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The HHR, like the
Chrysler PT Cruiser, is a compact retro-styled wagon. Considering that GM had
an extra five years to pull its together, the HHR should have blown the PT
away. But while its newer features, softer ride, and better gas mileage make
the base HHR a better choice than the base PT Cruiser, its shortcomings
disappoint for something that took so long to come. The sloppy handling, cheap
interior details, poor visibility, and misshapen rear seat should not have
seen production, and because they have, the HHR can only claim to be better
than its six-year-old rival, and even then only slightly.
The HHR has a soft, comfortable, and absorbent
ride that is sometimes prone to high-speed float. Handling is also rather
soft, perhaps to further the impression of driving a 1949 Chevrolet Suburban
beyond the styling but more likely as a result of the comfort-biased
suspension tuning. The standard 2.2-liter I4 provides adequate acceleration
except during high-speed passing, but its straining sounds give the impression
that it does not. (A larger 4-cylinder is also available, but isn’t a
significant improvement.) The engine is noisy, but wind and road noises are
not excessive. Gas mileage is better than in the PT Cruiser, but not
impressive overall by this group’s standard.
Inside, the HHR’s front seats are better-shaped
than the PT Cruiser’s, but offer less head space and aren’t as wide. The rear
too low, too firm, and too flat, but adequately roomy. The interior is uses
mostly high- quality
materials, but some flimsy trim and shoddy construction detract from the
overall ambiance. The overstyled gauges are too small and some controls are
poorly placed, but the general instrument layout is sound. Drivers sit fairly
comfortably, but thick pillars and small windows obstruct visibility. The
HHR’s boxier shape compared to the PT Cruiser makes some of its space more
useful, but the PT has more total cargo room, and the HHR isn’t as
configurable. The plastic cargo floor and matching rear seatbacks and the
fold-flat front seat are handy, however.
The HHR earned the maximum five stars for the
driver and five for the front passenger in the NHTSA frontal crash test, as
well as for the driver and rear passenger in the NHTSA side crash test, even
without the optional side airbags. The IIHS has not crash-tested the HHR.
The HHR reviewed here came in at $16,883,
adequately equipped. It lacks torso-protecting side airbags, but does include
a remote vehicle-starting system and traction control.
Overall,
the HHR should have been better than it is. It betters the PT Cruiser is a
number of areas, such as feature content, safety ratings, fuel economy, and
ride comfort, but it has no excuse not to. And its shortcomings in rear seat
comfort, handling, interior quality, and refinement, are also inexcusable. As
it is, the HHR is a style-based vehicle with reasonable practicality, but its
actual merits are deficient compared to most competitors.
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