Does utility have to be so boring?
Just look at the choices you face if you want a practical vehicle with a bit of fun.
Minivan? Too much of a soccer mom mobile.
SUV? Only if you throw in an oil well to feed it.
Station wagon? They went out of style about the same time as Duran Duran.
That’s why the Chrysler PT Turbo is a perfect answer in so many ways.
First let’s start with the basics.
The PT Turbo takes the Cruiser’s retro styling and adds some sweet touches. Front grille, side moldings and bumpers are the color of the body. A chrome exhaust tip and 17-inch aluminum wheels toughen up the PT’s already fetching hot-rod look.
The PT Turbo is the same versatile package as the PT Cruiser. That means there is 64.2 cubic feet of storage space and the seats fold down in 30 different combinations. Even the front passenger’s seat folds forward to use as a work surface or to provide space for an 8-foot piece of lumber with the hatch closed.
The car is less than 169 inches long and 5 inches less than that of a Dodge Neon.
Yet there’s still plenty of room for four adults to sit in relative comfort on firm, chair-high seats, with room for their luggage.
So interior packaging is as well thought out as the exterior styling.
But try carrying four adults and their gear in 3,300 pound car and only 150 horsepower. While the PT looked fast, its power was adequate at best.
Now the PT has the power to match its style.
Rather than just bolt a turbocharger onto the existing four-cylinder engine, Chrysler engineers redesigned the engine block, cylinder heads and crankshaft, among the many changes aimed at improving the 2.4-liter double-overhead-cam 16-valve four-cylinder engine. They even added acoustical insulation aimed at eliminating most of the whine associated with turbochargers.
The result is a powerful, responsive automobile that is a hoot-and-a-half to drive. Punch the accelerator and things get real fast, real quick. Turbo lag is almost non-existent and the engine always seems ready to deliver its burst of thrills.
A five-speed manual Getrag transmission is becoming available, in addition to the four-speed automatic with AutoStick. AutoStick allows the driver to shift gears manually without a clutch.
But Chrysler didn’t just dump a hot engine into the PT. They also upgraded the car’s handling by tweaking the suspension, adding a performance exhaust, four-wheel disc brakes with anti-lock and traction control, along with large 17-inch tires.
The result is car that ably plies the pot-hole-marked roads of Pennsylvania. The ride is firm, but without the kind of harshness that would loosen your fillings. There’s still some body lean, but not enough to deter an enthusiast.
The only downside associated with the handling is the car’s turning radius, which is unduly wide for a car of this size.
Seats were firm and supportive, even on a non-stop drive from Atlantic City. It was so comfortable, I felt I had just driven a more luxurious car.
And for all of you who are scared about the reliability of American cars, I found this car to be much better built than the Suzuki I tested after this car. While the Suzuki suffered from a loose seat and a couple of rattles, the PT was built rock-solid.
And with all this, it’s practical having style, speed and space and it’s shorter than a Corolla.
This is the answer for so many transportation needs.
I’ll take mine in blue.
