Car Lines
by Larry Mason
2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser

Journalism | New Car Reviews

The hottest car on the market to hit the streets this year has been Chrysler’s PT Cruiser. People stop and stare, they point and gawk, and generally fall over themselves as they try to catch a glimpse of the retro-icon of the new millennium. Is it worth all the fuss? Let’s take one for a test drive and find out.

The first thing you’ll notice about the PT Cruiser is the exterior styling. The first thing you should know about it is that it’s based on the Neon platform. In some respects that's good, in other ways it’s not.

The retro styling was inspired by ‘30’s’ and ‘40’s’ era cars. "Chrysler PT Cruiser is a celebration of automotive heritage coupled with innovation, efficiency and a twist of rebellion," said Bryan Nesbitt, Chrysler PT Cruiser exterior designer.

In Chrysler’s own words, "The large fenders provide one of the key nostalgic elements of the vehicle, bringing back positive memories of classic designs from the 1930s and 1940s. This is further emphasized through the flared sills, evocative of running boards seen on cars from that era. The accented front and rear bumpers give the vehicle a sturdy, protective feeling. Bullet- shaped tail lamps were developed to reflect the design cues of the 1930s and 1940s design, with a contemporary flare."

From a performance standpoint, you’re probably going to be disappointed. The anemic four-cylinder engine will only make power at the upper reaches of its rev range. At that point there’s such a racket of engine noise and so few rpm’s left, that you have to shift and start the whole miserable process all over again. Low-end torque is absent like the defense of the Clippers and just as hard to take. If you can wait for a V6 (rumor has it that it’s coming), you should. Otherwise, don’t expect to be blowing off any Corvettes. While we’re talking about shifting, don’t try to heel and toe downshift either. The pedal spacing is all wrong for that. This car is more about looking the part than actually performing the way it looks. In that respect, it’s a perfect Hollywood car. If you have the need for speed, the only way to get it is to wring it out at high rpm and with quick and precise shifts.

As far as the platform is concerned, the Neon has been a solid performer for many years and has even had its own racing series (The Neon Challenge). Race proven performance and good value for the money as commuter/college cars go has been a Neon hallmark. With the larger body on top, the chassis still seems up to the task although just a tad overweight. Minimal body lean from the firm suspension in no way reflects anything like the boats from yesteryear. A good sized tire (Goodyear Eagle LS 205/55R16) gives you enough grip in most cases although with rain-slicked highways, you must be gentle with the throttle (can you believe it?!). Perhaps it’s because of the new body, but there just doesn’t seem to be as much NVH as in the Neon. Furthermore, you don’t seem to get

The proven chassis and driveline provides the foundation for the slick body and interior trim. It’s the body and interior trim where the PT Cruiser excels. Stepping into the PT Cruiser is like stepping back into time. A simpler time when there were carhops and drive-ins instead of car jackings and drive-bys. Perhaps it’s the simplistic yet classical interior that makes you feel warm and fuzzy. Fuzzy enough to hang those same kinds of dice from the rearview mirror. You sit upright in suave leather and suede seats. Not your normal car seats, but more like captain’s chairs to guide your new craft. You have excellent visibility thanks to the tall windows and smallish pillars. The cue ball shift knob sits atop a long chrome shifting-rod and is another reminder of days gone by. The unusual big round A/C vents attract as much attention and fascination as a lava lamp. You give them a twist to adjust the airflow. Rear ingress and egress as well as head and legroom provide ample space for double dating. If you’re sitting in the rear, you’ll be able to open and close your windows from the buttons on the back of the center console. It’s certainly not ergonomically correct for the front or the rear seat passengers. It’s as if Chrysler forgot to put switches in the plan and then had no place else to locate them.

Open up the rear barn door – cleverly disguised as a rear hatch – and you’ll find selectable cargo space. The deck shelf can be repositioned a number of different ways to accommodate all sorts, shapes, and sizes of cargo. As if that weren’t enough, there are also tie-down hooks to secure your prized possessions. The rear seats fold forward to make the PT Cruiser into a miniature panel truck to haul larger cargo in style.

The PT Cruiser has been an overwhelming sales success for Chrysler this year. The only question now is if and when we’ll see that V6. You might not be the first on your block to own one, but you’ll certainly meet a lot of people that you wouldn’t have before you bought it. Base price starts at very reasonable $15,450 while this one as equipped came to $20,010. The big options here were the ABS brakes ($790) and the preferred package 27G that includes leather and suede power seats, touring suspension, 16" wheels, moonroof, side air bags, keyless remote entry, theft deterrent system, cruise control, and fog lamps, among a few other things. All said and done, even with the lack of power, the PT Cruiser is still a recommended buy. What do you think? Take one for a test drive if you can find one available!

The PT Cruiser is a celebration of automotive heritage with innovation, efficiency and a twist of rebellion!