Chevrolet's SS badge has weathered a long and turbulent history. Through the '60s and tiptoeing into the '70s, it rode front and center on the grilles of some of the most maniacal, testosterone-fueled street machines ever to leave Detroit. The '80s had the letters stuck in big, bold vinyl on the sides of Monte Carlos at a time when stock-racing cars still resembled their street counterparts, and all was good — but the SS brand lost its luster for good, it seemed, after the demise of the rear-drive Impala in 1996. Remember the most recent Silverado SS? It packed 345 horses and all-wheel drive in a time of supercharged Ford Lightnings and Viper-powered Dodge Rams. The most recent Malibu SS was little more than a trim package, and the current hot Impala model is a rolling catch-22; it's a pure straight-line performer with uncontrollable torque steer pushing it every direction but straight ahead.
THis is a wonderful little vehicle, and putting the firebreathing performance parts in it is just the icing on the cake. While I agree that the interior is cheapish, and the styling is goofy, its unique, distinctive, durable, and most of all....PRACTICAL. This thing is even more practical than a 5 door GTI, but has all the same performance and moves.
Whereas the Caliber is a poorly developed numbers-special, this SS looks like the real deal.
But what this review means most, to me, is that the upcoming CObalt SS Turbo is going to be an absolute MONSTER.
Coming soon: A tow vehicle with some real firepower. 1986 Bayliner 2450 Ciera Sportcruiser / Volvo Penta AQ260A/275SP
This is a car TCL should love, but probably won't. I think it's very badass and it's the first time I've seen a cool looking HHR. I wonder if you can get it in that crazy tealish-blue like the C6 Z06 from that one thread. With the performance of this thing, I can't wait to see what the Cobalt has in store for us.
For the most part. If memory serves, it's also the cucumber capital of Japan. Hence the home-market ads for the FT-86 featuring Takeichi-kun, the cartoon cucumber whose meteoric rise through the underground drift world has shamed him in the eyes of his school-master.
The turbo caliber is gonna be absolutely nuts. I feel sorry for the guys who bought the supercharged version.
Quote, originally posted by Rukh »
Listen up, buddy, I've had both - I eat plain bagels with cream cheese all the time, and I know people who've brought me onion bagels to try. I've toasted them both. I've even had poppy seed bagels and bagels and lox with capers. I'll pit your onion bagel against my plain bagel with cream cheese any time anywhere, just meet me halfway.
Crap At least I didn't say Cavalier. This Friday I was at the local dragstrip and the announcer made that mistake
Quote, originally posted by Rukh »
Listen up, buddy, I've had both - I eat plain bagels with cream cheese all the time, and I know people who've brought me onion bagels to try. I've toasted them both. I've even had poppy seed bagels and bagels and lox with capers. I'll pit your onion bagel against my plain bagel with cream cheese any time anywhere, just meet me halfway.
While I'd like to jump on the bandwagon and all I can't. I really like this car in many ways but dislike it in many more. It's has one of the worst designed interiors I've ever been in (ergonomics are horrible) and makes me wish I fit the 5'5" demo they are targeting. I really like the current lineup of GM cars/trucks but they still missed the mark in the place where the driver spends his time.
Compared to, say, the Mazdaspeed 3 or the GTI, that is not an insignificant list. I applaud Chevy for committing a bit more to the SS program, but I still don't perceive this car as being anywhere near competitive. 5 years ago, maybe. But today?
The CTS shows GM knows how to run, but the HHR SS seems to indicate some divisions are still learning to walk.
Quote, originally posted by Elbows »
Oh, welcome to the Lounge. You'll probably spend a couple months in the MkIV forum - realize its garbage...then spend literally the next 8-10 years of your life here in the Car Lounge.
This is a car TCL should love, but probably won't.
TCL should lvoe this car. But the mistake GM made is that this car spent the first 4(?) years of its life as a cutsy PT Cruiser compeditor and a staple of rental car fleets. GM needed to bring this turbo bad-ass version out within one year of the cars intro and let it gain some recognition. My guess is the HHR SS is going to flop once the Cobalt SS hits. Everyone interested in a fast turbo car is going to want the faster and less sissy looking Cobalt. HHRSS's are going to be on dealer lots a year from now with $4000 off MSRP stickers across the windshield.
On the plus side, if you take the badges off the car it makes an incredable sleeper that will fly right under the police radar. I'd love to see a panel version with a flower shop logo on the sides rocking a few upgrades and cutting low 12's on the track. Ohh how disheartning would it be to see a "Flowers by Jane" logo go by your passenger side window as your Mustang struggles to keep pace.
Not to mention this thing has so much damned space in the rear with the seats folded. Perfect vehicle to take on a cross country trip!
Ever drive one? They suck, from a driver's ergos perspective. There's a hole about 6" wide for your legs to fit into, due to the 29' 4" wide center console. Particularly bad for a cross-country trip.
I'm 6'4", but I heard the same complaint from a friend who is about 5'6". Nothing like driving with your leg crammed against something.
Quote, originally posted by Slump »
It's the American way: privatize the profits, socialize the losses.
"The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money."
TCL should lvoe this car. But the mistake GM made is that this car spent the first 4(?) years of its life as a cutsy PT Cruiser compeditor and a staple of rental car fleets. GM needed to bring this turbo bad-ass version out within one year of the cars intro and let it gain some recognition...
You should check your numbers before you post them, this is only the Third model year of the HHR, 2006 being the first. So really it only spent 2 years being "Cutsy", and that's really not a long time for GM to bring out a tarted up version of one of their vehicles.
Out the door with the LSD and Brembos for under $24k? I'm not a fan of the HHR, but that's a helluva lot of utility and performance for that price.
I agree with you....this version of the HHR is starting to sway my feelings about this car. I'm not sure I'm crazy about the Brembo's, especially if they use specially sized rotors, and I just don't like the lower end Brembo hardware. If there's a cheap and easy way to retrofit C5 brakes to it, it'd offer super cheap rotors and calipers, and a great selection of pads.
Eugene Leafty Fungi produce 13% of all the CO2 in the atmosphere, my motorcycle produces over 100 gallons of H2O per year.
- More complicated != better - Brembo brake option available soon enough... - It's not a Lexus or Buick, engine noise won't kill you. - Mash the gas on any decently performing car and the wheels will spin. Besides, it seems to be a traction (tire) problem anyway and easily fixable for the .002% of the world who drive the crap out of it 24-7.
Quote, originally posted by Sunil »
Compared to, say, the Mazdaspeed 3 or the GTI, that is not an insignificant list. I applaud Chevy for committing a bit more to the SS program, but I still don't perceive this car as being anywhere near competitive. 5 years ago, maybe. But today?
The CTS shows GM knows how to run, but the HHR SS seems to indicate some divisions are still learning to walk.
Learning to walk? Nowhere near competitive? Your list of "problems" makes it look as if there's some severe picking of nits going on...
I'm not saying that it is the be-all, end-all solution to everything or the best in the universe, but to claim that it isn't competitive? 5 years behind? Chevy is "still learning to walk?" Please... It's no BMW, but it doesn't have that size of a pricetag either...
I'm not saying that it is the be-all, end-all solution to everything or the best in the universe, but to claim that it isn't competitive? 5 years behind? Chevy is "still learning to walk?" Please... It's no BMW, but it doesn't have that size of a pricetag either...
But he isn't comparing it to a BMW, he's comparing it to the similarly priced and similarly packaged GTI and Mazdaspeed 3.
It's time for GM to use a different shifter in their cars. That shifter first showed up in the 2003 Saab 9³. That shifter didn't feel good in my hands at all.
But he isn't comparing it to a BMW, he's comparing it to the similarly priced and similarly packaged GTI and Mazdaspeed 3.
And it's probably pretty much just as good overall: better in some respects, maybe not as good in others. Main point is that it's certainly not 5 years behind or "not anywhere near competitive."
And it's probably pretty much just as good overall: better in some respects, maybe not as good in others. Main point is that it's certainly not 5 years behind or "not anywhere near competitive."
Okay, I'll bite. Better in what respects?
Quote, originally posted by Elbows »
Oh, welcome to the Lounge. You'll probably spend a couple months in the MkIV forum - realize its garbage...then spend literally the next 8-10 years of your life here in the Car Lounge.
Meh, I'm holding out for the Chevy Express SS with the LS3. Hopefully they'll upgrade the suspension and brakes and transmission and tires but hey! that might be too complicated which =! better.
DenCo, please keep in mind that in no way did I say the car sucked. I just don't think it is any better than the competition, and in many ways, it is worse. Were it 3-4k cheaper, great. But it isn't.
Quote, originally posted by Elbows »
Oh, welcome to the Lounge. You'll probably spend a couple months in the MkIV forum - realize its garbage...then spend literally the next 8-10 years of your life here in the Car Lounge.
I'm impressed! The numbers especially and the price. I still can't get myself to like the styling... I hate HHR's, but this SS version. I can't decide.
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Ugly is ugly, but it's not as atrocious as the Calibur. I'll wait for the Cobalt SS version if I want cheap fast torque steer (or just keep the Viggen )
But he isn't comparing it to a BMW, he's comparing it to the similarly priced and similarly packaged GTI and Mazdaspeed 3.
What am I missing here. WTH do people constantly compare Vibe/Matrix/Caliber/HHR/PT with hatchbacks that are smaller, shorter????
I'm not super clued in on all the specs, but isn't there quite a difference here? Sure they both have HATCHES, but this comparison is like comparing a Freestyle with an Explorer.
You can't argue with the performance of this car, but the thing that has always kept me in a VW was balance. They never handled or acclerated the best, but they had great balance. Not just balance in the performance arena, but also in the design arena as well. They are/were all around great cars. Now, the problem with this is that the HHR is just plain ugly, like the caliber. Actually, I think the caliber is a little better looking as it appears a bit more muscular. Things improve (or they should anyway) with the cobalt, it's still ugly and cheap. Which isn't to say it wouldn't hand a GTI, stock for stock, it's ass on a road course, but if I wanted a car to rip up a road course with, it wouldn't be a sport compact.
I still stand by my opinion that the mazdaspeed 3 is THE car to have. That car does have wonderful balanace in all meanings of the word. It actually looks like someone gave a s**t about not only the engine and suspension, but the exterior and interior as well. If I was going to run out right now and buy another sport compact, I likely wouldn't even look at the products from GM or Dodge. I would stop by the mazda dealer for sure however.
Tom Current: 94 SLC; 08 XF LTD-6 spd Previous:06 GTI, 99.5 Jetta, 85 jetta coupe (x2), 93 Fox
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Particularly bad for a cross-country trip.
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