I have a 2008 HHR 2LT. I bought it brand new thinking it would get better gas mileage than my 1995 Camaro. I have to say it doesn't get much better. My V6 Camaro got about 20 MPH. My HHR averages 23 MPH. Am I doing something wrong with this car or is this the norm for the HHR. I thought it would do better in the snow and surprisingly it does not. I love my HHR, but am very disappointed with these two parts of the car. I am due to get new tires so if any of you know of a good all season tire that does well in snow please let me know. I would also take any pointers to get better gas mileage.

 

All highway at 65 MPH should be close to 32 MPG. Mixed highway/city around 25MPG. It was on the EPA label when you bought it (long time ago, memories are short).

 

I would say the 2.4 auto should get anywhere from 24-28mpg's with 50/50 driving...if you are babying the throttle and coasting to lights and what not, you may need a new air filter, some octane booster(or a tank full of 93), maybe some fuel injector cleaner...If you are doing all city driving, 23 is about on par depending on a few factors of course...

 

So, after 6 years of "work" the car needs new tires, and you just now are thinking about winter?

I get new 70,000 mile warranted tires every year, no big snows here. Wet roads can be a problem, but I run them at 34 PSI hoping to get a little MPG boost (doesn't).

Only hints are coasting etc., new plugs (ACDelco) every 100K miles, using 5W30 oil and injector cleaner every once in a while. And I'm underneath the car almost every Saturday.

 

every Saturday! , Don, you set yourself up for a Rainman reference, up and down the driveway, every Saturday!!!
I concur fully about the oil weight, spark plug choice, and the tire pressure, disconnect the battery negative connection, to reset the computer when you change the plugs and adjust those rear brakes!!

 

the OP has already posted in a different thread questions about all season tire recommendations - so we'll try and keep this thread related to gas mileage issues. :-)

 

My 10 LT has the 2.2. In Oct on a trip from Roanoke Va to York Pa I averaged 33.6 MPG. A lot of the time on I-81 the speeds were a little over 70 and this is through terrian that is not level. Iknow the 2.4 gets a litttle less but not much.

 

I ran the I-90 from Buffalo out to Boston in October 10 hour drive average MPG 33.6 , last August a run down to Ashville NC, 14 hours down the 79 and 77 thru Erie PA, averaged 32.3 MPG
and last April run down to St. Pete's beach Florida averaged 34.1 mpg in 23 hours,so all were long runs over different terrains, weather and temperatures and speeds

 

This is my mpg distribution after seven years with my 06 2.4L LT1 auto. After 120,000 miles plus on the odometer. Some of the real high mpg maybe due to not filling the car to the top.



If you have crappy mpg, it is either your driving technique of there is an issue with the engine.

 

Wow. Impressed I am...