With sales of the Chrysler PT Cruiser continuing to fade, it may seem like a bad time to bring a competitive model onto the market.
But here's Chevrolet with the HHR, apparently set to work the same end of the mini-minivan street as PT Cruiser when it arrives in the second half of 2005 as a 2006 model, offering funky-esque styling and more functionality than can be had with a traditional sedan or station wagon of the same footprint.
The primary charm of the five-seat HHR is that its height and squared-off rear end deliver significant levels of utility for less money than a larger, seven-seat, extended-length minivan.
HHR's shape allows for easy occupant access and quick cargo loading, along with greater amounts of space and the sit-up-straight seating that more and more people appreciate. At the same time, its overall size is compact, so it's not a brute to handle in tight spaces.
With its easy access and amiable versatility behind that striking front end, the HHR reminds me of no vehicle more than one of those minicabs working the streets of London. It just looks and feels capable of handling whatever it is you need handled in a cherry, right-you-are-Guvnor manner as it transports you from Kensington High Street to Bloomsbury by way of Covent Garden.
No wonder, then, that the last vehicle in "Chevy's small-car strategy" appeals to me so much without my ever having driven one for as much as a meter. The fun of the road test is still to come, and the preliminary numbers on that look good.
But the most important part of the HHR for most people will be its packaging, since this is the kind of pragmatic vehicle that normally appeals to Canadians in greater numbers than it does to Yanks. We buy twice as many minivans per capita as they do because we understand that the low-floor, high-roof, square back shape is the most efficient of all for carrying people and stuff.
It was that utility that Lori Queen, GM's vehicle line executive for small cars, was after when HHR was under development as a variation on the platform that's the basis for the Chevrolet Cobalt and the Pontiac Pursuit, "The HHR is what you want it to be," enthuses Queen, "whether you're hauling band equipment around the country or hauling your friends across town."
According to Queen, with an overall length of 4472 mm and a cargo capacity of 1787 liters, the HHR has "easy-to-maneuver dimensions and room for just about any lifestyle interest. Its reconfigurable interior with clever storage solutions accommodates everything from groceries to surfboards."
HHR will come "well equipped" from the factory with two model levels, says Queen. There will be an entry-level LS and an LT, which also comes in two packages -- 1LT and 2LT.
The LS and 1LT will be powered by an Ecotec 2.2L four-cylinder rated at 140 hp and 150 lb-ft of torque, while the 2LT will run on an Ecotec 2.4L four-cylinder delivering 170 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque. A five-speed manual transmission is standard with both engines, and an electronically controlled four-speed automatic is optional in all models.
Both LS and LT HHR models will likely include such standard features as air conditioning, power windows and locks, a six-speaker CD stereo, and remote keyless entry. Additional product highlights include a driver information centre, a fuel tank large enough to deliver a cruising range of 650 km, adjustable cargo configurations, and remote start on the automatic models.
There will also be various 16- and 17-inch wheel options, OnStar and XM satellite radio availability, a large power sunroof, an upgraded sound system, and more.
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The primary charm of the five-seat HHR is that its height and squared-off rear end deliver significant levels of utility for less money than a larger, seven-seat, extended-length minivan.
HHR's shape allows for easy occupant access and quick cargo loading, along with greater amounts of space and the sit-up-straight seating that more and more people appreciate. At the same time, its overall size is compact, so it's not a brute to handle in tight spaces.
 |
No wonder, then, that the last vehicle in "Chevy's small-car strategy" appeals to me so much without my ever having driven one for as much as a meter. The fun of the road test is still to come, and the preliminary numbers on that look good.
But the most important part of the HHR for most people will be its packaging, since this is the kind of pragmatic vehicle that normally appeals to Canadians in greater numbers than it does to Yanks. We buy twice as many minivans per capita as they do because we understand that the low-floor, high-roof, square back shape is the most efficient of all for carrying people and stuff.
It was that utility that Lori Queen, GM's vehicle line executive for small cars, was after when HHR was under development as a variation on the platform that's the basis for the Chevrolet Cobalt and the Pontiac Pursuit, "The HHR is what you want it to be," enthuses Queen, "whether you're hauling band equipment around the country or hauling your friends across town."
According to Queen, with an overall length of 4472 mm and a cargo capacity of 1787 liters, the HHR has "easy-to-maneuver dimensions and room for just about any lifestyle interest. Its reconfigurable interior with clever storage solutions accommodates everything from groceries to surfboards."
HHR will come "well equipped" from the factory with two model levels, says Queen. There will be an entry-level LS and an LT, which also comes in two packages -- 1LT and 2LT.
 |
Both LS and LT HHR models will likely include such standard features as air conditioning, power windows and locks, a six-speaker CD stereo, and remote keyless entry. Additional product highlights include a driver information centre, a fuel tank large enough to deliver a cruising range of 650 km, adjustable cargo configurations, and remote start on the automatic models.
There will also be various 16- and 17-inch wheel options, OnStar and XM satellite radio availability, a large power sunroof, an upgraded sound system, and more.