Chevrolet HHR

Chevrolet HHR With its fat-lip fascia hugging the pavement and a spherical stepped hood protrusion concealing a turbo-charged engine, the 2010 HHR SS, is one suped-up crossover utility vehicle (CUV). Consider it the coolest iteration of the Chevrolet HHR compact-class wagon. Chevrolet HHR Sadly, however, GM has since cut this high-powered model from its product lineup.
NOT YOUR AVERAGE FAMILY SEDAN

The Chevrolet HHR (those initials signify "Heritage High Roof") is itself a unique vehicle, looking like some shrunk-down and retro-styled homage to Chevy's Suburban wagon of roly-poly fender and bulging roofline vintage, circa 1949.

Or maybe it's a mutational mixing of the vintage Suburban and Chevy's more recent SSR pop-top convertible pickup due to the forward fenders articulated in edgy bulges and a spherical stepped hood protrusion blunted in front by an in-your-face grille.

And the Chevrolet HHR distinctive silhouette with three sets of windows etched into the flanks also reminds us of a woody wagon borrowed from those '60s beach-blanket movies with Frankie and Annette.

Chrysler 300 Full Test

the 2011 Chrysler 300 while traversing the 405 freeway through West Los Angeles should hardly surprise us. Two-year-olds, after all, have a knack for being impervious to more than just road noise.

Still, having driven this section of freeway in many vehicles, we're well aware that there's more going on here than just a little road noise. The number-one lane — situated only inches from the concrete center divider — was never designed to be a lane at all.

Here, in what was once the median, remain drainage grates, square-edge intrusions and rises sharp enough to rival the Baja 1000's famous Ojos Negros section of road — all on a first-world freeway. It is hardly safe. It is a ride engineer's worst nightmare. It is...our Sunday afternoon commute.

The Proof
But it's more than just the 2-year-old's sleepy indifference that is significant in this scenario. Cruising down this median-turned-fast lane at 75 mph, the 300's chassis remains settled over all but the biggest hits. It's stable, tame, locked on the lane and virtually impenetrable to road and wind noise.