[BfloDrumDude]

This week I plan on going to my local dealer to purchase a new Terrain. For the past 3 years I have had an HHR LT(2.2), which has been a good car for the most part. During the summer, I have taken the HHR on several long distance road trips and I love driving it during the warm months, but living in Buffalo, this car is a disaster when it comes to winter driving (especially that it comes with low boy tires, plus I purchased it used from Georgia, so it has conventional brakes and no form of traction control). Other than that and a few cheap features (caste plastic door handles that crack and a shifter that has a worn plastic pin, causing me to have to use the key release under the steering wheel to remove the key), I've had many good memories with the HHR, but I feel it's time to move on up to something a bit bigger and better. As a musician, it was a great car for both the gas mileage and the storage capacity (I used to cram my drums into an '02 Cavalier Coupe). I'm looking at most likely purchasing the I-4, SLE-1 model, both due to the great price I can get on that model and still having more features than my HHR currently offers. I have a 40 minute commute to work which is a mix of highway and city driving, plus I often travel, so gas mileage is the key for me! Also, I have driven vehicles with electric and hydraulic steering and actually prefer the electric (call me crazy), which I think is another plus of the I-4. Pretty much what I hope to get out of the Terrain is a slightly larger vehicle with more features and good gas mileage while at the same time having a vehicle that can survive the winter months and not slide around anytime I go over 15mph.

If anyone who has made the switch from an HHR to a Terrain has any stories, I would greatly appreciate them!

 

[jstpsntym]

I think you will like the Terrain in winter. Perhaps it is the overall weight of the vehicle, but it handles better than any car I have owned when it comes to driving in snow. I do have the 18" rims, so I don't know if the 17's could do better or the 19's may do worse.

 

[wrusprod]

I just traded in my '06 HHR that i have had since '06 for the AWD I4 Terrain. I love the Terrain. The HHR was ok..it did the job. I had the high-output 2.4 engine on the HHR. The engine on that car was great. I was happy with the performance. I hated the suspension (constant problems with the swaybar endlinks wearing) and with the premature wear of the front brakes. The interior was very plain,cheap looking to me. again I got about 120,000 miles without any major problems.
I drive the vehicle for my job and your correct about the winter driving. The HHR was horrible in winter driving. constantly spinning and sliding. I wanted a AWD vehicle this time. I have had a great time driving in the snow this year. I actually look forward to it! No problems at all. The interior looks great, its confortable, and feels tighter and stronger than the HHR.
The interior gives me a little bit more room than the HHR. only difference with the two is that the Terrain seats dont fold down flush like the HHR.
Im getting about 19 MPG on the AWD I4 Terrain. i was getting around 24 on the HHR.

I have had the Terrain since November, I have about 7000 miles on it. I have been very happy with this vehicle. its a joy to drive! I highly recommend it!

 

[IceMan]

My wife went from this '08 2.4 loaded HHR FWD with 23/24-28/30 mpg..

To this '11 2.4 LTZ Equinox FWD that so far is getting 22/23-27/28 mpg..
Did great in this Indiana winter of snow and ice. Much better than the HHR.
She liked the HHR very much..but prefers the Equinox by far. Completely dif ride.

 

[IceMan]

My wife went from this '08 2.4 loaded HHR FWD with 23/24-28/30 mpg..

To this '11 2.4 LTZ Equinox FWD that so far is getting 22/23-27/28 mpg..with aprox 3500 mi on the clock..
Did great in this Indiana winter of snow and ice. Much better than the HHR.
She liked the HHR very much..but prefers the Equinox by far. Completely dif ride.

 

[NoobNox]

That silver Nox looks just like mine...minus the extra chrome bits. I always kinda liked the retro look of the HHR, but never could get past the protruding front bumper that seems totally unneccsary. Compare the nose of the above Nox to the HHR...I guess the bumper was part of the retro styling, but I still think it would look better (and still retro) without.

 

[hirolln]

We went from a 07 HHR LS 2.2 manual to a 11 Nox 1LT FWD. We actually made the switch in a snow storm because my wife hated the way the HHR drove in the winter. No traction control, no anti-lock breaks and even after we replaced those worthless firestones that Chevy put on that thing it still wasn't all that great.

Now on to the Nox. We were debating on whether to get the AWD or FWD so we picked the nastiest snowstorm we had and went to the dealership and drove them both (actually we drove the Terrain because that was what we were leaning to at the time). After driving both, we decided that the FWD drove awesome in the snow and we didn't need the all wheel drive (or the reduced gas mileage). After almost 1500 miles and some even worse snow storms, We are still completely pleased with the front wheel drive one.

Now as far as the rest of the vehicle, WAY BETTER IN EVERY WAY THAN THE HHR!!!! (except gas mileage, so far...)

 

[Z_Ghost]

With all the snow and ice we had in Arlington during the Super Bowl I got to try out the Terrain and I got to say it handle it with no problems.

This is what it looked like after driving home Friday morning.

 

[hirolln]

You can see the old HHR in the background through the windows of the dealership when we went to pick up our new Nox.

Bye Bye HHR!

 

[NoobNox]

You can see the old HHR in the background through the windows of the dealership when we went to pick up our new Nox.

Bye Bye HHR!

I can tell that you most likely have a good dealership. The attention to detail in the way that the showroom floor/windows are spotless, and the spokes on the alloy wheels being lined up are things that a lot of folks may not notice consciously, but it does indicate that the management runs a tight ship.

 

[Old Lar]

I currently have an 06 LT1 HHR w 2.4L four. No snow in Florida. I'm looking at the Terrain to replace the HHR in a year or so. I've had no issues with the HHR and have obtained an average of 30.6 mpg with it for the 76K miles on the clock. It is a daily driver and since the HHR will be discontinued after the 2011 year, I'm just reseaching a replacement.

What I'm disappointed in is the mpg everyone seems to get with either the NOX or the Terrain. I have always gotten better mpg that the EPA ratings for my last three cars. Also most of the NOX/Terrains I have seen on the lots here have leather or black interiors. No better thrill than sitting on a hot leather seat in the Florida summers. My last cars had leather seats..

 

[wrusprod]

as i mentioned. my HHR was horrible in winter. had poor brakes up front, and lousy front suspension...but I never had any issues with the engine! I wish I had that engine in the Terrain.