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The same inside and out as a regular PT Cruiser, the Turbo's differences are all under the hood.
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2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser Turbo Road Test
![]() ![]() The Turbo has a few tweaks to differentiate it from regular models, including body color matched front and rear bumpers, a larger opening in the lower front grille and a metallic instrument panel treatment.
I liked the shifter -- a long stick with a nice chrome knob at the top. It was connected to a four-speed automatic with Chrysler's AutoStick feature.
Although adding a turbocharger to the PT's engine results in the worst fuel economy for both city and highway in this category, they're still very economical ratings, at 12.4/8.6 L per 100 km.
With its flexible seat configurations -- the second row seats can be flipped, folded or removed, and the passenger seat conveniently folds flat to extend the storage space -- the PT Cruiser is the space king in the Family Vehicle category. There's 538 L of room behind the rear seats, and more than triple that with the second row removed.
Handling is excellent, with stable cornering and a smooth ride. The driver's seating is high, for a good view of the road ahead. Both front and rear seats offer good headroom and legroom.
The base price on the Turbo is $27,700, but our tester was loaded with options, including a power sunroof, that made it the most expensive model in this category. Even so, it offers lots of driving excitement combined with practical, family-hauling capacity. A bonus is DaimlerChrysler's new seven year, 115,000 km engine and powertrain warranty, the longest-running such warranty of any manufacturer.
* Price as tested: $33,335
© Copyright Bill Roebuck, CarTest.ca 2002.
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