2011 Chevrolet HHR Review

The HHR (those initials signify "Heritage High Roof") is itself a unique vehicle, looking like some shrunk-down and retro-styled homage to Chevy’s Suburban wagon of roly-poly fender and bulging roofline vintage, circa 1949.

Or maybe it’s a mutational mixing of the vintage Suburban and Chevy’s more recent SSR pop-top convertible pickup due to the forward fenders articulated in edgy bulges and a spherical stepped hood protrusion blunted in front by an in-your-face grille.

And the HHR’s distinctive silhouette with three sets of windows etched into the flanks also reminds us of a woody wagon borrowed from those ’60s beach-blanket movies with Frankie and Annette.

Yet the lines, a boxy but rolled body with exaggerated fenders and that chin-out grille, plus a roll of sheetmetal wrapping around the top-heavy rear, suggest both old and new forms, as if a gigantic blender, filled with assorted automotive concepts as diverse as a beach buggy, panel truck, hot rod and even a minivan, were whipped up in a concoction that’s fresh and clever and too-cool.

Whatever cross-breeding may have occurred in the design progress, the resultant styling for the HHR clearly stands out.

With the SS model still available at some dealers, it’s worth pointing out, with a bulging dam-style front fascia with foglamps and curvy rocker extension moldings, plus the suspension slammed like a low-down street ‘rod.

Engineers at GM’s Performance Division developed the HHR SS by adding those wild-style body add-ons, then installing a performance-tuned sport suspension system, 18-inch high-polished aluminum wheels and Michelin Pilot Sport tires, plus a turbo-charged and inter-cooled four-cylinder engine tied to a quick five-speed manual gearbox produced by GM Powertrain Sweden.

All of the dynamic mechanical systems; suspension, steering, brakes, were revised to complement the SS’s turbo-charged muscle. For instance, the suspension; consisting of independent front elements via MacPherson struts and a semi-independent twist beam axle in back, employs SS-specific stabilizer bars, spring rates and damper tuning to deliver a tight, road-hugging ride quality with minimal body pitch when cornering. In front, there are twin-tube struts, coil springs with specific damper tuning, stiffer bushings and 23-mm solid stabilizer bar. In back, the change list includes shocks, multi-rate coil springs, taut axle bushings and a 24-mm solid stabilizer bar.

An electric power steering (EPS) system for the rack and pinion mechanism scores special tight tuning with a faster (14.8:1 ratio) rack and pinion gear.

Under the hood of the engine for the HHR SS is a 2.0-liter Ecotec DI (direct injection) four-pack fitted with the turbo-charger and air-to-air intercooling system. When tied to the "no-lift shift" five-speed manual transmission, the turbo plant delivers 260-hp of juice with 260 ft-lbs of torque.

The HHR’s flat-floored passenger compartment is functional with a high ceiling and voluminous space with two rows of seats, featuring twin buckets in front of a bench for three. Total cargo room is a significant 62.7 cubic feet.

The HHR, when stripped of SS-specific paraphernalia, still consists of two trims, LS and LT. The LS carries a twin-cam 2.2-liter Ecotec inline-four, which produces 155-hp at 6100 rpm plus 150 ft-lbs of torque at 4800 rpm. Fuel economy for this engine is rated the highest at 22-mpg city and 32-mpg highway. The upgraded 1LT trim also uses this engine while the top-level 2LT gets a 2.4-liter engine exclusively. That engine makes 172-hp at 5800 rpm with torque rising to 167 ft-lbs at 4500 rpm. Fuel economy for the 2.4 is rated at 22-mpg city, 30-mpg highway.

The standard transmission for both plants is a five-speed manual by Getrag of Germany. The Hydra-Matic 4T45-E four-speed automatic shifter also works across the board. Cabin gear for the LS trim includes air conditioning, an audio kit with CD deck and six speakers, power controls for windows and locks and mirrors, cruise control and a remote keyless entry device.

The 1LT edition adds power controls for the driver’s seat; an up-level audio system with CD/MP3 player and new 16-inch spoke wheels painted Sterling Silver. HHR 2LT goes further with the 2.4-liter engine, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, 260-watt Pioneer sound system, sporty FE3 suspension tuning with StabiliTrak plus 17-inch aluminum wheels and chrome exterior trim elements.

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