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Comments
Avoid the trap of letting things escalate. Stick to talking about the HHR, not each other.
I'm not positive but I think the design is to push the date button to display the date momentarily when you need it. The time on mine stays visible on the radio display but not the date, unless i push the button.
Now I'm curious... Going to check and see if there is a way to display the date full time, but I doubt it. :confuse:
My guess is 19 to 20 all in town gas mileage, 24 to 26.5 in mixed driving, with 29 to 30 on the highway with a very light foot. Am I close?
Loren
I've removed some off topic posts to get us back on track here. Let's stick to the discussing the vehicle itself here please.
Thanks!
loren
It is possible someone on the board here is a wizard with tweaking engines and has tried different spark advances with a 2.4 liter engine. I think of a Miata, 1.8 liter engine, it would drop around 3 to 5 HP. I would think that GM tested the engine at different octanes, so they have the data. Getting it is another story.
Your car doesn't have a turbo, so that is not an issue. Most turbo cars that say to use premium, really do mean premium only.
Oh dang, forgot about something - the warranty. Be sure it does not effect the warranty to use regular gas.
Loren
My dealer said you only have to use higher grade gas if it starts pinging or losing power. Believe what you want. I really don't care as long as they stand behind the warranty. It's a 3 year lease so... no worries. :shades:
Loren
But when I went by the local NC dealership lots (3 of them, 1 in Asheville, 1 in Black Mountain, and 1 in Marion), none had a single HHR on the lot or in the showroom. So we weren't able to get close up looks at them or at their interiors.
Where are they hiding them?
Just to clarify, Consumer Reports DOES usually get the EPA MPG (or better) for highway driving. But, the big discrepancies (33-50%) are in the city numbers. In the real world, people idle longer and accelerate faster than the EPA's tests. Also, as you say, hills and strong head winds can also significantly reduce real-world MPG (not taken into account by the EPA).
Agreed. I find the CR mileage numbers very helpful. They have City, Highway steady state, 150 mile higway trip, and combined mileage numbers. The City number is the one that is a lot lower than EPA. The Highway steady state can be pretty high, and is probably most akin to what you'd get if you were on a "fuel economy" challenge - no stop and go, just cruise control at legal limit, and is often higher than the EPA highway number. The 150 mile highway trip has some "overhead" - warming up the car, getting on and off the freeway, stop for lunch and breaks. It's a little lower than EPA highway figures, but not by much. Combined is a low figure based on "stoplight dragracing" - accelerating briskly up to speed, then stopping for the inevitable red light the next block (I accelerate slower and time my lights to the extent possible).
I never realized that I was getting much better mileage than most drivers. My father taught me to anticipate traffic, time lights, drive like there is an egg between my foot and the accelerator pedal. I also read all the driving articles of the day in Popular Mechanics and Popular Science.
In the current era, people are in a hurry and don't value the role of the driver in saving fuel. They tailgate and alternate between accelerating up to bumper distance and braking to keep a safe distance. They accelerate quickly into open pockets of traffic on the freeway. And they really move out from stop lights. And the mileage is bad? I'm not surprised. Does this mean I drive like a fuddy duddy? No, I usually get accused of driving too fast. But, I try to drive smooth and smart, too, and not make every take off a drag race - only when I need to beat another car to the on ramp.
From my perspective, the 4 cylinder is more attractive since my 80 mile daily commute is pretty much at freeway speeds with little slow and go, and I often take weekend trips of 300-400 miles. The extra mpg on the freeway wouldn't get overshadowed by the roughly equivalent city mileage. Even in the city, my slower takeoffs would mean the 4 cylinder would save some gas.
The problem is, as a generation and a nation we told ourselves that 4 cylinders weren't thrifty (a virtue) but cheap (poverty mentality, I deserve better). Now we all need 6's and V-8's are even better. And, bigger is better than smaller. Our gas mileage crisis is as much a part of our psychology of self esteem as it is a crisis of means. Only a few people will conspicuosly consume by buying a MINI instead of a Corolla. Most buy an F-150 or an Expedition instead of a Corolla (or even instead of a Camry or Impala).
True. What else would explain the V6 hybrids that are available? For example, the Honda Accord Hybrid (with a V6 gas engine) performs comparably to the V6 Honda Accord in terms of horsepower and torque. To REALLY save gas, there should be a 4-cylinder Honda Accord Hybrid that performs comparably to the 4-cylinder Honda Accord...but Honda probably thinks a 4-cylinder Accord Hybrid wouldn't sell, and based on the current market they're probably right.
I just bought a Mazda5 with a 160-hp 4-cylinder engine, and that's plenty of power for me. I'm glad that the HHR comes with fuel-efficient 4-cylinders (22/30 MPG, according to Chevy).
Ok, back to the HHR topic...I think the HHR should be fine for everyday driving with any of the available engines. Of course, many people may prefer to pay more for a bigger engine, but usually at the expense of fuel economy.
Hmmm...I just noticed that Chevy has identical fuel economy estimates for the 2 engines (22/30). Seems strange, since I thought that higher horsepower usually results in lower fuel economy.
I think the vvt technology has something to due with that, larger displacement, more ponies, and efficient all in one package
In mixed driving I personally see between 30 and 32 mpg routinely. The worst tank we've ever had was almost 24 mpg, and included a lot of that bumper to bumper stoplight driving and idling, back during last Christmas shopping season.
i noticed on kelly bb website that they list the gas mileage for the base engine 2006 HHR at 22 / 27...
http://www.chevrolet.com/hhr/specifications/
To do this with a 2.4 liter engine, with considerably more weight is nothing short of a miracle. That car is a keeper. I would have guessed around 18 to 22 - 20 avg. for in town.
Loren
I was glad, too, thinking that the HHR might be a viable replacement for the supposedly-to-be-discontinued Malibu Maxx. But then I learned that the 2.4 engine is supposed to run on premium if there is a pinging problem...and I bet there will be.
That, plus the power issue make me wonder: Why don't they drop a V6 into the HHR? The way I look at it, premium fuel in a 4 cylinder defeats the economy advantage; you might as well just have the thirstier engine in the first place. (And the 3.5 in my Maxx isn't thirsty at all...26 MPG overall).
Just my thoughts.
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/biztech/articles/050912/12suv.div.htm
http://www.chevrolet.com/hhr
You need to either keep a total of your gas and mileage per tank and then average them, or use the same pump and car orientation (in case there is a slope) and fill by "topping off" three times (you have to push the gas nozzle all the way in and let the automatic shut off determine when enough is enough - don't top off by pulling the nozzle part way out). This gives a fairly consistent fill, according to my Ford owner's manual, then you use a calculateor to figure your mileage on that tank (doing it in your head involves too much rounding off, usually, and can skew your numbers).
With my former base model PT Cruiser with an automatic, my initial tanks were 26 mpg while I babied it, but when I drove it more aggressively (which with that car with that weight you pretty much have to do) my mileage dropped to 23-24. I hear Chevy's are more efficient, but the people at DMC aren't dummies - I got great mileage with three different Neons, which have the same basic engine, so I suspect the real problem is a combination of the auto, the weight, and the aerodynamics.
On the other hand, I now have a CR-V with a 2.4 and 5 speed auto, and easily get 26 mpg on freeway trips, occasionally more, so there is some room for efficiency variations (the CR-V weighs about the same but has a larger, blockier aerodynamic profile).
BTW, 20 mp on heavy city driving is good, according to car magazine tests and Consumer Reports tests of similar weight vehicles in past road tests. Take your HHR on the open road and see what your computer reads back (if you have a mpg readout).
Maybe you have something wrong? No way you can have an average 24 MPH unless you do all city driving and never go over 45 MPH. No wonder your MPG is so low, it's all city.
But my overall MPG is 26, evenly split between stop and go suburban driving and long trips...almost exactly what the EPA quotes for this car (22 city/30 highway). So I'm surprised that the HHR would do worse.
For the price of high teens low 20 you get anything you can think of including power and comfort. Anyone wanting someting nice with great gas mileage this is the one.
Now if I can just figure out what HHR means?
Now if I can just figure out what HHR means? "
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Depends on what you consider great gas mileage. Compared to an SUV, it is great.
Should get 20 to 29 depending on how driven, and other conditions. That is pretty darn good compared to SUV gas hogs. Closer to the smaller SUVs like the Tribute.
The HHR is Heritage High Roof.
The car is a proven hit, as it has been out in the PT form for five years now, with good sales, and well liked for its utility, style, and fun.
Loren
Really! In fact, I think I read that in the Edmunds review of this car...er, SUV or whatever. The heritage part is supposed to have something to do with its resemblance of the 1949 Chevy Suburban wagon; the high roof part...well that's self explanatory
Looks a bit like an HHR. I think the front reminds me of the family '50, I think it was,
Chevy pickup truck. What a "cute" little show truck the HHR-T ( truck ) would be.
Can I be CEO at GM for a day? OK, then DamlierChrysler, as it may be around a bit longer.
Loren