mrarff

This "thing" is as ugly as the Pontiac Aztec. I'd rather drive a Chrysler or some POS Asian car.

urbexHHR

Yeah, the W-body platform is already over 20 years old. It was introduced in 1988, but was designed in 1982...and like you said we're STILL using cars on that platform (the Impala being the only one left). Don't get me wrong, it's a GREAT platform, and some great vehicles have been made on it...but it's time for an update. And they will. The Impala is about done, and that's the last of the W body.

hyperv6

There is a new Impala coming. The program got bogged down with the Bk. Also they had a few other higher priorities to address like the Malibu update and Pick ups. These are the money makers.

87silver

They said that about the Avalanche, the Hummer and the Dodge pickups when they were first introduced... How soon we forget... Now that these vehicles have "grown" on the public.

hyperv6

I wish I had a dollar for evey time I heard a HHR was ugly before I bought one. I think it worked out pretty well for GM.

Like I said it is not a vehicle for everyone but it will sell very well. Just look at the sales of the other boxes. All other than the Nissan have done well.

Price will be the key. GM has to keep it affordible. That is the key that the HHR had. It was a damn good value. That can make a lot of cars look good.

prod

Yup first time I saw the HHR, I was shocked at how ugly it was. Two years later I proudly bought one. Who knew..
But I dont see what bothers people about the Orlando, I dont see anything really wrong with the styling, its just bland. Its like saying you dont like the taste of bottled water or the smell of air. Theres simply nothing there to not like. Dont forget that 80% of people in the market for one couldnt care less about how it looks. Have you seen the ford c-max? Yawn.

hyperv6

I think the fact is looks like many of the other Mini Van like vehicles out there and that hurts it in many peoples eyes.

It is not so much what it is but what it isn't. It just does not stand out for those who like to stand out.

russruth

After a month with the Impala SS I feel the same way I do about my HHR SS.

At first I thought the styling was too understated, 180 from the HHR SS, but it's a car you have to drive to understand.

I know the complaints about fwd, understated appearance, etc. etc, but Impalas SS of the past were never boy racers with that look at me design. They were moderatly priced performance sedans and that is what this car is.

FWD, I love it in this car and you'd have to work hard to even know it's fwd. Off the line it's quick, it handles well, it's built solid and the materials are good, maybe not audi quality but clean and well designed.

The torque steer with traction control on or off is transparent and compared to the HHR SS you'd think it was rear wheel drive.

I shopped everything and nothing came close, especially when you factored in utility and price.

18 cubic feet of trunk, comfortable but solid ride, great sound aided by 3" pipes and magnaflows I installed, on star, heated seats, dual climate control.

Once again this car is solid. I own a Trailblzer SS, an HHR SS, a mistu EVO, an Infiniti FX 35 and this is the most solid drive I have.

Personally I love the looks, cops don't follow it but car guys do turn and look.

I'm not a street racer but the other night off the line a 5.0 liter mustang and I hit it for a few empty blocks and I pulled him by 3 lengths off the line and he never gained much ground. Sure a 5.0 liter mustang under perfect conditions will out run the Impala, but it doesn't have the utility, price and comfort.

The mileage is good if you keep your foot out of it, but it has lots of torque and it's hard to drive it slow. Today just went through a lightly banked curve with a 35mph rating at 85, never drifted a wheel, hung the rear out of bobbled an inch.

Also it's a big car but not overwhelming. It parks easy, weighs in at 3,700 lbs, 700 lbs less than a Charger RT and has a great safety rating with 8 airbags.

This is one solid car and the only drawback Chevy doesn't make it anymore.
But like all Chevy SS's of the bankruptcy generation, Chevy just didn't get the message out.

In a way that's good because I don't see myself coming and going, but in another way it's kind of ironic that such a good car, at a good price just went unnoticed.

Yes it will be replaced, what car won't be, but will chevy make something better?

I hope so, but when I look at the Granite, (a much different vehicle) I've seen it before and I really wonder if GM can compete by building the same cars as the Japanese?

IMO

JR

farmer52

Those are still ugly in my book. The Hummer is a brick on wheels (short side windows, poor visibility, and POOR fuel mileage). The Avalanche is for those who cannot decide if they want a car or pickup. The original Dodge pickup restyle was the best looking of the "new" generation Dodge's. I thought the HHR was nice looking from day one. I just never thought I would own one. I am not impressed with the styling of most new vehicles being offered by the car companies. Matter of fact, I would be hard pressed to pick a new vehicle to buy. I like the HHR styling and utility, I just wish they would keep it a few more years so I could by a new one when I retire. If I win the lottery, I would buy two (2) 2011 2LT and "moth ball" them. Just my 3 cents.

russruth

Coporations are in a now risk taking position, which is strange because corporate profits are high.

Regardless, even product that turned a profit is being discontinued, I see it in my business when I go to buy equipment, (less choice, higher prices) and you see it in the car industry.

Look at a small Hundai, Nissan, Toyota, and if you removed the logos you couldn't tell them apart, but those companies are not going to build anything that has the potential to polarize the public.

That's one of the reaons Honda killed the Element. Too polarizing.

They all live in fear of what I call the Aztec mentality.

Right or wrong that's the process and we're all going to have to get use to it.

Cutting the HHR makes no sense to me because it has a strong base and a very loyal following. A refresh of design, a few better materials and obviously better quality control would go a long way to get me to buy another one, because i know the goodness (and the liabilities) of the original.

Regardless corporations are playing it safe, even more than safe.

You can see the marketing stragegy with GM. Chevy is the Hundai/Toyota fighter coming in at lower cost with basic transportation (not including trucks). They'll keep the Camaro because it sells well and the margins are good, the Corvette because it's their halo car, but the rest, in my view are just basic transportation.

Buick is the upgraded middle of the road model with better quality, a little more performance and better styling and Cadallic is the high priced market, with luxury and even higher priced performance.

Our options are more limited than before and will continue that way until we see a stronger sustainable economy.

IMO

JR