PT Stands for "Priceless Treasure"

INTRODUCTION AND STYLING

I drove the 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser hardtop with the base engine. For those of you who don't know, PT stands for "Personal Transportation". That's it. It's not "Performance Technology" or "Pleasurable Travels" or "Prowess on the Track", just "Personal Transportation". This "Prosaic Title" exemplifies "Poor Thinking" according to my "Personal Taste". Fortunately, the dreadfully colorless name is essentially the only thing poor about this car.

What brought me to the dealership to test drive the PT Cruiser is the same feature that has attracted so many others over the years: the styling. It's said to be a modern incarnation of the Chrysler Airflow. It's a good thing Chrysler wasn't shy about deviating from the historical design, because the Airflow had kind of an ugly front end.

The new PT Cruiser has some subtle styling changes from the original 2001-2005 design. The 2001-2005 model had a painted grille that was split by a black plastic or painted bumper, whereas the 2006 model has a chrome grille above the painted bumper and an air dam below it. The new chrome grille effectively complements the chrome door handles; it looked out of balance to me to have no chrome except one little detail. The headlights went from simple teardrop shapes to more baroque forms, similar to those of the 2002-2004 Hyundai Sonata turned upside down. Overall, I think the new style is an improvement, even though I prefer the old teardrop headlights.

The only styling cue on the PT Cruiser that is likely to incite criticism is its hearse-like roofline; the black PT Cruiser hardtop bears a comical resemblance to a midget hearse. I suppose that since some hearses are white, the white PT Cruiser looks like one as well. Come to think of it, one could have a red hearse or a blue one - but that's a hearse of a different color. Anyway, this questionable roofline does allow for more rear headroom, which I found lacking in the convertible model.

INTERIOR

The interior is quite interesting: much more compelling than the pedestrian interior of the Chevrolet HHR. The most distinguishing features are the painted body-matched dashboard panels. This one attribute paradoxically yields both nostalgic charm and avant-garde allure. Having lustrous metal in the interior can be a double-edged sword, though, since it may create a blinding glare when the sun hits it just right, especially in the convertible. I didn't have this problem during my test drive, but it deserves some thought.

The gauges are also quite engaging, taking the form of a large, deeply recessed trinity. The speedometer takes center stage, with the tachometer on the right, and a fuel level and oil temperature gauge on the left. The dashboard has a clean look, with acres of smooth, silvery plastic between the radio controls, air conditioning vents, etc. The air conditioning vents are set up such that when they are closed, the exposed faces are smooth surfaces of black plastic, further contributing to the clean look.

The steering wheel itself is among the most attractive I've seen, with the central hub bearing the Chrysler logo, and thin, traditional spokes leading to the outer rim. The only drawback to this is that there doesn't appear to be room on the stock steering wheel's spokes for audio controls, even if one found an aftermarket manufacturer that would install them. A different wheel would be needed. Enhancing the retrograde appearance is the shifter, which is a thin stalk with a spherical knob.

Not surprisingly, all 6 feet of me fits into the PT Cruiser in total comfort. With the seat all the way back, I have ample legroom, as well as a pleasing sensation of interior volume. The seating position is high, allowing good visibility. The overall interior arrangement feels somewhat minivan-like, but not as much so as that of the Chevrolet HHR. Perhaps this is because the seating position is an inch or two lower in the PT Cruiser, or maybe it's the PT Cruiser's less conservative interior design.

ON THE ROAD

Based on some earlier reviews of the PT Cruiser, I was ready to deride it for rough ride quality, singing the praises of the Chevrolet HHR's more refined ride. This is one time I'm very happy to report that I was wrong. I took the PT Cruiser out on a 65 mph highway, and it rode with impressive smoothness. I don't remember the older model convertible I drove riding with such velvety smoothness; maybe the older models or convertibles have firmer springs, or maybe the particular roads on which I drove the cars differed in surface refinement. In any case, the ride isn't quite as immaculate as that of, say, a Lincoln Town Car, but it is remarkably pristine for a car that starts at around $15,000. By contrast, it is much smoother than the Chevrolet Cobalt I recently reviewed; if you blindfolded me and took me on the highway in either a PT Cruiser or Cobalt, I could easily tell you which car you chose.

The sound aspect of the PT Cruiser's ride is much like that of the Cobalt. The engine is always audible, but doesn't get really loud until it nears its 5200 rpm redline. Even as the engine revs high, it always sounds solid and composed. The road and wind noises are more effectively subdued than the engine sounds, which is a nice arrangement for those using manual transmissions. The noises of running over tar lines and the like are stifled as though they are being muffled by a pillow, and the lack of wind noise at high speed creates a sense of peaceful isolation.

My test drive didn't include any sharp turns, but the PT Cruiser took the sweeping turns with smoothness and grace. Both along straight stretches and around curves, everything feels solid and well-built. Like most any car in this price range, the engine provides adequate merging and passing power, but it's not at all racy. The brakes feel a little soft, much like those of the HHR, but they get the job done. The air conditioning seems marginally more potent than that in the other cars I've test driven, bringing the vehicle to a rapid chill during my hot summer test drive. The radio reception became fuzzy once or twice, and the salesman who took me on the test drive said that sometimes the antennas were removed from the cars on the lot. Regrettably, I forgot to check to see if that was the case with this particular car at the end of the test drive. In summary, although it's no Rolls-Royce, the PT Cruiser yields a commendably luxurious drive for the money.

POWER AND EFFICIENCY, AND OTHER SPECS

In terms of price, gas mileage, power, weight, and cargo capacity, the PT Cruiser is most comparable to small, 2WD SUVs. The PT Cruiser compares formidably to other popular SUVs in these areas, such as the Chevrolet HHR, Honda Element, and Ford Escape.

However, if you don't need the cargo space, it may be wise to opt for a coupe, sedan, or the like with better fuel efficiency. (The PT Cruiser only gets 22 mpg city / 29 mpg highway with the manual transmission, 21 mpg city / 26 mpg highway with the automatic, based on EPA estimates.) For example, the stylish Honda Civic that I reviewed previously is an exceptionally efficient car, yielding about half again the gas mileage of the PT Cruiser without sacrificing power. The Civic doesn't appeal to everyone, so if you're really infatuated with the PT Cruiser, go for it; there's no crime in buying something because it puts a smile on your face.

AWARDS

The only award I could find for the Chrysler PT Cruiser is that it was among the 10 best cars of 2001 according to Car and Driver magazine. There may be other awards, but I haven't found any. I expected to find more accolades for this car, since it seems to have such widespread popularity.

THE VERDICT

The Chrysler PT Cruiser is truly an awesome car. Of all the cars I've reviewed thus far, it has the best combination of exterior style, interior style, and overall driving experience, with the Honda Civic a close second. Keep in mind that as I make this assessment, I value ride smoothness over sharp handling; I'm not a racecar driver. Also, as nice as some foreign cars are, I'll always have a special place in my heart for a good ol' American car.

EDIT

I recently test drove another Scion xB (manual this time). Although the xB is not without its faults, seeing one up close and driving it again reminded me of how charming those little boxes are. Now, I'm not so sure which is my favorite.

END EDIT

I gave the PT Cruiser a 5-star rating based on a comparison to other small SUVs because I felt that was the most fair. Compared to passenger cars such as the Honda Civic, it may be closer to 4 stars due to the lack of fuel efficiency. Moreover, if you find the PT Cruiser as irresistible as so many drivers have, it may be worth some extra dollars at the pump. If the lame name bothers you, just make up something cool that PT stands for, such as "Pole-dancing Transvestite" - O.K., bad example. In any case, it's no wonder America fell in love with the PT Cruiser.