Test drive Chrysler PT Cruiser 2000 - 2006 Minivan

Once upon a time ...

Many complain that the design of mass production cars has recently become unified and faceless, which is sometimes difficult to distinguish from each other in different manufacturers. Against this bleak background, only occasionally, like bright stars, extraordinary models appear. Recall: Renault Twingo, Ford Ka, Fiat Multipla, VW New Beetle ... Recently, the company was made by Chrysler Pt Cruiser, the presentation of which was held this summer in Moscow.
 
All these cars began their life path as concepts, and only after a warm welcome from visitors to automobile exhibitions did their launch in mass production followed. At the same time, the scale of the release of Twingo and KA babies is quite large, and Multipla gives the impression of a car that has long and thoroughly rising to the conveyor. And the extraordinary appearance in this case is not a hindrance.
 
The situation is different with the new beetle. In utilitarianism, he, of course, is inferior to his relative Golf, but he correctly exploits a nostalgic theme. But the creators of PT Cruiser managed to combine fashionable retro design, absolute practicality and more than affordable cost in a mass car.
 
There were already stylistic achievements in the recent Chrysler history: take, for example, Dodge Viper or Plymouth Prowler. But these cars are piece, for serious buyers who are ready to put up with insufficient comfort and practicality. With Pt Cruiser - everything is wrong ...
 
This car began in 1997. In the Detroit public showed the Plymouth Pronto concept, in Frankfurt - the CCV concept. The next year, a plastic Plymouth Pronto Spider appeared in Detroit, in Geneva - Chrysler Pronto Cruizer. The car mutations led to the fact that Cruiser turned into Cruiser, Plymouth Mark lost its place Chrysler, and the quick Pronto has just become PT (Personal Transportation) - a personal vehicle.
 
Agree, outwardly Chrysler Pt Cruiser is very unusual. The shape of the body with characteristic protruding wings is a reference to American cars of the thirties and sorcerers (remember the film once in America?). The sides curved in plan converge in the front, forming a rounded front, it is crossed out by a massive bumper. The back of the body enhances the similarity of PT Cruiser with the machines of the already mentioned era with their almost vertical walls, only the trunk-rugzak is not enough. The rear bumper is no less larger than the front, in the wings - elegant hazel -shaped lanterns. In general, Pt Cruiser looks sort of tightly knocked down strong.
 
The car is about 150 mm shorter than the compact Neon, but at the same time almost 180 mm higher - here it can compete with another mini -van. The comparison with Neon is logical, because PT Cruiser is built on its platform, this explains the incredibly low price of the car - in the USA the base version (electric windows, air conditioning, a rear window heater, a radio with six speakers) cost $ 16,000.
 
There is no need to wait for surprises from the NEON platform: front -wheel drive, in front of Mac Pherson, behind - the Kraisler interpretation of the twisted beam on connected levers equipped with Watt mechanism for the perception of transverse loads. Disk brakes on all wheels, there is an ABS and APS (it should be noted that these are options). Everything is quite simple and familiar.
 
Under the hood - a transversely located 2 liter of a 140 -horsepower four with a torque of 188 Nm, otherwise for Europe (and Russia) was not given. The Americans were lucky a little more, they are offered a car with a 2.4 liter of a 150-horsepower engine.
 
Despite the decent overall width (1705 mm), you do not feel special in the shoulders in the PT Cruiser salon (the protruding wings of the car are set). But above the head of the place is full. For the convenience of passengers, the roof has a noticeable rise in the rear. The interior also traces retro features. A high front panel with symmetrical elevations (a combination of devices fit in the left, in the right passenger Airbag), an abundance of round scales and ventilation deflectors, a steering wheel with a pronounced hub ... There were not without round openings for glasses and a portable sideboard.
 
Planting felt the Muscovite 401 reminded me, on which I at one time traveled quite a lot - tall and vertical. The driver's seat is mechanically moved in the longitudinal direction, and to move vertically, you need to use the electric drive. The steering column is also adjustable, so I was able to comfortably get so quickly. All governing bodies are in their places. Not everything is smooth with visibility - wide front racks are to blame, however, what is happening from behind is clearly visible in the side mirrors.
 
Having rebuilt the driver's seat under my rather big growth, I was able to sit down quite comfortably. There are enough spaces above the head, and the legs are not particularly crowded, moreover, for them there is a place under the front seats. The rear seat is made separately and asymmetric (65/35), and this is very striking - a clear sign that it can be folded and removed from the car.
 
The manufacturer claims that there are already 26 options for transforming the PT Cruiser salon. We did not think only were convinced that the rear seats were easily removed - separately the right and left parts. For the convenience of transportation, they are equipped with handles and wheels.
 
In the luggage compartment there is a hard shelf, which can be installed at two levels, and also turned into a folding table, which will please lovers of picnics. The handle of the fifth door is made in the form of the Chrysler emblem: pull the emblem - the door will open. This is the only way, remote opening from the cabin is not provided. And in vain. I don’t know how in America, and we will immediately take the handle of car heraldry, and then what?
 
In truth, from the size of the luggage department, we involuntarily expected more. On the other hand, the manufacturer claims that the internal volume of PT Cruiser is already 120.2 cubic feet (4.32 m cubic meters). According to the American classification of 120 p. cube. - This is a large car, like Mercedes S-class or Lincoln Town Car.
 
The launch of the engine, the convenient lever of the selector (not at all like American poker) to the D - went. More precisely, they rolled. The car gently moved from the place, pressing (non -senior) on the gas pedal, he might say, ignored and continued to move slowly. We go on the road. To feel the dimensions, it took more time than usual, but it was much more unpleasant to the complete unwillingness of the car to accelerate. I was even confused. The car was completely indifferent to all my attempts to somehow force him to go faster, without reacting even to Kick-Down. Well, I think there should be some kind of sports transmission mode, you just need to find the button. He climbed all the vicinities of the steering wheel and the transmission selector, but in vain - no buttons or a toggle switch. It is clear that you need to get used to an unfamiliar car. But when at the Moscow hour, the peak does not have confidence in the abilities of the machine to make predicted maneuvers associated with a set of speed, it becomes extremely uncomfortable. It was especially uncomfortable when I, trying to turn around, waited for a break in the stream of oncoming cars ...
 
Of course, if it is pressed on the gas for a long time, the car is gaining speed, while the engine makes a pleasant hearing athletic roar, but the accelerated dynamics still needs improvement. Perhaps, in this form, the car is suitable for unhurried trips in the vicinity of Beverly Hills, but such a number will not pass in Moscow. Here PT Cruiser needs at least a mechanical transmission or a more powerful engine.
 
But with brake dynamics, everything is in order. The braking is confident and effective with a slight effort on the brake pedal. The suspension also did not cause complaints. In terms of smoothness, the car is closer to European cars, but there is also a tangible American accent. First of all, this is noticeable when moving through large barriers such as tram tracks or hatches, Pt Cruiser also feels well on the paving stones, while there is no swing after gentle extended irregularities and validity in corners. The handling is almost European. The steering wheel is moderately sharp, his car obeys well. Both in line and in corners, PT Cruiser demonstrates laudable exchange rate stability, although with sharp maneuvers on uneven coating the rear bridge jumps a little ...
 
Gradually, I adapted to a kind of disposition of the car - high -speed restructuring in the traffic flow began to be successful, where, as you know, I had to go a few cars forward, predicting the development of the situation. On PT Cruiser, you need to start doing everything early and press on the accelerator more actively and longer - despite your hot -rod look, this is not a street fighter.
 
You can note a well -balanced chassis with an energy -intensive suspension, which in our conditions is an undoubted plus. It would be desirable to increase the road clearance, and, as already mentioned, we must work on the dynamics of acceleration.
 
The main advantage of PT Cruiser is a unique, trendy appearance (first of all because of it, the car is in demand). But there is a certain danger. But what if in a year the car is confused? It's okay, in this case, the utilitarian qualities of PT Cruiser will come to the fore - practicality and spaciousness.
 
Text: Sergey Ivanov
 
 

A source: Motor magazine [No. 9/2000]