Chevy's HHR takes best of old and new
09-17-2005 | 01:03 PM
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Chevy's HHR takes best of old and new
Yes, Chevy's new HHR does resemble Chrysler's PT Cruiser.But if imitation is flattery, then I'd welcome more of it.
There's something old-fashioned and appealing about this new car that's really a wagon (although Chevy says it's a truck). But, to me, it's all rather hard to define. I see the old Beetle in the New Beetle, the old Mustang in the new Mustang, the old Mini in the new Mini Cooper.
But the HHR doesn't prompt any déjà vu. Chevrolet says the inspiration for the HHR was its '49 Suburban. I can sort of see it in the smallish windows and its big, bright grille. But only sort of. The automaker also credits its own '05 SSR, a high-performance roadster/truck, for some design influence, and I can see a little of that in the HHR's front end. But only a little.
I think most buyers will see the HHR for what it is: an affordable small car that's decidedly different. It's not purposely hip, like a Scion xB, or purposely strange, like Honda's Element. It is, rather, purposely evocative of an era when cars and trucks had more curves than angles, more attitude than aerodynamics.
To me, the HHR is a real winner. That's unusual for General Motors, a company that in my opinion seems to produce cars, trucks, vans and SUVs that are competent but uninspired.
The worst thing I can say about the new HHR is that it shares something else with the original Cruiser: It's underpowered. Its 2.4-liter four-cylinder is rated at 172 horsepower. That's sufficient, but nothing more. It's a loud engine, and one that struggles a bit as you climb into the Santa Cruz Mountains or need to merge onto a highway in quick order.
For most buyers, this engine will do fine. And they'll like its 30 mpg while driving on the highway. With gas prices at $3 a gallon or more, I think this number will become something of a standard for car shoppers. City mileage is 21 or 22 mpg, depending on the model and the transmission choice (five-speed manual or four-speed automatic).
(A base HHR comes with a 143-horsepower, 2.2-liter four-cylinder. Chevy didn't make this car available for auto writers to test, which probably isn't a good sign.)
A week behind the wheel of a sunburst orange metallic HHR revealed that folks know it's something different, and they appreciate it. Fellow drivers slowed to study the car, then offered upraised thumbs. In parking lots, people came up and did quick inspections.
Most liked what they saw, and were surprised at a price range of $15,990 to $18,920 across three models. Our tester had a long list of options, but felt extremely well-equipped (with one or two exceptions) at $22,625.
Despite its SUV-like silhouette, the HHR is really a car. It's a new skin on the platform of the Chevy Cobalt, a new small car that went on sale as a 2005 model. That means it's a front-wheel-drive machine. There's no all-wheel-drive option here.
But, unlike the Cobalt, which is a huge step up from the Cavalier it replaces, but still not my favorite small-car choice, the HHR is neat and innovative.
Let's start with the back. The rear cargo area is full of useful ideas. It includes a cargo shelf that can be mounted about a foot off the floor to provide extra shelf space. The shelf can be set at a 45-degree angle to allow quick access to what's below. Below that floor is a nice-size cargo bin (2.8 cubic feet) that is perfect for hiding items or storing wet clothes. There are two more tiny bins between the back seat and the rear cargo bins.
The rear seats split and fold flat. The front passenger seat also folds, which means the HHR can carry an 8-foot-long object, like a ladder or a kayak.
The second-row seats are surprisingly spacious, but better suited for two adults than three. Up front, you'll find an above-dash storage bin.
The interior suffers from a heavy reliance on plastic with few bright bits to break up the monotony. But I liked the round air vents and big radio and climate-control buttons. The location of the hand brake interfered with access to the cup holders.
It's on the outside where the HHR stands out. The large, wrap-around grille features a bright gold Chevy bow-tie badge. It accents a distinctive, nostalgic hood. Chrome mirrors and door handles continue the theme, and I like the optional 17-inch wheels.
In back, stacked dual tail lights provide a bit of visual excitement.
The HHR, built in Mexico, is so new that neither quality nor safety ratings are available on it yet. The car comes with dual front air bags and anti-lock brakes. Front and rear side-curtain air bags are an option, but, strangely and wrongly, General Motors' stability system isn't offered here.
GM suggests that shoppers will consider the HHR against other uniquely shaped vehicles such as the PT Cruiser (which gets substantial interior upgrades for 2006) and Scion xB, as well as against small SUVs such as the Ford Escape, Jeep Liberty and Honda CRV.
I'm not a huge fan of the HHR name -- it stands for heritage high roof, Chevy says -- and the trim-level packages (LS, 1LT and 2LT) add to the alphanumeric muck.
I drove the HHR 2LT, the top model. The ride was comfortable, and so were the seats. I appreciate all the storage spaces. We took it to the beach one Sunday afternoon, and it was even easy to vacuum out the sand the next morning.
As the sun was setting over Half Moon Bay, the reflection on the HHR seemed a good omen for this new Chevy. And I noticed there was no PT Cruiser parked nearby to steal the spotlight.
Source: http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercu...ews_automotive
There's something old-fashioned and appealing about this new car that's really a wagon (although Chevy says it's a truck). But, to me, it's all rather hard to define. I see the old Beetle in the New Beetle, the old Mustang in the new Mustang, the old Mini in the new Mini Cooper.
But the HHR doesn't prompt any déjà vu. Chevrolet says the inspiration for the HHR was its '49 Suburban. I can sort of see it in the smallish windows and its big, bright grille. But only sort of. The automaker also credits its own '05 SSR, a high-performance roadster/truck, for some design influence, and I can see a little of that in the HHR's front end. But only a little.
I think most buyers will see the HHR for what it is: an affordable small car that's decidedly different. It's not purposely hip, like a Scion xB, or purposely strange, like Honda's Element. It is, rather, purposely evocative of an era when cars and trucks had more curves than angles, more attitude than aerodynamics.
To me, the HHR is a real winner. That's unusual for General Motors, a company that in my opinion seems to produce cars, trucks, vans and SUVs that are competent but uninspired.
The worst thing I can say about the new HHR is that it shares something else with the original Cruiser: It's underpowered. Its 2.4-liter four-cylinder is rated at 172 horsepower. That's sufficient, but nothing more. It's a loud engine, and one that struggles a bit as you climb into the Santa Cruz Mountains or need to merge onto a highway in quick order.
For most buyers, this engine will do fine. And they'll like its 30 mpg while driving on the highway. With gas prices at $3 a gallon or more, I think this number will become something of a standard for car shoppers. City mileage is 21 or 22 mpg, depending on the model and the transmission choice (five-speed manual or four-speed automatic).
(A base HHR comes with a 143-horsepower, 2.2-liter four-cylinder. Chevy didn't make this car available for auto writers to test, which probably isn't a good sign.)
A week behind the wheel of a sunburst orange metallic HHR revealed that folks know it's something different, and they appreciate it. Fellow drivers slowed to study the car, then offered upraised thumbs. In parking lots, people came up and did quick inspections.
Most liked what they saw, and were surprised at a price range of $15,990 to $18,920 across three models. Our tester had a long list of options, but felt extremely well-equipped (with one or two exceptions) at $22,625.
Despite its SUV-like silhouette, the HHR is really a car. It's a new skin on the platform of the Chevy Cobalt, a new small car that went on sale as a 2005 model. That means it's a front-wheel-drive machine. There's no all-wheel-drive option here.
But, unlike the Cobalt, which is a huge step up from the Cavalier it replaces, but still not my favorite small-car choice, the HHR is neat and innovative.
Let's start with the back. The rear cargo area is full of useful ideas. It includes a cargo shelf that can be mounted about a foot off the floor to provide extra shelf space. The shelf can be set at a 45-degree angle to allow quick access to what's below. Below that floor is a nice-size cargo bin (2.8 cubic feet) that is perfect for hiding items or storing wet clothes. There are two more tiny bins between the back seat and the rear cargo bins.
The rear seats split and fold flat. The front passenger seat also folds, which means the HHR can carry an 8-foot-long object, like a ladder or a kayak.
The second-row seats are surprisingly spacious, but better suited for two adults than three. Up front, you'll find an above-dash storage bin.
The interior suffers from a heavy reliance on plastic with few bright bits to break up the monotony. But I liked the round air vents and big radio and climate-control buttons. The location of the hand brake interfered with access to the cup holders.
It's on the outside where the HHR stands out. The large, wrap-around grille features a bright gold Chevy bow-tie badge. It accents a distinctive, nostalgic hood. Chrome mirrors and door handles continue the theme, and I like the optional 17-inch wheels.
In back, stacked dual tail lights provide a bit of visual excitement.
The HHR, built in Mexico, is so new that neither quality nor safety ratings are available on it yet. The car comes with dual front air bags and anti-lock brakes. Front and rear side-curtain air bags are an option, but, strangely and wrongly, General Motors' stability system isn't offered here.
GM suggests that shoppers will consider the HHR against other uniquely shaped vehicles such as the PT Cruiser (which gets substantial interior upgrades for 2006) and Scion xB, as well as against small SUVs such as the Ford Escape, Jeep Liberty and Honda CRV.
I'm not a huge fan of the HHR name -- it stands for heritage high roof, Chevy says -- and the trim-level packages (LS, 1LT and 2LT) add to the alphanumeric muck.
I drove the HHR 2LT, the top model. The ride was comfortable, and so were the seats. I appreciate all the storage spaces. We took it to the beach one Sunday afternoon, and it was even easy to vacuum out the sand the next morning.
As the sun was setting over Half Moon Bay, the reflection on the HHR seemed a good omen for this new Chevy. And I noticed there was no PT Cruiser parked nearby to steal the spotlight.
Source: http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercu...ews_automotive
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