The engine's general architecture includes dual overhead camshafts (DOHC), four valves per cylinder, twin counter-rotating balance
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| The length also allows for a decent load of cargo, a total of 1,787 liters (63.1 cubic feet) of space if you're counting, plus the wide and tall liftgate doesn't hinder when getting gear in and out of the back. (Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
shafts, electronic throttle control, a low-friction roller-finger follower valvetrain with hydraulic lash adjusters, low-maintenance chain-driven camshafts, direct-mount accessories, that latter to reduce or eliminate traditional sources of noise and vibration, a full-circle transmission mount to reduce NVH, GM's Oil Life System, to reduce the frequency of oil changes, a cast-in oil filter housing, which makes it unnecessary to crawl under the HHR to perform oil changes while eliminating throwaway oil filter cans that retain used oil, which is better for the environment, plus a catalytic converter positioned next to the exhaust manifold to accelerate catalyst "light off," reducing hydrocarbon emissions. Pretty heady stuff.
What might matter more to HHR buyers is the vehicle's sizable cabin. It's a fairly long
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| My HHR tester came with a cargo net, ideal for keeping loose items from rolling around the cargo area, plus a removeable carpeted mat. (Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
compact model at 4,472 mm (174.5 inches), allowing for extremely accommodating rear passenger legroom, not to mention capacious headroom, ideal for tall drivers who find squeezing into most compacts a challenge, if not an impossibility. The length also allows for a decent load of cargo, a total of 1,787 liters (63.1 cubic feet) of space if you're counting, plus the wide and tall liftgate doesn't hinder when getting gear in and out of the back.
And a variety of configuration options make the HHR's cargo area adaptable, including a flat folding front passenger seat, a rear centre armrest that can pivot flat along with the rear seats when folded forward, 60/40-split rear seatbacks, with the larger 60-percent portion positioned on the passenger side so that larger, longer items can be fed into the cargo area and right up to the dash when the front passenger seat is folded forward, making the most of the available space.
