The shifter in the HHR should be on the column.
 

There is no good reason for the automatic shifter in the HHR to be on the floor. You can't manually shift the HHR through the gears, and the huge shifter mechanism takes up valuable space that could be better used for storage bins or what not. There is plenty of room on the column for a shifter, even with the windshield wiper controls on the same side as a column shifter would be. I would love for there to be a nice sized bin with a cover or even an open bin with no cover, because there would be lots of room opened up with the removal of the shifter. Yeah, yeah, I know a floor shifter is supposed to be "hip" and "cool" and "sporty" but I always preferred a column shifted automatic. Besides, the HHR isn't exactly a sporty car to begin with. I guess I just like column shifters on automatics.

Only police/fire/emergency vehicles have column shifts these days. That's to make room for comm equipment and to make fancy pursuit driving easier.

Think about it. Front wheel drive vs rear wheel drive. What are most column shifted cars ?
From a design standpoint, the console shifter was probably easier and more cost effective for most front wheel drives.

Late model Chevy (and GMC) pickup trucks have column shifters. Some bigger cars had them until 4 or 5 years ago (Impala for example).

Actually it's the other way around. In a RWD car, the shifter is on the floor because the transmission is right underneath the shifter. In a FWD car, the transmission is (sometimes) mounted near the steering column. What could be more convenient than putting the shifter closer and a straighter shot to the transmission?

Maybe in the last few years. But going back, most column shifted cars were RWD.

My SS would like to disagree. :D

I'm sure a floor shifter is more cost effective over a column shifter.

I did qualify with "these days".

Many other cars have moved onto the dash console, even cheaper.

If you read the publicity blurb for Pursuit Vehicles, they cite shifter on column. Like the new Chevy Police car.

I could stand the shifter in the HHR in either place as they both have advantages and disadvantages.

I could go for it on the column "only if it was carefully placed and designed."
It certainly would clean up the console for more practical use.
Later model front wheel drive GM vehicles with column shifters included all the Venture Vans and the Uplander too. I owned and drove several hundred thousand miles on 3 brand new and 1 used Ventures and I loved the column shift on those. That series also included the Olds Silhouette and the Pontiac Montana.

To add to a Possible Improvement on the cluttered console they could have placed the emergency brake activator on the left floor area as a push foot brake like so many GM model cars and vans have had.
The venture van had that system and it worked great with the column shift.

*** I am speaking only of Auto Trans Applications here as stick shifters might not agree with a column shift idea.

SF