CHRYSLER PT CRUISER 2.4 RANGE
Chrysler's PT Cruiser Isnt Everyones Cup Of Tea, But It Does Offer A Whole Lot More Personality Than Most
Mini-MPVs. With A 2.4-Litre Engine Under The Bonnet, It Also Has A Respectable Turn Of Speed. Andy Enright Reports
Lets clear one thing up straight off the bat. This 2.4-litre version of Chryslers PT Cruiser isnt particularly sporty. If you expect performance to match those aggressive looks, youll need your expectations managed somewhat.
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Yes, it is a bit quicker than the 2.0-litre version it replaces but a power hike of 11bhp was never going to turn cruiser into bruiser. There are, however, some compelling reasons to choose this unconventional Chrysler over many
mini-MPVs.
The first comes down to price. The 2.4-litre model attracts no premium over the outgoing 2.0-litre version, despite featuring an engine thats more powerful and a good deal cleaner.
This means that youll be able to walk into a Chrysler showroom and drive off in a PT Cruiser 2.4-litre Classic for just £12,995. Think about that for a moment. Thats less than youd pay for a 1.
6-litre
Ford Fusion or a base model
Citroen Xsara Picasso, two cars with far less charisma than the quirky PT Cruiser. The plusher Touring model weighs in at £14,520 and the range-topping Limited is priced at £16,020. Theres even a GT model, pitched at £14,995, which takes the Touring specification and adds 17-inch alloy wheels, a body coloured roof spoiler and firmer suspension, although its best to take its sporting brief with a fistful of salt. The 2.
4-litre engine has a respectable turn of pace but its not in the same league as, say, a turbocharged
Vauxhall Zafira. Expect to see 60mph come and go in10.3 seconds with a top speed of 12mph posted. The peak power figure of 143bhp is a mild improvement over the 134bhp of the old 2.
0-litre car although the torque figure of 158 lb/ft betters the old engines 139lb/ft figure quite significantly. As you might expect, this means that the 2.4-litre feels a good deal gutsier than the rather strained 2.0-litre, offering better pull from low revs and more relaxed cruising at speed.
Towing or driving with the car full of passengers and luggage also feel far less of a chore with a bigger engine although the 2.2-litre CRD diesel version would still be our Cruiser of choice if heavy hauling was on the agenda.
"With prices starting at just £12,995, the 2.4-litre PT Cruiser offers serious value for money"
Also available with the 2.4-litre engine is the PT Cruiser Cabrio. Youll have to sit on the wrong side of the car, but at prices starting from £17,495, its not too much of a hardship. Only 100 are earmarked for the UK, so a certain degree of exclusivity is guaranteed.
Despite our notoriously unpredictable maritime climate, Britain is Europes biggest convertible market and we buy more soft tops here than the combined markets of Italy and Spain. If the PT Cruiser Convertible cant sell here, its doomed. The car is being promoted on the basis that it offers more room inside than virtually any other soft-top model. "Our engineers wanted to make the PT Cruiser Convertible a convertible that you can actually do things with," says Larry Lyons, VP Small Vehicle Product Team Engineering. "Nine different
seat configurations and a pass-through boot opening with enough room to store two golf bags make the car more versatile than its competitors." Golf bags seem to be the new unit of measurement when it comes to boot space. Even Ferraris are now manufactured with boots that can accommodate a golf bag. Its hard to see the PT Cruiser Convertible at your local municipal. It would look happier crawling along a drive-thru lane or parked outside a trendy bar.
The hood is an electrically powered fabric affair and takes all of ten seconds to fold back. Youll need to twist a centre latch and then prang a dash-mounted button to lower the roof and if you really want to neaten things, theres a vinyl tonneau cover that, unlike many of its ilk, is surprisingly easy to fit. It is, however, quite a bulky affair and takes up a good deal of boot room when not in situ. With the roof down and the windows raised, theres precious little buffeting for the front seat occupants, although those taking advantage of the most generous rear legroom in class will get a sound battering from the wind at speeds much above 50mph.
The fixed roll over hoop helps to cut wind intrusion at low speed but even that cant do a whole lot when you really press the throttle pedal. All PT Cruisers are sourced from rather humble stock. The Neon family saloon provides the basic platform for this car but you wouldnt know that from a glance inside the far more spacious cabin. Its a bit of a shock to climb inside and find that here, things are a lot more conventional though various efforts have been made to jazz things up a bit.
Some of it works - the pool ball-style manual gear knob is a nice touch but much doesnt. The body-coloured plastic inserts glued around the instruments and on the passenger airbag cover are in dubious taste and the thin four-spoke steering wheel feels a bit cheap. From a practical perspective however just where youd expect the car to be at its least impressive the PT Cruiser is hard to fault. Though there are only two rows of seats, the cabin is extremely well thought out, with no fewer than 26 different interior combinations.
For a start, the second row can be removed completely and has rollers to make the task easier (why has no one apart from Chrysler thought of that before?). They split-fold 65/35 and fold flat on the seat cushions when they do so. Although some find the styling a little contrived, others will rejoice in the PT Cruisers retro appeal. If Chrysler can underline the surprisingly low price and big-hearted 2.
4-litre engine, they could well shift some respectable numbers.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Chrysler PT Cruiser 2.4-litre range
PRICES: £12,995-£17,495 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 12-14 [est]
CO2 EMISSIONS: 185-196g/km
PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 121mph / 0-60mph 10.3s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [combined] 30mpg [est]
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Driver, Passenger and Side airbags, ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height 4288/1705/1601mm
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