F-16C

The wife and I got the HHR out for its first road trip this weekend. I had an appointment in San Francisco so it was a perfect weekend to get the HHR out and take a good cruise. I found the 450 mile trip to be long enough to come to grips with the HHR touring abilities. This trip would be 90% freeway driving with speeds of 65-70 mph with elevation changes from 300ft of up to 1900ft and down to sea level. Fuel would be Shell 87 octane as the HHR seems to run the best on.
Fuel mileage was good at 33.6 overall. 461 miles at 13.7 gallons of fuel burned. I was impressed with that good due to having a headwind most of the way and going over the Pacho Pass. Total fuel cost was $56.00 for the trip so I can live with that.
Overall HHR comfort is good besides the nylon covered seats fabric GM chose for the interior seating. Once I got the seat adjusted for long distance it was fine. The HHR is quite and never gave me a tired feeling at the end of the trip. Some cars you ride in just beat you to death with road noise and loud interior sounds you are exhausted at the end of the day. Not so with the HHR it is a nice, easy riding automobile to ride in.
If there was a down fall to the HHR would be the luggage space. How this would depend of course on how you pack, however if you wife or girlfriend is anything like mine you can have a suburban and it would not make much difference. For two people the luggage space was fine but any more than that it would a bit tight.
For our first trip in the HHR I think it did great. Good power and comfort can make or break a driving experience and from the HHR has both for the road conditions we have here. I would not hesitate taking a longer tip someday.

Old Lar

I completed a 2800 mile road trip in the past week and averaged 32 mpg. I got to drive from Palm Bay Florida to Holly Springs NC to Rochester, NY (all in rain) to Binghamton, NY to attend a memorial service for my brother who passed 3/17/13.. Then back to Holly Springs to Palm Bay. Lots of highwy with some roads 55 mph limits, where the HHR peaked out at 37 mpg.

I had to wash the car today as there was snow while I was up in NY and the car was really dirty.

edgreenberg

We've had our HHR since January. We bought a 2011 from Enterprise Car Sales. I've taken two road trips. Round trip Queensbury, NY to Allentown, PA and round trip Queensbury NY to Mt. Laurel NJ (near Philly.)

Both trips were comfortable and without incident. Got over 30 MPG for the highway trips, but not sure exactly since I didn't go out of the way to fill up precisely at trip start and end. This is because fuel is cheaper in NJ. Since I had a half-tank leaving QSBY, I ran down the thruway to Mahwah NJ before buying fuel, then bought again in Mahwah going north ($3.399/gal, 50-75c less than NY, and they pump it for you!)

I found that the little square compartment forward of the shifter makes an excellent coffee holder. More accessible than the actual drink holders, which are covered by winter coats.

My other vehicle is a 1996 Dodge 2500 Diesel Truck. I thought I'd be uncomfortable in the HHR, but not so. Also, I love the turning radius and the quiet. I also find that I have to be careful not to speed. I'd love to be out west, like the OP, so I could hit 80mph on I-5 and not worry about radar.

Ed

DwHhr2LT

Sorry to hear bout your brother.

My brother also passed recently as well.
7/6/61 - 1/20/13

Back on topic.... I have yet to get to take my
hhr on any kind of road trip. Hoping to rectify that
this summer with a short jaunt to south eastern mo from the
stlouis area

VinceP

Nice. I have taken mine on a few road trips. The longest was from Houston to Mt. Zion National Park in SW Utah. Also been to Moab a couple of times. I remember peak mpg on the hwy being 38 cruising through New Mexico and Utah. I really enjoy mine for road trips.

BlindLizard

I dont know where yall get the better mpg. I tend to run the same routes on an annual basis and my '09 has never exceeded 29mpg. I have varied cruising speed too to no avail. Oh well, I still enjoy my first new car whatever I get economically.

Oldblue

during my runs to Florida last 3 years I have averaged 36 mpg, start off clean oil and filter I run a factory replacement style K&N air filter, 35 psi in the tires lowered suspension and no roof rack , but the best part is easy steering and lotsa leg room, I'm 6'5" tall 235 lbs, and the ride is very comfortable

ronp

Dont feel bad BlindLizard, I had a party the day I got 30 mpg.
I drive all over the north east I average 26.6 to 29.
I drive boston to new jersey 2-3 times a week

southerncomfort

Hello RONP from florida......i rent a hhr when ever i travel to jersey or boston...i get the same mileage as you do....now down here in florida my 07 2.2 will do between 30 and 36 (super tuned).

cameraguy1

We just got this 2011 LT w/2.4 HHR in January 2013 and do like it other than the few little kinks like the OAT not working properly. I am glad that the same software engineer did not set up the algorithms on the compass as this would be really bad. Unfortunately GM could not fix the OAT problem even though the dealer tried.
We took the first road trip of 1424 miles with a combination of State, US and Interstate highways. This was over the mountains of Arizona into New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and on to Missouri. We have been running between 24 and 25 MPG in city and overall driving. We found that driving the Interstate @ 65 to 70 MPH we got 34 plus MPG. On State and US highways, we got from 30.5 to 33.9 MPG. Our overall trip mileage average was 32.65.
Very happy with vehicle so far!!