Retro Chevy is Vintage Fun

Driven

I'M REVVING the four-cylinder engine in my Chevy HHR so hard it sounds like an angry bumblebee. Ready to leap from the right lane into the left on Mission Gorge Road, I’m targeting the westbound I-8 exit. The car on my left, in the lane I want, is a Chrysler PT Cruiser.

Click! Green light . . . Go! I win!

Grinning, I exit onto the I-8 ramp feeling like a naughty 19-year-old, about the age of the driver I just smoked in her Chrysler. (Okay, maturity was never my thing.) In the Chevy HHR panel truck I’m driving, all I need is a surfboard and flip-flops to completely authenticate my experience of youth. Pacific Beach, here I come.

What Chevrolet has done in building the HHR is something they’ve denied——built a retro-wagon comparable to the PT Cruiser that Chrysler has been so successful with, because they wanted a piece of the PT Cruiser’s action. The HHR started as a concept car for Chevrolet but harkens back to the styling of yesteryear. There’s no denying the comparison——for the person who would shop a PT Cruiser, the Chevy HHR is another choice.

The rub for Chrysler: The Chevy is better.

Although both vehicles have several trim and option packages, in standard configuration the HHR’s base price is almost $2,000 less. It has a five-star safety rating——better than the PT’s four——and the option of stability control.

Though both have 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engines, without the PT’s optional turbo-charged engine the in-line HHR has 20 more horsepower and gets better gas mileage——30 miles per gallon on the freeway versus the Chrysler’s 24. For those who still appreciate the option of a manual transmission, the five-speed manual is standard for Chevy, which offers the option of a four-speed automatic, whereas the Chrysler offers only an automatic.

Despite the advantages in a side-by-side comparison, the HHR is not a sophisticated car in terms of handling. For the fun factor, I’ve chosen the panel-truck HHR——a two-seater with panel doors and no rear side windows. The retro look draws a lot of admiration from men under 30, but in spite of the great styling and good gas mileage, it handles poorly at freeway speeds and has terrible visibility. One observer even asked me if windows were optional. Stability control helps the handling, but the bottom line is sluggish acceleration and lots of moving around my lane at speeds over 60.

On the other hand, for the young person or small business owner who hauls around a lot of stuff, the HHR is a great value with a lot of personality and nice enhancements for the dollar, starting at $16,835 for the four-seater and $17,135 for the two-seat panel truck. The most you can spend is $22,875, fully loaded, including a long list of extras.

For the extra $5,000, I’ve got a digital sound system with in-dash six-CD changer, XM satellite radio and RDS (radio data system), MP3 plug and audio controls on the steering wheel, hands-free telephone, an air-filtration system, auto-dimming rear-view mirror and three 12-volt power outlets——including one in the rear cargo area. Add Stabiltrak——Chevrolet’s stability control system——and the side-curtain airbags, and the HHR leaps beyond what its competition offers.

The wheelbases of the PT Cruiser and Chevy HHR are identical, but HHR has a far better turning radius, with a circle of 36 feet compared to the PT’s 40. This is due to the variable-speed power steering the Chevy offers as standard.

Bottom line, if you’re looking for a “stuff” carrier with fun styling at a reasonable price, the HHR is a good choice for safety, mileage and value compared to its closest competition.

Besides, I won at the light.

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