Browse our Used Chrysler PT Cruiser Inventory!!!
The Chrysler PT Cruiser combines the retro look of late-'30s American iron with modern performance, efficiency and features. The PT Cruiser comes in two body styles, a versatile five-door wagon and a not-so-versatile two-door convertible.
The five-door model's tall body boasts lots of room for people and cargo. Fold the seats down and you can carry an eight-foot ladder. Pull the rear seats out and you can haul a load of building materials or a big-screen TV. Yet the PT Cruiser is small and easy to park.
The PT Cruiser convertible is one of the least expensive convertibles on the market. Roomy seats make it great for four passengers. Like them, it is essentially a car: The PT Cruiser is based on the Dodge Neon, a compact car noted for sprightly performance. Cruiser is an appropriate name.
Chrysler has dropped the high-performance GT models for 2008. New for 2008, a tire-pressure monitor and front side air bags are now standard on all models and the base wagon is now called LX. In addition, the Touring model gets a standard automatic transmission and 16-inch wheels. The 2008 Limited model now has 17-inch wheels, the 2.4-liter turbocharged engine, ABS and traction control as standard equipment.
The 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser comes in two body styles: a five-door hatchback/wagon Chrysler calls a sedan; and a two-door convertible. The wagon is available in three trim levels: base LX, Touring and Limited. The convertible comes as a single model.
All PT Cruisers are powered by a 2.4-liter, twin-cam four-cylinder engine. In all but the Limited model the standard engine is tuned to deliver 150 horsepower. A five-speed manual transmission is standard and a four-speed automatic is optional ($825). A 180-horsepower turbocharged version of this engine is standard in Limited wagons and optional ($1905) in Touring wagons and the convertible. The price includes antilock four-wheel disc brakes and traction control. (The 230-horsepower High Output turbocharged version of the 2.4-liter four-cylinder is no longer available.)
The base PT Cruiser wagon ($14,940) comes with AM/FM/CD/MP3 stereo; fabric bucket seats and floor console; tilt steering wheel; power windows; speed-sensitive power locks; remote keyless entry; engine immobilizer; tinted glass; rear window defroster, wiper and washer; 65/35 split folding and removable rear seat; trip computer; theft-deterrent system; rear spoiler; and P195/65R15 tires on steel wheels with wheel covers.
The convertible ($18,530) adds all the same equipment as the Touring wagon, plus a firmer touring suspension, a power convertible top with soft boot cover, and a 50/50 split rear seat.
The Limited model ($22,660) is well equipped with a leather-wrapped steering wheel, leather upholstery, heated front seats, a sunroof, a universal garage door opener, Sirius satellite radio, the touring suspension, and P205/50R17 tires. A Street Cruiser Sunset Boulevard Edition ($845) for the base wagon includes a sunroof, illuminated visor mirrors, map lights, rear privacy glass, P205/55R16 tires on chromed alloy wheels, chrome interior and exterior trim, and Street Cruiser and Sunset Boulevard Edition badges.
Options include a 368-watt Boston Acoustics premium sound system ($695) that comes with Sirius satellite radio and is also available with a six-disc CD changer ($750 convertible, $800 Touring and Limited); a sunroof for Touring wagons ($795); heated front seats for the convertible and Touring wagon ($250); Sirius satellite radio for the base wagon ($195, including a one-year subscription); and Chrysler's UConnect hands-free cell phone link ($360) for Limited. Many of the standard features on higher-line models are also available as options on the less expensive models.
Safety features include dual front airbags; torso-protecting front side-impact airbags; and a tire-pressure monitor. The rear bench is equipped with child-seat tethers. Antilock brakes and traction control are standard on Limited. Exterior dimensions indicate the PT Cruiser is quite compact. That height is a crucial element of the PT Cruiser's design.
With the top up, the convertible looks like a custom chopped-top hot rod. Drop the top and the gangster mobile turns into a chick car. With its top down, the PT Cruiser convertible's high tail and integrated sport bar remind us of the old Volkswagen Cabrio. But where the VW's side windows sealed against its sport bar, the Chrysler's windows seal against each other for a more modern convertible profile.
A bonus of the Cruiser's tall profile is its upright seating position, with a fairly high view ahead, somewhat like a sport-utility vehicle or minivan. The front seats have a reasonable amount of bolstering to keep driver and passenger from sliding side to side. The leather package offers a rich appearance given the Cruiser's price, with suede inserts in the doors and along the lower cushion edges.
Roominess is a virtue in the Cruiser. The wagon's 120.5 cubic feet of interior volume is comparable to that of large cars such as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class or Lincoln Town Car, though it certainly doesn't have the ambience of those cars. To take advantage of this, the rear seat bottoms are higher than those in front. This theater seating, as it's called, affords the back-seat passengers a better view forward. Rear passengers also can stretch their legs underneath the front seats, which are mounted on tall boxes. A 6-foot, 9-inch passenger can fit comfortably in the front or rear seats.
The cabin of the PT Cruiser wagon can be configured 26 different ways. The rear seats are anchored with quick-release attachments for easy removal. The smaller portion of the rear seat weighs 35 pounds, but the larger section weighs a hefty 65 pounds.
With both rear seats out, the Cruiser provides 62.7 cubic feet of cargo volume. A mountain bike fits with the rear seats removed; take the front wheel off the bike and you can leave the rear seats in place. The convertible doesn't stand as tall as the wagon. It offers just 84.3 cubic feet of interior volume (compared with 120.5 for the wagon). Head room and hip room are significantly reduced, front and rear. The convertibles get sportier seats with more side bolstering. The convertible's seats can be configured nine different ways, suggesting practicality.
The PT Cruiser is fun to drive, but it's not a sports car. In essence, it's a tall, practical economy car that goes relatively quickly. The PT Cruiser offers both a five-speed manual and four-speed automatic transmission. The automatic isn't as effective as the five-speed at getting the base Cruiser cruising, because 'automatics tend to keep an engine in lower rev ranges and the 2.4-liter's' peak torque is reached at a relatively high 4,000 rpm. In quick, hard, slalom-type maneuvers any PT Cruiser starts to feel top heavy'. The suspension feels better controlled with the Limited's 17-inch wheels and touring suspension, but these is little if any price to pay in ride quality. Surprisingly, some convertible coupes have more cowl shake.
The Chrysler PT Cruiser appeals to people of all ages and lifestyles with its whimsical, retro design. Its affordability increases its appeal. It's also practical, with a roomy, versatile interior. It isn't particularly refined, however. Edmunds.com says "For a small wagon or inexpensive four-seat convertible, the 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser is a decent choice. The Car Connection.com adds that "The 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser is a nostalgia buff's dream." The convertible offers genuine open-air fun and is great for carrying four people, but there's no place for cargo. The lower-priced models offer the best value and we think they make the most sense.