2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser

2001 {{{{{{Mitsubishi Montero}}}}}}
In a world of crossover, car-based SUVlettes, you'll never mistake the Montero for anything other than the real deal. Don't misunderstand: crossovers have their place for folks who spend the majority of their time on pavement and whose four-wheeling extends no further than the occasional dirt or snow-covered mountain road. The Montero is the opposite, however, as it'll go places most of its owners will never take it. In daily use, it still feels tallish and has more body roll than most are comfortable with; yet those same attributes make it the off-roader that it is. The interior is an awfully friendly place: lots of room in every dimension, neat fold-away third-row seat arrangement, nice materials, comfy seats, and reasonable quiet, too. Horsepower? Just adequate under a full load-a 250-275-hp V-8 would really put this rig over the top. Gas mileage? Well below the EPA ratings, because we tend to throttle it hard. Problems? Zip-just normal service and drive. A big, friendly, do-it-all rig we're going to miss, as its year with us is just about up.

From The Logbook
"Feels really upscale inside. Love the textures and the thickly padded steering wheel."
-John Matthius

2001 {{{{{{Chrysler PT Cruiser}}}}}}
Even though PTs are now a lot thicker on the ground than when we first began evaluating them, this car still draws looks, comments, and, more than anything, smiles. The driver's generally smiling, too, as the Cruiser scores high fun-to-drive marks. Sure, we'd love more power, and the front seats feel a little high to those staffers who are tall of torso. Reaching up to the dash for the window switches takes some getting used to, as well. Otherwise, it's a useful and endearing package. One staffer was doing some home re-mod, so out came the seats and in went tons of stuff. It's no 14-passenger van, but there's more room inside than in just about anything in its size class. Our tester's early appetite for engine oil seems to have subsided; we visited the dealer for a precautionary oil-consumption test and found no problem. Probably just the piston rings breaking in. Tires and interior materials are wearing well. No other mechanical issues to discuss, with the 7500-mile service just around the corner.

From The Logbook
"A well-executed multipurpose concept that easily fulfills its mission as a production vehicle."
-Chris Walton