Accessory switches are concentrated in the center panel, with radial-type climate control dials. Window switches are at the top of the center dash, inconvenient for quick operation; you'll have to search for them until you get used to their location. The door levers have a nice action, and the switches operate with good tactile feel, though they're not world class. The standard stereo sounds tinny; we haven't spent much time with the new Infinity system. Also, there's a separate Set button for the station presets, fussier than simply holding the preset down.

A bonus of the Cruiser's tall profile is its upright seating position, with a fairly high view ahead, somewhat like a sport-utility vehicle or minivan. The front seats in the three lower-line models have a reasonable amount of bolstering to keep driver and passenger from sliding side to side. The leather package offers a rich appearance given the Cruiser's price, with suede inserts in the doors and along the lower cushion edges. The GT gets sportier seats with more padding in its side bolsters to hold you firmly in place in corners. The GT also features a leather wrapped steering wheel with satin-silver spokes, and bright accents on the pedals.

Roominess is a virtue in the Cruiser. The sedan's 121.5 cubic feet of interior volume is comparable to that of large cars such as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class or Lincoln Town Car, though it certainly doesn't have the ambience of those cars. Much of that space is a function of the Cruiser's height. The roof rises toward the rear like on a chopped-top hot rod.

To take advantage of this, the rear seat bottoms are higher than those in front, resulting in what what the industry calls theater seating. The front seats are mounted on tall boxes, leaving plenty of room for rear passengers to stretch their legs underneath. A six-foot, nine-inch passenger can fit comfortably in the front or rear seats.

Chrysler claims the cabin of the PT Cruiser sedan can be configured 26 different ways. This flexibility stems from three features: a 65/35 split rear bench that can be folded flat, tumbled forward or removed; and, on all but the base model, a movable parcel shelf in the cargo bay and a front passenger seat that folds flat. The rear seats are anchored with quick-release attachments for easy removal. Suitcase handles and steel wheels make it easier to stash the rear seats in the garage and move them about. The smaller seat weighs 35 pounds, but the larger section weighs a hefty 65 pounds.

With both rear seats out, the Cruiser provides 64 cubic feet of cargo volume. A mountain bike fits with the rear seats removed or, by removing the front wheel, with the rear seats in place. The load floor measures 40 inches between the wheel wells, not wide enough for four-foot building materials, but still enormously useful. Folding the front passenger seatback flat forms a table next to the driver, or makes room for an eight-foot stepladder or a load of two-by-fours.

Compared to the sedan, the convertible doesn't stand quite as tall (at 60.6 inches), and offers only 84.3 cubic feet of interior volume. Head room and hip room are both reduced significantly, in the front seat as well as the back. The convertibles get the sport seats from the GT across the board, which is nice. The chair-like rear seats in the convertible have lots of leg room making them very comfortable, though it's tight around the hips and shoulders. The convertible's seats can be configured nine different ways, suggesting practicality. Trying to load something in the back seat is annoying, however: You have to set whatever you're trying to load down, use both hands to flip the front seatback forward, pick it back up and put it inside.

The convertible does not offer the practicality of the sedan. With the rear seats upright, there's a scant 7.4 cubic feet left in the trunk, eliminating one of major compelling features of the Cruiser. Worse, the trunk is very awkward to access, requiring you to bend down to get at it, and the trunk lid flips out and is right in the way. We found it very awkward and hard on the back when trying to load a 40-pound bag of dog food. The 7.4 cubic feet isn't bad by convertible standards (with 48 percent more cargo capacity than the Beetle convertible), the trunk opening is small. In terms of practicality, it might be the worst trunk on the market. However, the rear seats are split 50/50 and fold and tumble to create a pass-through to the trunk and 13.3 cubic feet of cargo space. The pass-through is tiny, but can really help when trying to haul something; we were able to load a pair of eight-foot lighting tracks in through the back.

Chrysler calls the hoop behind the PT convertible's front seats a "sport bar," perhaps not to raise expectations too far. The bar features integrated dome lights, an unusual touch in an open car. The convertible's rear window is glass and an electric defogger is standard. Rearward visibility in the convertible is limited. The tiny rear window limits sightlines with the top up; the lowered top and boot limit visibility with the top down.

In either model, Bluetooth technology brings hands-free telephone operation to the Cruiser while leaving your cell phone free to travel with you when you get out of the car. The optional UConnect system ($350) works when you set your mobile phone down anywhere inside the vehicle, tying it into a microphone and a voice-recognition interface when you press a button housed in the rearview mirror. You can even continue a conversation while entering or exiting, without disrupting your call.

Chrysler knows how to make cup holders, and the Cruiser's are solid and mounted low, easily holding your cappuccino. The vent controls don't look like they'd be easy to operate with gloves on and don't feel durable, however.

Safety features include front side-impact airbags, standard in GT and Limited and optional ($390) on the other models. Seatbelts should always be worn, however, and the PT Cruiser comes with three-point safety harnesses at all positions, including the rear center position. The front belts have pyrotechnically charged tensioners, just like in luxury cars, to tighten the belts for the initial stages of an impact. The rear bench is equipped with child-seat tethers.