Comments on: Comparo: Chevrolet HHR SS vs. Dodge Caliber SRT-4

By: Lbart

Lbart — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 10:32:47 +0000

Actually I saw it on a TV show. You can polish a “TURD”.

By: michael3442

michael3442 — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 01:37:56 +0000

I don’t understand the constant negativity about the Caliber and am glad to hear the above poster’s positive comments. I’ve rented the Caliber twice and thought it was great. The interior was roomy, the seats were very supportive from the sides and under the thigh, and the upright seating position is superb. The sightlines were very good, the dash gauges were well protected from the sun and glare, great headroom.

I drove it from S.F. down to L.A. on the coastal highway and then up and down the very winding canyon roads outside of Malibu. On those roads I pressed it very hard and found it exceptionally tractable and predictable; it felt like a slot car. I would not hesitate for a minute to take it on a road trip across country it’s so extremely comfortable; btw I’m 6′1″. The exterior styling is decent and eons better than the lame HHR.

I reserved a HHR to rent and after sitting in it and finding it uncomfortable and very difficult to see out of, went back and exchanged it for the 2nd Caliber. The HHR’s sightlines are much compromised by the low roofline that folds down over the sides of the car and cuts off any ability to glance upward above the strict horizontal. It felt enclosing. The seats were pedestrian and the fit of the interior was no better than slightly under average. The exterior looks piggish and a very poor attempt to be retro.

Sorry to HHR owners, but rent a Caliber and see what I mean.

Miata/Altima/Pathfinder owner

By: jstnspin82

jstnspin82 — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 02:53:00 +0000

I don’t get this segement very well. With the introduction of the PT Cruiser, it was cool, it was retro but its gone to far. The scions, the HHR, and even the Nitro. They are all ugly and look out of this world. They don’t appeal to me, while they appeal to some. The whole retro movement of cars is going to go down sometime. You can’t just keep making cars look like old ones and not make new ones. The Caliber looks nice though, not retro by any means, looks classy and good lines. It seems Chrysler is the only American auto maker that has appeal in design these days.

By: Matthew Neundorf

Matthew Neundorf — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:24:38 +0000

Vento97;

You are correct, the GTi dropped in NorAm in ‘82, but it was “introduced to the world” (via Europe) in ‘76

By: vento97

vento97 — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 02:55:11 +0000

In 1976, Volkswagen introduced the world to the Rabbit GTi.

Correction:

In 1976, Volkswagen introduced the world to the Golf GTI.

The Rabbit GTI was introduced to the North American Market in 1982.

By: Dr. No

Dr. No — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 03:41:23 +0000

I think GM got the HHR SS right in the styling department, although it’s a shame it came to market so late after the PT Cruiser, an ugly riff on the retro theme. I wouldn’t buy one, but its quality stands above the PT Barnum version.

Now we have the Camaro arriving a one to two years after Ford and Chrysler capture the Baby Boomer hankering for pony cars. Is it any surprise GM is in dire straits?

By: Rix

Rix — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 10:14:03 +0000

I own a WRX hatch so I see the point of these cars. If you can only have one car, want to take some weekend trips and don’t have more than one kid, and don’t want to hate the drive, these are good fits. FWD rather than AWD makes sense for cost, weight and mileage reasons. Could have been winners, but probably won’t be due to market conditions.

By: Silvermink

Silvermink — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 20:28:25 +0000

Usually the really flowerily-worded articles just make me roll my eyes, but this one was almost poetic.

Interesting comparison, too. The Caliber, visually, has always struck me as trying way too hard.

By: campocaceres

campocaceres — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 06:51:24 +0000

subtle references to both old and new, great use of simile, alliteration was a wee-bit overused (though paragraph 5 was well-done). i have to admit i really couldn’t care less about either of these 2 vehicles, but i was very much entertained by this article. i really enjoyed it, thanks.

also seconding another’s comment about the hhr dash texture- photo’s look good, but i didn’t like it in the flesh on the rental car i drove. the interior still felt cheap, though it is definitely an improvement over the cobalt and others.

also am i the only one who absolutely abhors plasti-chrome found on this and other vehicles? not exactly sure what it is about it, but it’s about as hot wheels as it gets imo. first ran into that on a rental mustang and it was just a constant eye-sore for me.

By: N8iveVA

N8iveVA — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 17:35:30 +0000

other than the overly large front end, i actually like the looks of the HHR, and i hear it’s a hoot to drive, but i just can’t get over sitting in it with the upright dash and miniature tach. The Dodge is just rediculous looking IMO.

By: shaker

shaker — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 14:10:21 +0000

As far as the HHR goes, any driver over 6 feet tall will find themselves stopping well back from traffic signals – the “chop top” lowers the windshield enough to block vision.

By: joeaverage

joeaverage — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 05:11:07 +0000

I always thought the HHR would look better if they didn’t have curvy fenders with a flattened edge built in. Ought to keep the whole curve all the way round.

I just don’t know what to think of them. I could live with the looks of either if they drove well and promised to last.

By: jerseydevil

jerseydevil — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 19:29:38 +0000

excellent and funny writing, thanks. as for these two cars, ive never cared for either.

By: iNeon

iNeon — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 18:17:05 +0000

50–

A flute is a champagne glass; the Caliber has lighted cupholders.

He’s trying to be ironic in that depreciating kind of way. Think low-rent Frasier Crane.

By: 50merc

50merc — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 16:58:38 +0000

Amen to the complaints about florid writing. Please, let’s hike the ratio of facts to filigree.

What the heck are backlit flute holders?

By: JEC

JEC — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 13:50:39 +0000

I think there should be a new law that forces manufacturers to put LSDs on any vehicle with more than 200 hp. I’m still astonished that top tier 911s make do with open diffs. My father’s G35 was well-nigh uncontrollable in wet weather without the LSD option. Between that and uncontrollable front-drive arm-wrenching scuttlebugs pitching people into lampposts, I think we have a good case for binding legislation.

By: iNeon

iNeon — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 05:59:37 +0000

All this, and no mention of just how wrong the dash texture is on the HHR?

for shame.

By: cleek

cleek — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 01:43:55 +0000

The HHR SS still looks like something a group of hotrodding circus clowns would be seen in as they squeal out of the rental car lot.

That said, thanks for another good read. Keep the reviews coming.

By: rpn453

rpn453 — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:57:04 +0000

Another great comparison test. Thanks.

By: Detroit-Iron

Detroit-Iron — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:47:40 +0000

Thanks retro. That sounds pretty good.

By: psarhjinian

psarhjinian — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 19:39:21 +0000

Does the HHR still come with that abominable Saab-parts-bin shifter that the Ion RL and Cobalt SS were afflicted with?

By: retro1949

retro1949 — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 18:37:09 +0000

To Detroit-Iron
I’m located in Newfoundland, Canada, so of course our prices are about 25% higher than U.S. I got a $900 discount on the sunroof/upgraded stereo package and about a $1000 discount in addition. The kicker, however, was the 0% 72 month financing. There were no SS’s in my province so I travelled to Nova Scotia to purchase mine and drive it back. Final price was $28,800 plus tax.

By: rudiger

rudiger — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:27:51 +0000

Ever since the Plymouth Roadrunner became such a phenomenal sales hit, the domestic industry has been referring to these cheap, speedy wheels as ‘kid cars’. They have been continually trying to repeat the same working formula for the past 40 years, unfortunately, without much success.

Ironically, as the manufacturer of the original version back in 1968, Chrysler’s current attempt, the SRT-4, can be summarized with the single phrase “You can’t polish a turd”. The basic Caliber makes it such a loser from the onset that no amount of mechanical testosterone injection can help it.

While the HHR SS isn’t quite as bad (particularly when ordered with the quarter panel window block-off panels), it misses the elusive target, as well.

By: friedclams

friedclams — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 16:25:30 +0000

This review sets a new standard for cutting prose.
Dennis Farina not Pininfarina! Ha ha!

“whether Joe’s been hauling putty or laying pipe.” Somehow this seems hopelessly obscene to me.

I sat in a rental HHR and couldn’t believe how vertical the windshield was. Like an old VW bug.

By: carguy

carguy — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 16:15:10 +0000

I’ve driven both the basic version of the HHR and Caliber and found the HHR to be a vastly superior car. Sure it isn’t perfect but the Caliber is so awful in every respect that is nearly ruptures the fabric of the automotive space-time continuum. From the dreadful interior, rubber-band transmission and a ride that manages to float and crash all at the same time; it really is the new Chevy Cavalier of small cars.