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HHR Future Powertrains?

33 messages,  Last post on May 04, 2007 at 6:21 PM

You are in the Chevrolet HHR Forum.

What is this discussion about? Chevrolet HHR, Engine, Wagon

Messages Page 3 of 4

#14 of 33 Re: Any new powertrains coming for 2007? [pacerman] by jerrywimer

May 09, 2006 (4:23 am)

Replying to: pacerman (May 07, 2006 11:12 am)
Yup. The SRT4 Caliber looks like a real screamer. But the HHR's numbers look good when you figure the numbers out this way. Add in the # of gears and the final drive ratios though and you'll probably get an explanation for the relative performance levels. An extra gear or two would most likely help things all around.

#15 of 33 Re: Any new powertrains coming for 2007? [jerrywimer] by smogdung

May 09, 2006 (4:53 am)

Replying to: jerrywimer (May 09, 2006 4:23 am)
But Jaxs1 wants one that sells for <$20K, 400 HP , holds 40-50 cases of beer & gets 35 mpg in the real world & corners like a Z06....anybody know of anything out there like that?

#16 of 33 Re: Any new powertrains coming for 2007? [smogdung] by jaxs1

May 09, 2006 (7:13 am)

Replying to: smogdung (May 09, 2006 4:53 am)
Stop being ridiculous.
I just wanted a little better performance, better mileage and a quieter, lower RPM cruising at highway speeds with the automatic. All that can be accomplished with a 5 speed automatic.
It would be better still if they also offered an engine that better handled the heavy weight of the HHR (like a V6) or if the vehicle was not so heavy to begin with.

#17 of 33 Re: Any new powertrains coming for 2007? [jaxs1] by micweb

May 09, 2006 (8:58 am)

Replying to: jaxs1 (May 09, 2006 7:13 am)
Although a 5 speed automatic sounds good in theory, in practice there was very little difference for us between a PT Cruiser with 4 speed auto, Honda CR-V with 5 speed auto, and Dodge Caravan with 4 speed auto. I think the differences are much greater between a 4 speed stick and 5 speed stick, and there are certain cars (the Honda Fit and Scion xA and VW Golf Mk IV all come to mind) that have high rpm even in 5th gear and would benefit from a 6th gear - but with automatics, the torque converter and lockup/unlock features actually add a lot of flexibility to even a 4 speed auto.
 
There was a big difference going from 3 speed automatics to 4 speed automatics with lockup torque converters (which lock and unlock on very flexible programs), but not so much in going from 4 speed to 5 speed automatics.
 
I owned and extensively drove all the vehicles mentioned above except the Fit.
 
I test drove a New Beetle with a 6 speed automatic. Guess what - not any better than the 4/5 speeds in the other cars (but from reports better than VW's old 4 speed).
 
What seems to make the most difference is the programming of the automatic. The 4 speed auto in our Dodge Neon was nimble, locking up and unlocking, downshifting and upshifting crisply and responsively. The automatic in the PT felt sluggish and reluctant to shift in comparison. I understand the auto in the Neon in the year before ours got dinged for being unresponsive, but got reprogrammed the following year.

#18 of 33 Re: Any new powertrains coming for 2007? [jaxs1] by smogdung

May 09, 2006 (7:02 pm)

Replying to: jaxs1 (May 09, 2006 7:13 am)
Generally speaking if you make it much lighter....it will be much less quiet...like the RAV4 we got rid of (forget music >55 mph). If you make it more powerful...it will suck more gas ...like the new RAV4 with the 268 HP V6 (16MPG). If it's 4X4...it will suck more gas (22.5 mpg...like the RAV4 we got rid of. If it's a Toyota it will be in for repairs all the time ...like the RAV4 we just got rid of. But the 2LT....XM fine up 90 MPH, 27.9 mpg, handles the twisties great with the 17s & sport suspension....

#19 of 33 Re: Any new powertrains coming for 2007? [smogdung] by jaxs1

May 09, 2006 (8:43 pm)

Replying to: smogdung (May 09, 2006 7:02 pm)
I'm not seeing others making the same 27.9 MPG claims with a 2LT automatic other than maybe if they do all or nearly all highway driving.
Owners of the new 268 HP RAV4 do claim to get near 30MPG on the highway.
You compare city mpg of the V6 RAV4 with your highway mileage of an HHR and that is not valid.
The HHR has Cobalt powertrains and it is not a lightweight Cobalt, so it is expected that it performs and gets fuel economy like a Cobalt loaded down with many hundred pounds of passengers and cargo would.

#20 of 33 Re: Any new powertrains coming for 2007? [micweb] by jerrywimer

May 10, 2006 (9:26 am)

Replying to: micweb (May 09, 2006 8:58 am)
Good point on the automatic w/lockup converters micweb. I thought about that on my way home from work the day I posted my prior reply. My Silverado has the (seemingly standard) GM four speed, and I realized that it usually is in 4th on the steep grades around here, even though it occasionally unlocks the converter. So it's much more similar to having a five speed than most realize (or even a six), since it technically has a variable range between third and fourth where the converter is unlocked.
 
As far as the engine comments, I'm with jaxs1 on this. The 2004 Malibu LT sedan we had with the 3500 pushrod (I can hear the moans already) felt more powerful all around than the Cobalt sedan we recently had as a loaner. All that while returning roughly 24-26 city and as much as 35 highway miles per gallon. Besides the obvious image problems some might have with the pushrod, I can see this being a very good optional powerplant for the HHRs.

#21 of 33 Re: Any new powertrains coming for 2007? [jerrywimer] by micweb

May 10, 2006 (4:41 pm)

Replying to: jerrywimer (May 10, 2006 9:26 am)
We are very close to buying a 3.5 Impala and it seems pretty good, although "stigmatized" by the pushrod image.... I've heard good things about the mileage on GM's pushrod 6's...we are getting hosed by the mileage on our PT Cruiser (on the other hand it only cost us $12,600 new, and the savings pay for a lot of gas).

#22 of 33 Re: Any new powertrains coming for 2007? [jaxs1] by smogdung

May 10, 2006 (8:01 pm)

Replying to: jaxs1 (May 09, 2006 8:43 pm)
Well, I think you should go buy a 268hp RAV4...let us know how much you really pay for it & after a few months let let us know how that overall ave mpg thing goes for ya. Good luck. Mine was a 2001, 2.0 liter 148 hp 4x4 automatic. Best tank ever was 24.5 mpg worst ever was about 21 & overall we averaged about 22.5....this was the same driving conditions as we now ave about 27 in the 2LT. The 2LT is much quieter, faster, quicker, less expensive, & more fuel efficient that that RAV4 ever dreamed of being. Sounds like those new ones that weigh several hundred pounds more than the last version and have the 268 hp engine are just what you're looking for.

#23 of 33 Turbo by pao

Jun 19, 2006 (10:25 am)

put the same turbo that the Pontiac Solstice GXP is getting this fall....the HHR is about 300 or so pounds heavier I beleive than our base solstice......GXP turbo to take it to approx 245 HP from 177HP in the base solstice.......would work for me...

Messages Page 3 of 4

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