I have a 2.4L with traction control. The power and tourque are okay but not great. The HHR is a pretty heavy vehicle for the engine that it has. The biggest problem, I find, is the 4 speed auto. The 4 speed is terrible, I was expecting much better gas mileage on highway trips but the 4 speed holds the RPM's pretty high when travelling at speed. I've read that at some point 5 speeds will be making their way into GM vehicles which should be a significant upgrade. Having test drove a few 6 speed auto vehicles after buying the HHR I wish I would have waited to pull the trigger on that purchase.

I drive through the Canadian Rockies fairly often for ski trips and such, it does okay on mountain passes but the cruise control accelerates really aggressively even on very slight inclines, this really bothers me. The traction control is very disappointing, I've driven other vehicles with TC and other stability systems and they are far better and superior.

 

I have the 2.2 in Stitch, and have found that it's not so much the equipment as it is the driver which impacts how much power you can get out of it. I know when I drive mine I have no problems with consistently cruising near 70, and haven't had problem one with acceleration off the line. I hear a lot of folks talking about how the 2.2 is a dog, or the 4 speed is geared wrong. I have both and have no problems at all with them, and in fact I believe I get just as good of mileage out of a tank of gas and just as much pep on the pedal as anyone driving with the 5 speed stick, or driving the 2.4. In fact, I know I do as well as the 2.4, because that's in my wife's 2007 G6, and after driving both cars I feel zero difference in engine performance.

 

Same here!! Seems like some people who complain about the "Alleged" lack of power should have shopped around more and just bought something with more power to begin with, if that's what they wanted, instead of knocking the HHR which is basically an economy car, not intended as a performance car!

 

My 2.4 Purrrrrrs on 87 89 or 92 octane. Mileage ranges from 28.5 on 87 to 32.4 on the 92 at 70-75 mph... Hills, steep hills, lots of get up and gone...............

 

Our 2.2 does the same thing! Confusing isn't it .

 

Are you guys sure? I have a 2006 Spring Edition w/2.4/auto like GDZHHR and of course its on the 1LT package, but if I put my HHR in low of "L" I get a yellow-amber T/C light with a slash through it that comes on in the lower right hand corner of my dash cluster. I always assumed that I had traction control, but it was turned off while in low.