The Reason Chrysler Discontinued The PT Cruiser

The PT Cruiser arrived during a stagnant time in Chrysler’s history — not only as a brand, but an entire stable. Gone were the prosperous days of the K-car platform and the euphoria of practically inventing the minivan. A quick look at Chrysler’s lineup from the time would elicit a silent, if not compassionate glance. If you looked up the word “anonymous” in the dictionary, a 2002 Chrysler Sebring would likely be one of the first illustrations. This was almost a full decade before the Dodge Charger and Dodge Challenger took the muscle car world by storm.

The PT Cruiser sought to change that. At least on the outside, it was supposed to be a fun car for taking trips to the beach or cruising around town. There was even a two-door convertible model. It was supposed to invoke dreams of a surf wagon from the 1930s and 1940s, instead it was a nightmare. It may not have mattered if the PT Cruiser had a powerful engine or fun handling characteristics, or Chrysler decided to update the design over its 10-year lifespan. 

As it was, the company did very little in the way of change.the PT Cruiser stayed the same through the time span that cars typically go through refreshes or entire generational changes, according to Edmunds.