Car Review: 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser GT

Suddenly, fuel economy is fashionable again. Rising gasoline prices focus the mind on what is important.

So people will take a second look at smaller, more efficient cars. But they will buy only if they get the space and power they want.

For power, advances in engine technology mean you probably can have your cake and eat it, too.

Innovations such as continuously variable valve timing, variable-length air intake runners and direct ignition have allowed substantial increases in horsepower and torque without harming fuel economy. Many four-cylinders today rival the horsepower and torque of yesterday’s V-6s.

Another way to obtain more with less is forced induction — adding a turbocharger or supercharger to a small, fuel-efficient engine.

The power an engine produces directly reflects the amount of air the engine can pump. Turbochargers (driven by exhaust pressure) and superchargers (driven off the crankshaft) force more air into the combustion chambers than the engine could normally draw in by itself.

But this extra power requires more fuel. Without it, the engine would run lean and the fuel/air mixture would explode prematurely (knock), with potential for disaster

And to ensure proper ignition, higher quality fuel is either recommended or required. To run best, many high-performance cars need 91-octane fuel, adding $5 for every 50 litres used. It adds up.

DaimlerChrysler chose turbocharging to boost the performance of its 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine, in an application that debuts in the PT Cruiser GT Turbo.

This engine has the same displacement, bore and stroke and compression ratio as the inline 2.4 found in other Cruisers, but it’s been built to withstand the pressures of forced induction. The block is aluminum with cast-iron cylinder liners (the base 2.4 has a cast-iron block). The cylinder head and crankshaft have been redesigned. And it has a larger oil pan, more coolant and improved water- and oil-cooling to dissipate the extra heat created by the turbo.

For best performance, 91-octane fuel is recommended, although the engine will run on regular with some power loss. Modern engine management systems with advanced knock-sensing capability can adjust the timing to compensate for the octane rating of the fuel.

The government fuel consumption rating for a PT Cruiser with a normally aspirated 2.4 litre engine is 11.2 litres per 100 kilometres in city driving and 8.1 L/100 km on the highway. The turbocharged Cruiser is rated at 12.4 L/100 km in city and 8.6 L/100 km on highway.

During Ottawa’s coldest week of the winter, our recorded fuel consumption was much worse. We couldn’t get more than 300 kilometres with 45 litres of fuel. This works out to about 15 L/100 km in mostly city driving, or $12.75 for every 100 kilometres, based on a per-litre price of 85 cents for premium.

The turbo engine is rated at 215 horsepower and 245 pound feet of torque, a big jump over the base engine’s 150 h.p. and 162 lb.-ft. You’d expect a noticeable difference in acceleration. In testing by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada, the original Cruiser with five-speed manual transmission went from 0-100 km/h in 10.6 seconds. Not very quick.

In contrast, a PT Cruiser GT Turbo with automatic transmission accelerated to 100 km/h in 7.93 seconds. For a 1,500-kilogram car with a four-cylinder engine, that is quick. And what you would expect from 215 h.p. and 245 lb.-ft. of torque. So how come it doesn’t feel quick? In this case, my seat-of-the-pants sensors don’t agree with the facts. Left to its own devices, the four-speed automatic is sleepy. No one would say the PT Cruiser with base 2.4 tied to an automatic transmission is underpowered. But adding a turbocharger only makes it adequate.

Thankfully, Chrysler added its AutoStick manual shift mode to this transmission. Push the button on the top of the chrome shifter ball, drop it into manual mode and the PT Cruiser GT begins to wake up.

But you will find that the Cruiser’s excitement level is directly related to input from the gas pedal, and that will just get you back to the premium pump all that much quicker.

I feel the PT Cruiser GT Turbo would be a lot more responsive, fun and fuel-efficient with the Getrag five-speed manual transmission. Selecting the manual transmission on the order sheet will also keep $1,230 in your pocket, money to spend on premium fuel.

The high output 2.4-litre engine is the main performance enhancement, although the PT Cruiser GT benefits from improved stopping power thanks to performance front discs. Antilock is standard, as is traction control, which got plenty of use during our winter test despite P205-50R17 Michelin Pilot Alpin winter tires.

Suspension is basically standard PT Cruiser, low-profile performance tires being the biggest traction aid. But the PT is a cruiser, not a sporting vehicle. The GT Turbo should attract people who like the original’s styling and versatility, but want more power.

The PT Cruiser’s design is certainly unique. With this edition, DaimlerChrysler designers have gone monotone. There are no black accents. Front and rear fascia, bumpers and side mouldings are all body colour — electric blue on our tester.

The front fascia has a large lower grille to let ample air reach the turbo’s intercooler. A large chrome exhaust tip completes the performance look.

Inside, the performance theme continues with a 240-km/h speedometer, more supportive front “sport” seats, “GT” embroidered floor mats, silver shifter knob and deeply recessed, silver-faced instruments. The instrument cluster and passenger air bag door are covered in a “shadow dot” pattern on a silver background. Storage includes a smallish glove box, a compartment under the passenger seat, spacious map pockets in the doors and an open floor console.

Most controls, including the power window buttons, easily reached on the centre stack.

The seats are broad and supportive, although I found inboard armrests too high to be used comfortably and interfered with manual shifting. Optional seat heaters, which warm the lumbar region as well as the seat surface, were a godsend on those -25 mornings.

The passenger front seat will flip forward to make a flat table. The rear 60/40 bench seat folds flat, flips forward or can be removed from the car to make a huge cargo area.

Chrysler says the PT Cruiser’s seats can be arranged in 32 ways. I’m sure this is true, although I didn’t discover them all.

This vehicle is immensely practical. No longer is it necessary to buy a big car to get big interior spaces.

This is good for people more concerned about the price of gas and the long-term cost of driving than they are about performance.

If performance is important, the turbocharged engine will deliver more power. But there is no free ride. It will cost more to get there quicker.

2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser GT

Type: Tall wagon

Seats: Five

Price as tested: $32,425 plus $810 freight (base $27,700)

Engine: 2.4-litre four-cyl., turbocharged, dual overhead cams; 215 h.p. at 4,950 r.p.m, 245 lb.-ft. at 3,600 r.p.m.

Transmission: Four-speed automatic with AutoStick manual shift mode (five-speed manual is base transmission)

Tires: P205-50R17 Michelin Pilot Alpin winter tires (P205-50R17 Goodyear performance radials are standard)

Brakes: Disc/disc with antilock, traction control

Curb weight: 1,505 kg (3,311 lb.)

Wheelbase: 2,616 mm (103 in.)

Standard features: Air conditioning, remote entry, overhead console with compass and outside temperature display, cruise control, power windows, fog lamps

Options: Chrome wheels, heated front seats, side air bags, power height adjuster for driver’s seat, leather seating and leather-wrapped steering wheel, CD/cassette/equalizer, sunroof

Consumer Reports predicted reliability: Much better than average

Fuel consumption, L/100 km (m.p.g.): City 12.4 (23), hwy. 8.6 (33)

Fuel: Premium (preferable)

Warranty, years/kilometres: Powertrain seven/115,000, base three/60,000 km

Road Test. Ran with fact box “2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser GT”, which has been appended to the story.


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