Hey y'all, I've been looking at leasing a new vehicle (MB C350 or Infiniti G35X or EX or something along those lines) and I've been sitting in a bunch of cars now and test driving a few and I've noticed that all of them have a fold down center arm rest in the rear that has storage and usually a set of drink holders. I don't usually haul around passengers in the rear of the HHR nor have I spent too much time back there except to clean it but I'm wondering why they wouldn't put something like that into every car. Would it cost that much more to have it back there? With a fold down arm rest with cup holders they would be able to remove that one cup holder in the back of the center console and maybe put in a rear passenger air vent. Since there are already vents that flow under the front seats for the rear passengers feet it wouldn't be hard for GM to flow some air through a rear vent at the back of the center console (I don't think????)

For me, this would be an awesome extra feature that could step the HHR up above it's competition.

 

All the ones you've noticed this feature on are upscale models. Some features, although they're not expensive, are used to differentiate models within a manufacturer's range. You don't even get a rear armrest in the Malibu, you have to get an Impala to get one from Chevrolet. That said, I'm not sure why it doesn't come on a 2LT, you're paying enough for the higher trim levels. Civics come with the rear armrest and cupholders as standard. GM has sold themselves short on a number of choices in the interior appointments. I think the center console arrangement in the HHR is one of the most disappointing elements of the whole design. I'm not complaining, for what I paid for mine, but for a high spec version I'd expect better interior design and material choices.

 

This is the very thing my daughter was complaining about when she rides in the back of my LT1. My wifes outback has one hell my 1990 toyota camry that I sold for this car had one. Yea a 1990.

 

Oh I forgot yes the split rear seats did fold down in a 60/40 configuration.

 

I think the main issue with this (other than cost) is that the rear seatbacks are too thin to put something like this in. They need to keep them thin in order to maintain the flat load floor when they are folded down. Just my own opinion.

 

Yeah, it is missed in our HHR. Yes more upscale models in the world have one, but so do lower scale cars. Just a choice Chevy made. We tend to use my daughter's book bag for one if needed.

I actually think a proper armrest in the back is an added safety feature, helping to keep things where they should be.

My daughter complained more about the faulty Seatbelt in our Pontoyota Matrix that we traded for the HHR. God awful car in some ways.

 

Well ,with mine being all leather, I would not want a rear cup holder as not to encourage it being a fastfood area back their.

 

You can always buy one of those consoles that will sit on the seat. They have cupholders and provide storage. I'm not sure how you secure them. I guess you use the seat belt. Just an idea!

 

It would probably be less expensive than what Chevy would charge to put one back there for an option, too.

Most of the time I see this feature on cars that don't have full folding seatbacks like the HHR and Malibu do. It's usually used as a spot for a pass-through into the trunk. Another thing to keep in mind--this isn't a Mercedes or Infiniti. Like all Chevys, like it or not it's an economy car.

 

The problem with purchasing something aftermarket is that it will take up space where as something built in could be folded back into the seat. If I have some large-ish piece of plastic in the back seat and have to make an unexpected pick up and need to completely load up the HHR I'd have to figure out where to put that extra piece or I could fold it back into the seat and have the extra space. That's an extreme example but it could happen.

I understand that the compares I've been recently looking at are almost twice the price of the HHR and I understand where the HHR fits into the car lineup but there are still things that should and could easily have been incorporated into the vehicle. I remember other GM vehicles in the past having such rear arm rests. I think the older pontiac grand prix's had them and I think some buicks had them.

Also, the vehicles I've been looking at all have the rear fold away (pass-through) armrest and they also all have split, folding rear seats.