Star-Telegram.com's view

Some people believe that the all-new, 2006 Chevrolet HHR is the car that the Chrysler PT Cruiser should have been.

But because hindsight is still 20/20, even in the car business, it’s easy to look at someone else’s product — particularly one that has been on the market for five years — to find out what’s wrong with it, then create a similar, new product that corrects those mistakes.

This in itself is not an unusual practice — it’s exactly what the automakers try to do with their own products when they design that product’s next generation.

Therefore, we can expect the next generation of the PT Cruiser to be better than the current model, particularly in areas that the present one has been criticized, such as limited rear-seat space and questionable quality of some components, including the air-conditioning system.

General Motors gets the advantage over Chrysler with the HHR, though. That’s because this new Chevy product, which is almost identical in concept and very similar in styling to the PT, comes out a year or two before Chrysler will have the second-generation PT Cruiser ready.

But it’s hard to be super-critical of the PT Cruiser, because it has been one of the most-successful new products in Chrysler’s history, and has garnered a loyal customer following.

And there were those who questioned GM’s decision to bring a similar, retro-styled mini-wagon/SUV to market five years after Chrysler did the same, a move sure to evoke cries of “Copycat!” from GM’s critics.

In fact, that was so much of that just prior to Chevy’s rollout of the HHR this past summer that GM executives cut their initial sales projection of 120,000 HHRs for the first year to just 60,000 before the car even began to arrive in showrooms in August. People have had five years to see, admire, purchase, and get tired of the PT Cruiser, the critics reasoned. Not many people will consider the HHR to be the novelty that the PT was five years ago, they said, and not many consumers will be all that interested in buying one.

Certainly, they said, people won’t be lined up waiting to get an HHR as they were when the PT Cruiser arrived.

The truth apparently lies somewhere between the pundits’ dire predictions of no-interest-at-the-box-office for the HHR and the PT Cruiser’s original “We’ve just gotta have one!” acceptance by consumers.

The result is that less than two months into HHR sales, GM had to go back to its original plan: Instead of building 60,000 HHRs for 2006, it will build 120,000. And even that might not be enough.

It seems that either: a) Consumers aren’t yet tired of the cool ’40s panel-truck styling of the PT Cruiser, which is also the basis for the HHR’s styling, or b) There are a lot of consumers who liked the PT’s styling, but weren’t about to buy a Chrysler product, especially one that was based on the architecture of the rather miserable little Neon sedan (which has now been discontinued).

The truth probably lies somewhere between the two reasons, with a third factor that could be at play: The HHR just looks a lot better than the PT Cruiser, and therefore is attracting buyers who weren’t quite convinced that the PT Cruiser was what they wanted or needed.

Consumer confidence — or, more precisely, a lack thereof — in Chrysler products certainly can’t be ruled out, however.

A Strategic Vision survey released last week showed that Chrysler and South Korea’s Hyundai are the two mass-market automotive brands least-trusted by American consumers. The survey was based on new cars purchased during the 2005 model year (September to September). Toyota, Honda and Nissan led the list, with GM, Ford and Volkswagen ranked about in the middle.

I’ll be the first to acknowledge that Chrysler’s vehicle quality has improved dramatically within the past five or six years, but old biases are slow to fade.

But Chrysler’s loss is GM’s gain, and while I’m still a personal fan of the PT Cruiser, I’m just as impressed — if not more so — with the HHR. It does go the PT one better, at least in the area of rear-seat leg room.

And if GM does sell all 120,000 of the HHRs it plans to build this year, the car probably will have outsold the PT Cruiser for 2006, considering that Chrysler sold just 115,000 of them last year, and sales are way off so far through 2005.

GM refuses to acknowledge any links between the HHR and PT Cruiser’s styling, even though the HHR was a pet project of GM designer Bryan Nesbitt, who, coincidentally, was the chief architect of the PT Cruiser in his previous job at Chrysler. GM says the HHR was already in development when Nesbitt jumped to GM from Chrysler, but that he did have significant input on the HHR project.

The HHR’s design, GM insists, originated from the 1949 Chevrolet Suburban. Of course, the PT, too, borrowed heavily from that earlier GM design.

GM clearly wants to capitalize on the PT’s success, as the automaker probably would not have created the HHR had the PT Cruiser been a flop.

The time also is right for the HHR because the small crossover vehicle is the fastest-growing segment in the industry, particularly as sales of large SUVs continue decline as gasoline prices rise.

With its EPA estimates of 23 miles per gallon in the city and 30 mph on the highway, the HHR offers about 60 percent better fuel economy than the average midsize sport utility.

The HHR’s name stands for “Heritage High Roof,” an early GM internal description of the vehicle that has stuck.

Under the hood is a choice of two four-cylinder engines. The base HHR LS model, with a starting price of just $15,990 price (including freight), comes with a 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 143 horsepower and 150 foot-pounds of torque.

That engine also comes in the midlevel 1LT model (base price $16,990, with freight), which we tested for this report.

But the uplevel 2LT version ($18,790) gets a 2.4-liter four with 172 horsepower and 162 foot-pounds of torque. That engine is optional on the 1LT, and was included on our tester.

Standard on all models is a five-speed manual gearbox; for $1,000 more, a four-speed automatic is available on any model. Our car came with the manual. All HHRs come with air conditioning; power windows/mirrors/door locks with remote keyless entry; 16-inch wheels; and a six-speaker AM/FM/CD stereo (with a front-mounted auxiliary input jack so an iPod or other device can be played through the system). A 260-watt Pioneer system with subwoofer is available on the LS and 1LT models.

The upgrade to the 1LT model brings a standard MP3 player, eight-way power seat including power lumbar adjustment, 16-inch cast aluminum wheels and a satin-chrome exterior appearance package.

Options on our test car included the “1LT Preferred Equipment Group” ($1,800), which tacked on the bigger engine, along with a chrome exhaust tip, sport-tuned suspension, bright chrome exterior appearance package, four-wheel antilock brakes, fog lights, Pioneer audio system, leather-wrapped shift knob and steering wheel (with audio controls), and a self-dimming rearview mirror with compass.

We also had the optional side-curtain air bags ($395); 17-inch, high-polish alloy wheels ($395); XM satellite radio ($325); an AM/FM/compact-disc stereo with six-disc in-dash CD changer ($295); and roof luggage rails ($150). Dealer-installed accessories included running boards ($445) and premium carpeted floor mats ($105). With options and freight, our car’s sticker totaled $20,900.

Traction control is offered, but only with the automatic transmission. Heated leather seats are available on both LT packages.

The right front and back seats fold flat into the floor to create a eight-foot-long long load surface.

There are storage areas throughout the vehicle, including an auxiliary glove box, two large storage bins behind the rear seat, and holders for plastic bags in the luggage area. This car is relatively fun to drive for such a practical vehicle, but don’t expect sportscar-like performance. The larger engine does give it a bit more zip, and the stiffer sport suspension makes the car easier to handle on the curves. The ride is comfortable, though, even with the stiffer suspension.

G. Chambers Williams III is staff automotive columnist for the San Antonio Express-News and former transportation writer for the Star-Telegram. His automotive columns have appeared regularly in the Star-Telegram since 1995. Contact him at (210) 250-3236; chambers@star-telegram.com.

– – –

At a Glance-2006 Chevrolet HHR

The package: Compact, five-door, five-passenger, four-cylinder, front-wheel-drive sport-utility wagon.

Highlights: All new for 2006, this is GM’s answer to the Chrysler PT Cruiser, bearing similar retro panel-truck styling in a package designed for small families or others who want the utility of a small wagon or SUV with decent fuel economy and an affordable price. It is based on the platform of the Chevrolet Cobalt compact sedan.

Negatives: No turbocharged engine upgrade available for more zip as in the competing PT Cruiser. It may come later in an SS version, because GM has a turbo four in the Cobalt SS coupe.

Length: 176.2 inches

Curb weight: 3,155-3,208 pounds

Engines: 2.2-liters, 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder, normally aspirated.

Power/torque: 143 hp./150 foot-pounds (2.2-liter); 172 hp./162 foot-pounds (2.4-liter)

Transmission: Five-speed manual, four-speed automatic (optional).

Cargo capacity: 55.6 cubic feet (with rear seat folded).

Brakes, front/rear: Disc/drum, antilock optional (standard on top model).

Fuel capacity/type: 16.2 gallons/unleaded regular (2.2-liter); unleaded premium recommended for 2.4-liter engine, but not required.

EPA fuel economy: 22 miles per gallon city/30 highway (manual); 23 city/30 highway (automatic).

Major competitors: Chrysler PT Cruiser, Honda Element, Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe, Scion xA/xB, Mazda3 hatchback, Ford Focus wagon, Suzuki Forenza wagon, Subaru Forester, Mazda 5

Base price range: $15,990-$18,790, including $565 freight.

Price as tested: $20,900 including freight and options (1LT model with manual gearbox and uplevel engine).

On the Road rating: ***** (five stars out of five).

Prices shown are manufacturer’s suggested retail; actual selling price may vary according to manufacturer and/or dealer rebates, discounts and incentives, if any.