maybe some others to consider, these are on my short list along with the
hhr SS + and hhr 2lt with side airbags,
" 2 lt and airbags are by the way hard to find in one in my area new or used"
dealers would rather put on the extra chrome wheels than the airbags.

so here is my short list besides hhr,

jeep patriot, in 4x2 or 4x4, problem I have with this is the cvt, otherwise I would probably have one, thinking about a 5 speed, but cant just yet get on board, lots of patriot owners love the cvt, just takes getting use to it and learning how to drive to obtain good mpg, built in Illinois,
its very roomy, has side impact airbags, but the dash is plastic,yuk, but with care should be durable. decent gas milage in the 5 speed, loose about 4mpg with cvt, and 1 mpg for 4x4,
doesnt match hhr ss in fun factor or looks,

Bmw x3, one of my favorites great looks in the right color, lots of air bags, has x drive, "sort of 4 wheel drive" no 2 wheel drive option, wider than the hhr and with a 6 speed manual is a blast to drive in the 3.0, the 2.5 is a little lacking in power, but the 3.0 can get 25 on the highway, getting a cpo "certified preowned" you get a 100,00 or 6 year from original purchase date, the 07 has a newly engineered motor and avgs 27 mpg on the highway
doesnt match hhrss mpg,

I havnt drove the hhrss, but the hhr 2lt and lt and ls, as far as for me, I like the 2lt but have to have the side airbags, Im tall and so no sunroof as I touch my head on the ceiling, the 2lt is just a smooth ride. In the jeep and x3 no problem with the sunroof all kinds of room.

neighbor bought a lt after test driving a 2lt (he didnt know the difference)and he is not excited about the ride and didnt know about the 2lt ride difference, but still likes his hhr, strange he has a diesel vw that gets 40+ in town, but still drives his hhr instead. fun factor!
good luck with your decision,
max

 

thanks for your opinion max

 

YOU ARE CORRECT Lone Ranger.......... Plus Japan needs all the American dollars they can get to help recover from the recent Earthquake they had...

Boomee,
You need to test drive every car and SUV you like, then decide what you want to buy, not what sombody else tell's you too...
If your still intrested in a HHR-SS after a test drive, the guy's on this forum seem to be experts when it comes down to questions reguarding the SS's. Good Luck in your new car quest.

 

Here is my new thought. Get a list of the cars you are interested in, ones mentioned here that peaked your interest as well. Schedule test drives with each car. Let the dealer know that you are test driving to compare otherwise you will be at each dealership for half the day. Once you have test drove them all and seen all the features and what have you, go home. Narrow it down if you can, pro's con's, gas mileage, maintenance, all of that, narrow it down. Take another test drive in any car if you need to. Just slowly narrow it down until there is only the one you want left.

 

For performance, fuel economy, unique styling, utility, and fun factor you really are not going to top the HHR SS.

 

i've owned a few exotics and many luxury autos.... i really like the hhr ss... i mean i really like it... enough said

 

to silver ss and chevy ss I was just curious about everyones OPINION I would never by a car just because some one told me in a forum and of course i am gonna test drive all the cars i am interested in

 

I have about 4,000 miles on my SS 5-speed and so good so far. I have been burned by GM quality and was also looking @ the STI and Speed3. I kept it American at this point and havent been disappointed. I commute 105 miles a day and IF you keep you foot out of the floor it will pull a constant 30 on the freeway. I typically average 27.9 on the computer, becasue I cant resist the temptation to let it breathe... It will peg you in the seat.

The mileage computer did drop down to 24, but I was doing 145mph and looking @ the front end of a Dodge Charger R/T getting smaller and smaller.

Flip the seats down and your dogs will fit in the back. I can put a 12, 10 and 5 year old in the back seat (including a car seat) with out a problem...

 

I would love to have seen the R/T guys' face, too. Some of them seem to think their R/T is the baddest thing on the road and it most definitely is not.

 

Okay, new thought for the day haha.

I had an Audi S4 as a daily driver. I needed something with more room but didn't want the 15 MPG that is brought on by an SUV so I looked at smaller ones. When I sat in the SS I didn't feel like I was loosing much quality from the Audi (Keep in mind anything plastic on a Chevy was leather in the Audi, anything "chrome" was actually brushed aluminum) So the Audi was very high quality and I get a similar feeling inside the SS. I know it's not up to Audi par, but it doesn't feel far behind it. Every dodge I sat in felt like I was going to break something. The Scion felt good too.

So saying most people can go from luxury to a Chevy is saying a lot for the Chevy.