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2006 Chevrolet HHR
By Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 1/16/2006
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SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. -- Venue for this drive in an unusual new vehicle from
Chevrolet happens to be an unusual route -- Lombard Street in San Francisco, so-
called crookedest street in the world due to a one-block section between Hyde and
Leavenworth that cascades in corkscrew turns down Russian Hill.
The unusual vehicle -- called HHR, which stands for Heritage High Roof -- looks 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 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 drawn
with horizontal louvers of chrome.
And HHR's distinctive silhouette for a curvaceous little wagon with three sets of
windows etched into flanks also remind 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, whipped up a
concoction that's fresh and clever and too-cool.
Whatever cross-breeding may have occurred in the design progress, the resultant
styling for HHR clearly stands out, as verified by spectators at the bottom of
Lombard Street who pay more attention to the passing HHR than the hillside tourist
attraction.
HHR handles all of the twisty Lombard curves with the grace of a brief-wheelbase
compact car, which confirms its construction on the compact-size Delta architecture
of General Motors that also underpins Chevy's Cobalt series of agile coupes and
sedans.
Most of the mechanical hardware for the new wagon also comes out of Cobalt cars,
although the flat-floored passenger compartment with high ceiling and voluminous
space is unique to HHR.
Despite HHR's wild package styling, it's the design of the family-friendly interior
space that makes this vehicle so attractive in the long run.
The cabin contains two rows of seats, with twin buckets in front of a bench for three.
Seatback of the front passenger bucket folds forward to form a flat horizontal surface
composed of hard plastic.
Backs of the rear seat, divided into two separate sections split by 40/60 percent, also
fold flat on the same plane as the floor of the tail-side cargo compartment.
Long cargo items like lumber or sports gear such as skis or snowboards can be
stacked on top of these folded seats and stretched from the dashboard rearward to
the tailside door.
There's enough room inside to fit a ladder eight feet long and still close the liftgate.
Then Chevy's designers added many clever additional features, such as an auxiliary
stow box dropped into the top center section of the dashboard.
In the back bay HHR's floor panel can be raised about a foot higher and mounted as
a secondary shelf for stacking cargo in tiers.
Tucked below deck is a recessed bin five inches deep with almost three cubic feet of
space for stowing smaller gear out of sight of prying eyes.
That Delta architecture underlining the HHR is a world-class platform that's strong
and stiff to support high-tech components including an electric power steering (EPS)
system for the rack and pinion mechanism.
With speed-sensitive power boost, this device nixes the need for a power steering
pump.
The suspension design, consisting of independent front elements via MacPherson
struts and a semi-independent torsion beam in back, adds a stabilizer bar fore and
aft to control body roll.
Two different suspension settings are available: FE1 for base issues and FE3 for the
top trim.
The FE1 suspension delivers a soft and easy ride quality with 16-inch wheels and
tires.
The FE3 tune-up feels tight and sporty with monotube shocks for 17-inch wheels and
tires.
Two trims -- LS and LT -- employ different four-cylinder Ecotec engines.
HHR LS carries a twin-cam 2.2-liter Ecotec four-in-line, which produces 143 hp at
5600 rpm plus 150 lb-ft of torque at 4000 rpm.
The upgraded 1LT trim also uses this engine but shows a new 2.4-liter Ecotec four-
pack on the option chart, while top-level 2LT gets the 2.4-liter engine exclusively.
The 2.4-liter version delivers 172 hp at 6200 rpm with torque rising to 162 lb-ft at
5000 rpm.
Standard transmission for both plants is a five-speed manual by Getrag of Germany.
A four-speed automatic transaxle with electronic controls, the Hydra-Matic 4T45-E
from GM, is optional across the board at $1,000 extra.
Standard safety content extends to frontal air bags for driver and passenger, with
available side curtain-style air bags concealed in the ceiling above front and rear
outboard seats as a stand-alone option priced at $395.
Brakes utilize discs in front and drums in the rear, with an anti-lock brake system
(ABS) available for $400.
Cabin gear for LS trim includes air conditioning, an audio kit with CD deck and six
speakers, power controls for windows and locks, and a theft-deterrent system.
The 1LT edition adds power controls for the driver's seat, power for exterior mirrors
and an up-level audio system with CD/MP3 player.
HHR 2LT goes further with the larger engine, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with
audio controls, seven-speaker sound system and chrome appearance package, the
sporty FE3 suspension tuning plus larger wheels and tires.
&&& Leather upholstery, a power sunroof and XM satellite radio service are
additional options.
But the bottom line begins at $15,425 for entry issue HHR LS with a manual shifter.
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 2006 CHEVROLET HHR Specs |
| Description: |
Compact 5-door crossover wagon |
| Model Options: |
Compact 5-door crossover wagon |
| Wheelbase: |
103.5 inches |
| Overall Length: |
176.2 inches |
| Engine Size: |
DOHC 2.2-L I4 (LG1), DOHC 2.4-L I4 (LE5) |
| Transmission: |
Manual/5/F23/Getrag, Auto/4/4T45-E/GM |
| Drive: |
Front |
| Braking: |
Power disc/drum, opt. ABS |
| Airbags: |
2 (front), plus opt. 4 (side curtain) |
| Gas Mileage: |
2.2 M/5: 22/27 mpg, 2.2 A/4: 22/26 mpg, 2.4 M/5: 22/26 mpg, 2.4 A/4: 20/25 mpg |
| Price: |
HHR LS M/5: $ 15,425 , HHR 1LT M/5: $ 16,425 , HHR 2LT M/5: $ 18,225 |
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