The most common misconception about the PT Cruiser is that it's built
on the Neon chasis. It is not. The original prototype displayed in
car shows was built on a Neon chasis, but when it went in to production
they developed a new chasis (actually, a unibody).
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3165/is_2000_April/ai_65162680
Also, if you are going to compare a PT Cruiser to a Forrester, then you
should compare the PT Cruiser GT to the Forrester since those prices
are more comparable. The GT has a nice tight suspension, anti-lock
brakes, traction control, and a powerful 215 HP turbo charged engine
which will leave the Forrester in the dust. And it's not just a
bolt-on turbo. the engine is beefed up where needed, with oil sprayers
and intercooler. It will out accelerate a a 1993 Jaguar XJS Coupe, a
1989 Porsche 944 and a 1967 Ford V8 Mustang.
Although it's 8 inches shorter than a Nissan Sentra (169 vs 177
inches),
"Its 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."
http://www.automotive.com/reviews/12/2004/chrysler/pt-cruiser/interior/
The maximum cargo capacity of 64.2 cu. ft. is greater than some SUVs,
such as the Chevy Blazer (60.6 CF) Mitsubishi Outlander (60.3 CF),
Saturn Vue (63.8 CF), Suzuki Grand Vitara (50.2 CF).
Plenty of room for cargo. You can fit a load of 8 foot long 2X4s in it
and still close the hatch.
Weak points of the PT Cruiser: turning radius and gas mileage.