Overall, it was a good example of why companies like GM got themselves in trouble. Without doing any research, I am thinking that the HHR basically uses the Cobalt platform and drivetrain, so you're starting off with a fairly crappy base. To that, it adds a retro body that is supposed to reflect some sort of '40's Chevy truck, maybe an early Suburban. Of course, it is like 1/4 scale. The look is okay, but it means you have gun-slit windows when you shrink it down. With the side windows tinted, the inside looking out is very Sherman-tank-like (disclaimer: I have never ridden in or driven a Sherman tank) but I actually liked the feeling of the base of the windshield being closer to you than many modern cars, with their dashtops that can hold a large pizza box. Almost an original 'Beetle' feeling to it with the closeness and verticality of the windscreen.
Dynamically, the HHR sucks. Granted, I had a base rental fleet version with 14" wheels and tires, but I can't imagine a top-line version with larger tires would challenge the Corvette in a gymkhana. The ride is okay except for the clunks in the suspension. The gas pedal has about 3 inches of dead travel before the engine deigns to weigh in and move the car (slowly) forward. Hard to tell how many gears the transmission has (and between Drive and Low is a strange setting called 'I') but suffice it to say it is somewhere between a 2-speed Powerglide and a decent 5-speed automatic. I'm guessing 4. There was also a strange sound when you first start the car, almost like a waterfall, or one of those African 'stones in the sealed wooden tube' instrument things. Very cool in nature or in a percussion instrument; not so much in your car. The steering wheel also had a very strange rim, with a cross-section that felt triangular and wasn't very comfortable to grip.
I guess the HHR's raison d'etre (besides being supposedly cool to look at) is carrying capability. But I had to fold down one of the rear seats to put my golf clubs in the back, as the car isn't wide enough to put them sideways or deep enough to even carry them diagonally in the back. The floor is very high as well, effectively starting at mid-thigh level (and I'm short). There is a very shallow tray under the cargo floor (about 4 inches deep) and the spare tire is under that.
There were actually some things I did like.... For a base car, it was decently equipped with automatic headlights and cruise control. The single CD stereo was pretty decent sounding, had an auxiliary input (mini-jack line, not USB) and there were power seats and lumbar control. Also, the computer was pretty good, with lots of the usual info (instant and average mpg, average speed and - a really nice touch - air pressure which indicated the actual reading for every tire, versus an idiot light with no indication of which tire is low, like in our 2007 Honda Odyssey minivan). And for a small car with a high beltline and low roof, the seating position was nice and upright.
Maybe it would be a little more peppy with a manual transmission (Save the Manuals!), but I doubt that a stick would transform the car into something that a person who wants more than Point A to Point B transportation would be willing to buy. Certainly not me.
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