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2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser Safety Review

July 23, 2008

SAFETY | 7 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

Four stars, front impact protection and rollover resistance; five stars, side impact protection
NHTSA

Driver and passenger sit high for a commanding view of the road
Kelley Blue Book

Stability control is not available on any PT Cruiser
Car and Driver

While the 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser gets good-to-excellent scores in crash testing, the lack of stability control and curtain airbags are serious omissions, and anti-lock brakes are an option on most models, too.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) ratings for the PT Cruiser are good: five out of five stars for side impact protection and four stars in front impact crashes and rollover tests. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has not tested the Chrysler PT Cruiser.

Automotive.com reports that Chrysler PT Cruiser 2008 "safety features include dual front airbags; torso-protecting front side-impact airbags; and a tire-pressure monitor, " while "front belts have pyrotechnically charged tensioners, just like in luxury cars, to tighten the belts for the initial stages of an impact." Parents of small children will be glad to know that in the Chrysler PT Cruiser 2008, "the rear bench is equipped with child-seat tethers."

Cars.com reports "driver and passenger front and side airbags are standard," but "ABS is standard only on the Limited model; it otherwise costs $625 and includes traction control." However, "stability control is not available on any Chrysler PT Cruiser."

Kelley Blue Book says that the Chrysler PT Cruiser 2008 "driver and passenger sit high for a commanding view of the road," but ConsumerGuide says that while "sight lines are clear on the wagon...rear headrests are minor obstructions," and "a small rear window on the Chrysler PT Cruiser convertible greatly restricts the view."

Conclusion

The 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser earns respectable crash-test scores, but some safety gear is unavailable, and anti-lock brakes are optional on most models.

SAFETY | 7 out of 10Expert Quotes:Four stars, front impact protection and rollover resistance; five stars, side impact protectionNHTSADriver and passenger sit high for a commanding view of the roadKelley Blue BookStability control is not available on any PT CruiserCar and Driver While the 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser gets good-to-excellent scores in crash testing, the lack of stability control and curtain airbags are serious omissions, and anti-lock brakes are an option on most models, too. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) ratings for the PT Cruiser are good: five out of five stars for side impact protection and four stars in front impact crashes and rollover tests. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has not tested the Chrysler PT Cruiser. Automotive.com reports that Chrysler PT Cruiser 2008 "safety features include dual front airbags; torso-protecting front side-impact airbags; and a tire-pressure monitor, " while "front belts have pyrotechnically charged tensioners, just like in luxury cars, to tighten the belts for the initial stages of an impact." Parents of small children will be glad to know that in the Chrysler PT Cruiser 2008, "the rear bench is equipped with child-seat tethers." Cars.com reports "driver and passenger front and side airbags are standard," but "ABS is standard only on the Limited model; it otherwise costs $625 and includes traction control." However, "stability control is not available on any Chrysler PT Cruiser." Kelley Blue Book says that the Chrysler PT Cruiser 2008 "driver and passenger sit high for a commanding view of the road," but ConsumerGuide says that while "sight lines are clear on the wagon...rear headrests are minor obstructions," and "a small rear window on the Chrysler PT Cruiser convertible greatly restricts the view." ConclusionThe 2008 Chrysler PT Cruiser earns respectable crash-test scores, but some safety gear is unavailable, and anti-lock brakes are optional on most models.  2008 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER STYLING | [7 out of 10] Automotive.com: "the retro look of late-'30s American iron" Car and Driver: "The PT's look mimics that of old-school hot rods" ConsumerGuide: "The instrument panel carries on the exterior's retro theme" The retro-styled, five-passenger ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

The Chevrolet HHR was introduced as a 2006 model, and many saw it as a direct competitor to the popular PT Cruiser. (Chrysler has sold well over 1 million PTs since 2001.) The HHR is marginally larger than the PT Cruiser, and it tends to be a better driver because its chassis and powertrain technology is a generation newer than the Chrysler. With the introduction of the high-performance HHR SS, the PT Cruiser has no direct competitor for this model.

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See the Chrysler PT Cruiser in Other Years:

2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001

Comments (1 total)

  1. By Deb #1, Posted: 10/10/2009

    I bought my PT Cruiser Convertible 2008 model from Enterprise Rental Car sales. It had less than 19,000 miles on it and is a great car. I love it. We also have an HHR by Chevrolet as our other car. The HHR is MUCH bigger inside, and gets MUCH better gas mileage. The convertible is fun to drive, but tends to lose traction in the rain, and I am not looking forward to the Indiana winters in this car : (
    I've enjoyed it all summer though!

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