an interior with quality switches, dials and instruments, truly-adjustable driver seating and inside styling to match the bold outside look and we are really talking popularity.Of course such a machine would cost about $50,000. The 2005 PT Cruiser just released to Australian showrooms costs about $30,000.And as such, the real world clashes head on with the ideal world dreams.The previous model was criticised for being under-powered.Daimler Chrysler has tried to address this by upgrading to a 2.4 litre powerplant over the previous inadequate two-litre donk.Better, yes, but still not quite good enough.The actual engine power increase amounts to just 5kW. Torque is up 14 per cent to 214Nm at 4000rpm.As such the performance delivery is much smoother than from the previous smaller-engined model.The test car, an automatic model, comes with the novelty of a clutchless manual-style operation known as Autostick that enables the driver to flick through the three forward gears.That marginally improves the driver's feel for the car but if you want to change gears yourself, you really should buy a manual.The new model comes in three levels, Classic ($29,990 manual) Grand Tourer ($30,990) and the Cruiser Limited ($33,990). Add $2000 to each for an automatic.The Classic is the base model.As tested the Grand Tourer has better suspension, 17-inch alloy wheels (the others have 16-inch), tyres, a neat body-mounted rear roof spoiler, silver shift knob, leather steering wheels, overhead console and front and rear fog lights.Leather trim, heated front seats, an overhead console featuring a digital display giving you an outside temperature reading and compass information are among the extras on the most expensive of the trio, the Class Limited.The retro feel continues inside but is let down by some rather clunky switches.Turning on the rear window wipers for the first time proved interesting as the switch was eventually found hidden below the radio.The driver's seating position seems unnecessarily high.The dash and driving compartment are functional, but could definitely be bolder to match the striking exterior.Safety features are good with front and side driver and passenger airbags and four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes as standard.Chrysler offer a three-year/100,000km warranty that also includes 24-hour roadside assistance for its duration.The PT Cruiser has in general been well received in Australia.Since its launch in 2000, Chrysler says 4200 models have been sold, including stronger sales last year than in 2003.It's very much a car that divides opinion, clearly based on its looks.People either like it or they don't, and it has proved valuable to businesses wanting a vehicle to be noticed in.So, would I buy one? Yes, based on its great retro looks and pricing. But there are reservations about its performance and the interior feel not really matching its image.