I've now driven 2 PT Cruisers : one turbo and one non-turbo. The 2.4 Turbo I drove a few months back was a low-output one if I remember correctly, so on the whole it didn't make too much difference.
Having most recently driven several non-turbo PT Cruisers, I can say that I like them. The 2.4 generates 150 horses and 165 pounds-feet of torque. With the automatic transmission(4-speed) that this car is paired with, it felt zippy and got up to speed easily. Even with the air conditioning on, I didn't feel any difference with the engine. A big difference from my Mazda 3, with which the air conditioning makes a noticeable difference when it's on. Once you're cruising at a set speed in the city or on the highway it's fine though. The PT's engine does gets noisy quickly and it always seem like it's working hard - especially upwards of 3,000 RPM. Refined this engine is not. Unfortunately the automatic doesn't come with tiptronic controls. I'm not a fan of the shift-knob, which I can only imagine is an old-fashioned piece. It's a white knob with a button on top. It needs updating for sure. When it comes to cornering, I didn't find much difference between this car and the Dodge Neon(SX 2.0) I drove back to back. I'm not a big fan of twisties though. The Cruiser's brakes work well. Even without the ABS, they bring the car to a halt quickly. Although ABS is always a nice thing to have, it's certainly not a necessity for this car.
The PT's interior is better than most in its class. I would still take a Civic or a Spectra instead in this respect, but inside the Cruiser is definitely a step above the Chevrolet Cobalt/Pontiac Pursuit. The model I drove was equipped with power everything except for the seats. I had some difficulty finding where the controls for the windows were. Eventually I found they're in the centre stack of knobs - on the top next to the air vents - confusing, and also poorly placed if you ask me. Besides that annoyance, generally the HVAC controls are all close together - stacked if you will. Although they look cheap and plastic, the climate control dials have a decent feeling to them - certainly a cut above what you'd find in the old Sunfire/Cavalier. The air conditioning works quickly, cooling the car nicely. The buttons for the audio system are arranged in a square shape, with about 15 different buttons very close together. I prefer the easier-on-the-eyes button layout of the PT's older brother - the Chrysler Sebring. In the back, there's plenty of room. After adjusting the front seats to my liking, I still found that there was enough space for two adults in the back. Add a third back there and it'll be cramped. At first glance, I believe this car has just as much legroom and headroom in the back as the Matrix. I haven't looked up the dimensions,so I can't say for sure. There are plenty of different seat configurations with the PT Cruiser too. Trunk space was adequate as well.
When it comes to parking, doing so front-first is quite easy. However, reverse stall parking can be an issue as the hatchback has a small window, and it can be challenging trying to see where the end of the parking space is. Likewise, parallel parking can also be difficult. Even though it might seem out of place, a parktronic system would be a welcome addition. I've used that feature in the Chrysler Pacifica, and it works really well. Fortunately, the PT has a relatively small turning radius, so it's easy to correct mistakes - as long as you know you're making them.
Fuel economy for the PT is rated at 21/26 for city/highway mpg. Compare this to the slighty more expensive and underpowered Toyota Corolla which gets 30/38. Even the Chevrolet Cobalt is rated better at 24/32. However, the PT's 2.4 delivers almost the same economy as the 2.3 in the Mazda 3, and the 2.5 in the Subaru Impreza.
Style wise, the PT looks sporty from the outside. Still, it wouldn't be my first choice, especially with the new Civic on the block. My favourite color for the PT would have to be the medium blue - with most of the other colors it just looks ugly.
Safety wise, this one's nothing special. As usual, you have two airbags standard, and the others are optional. ABS is also optional. Traction control is also available, but only on certain models. Chrysler has made an immobilizer standard on all models.
I understand that some changes have been made to 2006 models of this car. Apparently the instrument panel has been improved, and there's now a vehicle info centre providing fuel economy and the like. These are welcome additions. Overall, I have to rate the 2005 model as average. The engine is noisy, the shifter unsightly and the controls poorly placed. However, one thing going for the PT is its price. Especially with employee discounts, you can get good bang for your buck. These cars have also been quite reliable. According to information I brought up on autos.msn.ca, minimal problems have been noted with the engines, transmissions, suspensions of the 2001-2003 model years. I also didn't find wind noise to be much of a problem while driving the PTs.
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
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