2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible Performance Review
Performance - What the Auto Press Says
The 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser Convertible no longer offers the GT trim, which featured the most powerful motor in the lineup, but reviewers find the lower-rated engines acceptable if not exceptional. "With the 180-horse engine," says the Arizona Republic, "Cruiser accelerates nicely, even with four people on board. Freeway driving is quiet and composed, with plenty of power available for passing or merging."
Reviewers generally think that the PT Cruiser Convertible has pleasant handling. Edmunds says, "Handling is on par with the original version, which is to say confident if not truly sporting." Other reviewers are more enthusiastic. "The PT Cruiser's terrific handling is confident and nimble," says Cars.com. "This wagon maneuvers with utter crispness and can take corners with impressive speed." The steering comes off well, with more than one reviewer calling it, as MSN does, "quick and precise." Braking is also rated as quite good, with Consumer Guide saying that the brakes "exhibited good control [and] pedal feel."
Acceleration and Power
With the 230-horsepower GT no longer part of the PT Cruiser Convertible line, buyers have two engine choices. The first is the 2.4-liter, 150-horsepower four-cylinder engine in the base model, which is politely reviewed. This engine is standard in the PT Cruiser Touring Edition. "Though the base-engine PT Cruiser is far from overpowering," says Cars.com, "its performance is more satisfying than some critics suggest. Throttle response is rapid, even if the action that follows is a little lackadaisical." Automobile Magazine, however, calls this engine (coupled with the five-speed manual transmission) "a team hard-pressed to motivate the hardtop PT even before it gained the convertible's extra 280 pounds." The Environmental Protection Agency rates this engine at 21 miles per gallon in the city and 26 mpg on the highway. The PT Cruiser uses only premium fuel.
The current high level engine is also a 2.5-liter four-cylinder model, but it generates 180 horsepower. MSN says it "provides livelier performance" than the base model engine. The EPA rates this engine at 20 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway.
A five-speed manual transmission is standard. About.com calls it "smooth." A four-speed automatic transmission is also available. Consumer Guide says that the "automatic transmission is responsive, despite a tendency to lurch when downshifting."
Handling and Braking
Reviewers have quite a few good things to say about the PT Cruiser Convertible's handling. For instance, they praise the way it goes around corners. "This wagon maneuvers with utter crispness and can take corners with impressive speed," says Cars.com. "Body lean in curves is noticeable, but the otherwise-stable PT Cruiser is exceptionally easy to drive." The Washington Post agrees, "Handling is excellent in straight lanes and around gentle curves," but adds that "it becomes discernibly heavy and ponderous on winding roads and in crowded garages." The Detroit News says that the "vehicle handles well on curvy roads, makes U-turns with a snap [and] is quiet with the top up."
Several reviewers discuss the issue of "cowl shake" -- a full-body rattle that affects convertibles -- though they disagree about whether this is a problem for the Cruiser. Automobile Magazine finds that "rough roads set the Cruiser positively aquiver with cowl shake." And Car and Driver notes that "the PT tends to get the shakes over rough and uneven pavement, especially in the cowl." But other reviewers, who may have driven on smoother roads, find cowl shake to be conspicuous by its absence. The Detroit News discovered that the PT Cruiser Convertible "lacks any noticeable cowl shake, the bane of many convertibles." And the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel firmly believes that "the PT Cruiser exhibits virtually no ‘cowl shake,' that dreaded vibration of the steering wheel and body over rough surfaces that is a characteristic of poorly-designed open cars." But the Boston Globe says that "[t]here was some noticeable cowl shake (common in convertibles, to be fair)."
Cowl shake aside, reviewers mostly feel that the PT Cruiser's suspension produces a comfortable ride. Edmunds finds that "the suspension consistently soaks up road irregularities, yielding a smooth, composed ride." Consumer Guide reports that "[a]ll models easily absorb most bumps." About.com says that the "car also felt solid, completely shake-and shimmy-free -- the mark of a well-engineered convertible." But though the Arizona Republic thought that the "[t]ouring suspension provides a decent ride," they also found that "body sway is pronounced in turns."
More than one reviewer complains that the Cruiser has a wide-turning circle, but Edmunds feels that, apart from that, "all PTs are easy to steer." The Detroit News has a problem with "the huge turning circle, which makes parking and U-turns a major chore." Car and Driver complains that the steering is "rather artificial in feel." But the Arizona Republic found that the "rack-and-pinion steering feels quick and precise." They also feel that "the brakes, discs in front and drums in rear, could be more effective." And the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel found, "Braking from its performance four-wheel discs and [optional] anti-lock system is strong too."
