Chrysler PT Cruiser road tests and consumer car reviews

Chrysler PT Cruiser Touring 2011

I only recently bought a Cruiser after wanting one for years. I absolutely love it! I don’t care if it has the turning circle of a bus (I used to be a bus driver so I’m used to it), or if it has poor fuel consumption. (A full tank usually lasts me about a week and a half if I’m careful). For me it’s the best car I have ever driven. It’s comfortable, spacious and eye-catching. It has the looks of a 1930’s classic and all the charisma you could ever want from a car. If I ever had to part with it I would literally cry.

Chrysler PT Cruiser 2.0 petrol automatic 2004

I have had this car exactly one day, on loan while my own car is being fixed. My first reaction on being handed the keys was "Oh, my God, I hope nobody I know sees me in this!" Within a couple of miles, all my prejudices were confirmed. Performance, refinement and handling about on a par with a double decker bus, comfortable as a park bench. And that gear lever! Depending on what angle you look at it, it either resembles a pig’s eye on a stick or a boil waiting to be burst. And you feel a complete plonker, just sitting in it. If I have it for long, I shall take to wearing a disguise. And a back brace. When my wife saw it, she immediately collapsed with laughter. The only way to live with this car is to regard it as some kind of bizarre joke. I thought the Americans did not understand irony, but I may be wrong. I suspect that this is the ultimate ironic car.

Chrysler PT Cruiser Electric 2003

No regrets buying this car, it’s a great all-rounder. Have owned it for over 6 years now and still enjoy it. During that time all it’s needed is normal servicing, a set of brake disks and pads, a set of tyres (originals perished rather than worn), and front wishbones due to worn bushes. Arguably, the drivetrain is only average but driven smoothly or as a cruiser, which is what the car is all about, it’s totally satisfactory and surprisingly economical.

Chrysler PT Cruiser gt 2.4 2005

PTs in the real world of driving, day to day and hard core motorway work, are the best car yet. I have had them all believe me. They are suited to people that are busy with lots of things to do, they make great 2nd cars for school runs and work horses for the weekends. I have had mine, brand new from 05 a gt 2.4, no problems at all. I feel a car’s maintenance plays a big part on what problems you get, having said this I kept mine tip top and it pays off long term. Having a car brand new and mantaining it properly is the key; add a good fuel additive from time to time, lubes fuel pump and valves, use good fuel, check and change oils, and add a Wynns or STP oil additive, to gear oil also. All in all a great car, look after them and they will go on forever.

Responses to this review

All cars no matter what make and model made have had or developed faults somewhere in their lifetime including BMWs. A few friends of mine have had problems with their new model BMWs including an engine seizure - Fritz Broeburg from London

Chrysler PT Cruiser 2.4 limited 2007

Bought my 57 plate PT cruiser 2.4 limited, loved it for 18 months when clutch went with only 12k on the clock. I had that replaced and had an electrical problem. Chrysler had it in garage 5 weeks and replaced my fuse box. Everything was going great until I started having this Vauxhall Nova noise coming from car, when I found out it was my timing belt Chrysler fixed that under warranty. Car has sat in drive since June 2010 and is up for sale as I have just bought a new 60 plate BMW 130i. Do not buy this car, it’s as slow as a week in jail and as thirsty as rehab.

Chrysler PT Cruiser Street Cruiser 2.0 Auto 2002

Absolutely love the PT Cruiser. So much so that I have 2 of them. First one was bought last year a 2001 Ltd Edition Manual. Has now been fully customised with all the chrome extras. And recently bought the Ltd Edition Street Cruiser in Inca Gold. which is Auto/Tiptronic. Going to leave this one as original as it doesnt need anything adding. As far as fuel goes I dont think its bad. I get slightly better from the 2001, around 28-30 and the auto does about 25-28. Turning circle - again doesn’t really bother me as I learnt to do 3 point turns (or sometimes 5 lol). My main faults on both cars are nothing more than suspension bushes. Both the cars knocked below on our lovely uneven British roads. Having said that suspension parts are really cheap and I replaced them with polyurethane ones on both cars. Now there is no noise.

Chrysler PT Cruiser 2006

A vehicle wanted for a while, now I have one and am very satisfied with it. Yes, it is fairly heavy on petrol, but so what? I can afford it. Even so, if I drive carefully on a day out in the highlands I get around 36 mpg, that’s cruising at around 50 mph, but it is a cruiser and that’s what it’s for. If you want to go fast get something else. It is now 4 years old and has been comfortable and trouble free. I will probably keep it for quite a bit longer as we all like it, it’s different from anything else on the road and very different from the usual " repmobile" you get these days. Get one and you’ll stand out from the crowd.

Chrysler PT Cruiser Limited 2.0 2005

I was dreaming of owning one from the first day I saw it. Before purchasing I had read nearly everything about it and knew the shortcomings. Yes, turning circle like a truck, performance worse even than expected and fuel consumption is archaic. What suprised me was the unrefinement of the engine, more trashy than I’d expected. Inside volume is generous, trunk bigger and more useful than it seems. And the prestige on the road better than the cars 5 times more expensive. Driving it gives me an uncomparable pleasure. It is not my everyday car, it’s a car for fun like a toy. If you’re looking for something special instead of transportation get one and keep it. My aim is to keep it for my son as a heritage. I believe that it will be a classic. If you’re looking a car for transportation and comparable to todays market that’s why Toyotas, Peugeots and similars exist.

Chrysler PT Cruiser 2005

I bought my 2005 Cruiser used in 2008. I have since put over 70,000miles on it bringing it to 104,879 miles. Until today, I only had the right rear quarter glass to pop out, which by the way was not covered by the manufacturer. While turning into my driveway, it cut off and I haven’t been able to find out why. Some say maybe the fuel pump others just don’t know, hopefully someone out there can help me. Yes, I would buy another one and another one.

Chrysler PT Cruiser 2002

LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!!!!!! No major problems as yet - good petrol consumption imo - turns heads lol!!

Chrysler PT Cruiser 2.0 Limited Manual 2002

I bought my 2002 Cruiser a week ago. All these reviews seem to mention the only 2 faults I have found, fuel consumption & turning circle. However, I think both are to be expected with a car that was built with the American market largely in mind. Other than that it is the best car I have ever owned, including being better than my 2006 VW Passat or 2004 Renault Espace, both of which were in the garage around 5 times each with various problems. The Cruiser looks great & is roomy & comfortable. When I was shopping around there were plenty that had done in excess of 120K which seems positive for the longevity of these cars. As for the various mechanical faults mentioned, I can speak from experience; VW’s & Renault ’s suffer expensive faults with fairly new cars too. I’d recommend a PT Cruiser to anyone. 5 Stars, they are fantastic.

Chrysler PT Cruiser 2001

I bought my PT Cruiser second hand in January 2007 and I love it! I’ve had no problems whatsoever and in winter it starts first time in temperatures of zero and below. Its so roomy - great for moving house. You get used to the wide turning circle and the fuel consumption is about 30-33mph, {just don’t go into fifth gear and slow down if you worry about petrol consumption}. I love the roominess inside and the space in the boot, if I take the back seats out, then I have a van. I hope this car lasts forever!

Chrysler PT Cruiser 2.4 auto 2006

I wanted one of these the first time I saw one, I have always gone for the quirky type of cars for the last 45 years. I can’t fault the looks and the equipment you get, but I’m afraid it all does pear shaped from there. The poor turning circle has got me in one or two scrapes - the head gasket leaked from new, the engine is like a 2.4 from the early Volvo’s and sadly out of date. I have regretted leasing it because of the 20 mpg ( on a good day ) and would definitely never get another.

Chrysler PT Cruiser 2.0 Limited manual 2001

Always wanted this car as I think all modern cars have boring styling. Needless to say I like classic cars! I bought my car in 2003 and have had no problems with it breaking down etc but as it is 8 years old it was time for a new cam belt and while this was being done the water pump and power steering pipe were found to have seepage marks so I replaced these as well. I had noticed this year that when indicating right sometimes the fog lights would activate for the duration the indicator was on and knew that was a faulty multifunction indicator switch which costs about £70 plus labour so got this done as well. Was surprised at some of the comments about the car being slow, the name PT Cruiser points to its intended use, so yup, its no fireball but I have no problems as I am in no great hurry.... I get 40 mpg on an all motorway cruise down to my mums and reasonable (for the design age of the engine) fuel return about town where I am in no hurry to catch up with the next traffic jam. That said, the 2.4 litre or diesel are a lot better for midrange but were out of my pocket’s reach in 2003. The Auto box should be avoided as that is a very old design and thus inefficient on fuel. Never had a problem with the turning circle as I am that cheeky sod who uses your drive way to about turn!! Here is to many happy cruising years to come.

Responses to this review

How much was your cambelt change? - Wesley from Surrey

Chrysler PT Cruiser 2005

We love the car but hate the turning. Would we buy another one? Yes, if we could. They don’t make them any more - bring back the PT Limited!

Chrysler PT Cruiser 2002

Mine has been without a doubt the worst car I have ever owned. After 1 month the slave cylinder in the clutch failed - not a major problem you might say but it was because it is fitted inside the gearbox!! Two weeks later the fuel pump failed costing over £900 to replace. After getting the car back the new fuel pump leaked and within two hours the car was back in the garage again. Got it back two weeks later... another fuel leak developed had to be recovered by RAC. Agree with other comments it has the turning circle of a battleship - maybe not such an issue in America but on our roads renders the car awkward to drive. It’s a shame because despite the above I love the look of the car, the comfort etc, but for an everyday vehicle it is just not a viable option unless you have a spare car and very deep pockets.

Chrysler PT Cruiser 2007

I went to Texas for 6 weeks and hired a PT Cruiser, I was hoping for a Focus or similar, I hated the Cruisers styling, but after driving it I was impressed by the comfort and equipment, loads of room and nice to drive, nothing went wrong and the economy was good, performance ok, smooth auto, doors and boot that close well without slamming, I have since sold my Toyota Corolla, uncomfortable, bad handling, poor auto, silly niggling faults, the PT cruiser is much nicer, but I bought a 3 series BMW, everything about it is better than Toyota, looks beat the Cruiser.

Chrysler PT Cruiser 2.0 manual 2002

Purchased my "Silver Pearlescent with colour coded bumpers!" five weeks ago. So far, for the price I paid, I have no real issues; although I do agree the turning circle is pretty poor. However, comfort, space and style make up for its short- comings. Mine is a 2002 2.0 manual, any hints on deceleration when changing gear?

Chrysler PT Cruiser 2.0 ltd edition auto 2000

It feels like a million dollars, and costs roughly that much to get it from our house to Tesco and back. I was persuaded to buy my black "batmobile" by my 9 year old son who couldn’t settle to bed all night after we’d been for a test drive in it a couple of weeks ago, so thrilling he found it..... OK, I didn’t do much research, and the ZZ Top thing grabbed me, as did the relative obscurity and undeniable surfeit of creature comforts offered within... will I still have it in 6 months time? Not sure, but I’ll certainly still be talking about it, and it makes a change to see a car that actually looks like a proper car, not just another conservative "family" jelly mould with broadly predictable kit, mpg etc... 25 miles to the gallon? That’s why god gave us credit cards. Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!

Chrysler PT Cruiser Classic CRD 2004

I wanted one of these car for quite some time, I eventually got one second hand and apart from the very poor turning circle I thought the car was excellent, plenty of power and quite good on fuel for the size of the engine. But then it all turned very bad, one day I was driving along and the engine just cut out, fortunately I was only doing 25mph on a side road - god knows what would have happened if I had been overtaking on the motor way. I got the car taken to a Chrysler Dealer who found the ASD fuse had blown and when it was replace it just started no problems, the big problem is no one, not even Chrysler UK can tell me why the fuse blow and they could give no guarantee that it would not happen again. As you may has guessed I am getting rid of it since it is a potential death trap.

Responses to this review

Hi. Was your car automatic? I am thinking of buying one and I don’t want to end up with yours. Since no over review have mentioned your problem - George Harrigan-Brown from Hampshire

Chrysler PT Cruiser 2007

Overall not a bad car except for the bad turning ratio, being hard on fuel and faulty gauges. The speedometer was off by 5 kilometres.

Chrysler PT Cruiser 2.4 gt 2005

I love this motor a blast, from the past with all mod cons. Depreciation is bad, I mean really bad. So why play the game? I am keeping it and going to lpg (liquid petroleum gas). I reckon this is a 200,000 mile car. I love it to death!

Chrysler PT Cruiser 2.0 ltd auto 2002

Great car. Bit like marmite, you either love it or hate it. Plenty of room in the back (for three adults) as well as the front. Owned ours for 3 years without much problem. Spares prices variable. Turning circle awful. Fuel consumption awful. Looks priceless!

Chrysler PT Cruiser 2.2 CRD Limited 2008

To follow up on my last comments; I was in the dealership today to look at their just-arrived 2008 UK-model CRD 2.2 Limited PT Cruiser. I spent at least half an hour going over the vehicle and jotting down the detailed features, so here goes; 17 inch alloys Fuel filler cover is no longer chrome Bodyside mouldings are still chrome Chrome strips on the front grille Chromed exhaust tip Changed rear lettering; "PT Cruiser" on lower left, "Chrysler" above the wings centre; "CRD Limited" on lower right (think the lettering is smaller, still the same characteristic font of course) Door sill plates are black plastic, but with large rectangular brushed metal insert with large bright Chrysler wings logo The seats are now virtually full leather (just a small strip of cloth at the sides of the base) Steering wheel has silver spokes The centre console has a ’hatched’ pattern (dealer called it ’carbon look-alike’) Best I can tell, all the mechanicals are exactly as before.

Chrysler PT Cruiser CRD 2.2 Limited 2008

Bit bothered about Pete Swann’s comments; my dealer simply can’t tell me what will be missing (versus the brochure) from my vehicle when it arrives in two or three weeks. Pretty poor - I’ve seen a few comments on forums that suggest that *no* Chrysler dealers have got up-to-date marketing material and vehicle specs for the 2008 model year PT, Chrysler are concentrating on pushing their ’premium’ vehicles. But I’m going to assume that apart from a few cosmetic things, the car will be substantially as the brochure and Chrysler’s US website describes (otherwise the dealer will find himself with a ’situation’ on his hands). I still think I’m going to enjoy the car immensely, given the style and overall equipment level. As long as I get reliability and good service and warranty work from the dealer, I’ll have made a good decision.

Chrysler PT Cruiser 2001

Slow, sluggish. That’s just to start. The gearbox is mounted slightly of centre so 1st gear would be where reverse is and second is where first would be. It is noisy and it sounds like you have to over rev to pull away. It has a large turning circle. It is also not good on fuel, around 25-30 mpg. The acceleration is about 0-60 in 1hour. My great Nan could push a full shopping trolley up hill in flippers faster. This is a well over priced car.

Chrysler PT Cruiser 2008

Have purchased the 2008 pt cruiser "Limited" Auto. Disappointed in the lack of promised refinements for this model. No chrome filler cap. No chrome wheels. Running boards are now rubber inserts. Just a new centre stack facia which is quite impressive. Why pay for this model when all the outside refinements are gone?

Chrysler PT Cruiser Ltd 2004

Very practical car with cruise control , leather , air con .I’ drive automatics and the original 2ltd pt cruiser was underpowered .The 2.4 ltr suits it exactly and makes for a relaxed drive . the only drawback is the appalling turning circle . I’ve also gone and leased the convertible (dont fancy the depreciation) and thats very comfortable and refined for drop top.

Responses to this review

Hi. Please can you tell me what mpg your got from your 2.4 petrol? George Harrigan-Brown from Buckinghamshire

Chrysler PT Cruiser 1.6tdi

Great car, loads of space, economical and in my opinion, looks the business. I would recommend this car to anyone.