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2009 Chrysler PT Cruiser Review

February 22, 2009

STYLING | 7 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

New-age styling cues such as dual-beam flush headlights and teardrop-shaped taillight lenses
Automotive.com

Aged design
Edmunds

Instrument panel carries on the exterior's retro theme but is contemporary for its ease of use
ConsumerGuide

The 2009 Chrysler PT Cruiser is the same old model that you've seen on the road for eight years or more—very little has changed in the intervening years. While that's not necessarily a bad thing style-wise, it brings its issues.

According to ConsumerGuide reviewers, the "retro-styled" Chrysler PT Cruiser "comes as a five-passenger, 4-door wagon in Base, Touring and Limited trims." The convertible body style has been eliminated for 2009, leaving just the wagon body style in the lineup. Despite its age, reviews read by TheCarConnection.com show that experts still love the PT Cruiser's styling, with Edmunds calling it the "spiffiest retro small wagon the world has ever seen." Automotive.com reviewers report that the 2009 Chrysler PT Cruiser "blends the retro look of a late-1930s or early 1940s American sedan with new-age styling cues such as dual-beam flush headlights and teardrop-shaped taillight lenses." Cars.com points out that the Chrysler PT Cruiser "blends the elements of a sedan, wagon, SUV and minivan" into one compelling package. The styling can be divisive, however, as Automobile notes in its claim that "you either like the Cruiser's mini-gangster styling or you don't."

With all of the retro themes that characterize the Chrysler PT Cruiser's exterior, it's probably no surprise to learn that the interior is appropriately old-school as well. ConsumerGuide states that the "instrument panel carries on the exterior's retro theme but is contemporary for its ease of use," while Kelley Blue Book praises the "Chrysler PT Cruiser's innovative interior" that includes "a retro-looking cue ball shift knob." MyRide.com finds "the Chrysler PT Cruiser pulls its exterior styling themes into the cabin, although here, too, the retro theme is tempered by a modern-looking center stack that visually splits the vintage-styled dashboard."

Conclusion

The 2009 Chrysler PT Cruiser still offers a stylish combination of modern amenities and classic styling.

STYLING | 7 out of 10Expert Quotes:New-age styling cues such as dual-beam flush headlights and teardrop-shaped taillight lensesAutomotive.comAged designEdmundsInstrument panel carries on the exterior's retro theme but is contemporary for its ease of useConsumerGuide The 2009 Chrysler PT Cruiser is the same old model that you've seen on the road for eight years or more—very little has changed in the intervening years. While that's not necessarily a bad thing style-wise, it brings its issues. According to ConsumerGuide reviewers, the "retro-styled" Chrysler PT Cruiser "comes as a five-passenger, 4-door wagon in Base, Touring and Limited trims." The convertible body style has been eliminated for 2009, leaving just the wagon body style in the lineup. Despite its age, reviews read by TheCarConnection.com show that experts still love the PT Cruiser's styling, with Edmunds calling it the "spiffiest retro small wagon the world has ever seen." Automotive.com reviewers report that the 2009 Chrysler PT Cruiser "blends the retro look of a late-1930s or early 1940s American sedan with new-age styling cues such as dual-beam flush headlights and teardrop-shaped taillight lenses." Cars.com points out that the Chrysler PT Cruiser "blends the elements of a sedan, wagon, SUV and minivan" into one compelling package. The styling can be divisive, however, as Automobile notes in its claim that "you either like the Cruiser's mini-gangster styling or you don't." With all of the retro themes that characterize the Chrysler PT Cruiser's exterior, it's probably no surprise to learn that the interior is appropriately old-school as well. ConsumerGuide states that the "instrument panel carries on the exterior's retro theme but is contemporary for its ease of use," while Kelley Blue Book praises the "Chrysler PT Cruiser's innovative interior" that includes "a retro-looking cue ball shift knob." MyRide.com finds "the Chrysler PT Cruiser pulls its exterior styling themes into the cabin, although here, too, the retro theme is tempered by a modern-looking center stack that visually splits the vintage-styled dashboard." ConclusionThe 2009 Chrysler PT Cruiser still offers a stylish combination of modern amenities and classic styling. 2009 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER STYLING | [7 out of 10] Automotive.com: "New-age styling cues such as dual-beam flush headlights and teardrop-shaped taillight lenses" Edmunds: "Aged design" ConsumerGuide: "Instrument panel carries on the exterior's retro theme but is contemporary for its ease ...

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. The HHR is marginally larger than the PT Cruiser, and it tends to be a better driver because its chassis and powertrain technology are a generation newer than the Chrysler's. With the introduction of the high-performance HHR SS, the PT Cruiser has no direct competitor for this model. The Jeep Compass, also a product of Chrysler, is actually a carlike tall wagon and boasts better handling than the PT Cruiser—along with more standard features and a lower price. And the Compass offers all-wheel drive; the PT Cruiser doesn't. The Scion xB is another potential Chrysler PT Cruiser competitor. The xB has a boxy body style that some might find more fashionable and more modern; the xB’s interior isn’t as roomy as the design might lead you to believe, though. Finally, the upcoming 2010 Kia Soul, which goes on sale halfway through the ‘09 model year, is another promising rival, a tall, very boxy wagon that offers perhaps the best fuel economy of any in this group.

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See the Chrysler PT Cruiser in Other Years:

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

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