When our underpowered Infiniti GT20 died a premature death, we decided that our top priorities in a car were sufficient power and durability. Post 9/11, we also wanted to buy an American car.

I adored the look of the PT Cruiser. It met all of our criteria with its 2.4 liter turbocharged engine and solid steel body. It was surprisingly roomy as well. When we test drove it, had great acceleration. After we bought the car, we found that it is tough, too. When I was rear ended by an SUV, the Cruiser's plastic covered styrofoam bumper was a bit split and dented. The SUV sustained major front end damage.

Other good features are the trunk, which is big and tall, with a shelf that is handy when grocery shopping. There is an easy tumble - forward feature in the back seat that allows for more cargo room. Both front seats are heated. Driving in the winter with the sunroof open and heated seats is very enjoyable. The glove compartment is a very good size and shape, easy to open and close. There is a pseudo manual shift mode that my husband really likes to use.

The unexpected feature that actually sold us on the car was the driver's seat. An ingenious single control moves the driver's seat simultaneously up and forward, or down and back. The seat back is also adjustable and the entire seat can be simply moved forward and back as well. My husband's legs are a foot longer than mine. My son cannot flex his right hip much. I am under 5' tall. All of us can adjust the driver's seat so we are comfortable.

The PT Cruiser has some significant drawbacks. It gets 16MPG, period. Highway, city, premium fuel or regular, it makes no difference. My husband's full-sized Chevy van conversion, with all the bells and whistles, gets 14MPG. Chrysler's service department has grudgingly checked it out three times, with no explanation. Chrysler's headquarters were equally unhelpful. Chrysler has a long way to go to match Infiniti's customer service.

The Cruiser not only looks like an old American car, in some respects, it handles like one too. I learned to drive on a 1956 Pontiac station wagon, with no power steering. I think of that car when I am trying, usually with a lot of effort, to parallel park the Cruiser. The exquisitely responsive Japanese cars we had practically drove themselves and turned on a dime. This car requires work to drive and the turning radius is surprisingly big for such a small car. This is especially annoying in city traffic when quick moves are required. Some people might like the feel of really "driving" the car but those of us who have stiff necks and arthritic shoulders might not fare as well.

Other things to consider: my husband drove over a typical NYC pothole, and my son plowed into the curb at about 15 mph. The right front tire popped like a balloon both times. When my son took his driver's test, the battery mysteriously and completely died the minute the adjudicator got in the car - strange in a car that is only a little over a year old. The leather on the back seat is unusually slippery - our dog ended up on the floor more than once and is now afraid to get in the car.

Although the Cruiser looks adorable, is roomy and comfortable to sit in and fun to drive on the highway, its poor fuel economy and balky handling in city traffic are significant drawbacks, particularly in this age of high gas prices. We enjoy the car, but wonder if we should get something more fuel efficient.
Amount Paid (US$): 24,000
Condition: New
Model Year: 2003
Model and Options: PT