For
an inveterate schlepper, Chevy's HHR would have
to be love at first sight. Cute in a funky way.
Roomy? You bet. "Haul Heaven" for days
when loads of cargo, or five people with luggage
need to go places. We could envision hours spent
shopping without unloading at home midway. And
that was our initial reaction before testing it
out.
The
HHR, new for '06, has kind of an oddly oldie quality
that works in a practical kind of way when common
sense suggests maybe it shouldn't, sort of like
Chrysler and Honda with their PT Cruisers and
Elements respectively. Sure, we remember some
reviews that bemoaned the HHR as ersatz PR Cruiser.
Those were somewhat impressive until we realized
many were copies of a very few opinions scattered
around the internet. (When your base price is
in the $15,000 range, folks, you shouldn't expect
thundering power or lavish splashes of leather.)
What
we decided about PT Cruiser, after having a blast
driving it around a few days, was this is a vehicle
that's fun with a lot of attitude thrown in. We
didn't expect it to rip around with eight-cylinder
authority. With a four-banger under its hood instead,
it didn't. That could be a downer for purists
who had expected a real '49 Suburban from the
echo vehicle it spawned. Too bad. What it did
was deliver a car-like ride in friendly retro
style and extremely usable manner with details
meant to serve the budget minded without being
sparse.
HHR
comes in base LS, LT and LTZ trims. It's powered
by two Ecotec fours, a 143-HP 2.2-liter and 172-HP
2.4-liter, both with manual or optional automatic
trans. For the myspace crowd, CD audio connects
with iPod and MP3. Among highlights: Express-powered
sunroof, remote start, XM-satellite radio interface,
and room for a surfboard with seats folded down.
Complainers
might yet prod Chevy into offering a mightier
powerplant for the HHR -- just as high fuel cost
and greenhouse gas concerns are registering with
consumers. If so, let them buy one. Otherwise,
maybe the thumbs-down crowd should find another
Colosseum.
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