Test drive Chrysler PT Cruiser 2000 - 2006 Minivan

Reinforced retro

At the end of the last century, several famous automakers at once visited the same idea: we must sell retro. We will not specify who was the first, we just recall the revived beetle from Volkswagen, Mini reincarnation from BMW and, of course, personal transport from Chrysler - Pt Cruiser. Recently, the General Motors corporation went along this path - in January, a five -door Chevrolet Hhr, which refers to America, was put up in Detroit. Or maybe forty. Or the thirties ...

 

Best of all, Auto -Rartro was accepted in the United States - not all Europeans were properly imbued with overseas nostalgia. But we have a special attitude towards America. And if the VW Beetle or BMW Mini on Moscow streets no longer attract attention, then PT Cruiser does not look at a rare passerby. Could already get used to it - the car is sold for the fifth year ... One way or another, all this time, Russian buyers PT Cruiser were deprived of the fact that the Americans were available from the very beginning - a 2.4 -liter engine. And finally, cars with this engine began to be supplied to Europe. Russia also got it.

 

A few years ago (see motor +9, 2000). We have PT Cruiser with a two -liter engine on the test. A good balanced chassis, a successful suspension, good handling, practicality, spaciousness - solid pluses, an extraordinary appearance can not be mentioned. But there were claims to the power unit. The two -liter four (140 hp and 188 Nm) in combination with an automatic box did not inform the machine of the dynamics corresponding to its stylish appearance. I wonder what has changed with the installation of a new motor?

 

So, in our hands - Chrysler Pt Cruiser 2.4 in the top complexation of Limited. Bright blue car is very to the face. And Pt Cruiser is perceived precisely in a male gender. Dandy. Dandy. He would look good in the Hollywood film like once in America.


 

The salon is elegant, even too much. Inserts for the color of the body on the dashboard look elaborate. The materials of the decoration did not cause delight, but did not disappoint. Torpedo is worked out of solid plastic, but all the elements are quite even and tightly fitted - you can put a solid four. Upholstery seats made of high -quality woven material.

 

The profile of the front seats can be called optimal, there is side support, albeit unobtrusive. In addition, they have a sufficient number of adjustments, so people of any growth will be placed without problems. In the minus - the seats are located close to the door, and there is no wide armrest between them, the components limited themselves to small miscarriages. I would like to rely on the right elbow on something, but it doesn’t work out. A very nice -looking steering wheel seemed slippery, and the thickness of the rim could be larger, but this is already a matter of habit and personal preferences.

 

The rear sofa is quite spacious, everyone is enough for everyone, and the idea of \u200b\u200bsitting back the three of them does not seem absurd. The volume of the trunk (540 l) is enough for most needs. If you fold the rear sofa and the front passenger chair, even long skis can be stuffed into the salon, and the cargo space will increase to 1818 liters.

 

In terms of volume, the new motor is more than the old one by two glasses, power - 154 hp, the moment is 220 nm. In the tank you can calmly pour 92nd gasoline, the degree of compression allows. We start, the automatic lever in position D, went ... The sound of the engine is typically stack - a well -fed rumbling, without the anticipal notes inherent in some competitors. He pulls well, horses honestly work out the money invested in them. The car accelerates quite fervently. The increase in engine power was only 14 hp. - less than 10%, but the torque grew by almost 20%. And it is felt.

 

The machine should be praised. He clearly guesses the desired program, besides, he was not convicted of excessive thoughtfulness. There are only four steps in it, but the switching is almost imperceptible, they can be traced only only by shaking the tachometer arrow. Unless there is a light push between the first and second. And he threw off the gas - the car slowly slows down, without clicks and twitching.

 

It is worth making a reservation - in the days when we rolled PT Cruiser, it was snowing in Moscow, so we did not climb into the wolf, limited ourselves to ordinary operating modes. In addition, soft winter rubber pirelli is not designed for active driving. Yes, and I do not want to rush headlong on this car. Its purpose is a comfortable movement of citizens. And personal transport does properly with this, its sled characteristics remained at the previous, very high level ...

 

With the new engine, PT Cruiser, of course, has risen in price, but not much. A car with a 2-liter engine in the Limited configuration cost 24.900 euros, now it will cost 25.500 with a 2.4 liter engine. (The price of a test machine due to the paint of metallic and the signaling of the top class was 26.145 euros.)

 

We summarize: Pt Cruiser is a worthy image apparatus for a calm, confident driver. If you are now and then overwhelmed by the desire to make a lush, choose a GT version with a 220-horsepower turbo engine. But about her - somehow another time, when he becomes warmer ...


Text: Evgeny Lipovitsky
 
 

 

A source: Magazine Motor