2009 Chevrolet HHR Overview Change Vehicle

This 2009 Chevrolet HHR overview explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2009 HHR, and includes Chevy HHR safety, reliability, and fuel economy information.

With one look at the 2009 HHR, you’d think nothing had changed since last year. Well, as they say, looks can be deceiving. Most important, however, is that traction control, stability control, antilock brakes, and side-curtain airbags now come standard on every single model. Satellite radio is standard for 2009, too.

Mechanically, the 2009 HHR’s base 2.2-liter four-cylinder now features variable valve timing and can operate on gasoline or E85 fuel (a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline), and provides increases in both power and efficiency. That so-called flex fuel capability is also now available with the 2009 HHR’s larger 2.4-liter engine, too.

Folks interested in the HHR SS are being treated to some special upgrades of their own, including a new SS Performance Package that tacks on Brembo front performance brakes and a limited-slip differential. Chevy also introduces the HHR Panel SS this year; we could very well be seeing the birth of this generation’s baddest floral delivery van.

Chevy has also worked on a variety of visual features and creature comforts for the 2009 HHR, adding a rearview camera, Bluetooth connectivity, Smoke or Silver exterior stripes, and three new colors: Silver Ice Metallic, Gold Mist Metallic and Aqua Blue Metallic.

Chevy’s version of the Chrysler PT Cruiser can be had in any one of three flavors, none of which you’d call poorly equipped. Positioned at the bottom of the lineup is the HHR LS, home to power door locks with remote keyless entry, power windows, power mirrors, air conditioning, a tilt steering wheel, cruise control, and a stereo with a CD player, satellite radio, and an input jack for your MP3 player. The HHR also comes with a manual driver’s seat height adjuster, a fold-flat front passenger’s seat, floor mats, and a free year of OnStar service.

The 2009 HHR’s middle child is named LT and outdoes its little brother thanks to alloy wheels, a standard power driver’s seat and, if equipped with an automatic transmission, a remote start system. An available 2LT package dials things up a bit with a sport-tuned suspension, 17-inch alloy wheels, fog lights, extra chrome trim, Bluetooth, an impressive sound system courtesy of Pioneer, and a few extra horses under the hood.

Positioned atop all other HHRs is the SS, now available in panel van guise as well as the wagon style from last year. Among the features that separate the SS from the rest of the 2009 HHR pack are a short-throw manual shifter, a high-performance chassis that can be set to normal or competitive modes, a boost gauge connected to the turbocharged engine, and unique interior and exterior visual cues. Enthusiasts will also want to check SS-specific options, such as a Performance Package with Brembo front brakes and a limited-slip differential, deeply bolstered front sport seats, and an electronic display that can be set to track 0-60 mph times, lateral grip, and more.

Fans of the HHR SS should be happy with the 2009 model, as it has been carried over with the torquey, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that cranks out 260 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of twist. Unfortunately, that output is only available when the engine is mated to a standard five-speed manual transmission. A four-speed automatic is also available, though it cuts power to 250 horses and 223 pound-feet of torque. Fuel economy of 21-mpg city/29-mpg highway with the manual gearbox remains unchanged from 2008. However, 2009 Chevrolet HHR SS models equipped with the automatic are slightly more efficient than they were last year, earning EPA ratings of 19 mpg around town and 29 mpg on the highway.

Buyers who pass over the SS in favor of the LS, LT or 2LT will have less power at their disposal, yet they’ll also fill their gas tanks less frequently. The base engine, a 2.2-liter four-cylinder, has been upgraded this year with variable valve timing and offers greater power and efficiency than in the past. Horsepower and torque are up to 155 and 150, respectively, and highway fuel economy now registers between 22 and 32 mpg, depending on transmission. The 2009 Chevy HHR’s smallest engine is also now capable of operating on regular gasoline or E85, a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. If you spot a FlexFuel badge on that new HHR, this is what it’s referring to.

The FlexFuel technology also applies to the 2.4-liter four-cylinder that’s standard on the HHR 2LT and optional on the LT. With greater displacement comes greater output, which in this case measures 172 horsepower and 167 pound-feet of torque. Drivers dependent on the 2.4 should see between 21 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway, depending on transmission choice. Like the SS, the HHR LS and LT models are available with a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission.

The 2009 Chevrolet HHR has turned a corner, so to speak, one that should please a number of potential buyers. Based on results published by Consumer Reports and J.D. Power and Associates, the predicted reliability for the HHR is about average. Nothing to cheer about, you say? In the grand scheme of things that’s true, but we’re talking about a car that has seen its share of low grades for dependability. There’s lots of improvement yet to be done, but at least the needle is moving in the right direction.

From a safety perspective, the HHR turns another corner. For 2009, side curtain airbags, stability control, traction control, and ABS all come standard, along with one free year of OnStar service with Advanced Automatic Crash Notification service. With regard to crashworthiness ratings, the HHR continues to hold its own. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has awarded the HHR 5 out of 5 Stars for front- and side-impact protection, and a respectable 4-Star rating for its ability to resist rollover. Ask the folks at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) what they think about the HHR and they’ll tell you about their own crash test results, which earned the little Chevy high praise in the frontal impact test but a lower Acceptable rating for side-impact protection and a Marginal rating for rear-impact injury prevention.

The 2009 Chevrolet HHR is not the most refined automobile on the market, but it possesses undeniable personality, offers tremendous utility, boasts fairly impressive crash-test scores, and has improved reliability to at least average levels. Plus, the HHR SS offers plenty of performance in a family-friendly package. It may not be for everybody, but lots of people like the HHR and we’re not about to discourage them from buying one.

By Thom Blackett