Chrysler PT Cruiser 2000–2006 car dimensions: 4288 mm long, 1705 mm wide and 1601 mm high. Unladen weight is 1,418 kg. Braked towing is 454 kg.
The cabin offers standard air conditioning with rear seat floor vents and rotary controls plus an AM/FM cassette radio with six speakers. Power windows with one-touch front open and a tilt steering column are standard. Cruise control is optional on the Base. Front seats are manual buckets with adjustable head restraints. the rear is a 65/35 split that folds, tumbles or removes. Storage includes a full-length console with cup holders, glove box and door pockets. No advanced driver aids appear in the equipment lists.
With rear seats up the cargo volume is 538 litres. Removing the seats expands it to 1818 litres on a flat floor. A five-position removable utility panel and optional fold-flat front passenger seat allow long items up to eight feet with the liftgate closed. Low liftover and wide opening ease loading.
Trailer towing capacity is 454 kg. Payload is 392 kg including passengers and cargo. Normal-duty suspension is standard with optional touring tune. The versatile seating and cargo floor suit light hauling of large or long objects.
The cabin sits high with an upright command driving position and strong roominess for the car's size. Front buckets and 65/35 split rear bench feel supportive. Rear seats fold flat, tumble, or lift out for a flat load floor. Air conditioning with rear floor vents is standard. Power windows and tilt wheel are standard. A power moonroof with solar glass is optional. Power height adjuster for the driver seat is optional.
Fuel economy 20 city / 25-26 highway mpg, 15-gallon tank, regular unleaded.
Oil change every 6,000 miles on normal schedule A.
NHTSA frontal driver 2 stars, passenger 4 stars.
NHTSA side driver 4 stars, passenger 5 stars, rollover 4 stars.
Standard dual next-generation front airbags, pretensioners, LATCH, rear child locks.
The 2.4-liter engine runs on regular unleaded and returns 20 city and 25 highway mpg with the automatic or 20/26 with the manual. The tank holds 15 gallons.
Normal service calls for an oil and filter change every 6,000 miles. Spark plugs and air filter come due at 30,000 miles. Automatic fluid and filter change is listed at longer intervals under severe use.
Standard safety kit includes next-generation front airbags, three-point belts with pretensioners and load limiters up front, three-point belts in all rear positions, LATCH anchors, and rear child-protection locks. Side airbags and four-wheel ABS with traction control are optional. NHTSA rates the frontal driver crash at 2 stars and passenger at 4 stars. side impact scores 4 stars driver and 5 stars rear passenger. rollover is 4 stars.
The tall body and removable rear seats make the car easy to live with for mixed passenger and cargo duty. Keep up on oil changes and brake inspections to maintain the simple front-drive layout.
Length 4288 mm, Width 1705 mm, Height 1601 mm, Wheelbase 2616 mm (PT Cruiser 2000–2006)
Sources: manufacturer data, DaimlerChrysler 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser Specifications press kit, Airbags from the same kit’s safety and feature-availability pages, Inferno Red from the 2001 exterior color list.