At $7K, This Chevy HHR SS Is a Cheap Sleeper
Sporty, affordable front-drive compacts are typically best left to the Japanese. Or maybe the Germans. Over the past 40-or-so years, though, the Big Three have occasionally dipped their toes into this cheaper end of the pool with sport compacts of their own. Some were forgettable. Some (like the Shelby GLH-S or Dodge Neon SRT-4, for example) were surprisingly cool little firecrackers.
We couldn’t help but think of spicy domestic compacts this week, because several of them popped up for sale. And they didn’t bring much money, either. A Ford Contour SVT sold for less than 9 grand, while a Chevy Cobalt SS and a Mercury Topaz GS each brought barely $4000.
The most bang for the buck this week, though, has to be the 2008 Chevrolet HHR SS that sold for $7140. Is it pretty? Hell no, but the best sleepers never are.
Chevrolet introduced the HHR (“Heritage High Roof”) for 2006, toward the tail end of that weird period during the late ’90s and 2000s when a retro styling wave brought us funky-looking throwbacks like the Chrysler PT Cruiser, Plymouth Prowler, Chevy SSR, and Ford Thunderbird. In the HHR’s case, “Heritage” came from postwar GM trucks. One look at a 1947–53 Suburban, and you can certainly see the family resemblance, though the HHR rides on the same GM Delta platform as compacts like the Pontiac G5, Saturn Ion, and Chevy Cobalt. Period reviews praised the HHR for its carrying capacity and for at least being different, even if it wasn’t a beauty queen. It was an affordable, practical little commuter car with some personality. Nothing serious.
The “SS” version, then, was a big surprise when Chevrolet unveiled it at the Woodward Dream Cruise in 2007. And it wasn’t just badges, big wheels, and a body kit. This was a thoroughly reworked version of the retro trucklet, courtesy of the folks in the GM Performance Division. Firmer springs and dampers, a rear swaybar, an available limited-slip differential, and recalibrated electric power steering made the corners more exciting. For the straight bits, the HHR got the turbocharged 2.0-liter Ecotec four-cylinder (also found in the Pontiac Solstice GXP and Saturn Sky Redline) good for 260 hp and 260 lb-ft, which was mated to a standard five-speed manual with a short throw shifter (an automatic model with 235 hp was also available). Gimmicky but fun extras included a boost gauge on the A-pillar, launch control, and a “no-lift shift” feature that allowed the driver to keep the throttle floored during shifts while holding the revs below redline to keep the turbo engine’s boost up.
Chevrolet claimed a 0–60 sprint in 6.3 seconds, the quarter-mile in 14.8 seconds at 99 mph, and a skidpad run of 0.86g, along with an impressive max cargo capacity of 63 cubic feet. Its $23,000 base price was a whopping $8K more than the base HHR, but it also came with 111 more horses. Comparison tests pitted the HHR SS against the likes of the Mazdaspeed3, Dodge Caliber SRT4, and Subaru WRX hatchback.
Reviews were a little mixed. It wasn’t as fast as its competitors, and Motor Trend called its five-speed shifter “pretty notchy.” On the subject of torque steer, though, the magazine noted that “Chevy has done a better job than you might expect,” while Car and Driver called it “wonderfully minimized; we noticed just the tiniest whiff in the lower gears.” Car and Driver also summed up the whole package rather well: “There are a lot of small, hopped-up five-doors these days [I wish there still were], and choosing one is as tough as the competition in this niche. The SS is like a utility player in baseball—it’s not a star, but it is usefully proficient most of the time and on occasion will indeed shine.”
The HHR SS is one of those crazy, can’t-believe-they-actually-made-this-thing kind of cars. It was only available for a brief time, and it was never a big seller. Sources vary on total production, but it was less than 10,000 (including 216 built with the panel van body in 2009). Chevrolet discontinued it after 2010 due to the closure of the GM Performance Division.
The one sold this week appears to be a rather clean car despite its 66K miles and aftermarket stereo. At $7140, though, the buyer can’t really complain about anything. It’s an absurd, fun, usable sleeper for barely a quarter the cost of a new Nissan Altima. That’s an absolute steal. Even if it looks like, well, an HHR.
I ordered a new 2003 Vibe GT with the Yamaha mill also used in the Lotus Elise. It would smoke this HHR. Rest of vehicle was pretty junky–like an SSR is. Engine was fantastic. Now they use that motor in Yamaha jet boats.
Sorry HHR not SSR
In 2008 I was due for a new truck. I had a ZQ8 GMC Sonoma. It drove like a Camaro with a bed and under powered V6. It served me well as a daily driver for 10 years.
The new Colorado was out and it was pure junk. Too much Isuzu not enough GM. I just could not bring myself to buy one.
Well in came a HHR SS at the dealer. I was not an HHR fan, I was not a FWD fan and I was not a Turbo fan.
The salesman said you want to drive it? I said sure just curious about the new engine. I took off and I hit 90 mph before I knew it towing the gears. What really got me was that the GM Performsnce group tuned the chassis to a degree most American cars never see. They did the Euro tune with less spring, lowered and. Enter Sachs struts and shocks.
Bigger wheels and tires with 4 wheel discs.
4 month later my mother bought a new Malibu. I made the deal and asked the salesman what kind of a deal on the SS he could get me. The Bu was a steal.
I emailed him and I got a fully loaded SS for $7k off sticker.
I told my wife I can’t believe I bought an HHR.
Well GM then came with a factory tune I could add and it pushed me to 300 HP and 315 ft lbs. this jade this car really a sleeper to deal with.
It mad it a 13 sec 1/4 Mike vehivcle. Top speed claimed by those that tried it was over 160 mph. I had no interest in that. Traction was an issue. I set off the traction control at 55 mph one day. I thought it blew up when the waste gate popped and lights came in but it was the traction control.
The Pilots on it were weak on traction but sone new Goodyears fixed that.
It was my daily driver. I used one on ramp daily by Goodyears tech center yo test my boost. I could light the red light on my Aeroforce gauge when I hit 23 psi of boost.
I drove this car for 10 years and still sold it for more than half what I paid for it. Not many vehicles can you do that.
I loved getting gas as many told me they liked what I did to the SS. They were shocked to find it was stock. Few were around.
I ran a guy in a Mustang door handle yo fior handle and he had to stop me to find how I did that.
The best was a guy in an expensive modified Civic showed up. On a freeway taunting me. I did not bite but then I did. I drove past him easily even starting several car lengths back. I wish he has stopped. I could have showed him I had my son’s Soap Box Derby cat in the back with tools and a pop up canopy. Around 200 pounds extra weight.
I hot 25-6 daily MPG with it even with my daily ramp pull. The only failure was the map sensor blew out of the intake pipe. It had a bad plastic weld. It never used oil and just was a blast to drive.
I moved back to a truck as we moved to a larger Derby race car. I love my truck but I still miss my SS.
This car was just a pleasure to drive. It handled so well it made fast feel slow.
This car here sold for a good price as I still see higher mile cars sell for much more.
Was it a perfect car no it could have used a telescopic wheel and better door panels but for what I paid few cars would have been as much fun or practical.
We moved while I had this and I hauled much with it and also hauled a lot of A$$ with it. That 2.0 engine was a great under appreciated engine. I worked with John Lingenfelter a few years before this, he raced a stock block and head to 1500 hp before he broke the head in his pro street truck. The same engine was tuned to 560 hp in a Solstice that won the pro drift championship 2 years running with no tear downs or failures during the season.
To be honest it sold over 100k units per year in all but the last year it was offered. They never would have sold that many Cobalt wagons. It made them a lot of money.
Lutz was right on this one.
Just one thing. This would have been killer if it had been RWD.
That kind of degrading language is not cool here
It was a fun car like the Cobalt SS. That engine needed to make it’s way into more vehicles.
Yes the tune was 340 ft lbs on the Solstice and Sky with RWD. Put that in a AWD Terrain or Equinox.
Looks ready for its – Pats Spic and Span Home Cleaning Service – door signs.
I have a 2009 Chevy HHR-SS I’ve had this car since 2011 and what a Fun Little Car to drive. I have a K+N air filter on it. Plus a Throttle Rapid Resonse System in it that takes away any hesitation 2.0 Turbocharger ..Plus I’m 70 years old and I still Love ❤️ To Drive Fast.
Great Little Car 🚗 That still shits.and gets it.
I had the misfortune of having to rent a regular HHR once. I can’t recall a more uncomfortable driving experience. From ergonomics, sight-lines, general ride quality, and so on…. Always chuckled at the thought of a “high-performance” version.
You say bring a trailer to pick up a car? Wheeler? How are you gonna sell a car if you don’t give a location? HHR SS?