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TEST DRIVE
Chevy HHR gives the retro fun
Everything about the 2006 Chevrolet HHR seems to say practicality.
It's got the interior space and the ride that you'd get in a small SUV.
It's got the styling of Chevy's Cobalt, only in station wagon form.
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2006 Chevrolet HHR
(click on photo to enlarge)
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With a sticker price starting at around $15,990, the HHR is affordable.
Some in the auto industry say that the HHR is also practical in another way: It's practically the same vehicle as Chrysler's popular PT Cruiser.
That may be so, but General Motors denies it.
GM says that the 1949 Chevrolet Suburban was actually the model used to create this design.
Whatever the inspiration, the HHR is a nice addition to the growing crossover (part car, part SUV) vehicle market.
The HHR, which stands for Heritage High Roof, has a nicely formed retro style that appropriately honors the first H of its name.
The interior is adequately roomy, with especially good headroom, as you might expect from the car's middle and last names.
It shares the drivetrain and wheelbase of the Cobalt.
The HHR is powered by a four-cylinder engine, which, on the base LS model and the midlevel 1LT model, is a 2.2 liter that has 143 horsepower and 150 pounds-feet of torque.
On the highest model, the 2LT, the engine is 2.4 liters with 172 horsepower and 162 pounds-feet of torque.
A five-speed manual transmission is standard, but the test vehicle had the optional four-speed automatic.
Gas mileage is quite nice, especially compared with SUVs. The HHR posts EPA figures of 23 mpg city, 30 highway.
Air conditioning, power door locks and windows, outside mirrors and keyless entry are standard, as is a 260-watt, six-speaker AM/FM/CD with iPod jack.
As options, you may select XM satellite radio, remote-vehicle start and traction control.
The ride, while not electrifying, is pretty smooth. In highway driving, you won't be blown away by its power, but you'll keep up with the flow of traffic well enough.
There seems to be a slight lean on some turns, but not enough to raise a fear of tipping over.
The HHR is a solid entrant into the crossover derby, and if you're into retro styling, it's a nice way to go back to the future.
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