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2009 Chrysler PT Cruiser Safety Review

February 22, 2009

SAFETY | 5 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

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

Side airbags are standard on all models
Edmunds

Available safety features include ABS, traction control, and front side airbags
ConsumerGuide

The Chrysler PT Cruiser earns decent scores in government crash tests, but the fact that some key safety features are optional is a major drawback in this category.

The 2009 Chrysler PT Cruiser is a solid performer in NHTSA crash tests, earning a mix of four- and five-star ratings. In the side impact category, the Chrysler PT Cruiser earns a perfect five-star rating; in terms of both front impact protection and rollover resistance, the Chrysler PT Cruiser garners a respectable four stars.

Reviews are mixed on whether the 2009 PT Cruiser includes all the right safety features. Edmunds reports that most "Chrysler PT Cruisers start out with front disc and rear drum brakes," while "Limiteds have four-wheel discs as well as standard ABS, and this upgrade is optional on all remaining models." Cars.com adds that, "along with the federally required dual front airbags, a driver's knee airbag is standard." One negative, though, as Cars.com points out, is that "stability control is not available on any Chrysler PT Cruiser." What’s more, note the editors of TheCarConnection.com, anti-lock brakes, which some view as a safety feature, are optional.

Kelley Blue Book says that the Chrysler PT Cruiser 2009 "driver and passenger sit high for a commanding view of the road," and ConsumerGuide chimes in by noting that "sight lines are clear on the wagon."

Conclusion

It may look like a classic, but you would still expect the latest safety gear on the 2009 Chrysler PT Cruiser. Unfortunately, it’s not all there.

SAFETY | 5 out of 10Expert Quotes:Four stars, front impact protection and rollover resistance; five stars, side impact protectionNHTSASide airbags are standard on all modelsEdmundsAvailable safety features include ABS, traction control, and front side airbagsConsumerGuide The Chrysler PT Cruiser earns decent scores in government crash tests, but the fact that some key safety features are optional is a major drawback in this category. The 2009 Chrysler PT Cruiser is a solid performer in NHTSA crash tests, earning a mix of four- and five-star ratings. In the side impact category, the Chrysler PT Cruiser earns a perfect five-star rating; in terms of both front impact protection and rollover resistance, the Chrysler PT Cruiser garners a respectable four stars. Reviews are mixed on whether the 2009 PT Cruiser includes all the right safety features. Edmunds reports that most "Chrysler PT Cruisers start out with front disc and rear drum brakes," while "Limiteds have four-wheel discs as well as standard ABS, and this upgrade is optional on all remaining models." Cars.com adds that, "along with the federally required dual front airbags, a driver's knee airbag is standard." One negative, though, as Cars.com points out, is that "stability control is not available on any Chrysler PT Cruiser." What’s more, note the editors of TheCarConnection.com, anti-lock brakes, which some view as a safety feature, are optional. Kelley Blue Book says that the Chrysler PT Cruiser 2009 "driver and passenger sit high for a commanding view of the road," and ConsumerGuide chimes in by noting that "sight lines are clear on the wagon." ConclusionIt may look like a classic, but you would still expect the latest safety gear on the 2009 Chrysler PT Cruiser. Unfortunately, it’s not all there. 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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