The original retro car still one of the best

It’s been said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Perhaps that explains the recent introduction of the Chevrolet HHR (Heritage High Roofline), a visual knockoff of the PT Cruiser. Nearly identical in outward appearances, both vehicles were designed by the same person, Bryan Nesbitt who left Chrysler in 2001 for GM.

Introduced for 2001, the PT Cruiser’s retro styling had buyers lining up for the privilege of paying thousands of dollars over the sticker to get their hands on one. The hype has long since cooled with the little truckette unable to generate the head-turning quotient it once had.

Virtually unchanged over five years its been on the market, one would think the littlest Chrysler would be past its freshness date. Yet with domestic auto sales taking a beating from the likes of Toyota, Honda, Nissan and others, the surprising PT Cruiser continues to sell exceptionally well and is showing year-over-year gains of 15 percent or more.

It seems Chrysler knows how to tweak the PT Cruiser just enough to maintain buyer interest. Last year Chrysler added a convertible model; this year a Touring Signature Edition and Street Cruiser in solar yellow have been added to the PT palette of offerings.

Like the HHR, the PT Cruiser resembles vehicles of the 1930s, with a hint of street-rod styling. For 2006, the PT Cruiser received a mild facelift, with new front and rear fascias, the addition of the winged Chrysler emblem and chrome accents to the grille, redesigned headlamps, new round fog lamps, 15-spoke chrome wheels and a new spoiler on the rear roof panel.

Doors are wide for ease of entry and exit, but the old-fashioned push button door handles are difficult for some to use especially those with arthritis in their hands. I much prefer those on the HHR.

Most noticeable are changes to the interior, like the carbon-fiber trim panels in the cabin, center-mounted analog clock with Chrysler wings, a passenger grab handle on the dash, and a new console with a sliding armrest. Nice touches to be sure, but I still wish the power window switches, which are located on the center dash, would be relocated to the door panels where they belong. Otherwise all controls are intuitive and simple to operate on the top-of-the-line GT, powered by a turbocharged 2.4-liter 230-horsepower four-cylinder engine. That’s up 10 horsepower from 2005.

I liked the construction detail of the interior with its excellent fit, finish and quality materials. The seats are firm yet comfortable, but we taller drivers could use a little more thigh support. The large steering wheel tilts but does not telescope. Rear seats sit higher than the front buckets for greater visibility. Large C- and D- pillars cause blind spots and impair driver visibility.

Flexible interior cargo options are available. The rear seat splits 60/40 and folds flat with the rear floor, can tumble forward, or be completely removed, affording additional cargo space with ease of access through the one-piece rear lift gate. The convertible doesn’t offer quite the utility but there is a pass-through from the small trunk lid.

Thanks to the turbocharged performance, my GT was responsive, but will never me mistaken for a sports sedan. Handling is secure with a somewhat firm ride. And the little Chrysler isn’t particularly agile because of a very wide turning circle (41 feet) and noticeable body lean when cornering. Yet overall it’s easy to drive and more pleasing than the HHR.

Chrysler claims to have worked at reducing the wind and road noise for ’06 models but I still noticed plenty of both during a weeklong testing.

For 2006, the PT Cruiser is offered in six fixed-roof models. The base engine is a 2.4-liter four cylinder that produces 150 horsepower. It’s available with either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. The turbocharged engine is optional on Touring and Limited models, and generates 180 horsepower. A PT Cruiser Convertible is available in either Touring or GT trim level.

Safety equipment our GT included ABS; it’s optional on all other PTs. Side airbags for front occupants are standard on GT and Limited models, optional ($390) on base and Touring. Side airbag protection is not available for rear-seat passengers. Not good. What is good is a new standard knee airbag for the driver. NHTSA awarded the PT Cruiser four out of five stars for front- and side-impact categories for models with side airbags.

The base PT Cruiser is a pretty bare bones offering that excludes air conditioning, power windows and mirrors. At a minimum I recommend the Touring model that includes those things, plus niceties like keyless entry, illuminated entry, console, map lights, rear auxiliary power outlets and numerous other features.

For those looking for a blend of interior space flexibility, acceleration, compliant ride, ease of operation and affordability, Chrysler’s PT Cruiser offers a lot of appeal. Build quality is impressive and overall is a better choice than the HHR. But I also liked the Mazda3, Pontiac Vibe and Toyota Matrix and recommend test-driving those vehicles if you’re considering the PT Cruiser.

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