does the hhr in manual transmission get it better gas mileage? i'm in the market now & wondering...

Yes

I have 2.4 with 5 speed and average 27 mpg in town.

That really is a loaded question, not everyones driving habits are the same, but on the expressway, yes a manual will get better mileage. In the city, it depends on your driving habits, but generally yes it will get better mileage.
If most of your driving is on the open road, not stop and go, I would definitely choose a manual, but if most of your driving is stop and go, your preference is more important than the difference in MPG.

does the hhr in manual transmission get it better gas mileage? i'm in the market now & wondering...

Who cares when it more fun to drive a manual. Just FYI, my ls gets an average of not less then 28 in town and 31 on the road mostly at 70 mph.

On mid grade gas my '08 2.4 5 speed was getting about 27-28 m.p.g last year.Cold weather lowered it to 23-25 m.p.g. over the winter.

Old school thinking has the manual better then the auto on the hwy..they should be the same as the auto goes into lock up...in town, different story.....

That really is a loaded question, not everyones driving habits are the same, but on the expressway, yes a manual will get better mileage. In the city, it depends on your driving habits, but generally yes it will get better mileage.

That is true. I tend to drive with gas mileage in mind on my commute. I only get on it when needed.

I don't see this as a loaded question at all. Since we could probably assume the driver (jarp79 in this case) is consistent and his/her driving habits would be similar in either the manual or automatic. The question is whether the manual is better on gas regardless (and/or if either) driven hard or with mileage in mind.

Stats from a government site www.FuelEconomy.Gov (http://www.FuelEconomy.Gov) (not GM sticker data) below, but this is average across a variety of driving styles and as esmarkey correctly pointed out your individual results will vary depending on your driving habit and terrain.

Cty Hwy
2.2L Man - 22 32
2.2L Auto - 22 30

2.4L Man - 21 30
2.4L Auto - 22 29

2.0L Man - 21 29
2.0L Auto - 19 29

Actually the fuel mileage figure on that government site are not averages at all.

They are absolute fuel use numbers from the Federal test procedure used by the EPA. Also, the testing is done on a chassis dyno with a computer controlling the engine's throttle.

While the EPA numbers are valuable for comparisons between powertrains, they are for the most part irrelevant to real world fuel economy because few, if any, people drive cars like the Federal test procedure is written.

More useful are the real world fuel economy testing done by the mainstream road test magazines such as Car and Driver.

yeah i averaged 33.5 MPG in my auto 2.2 today on a 145 mile trip. i was very careful with how i drove so if i were to just stomp on it on the way back i bet it would be alot differen. just thought i would share this for a driving habit comparison.

While the EPA numbers are valuable for comparisons between powertrains, they are for the most part irrelevant to real world fuel economy because few, if any, people drive cars like the Federal test procedure is written.

The comparison between power train (Manual/Automatic) was the question being asked.

My 2007 5 speed, consistantly gets 28MPG city and if I drive it reasonably 35MPH highway. It has the 2.2L engine, which with the five speed has reasonable power, at least for me. With the automatic I would probably want the 2.4L, but having to buy premium fuel doesn't seem too desirable today.

My 2007 5 speed, consistantly gets 28MPG city and if I drive it reasonably 35MPH highway. It has the 2.2L engine, which with the five speed has reasonable power, at least for me. With the automatic I would probably want the 2.4L, but having to buy premium fuel doesn't seem too desirable today.


As stated in the '06 owner's manual

"If your vehicle has the 2.4L L4 engine (VIN Code P),
use premium unleaded gasoline with a posted octane
rating of 91 or higher. You may also use regular
unleaded gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher, but
your vehicle’s acceleration may be slightly reduced,
and you may notice a slight audible knocking noise,
commonly referred to as spark knock."


It is only a recommendation to use premium with the 2.4, ie not a requirement. Plenty of 2.4 owners on this web-site use regular with no issues.


P.S. Welcome to web-site Laco, checkout the Pacific Regional section for G2G's happening

Maybe I'm oldschool, here, but wouldn't the reduction in accereration be due to the timming being retarded to eleminate or reduce pinging. And if thats the case, at least years ago, retarded timming can cause engine heating problems, and in warm/hot weather overheating. Maybe I'm dating myself here, but way back when, any pinging, or pre-ignition knock was a bad thing, and could burn holes in the piston tops.

The comparison between power train (Manual/Automatic) was the question being asked.

In this case, actual mpg probably doesn't matter with the HHR, since the numbers are so close. The owner is now left with their preference of transmissions based upon the driver being more connected to the vehicle with less amenity or being more comfortable with less driving input.

Perhaps its a lesson between enthusiasm and utility.

Final gear ratios are different also..this will have an effect..but as stated so many times, its all up to the driver on how it gets driven...many thread here have already stated more milage can be coaxed out of these cars then rated.

30-32 Highway normally in my 2.2 5 speed.

Maybe I'm oldschool, here, but wouldn't the reduction in accereration be due to the timming being retarded to eleminate or reduce pinging. And if thats the case, at least years ago, retarded timming can cause engine heating problems, and in warm/hot weather overheating. Maybe I'm dating myself here, but way back when, any pinging, or pre-ignition knock was a bad thing, and could burn holes in the piston tops.

Knock retard may cause higher coolant temperature, but the increase will be modest and well-withing the cooling system's capability...even in hot weather.

The engine controls' electronic spark control automaticlly retards the spark slightly (ie: "knock retard) to prevent damage to the engine by detonation or pre-ignition.

I'm ever grateful that I bought my HHR ('08 2.4) with a 5 speed.My last tank averaged 29 m.p.g. on 93 octane gas,almost as good as the EPA guess of 30 m.p.g. highway.This is mixed type driving,the majority off of the local freeways(probably 60/40 off/on).The ONLY disappointment is that the real highway mileage that I've seen so far is about 31 m.p.g.-roughly equal to a '93 Cavalier wagon with a 3.1 v-6/auto trans combination that I used to drive.

I'm ever grateful that I bought my HHR ('08 2.4) with a 5 speed.My last tank averaged 29 m.p.g. on 93 octane gas,almost as good as the EPA guess of 30 m.p.g. highway.This is mixed type driving,the majority off of the local freeways(probably 60/40 off/on).The ONLY disappointment is that the real highway mileage that I've seen so far is about 31 m.p.g.-roughly equal to a '93 Cavalier wagon with a 3.1 v-6/auto trans combination that I used to drive.

I had a 1991 Cavalier RS coupe, also with a 3.1 V6, and it was very economical, in every way. I loved that car. I was all torn out when I traded it in for my Cobalt. :( :smile:

there is a LOT of variables to deal with when looking at overall gas mileage:

up hill/down hill- even a slight incline might rob you of 2-3mpg where as the reverse is usually better towards 3-5

against or with the wind... ive noticed while driving west to east (in illinois along rt 80) i tend to get better gas mileage with a tail wind... not just a little better, but quite substantial... almost 8mpg better than driving home, which is usually against the wind so 33-38 going to work, 28-32 going home

and yes when there is no traffic, i lock the cruize in at 70, which usually results in 1-3mpg less than feathering the gas peddal without cruize where sometimes ive seen 43mpg on instant mpg between 65 and 70, as soon as i broke 70mph i was lucky if i could maintain 28-30

i have an 09LS AA5 option with panel rear doors 2.2L automatic trans.... its an economy vehicle so i drive it like one... if i wanna tear up the road ill jump in my 97 seville sts ^_^

Personally speaking, the numbers are so close that the selection should be made upon what experience that the driver wishes to have. I picked a manual with my SS because I like to "feel" the car more when on winding backroads. If I were to drive this to work everyday in stop and go traffic, I probably would have gone for the auto.

Pricing also is something to consider. Sometimes you may get a deal on a manual, since dealers generally feel that they are more difficult to sell.

I wish I would have gotten a manual but they only had a auto on the lot and I went for it. Dont get me wrong I love the car and the gas mileage, in town im getting 30 mpg with an average speed of 35-40ish, stop and go only 3 miles to work from home. Even freeway driving im getting 29-30mpg at 80mph. I have the 2.2 and run mostly 85 octane. I believe had i got a manual I could of squeeze a lot more out of it. Heck I had an 02 Saturn SC1 5sp that got up to 40mpg on the highway, to bad i just had to have the HHR, then gas prices raised go figure.

Has anyone had any issues with there 5-speeds? Mine's an 06 with about 68k and thats my daily so I don't beat on it, I have a 406 S-10 for that, but it wants to grind third, initially I thought great clutch is gone but it kept goin through the gears and It's only doing it in third on downshifts so I wonder if it's a synchro problem, Just curious

No issues whatsoever here, but mine only hit 9k miles today. I'll let you know in 59k miles.

The only reason to get a manual transmission is of you like to shift gears. It's fun! It keeps you more engaged in the driving process. The Getrag 5-speed gearbox in my '07 LS is silky smooth and the clutch does not require tons of effort. I can skip 2nd and 4th gears under most easy driving circumstances if I so choose, and I often do.

If I lived in a hilly urban environment like, say...San Francisco...I would think twice about a manual transmission for a daily driving vehicle.

Has anyone had any issues with there 5-speeds? Mine's an 06 with about 68k and thats my daily so I don't beat on it, I have a 406 S-10 for that, but it wants to grind third, initially I thought great clutch is gone but it kept goin through the gears and It's only doing it in third on downshifts so I wonder if it's a synchro problem, Just curious

It is true that hard shifting in one gear, rather than all, usually rules out the clutch. That said, I'd try two things

1) Considering the mileage, I'd flush and bleed the hyd. clutch per the Factory Service Manual.

2) I'd change the trans lubricant. Good is the OE GM lube. Best is Red Line MTL. I'd be changing the lube every 3 years or 36,000 miles for best durability. On Red Line, with changes every 3 years or so, I've run MG292 transaxles to 140,000 miles with no service other than lube changes.

Try those things and see what happens.

Has anyone had any issues with there 5-speeds? Mine's an 06 with about 68k and thats my daily so I don't beat on it, I have a 406 S-10 for that, but it wants to grind third, initially I thought great clutch is gone but it kept goin through the gears and It's only doing it in third on downshifts so I wonder if it's a synchro problem, Just curious

Just Curious.....

The latest F23...M86 Getrags are manufactured in Bari Italy and factory filled with Dexron V1 Automatic Transmission Fluid. It's a light duty transmission capable of torque loads up to 155 ft lbs and a vehicle weight up to 4095 lbs. A light duty transmission will shift easier but not for long if the fluid allows the synchros to slip excessively and wear the friction material they are coated with. The blocker rings are lined with a carbon friction material and the 5th speed blocker ring is molybdenum coated. Shifting my 2009 LS 5 speed gives me a feeling that perhaps the fluid is too slippery and would benefit from perhaps Redline's MTF. Time will tell and I wouldn't make a change during the warranty period but it is something I will consider in a few years time. If one is a sensitive driver you can feel for the shift detent plungers and the synchro sleeves moving when going in and out of the gears. Varnish build-up on the synchros can cause poor shifting and a regular fluid change would be beneficial.

I always get a good laugh out of the mileage figures some are so proud of. My 2.2 auto does not have instant MPG in the DIC but on one trip of about 260 miles using nothing but the cruise control (as I do any time I am driving on the highway) and going from about 4000 feet to nearly 10,000 feet and back down to about 4000 feet elevation I got 36.9 MPG average. I just last week saw it say I was getting 47.7 MPG for a while going uphill and it was still 35.3 MPG when I got home about 150 miles later with an elevation gain of about 1000 feet and actually going from around 3000 feet to a little over 7000 feet and then back down to just over 4000 feet. I averaged over 35MPG that day and drove somewhere around 930 miles. It seems to reliably get around 34 MPG on the highway and 30MPG around town, I've seen it well over 35MPG on the highway lots of times. I checked the figures the DIC gives me the first 4 times I gassed up and had the exact same figure, so I quit bothering to check every time, it's always the same as what I figure it to be. My experience is that the vast majority cannot hold speed nearly as well as cruise control does.

Would a manual tranny get better mileage? Probably yes, but it has been my experience over the last 31 years in this state with the almost constant up and down that the average mileage is a little better with an automatic. I've driven both over the years and compared them to very similar vehicles with the other tranny. I only use the lowest Octane gas available, usually 85. Octane rating only tells you the anti knock properties anyway. If it doesn't knock you don't need to spend the money on higher Octane, it will do nothing except drain your wallet faster. I also believe that the average person will drive an MT considerably harder than they will drive an AT. But it's all just my opinion, we all know that absolutely no one is just average. I do know that an MT will be cheaper than an AT almost every time you buy. I have no idea if that is the same for a lease as I never have even checked on leasing.

Your situation could be very different.

Cheaper at purchase day..( always wondered how they charge extra for an auto? Are they offering the option to install a manual if you refuse? ) They get you later on those $1k clutch changes,, unless your a DIY'r