I already had to replace two of my tires so I won't be buying any very soon. I just thought it was weird that the HHR has such wide tires when most other economical cars have thinner ones. I know so many people who have put big wide tires on pickups then complained about the mileage.

 

Did they recalibrate their speedometer? If not, they would be complaining about lousy mileage and getting lots of speeding tickets

 

Keep in mind that the HHR is heavier and is designed to carry more than a typical economy car. Narrower tires may be more economical, but they cannot carry as high a load per tire. Also, the HHR is a taller vehicle with a higher center of gravity and the wider tires help with handling stability. Ever notice how all the other Delta cars have four-lug hubs in their non-performance versions and the HHR has five-lugs? Five-lug hubs can support greater loads than four-hubs.

 

The real reason the HHR has wider tires has more to do with looks than load carrying ability. The entire premise of the HHR is all about looking like mini customized hot rod in an affordable, and reasonably economic package. Granted, a truly old style rod will have skinny tires. But most any custom from the last 30 years has wide tires.

For a small car, the HHR handles pretty well. Personally, I'll sacrifice a small mileage gain for the better handling characteristics of the wider tires, and the better look as well.

 

Um, no. GM didn't throw 5-lug wheels on the car because they "look" better. The HHR is designed for utility, not just looks. The increase weight, carrying capacity, and handling characteristics mandate a larger wheel/tire combo.

 

I always thought heavy loads required more tire pressure, not width. I think wider tires are for acceleration, and lower profile for cornering.

 

Nope. Each tire has to handle a certain share of the load. Lower profile tires ARE better for handling, but you lose a lot of load capacity when you remove that much rubber. The 215/55 series tire is both wider AND taller than the more common 205/55 series and the width and taller sidewall gives it a higher load rating. The HHR also has the beefier hubs and brakes used on the Cobalt SS and ION Redline to handle the extra weight of the car and load capabilities.

The other matter is the center of gravity. HHR is a taller car and having a wider tire helps keep the thing on all four wheels. Wider tires CAN help put power to the ground, but the application for the relatively low-powered HHR is more suited to the handling requirements and load carrying characteristics of a utility vehicle.