Transmission ratios have a lot to do with the efficient delivery of power. Curiously, there's nothing in the ratios of the HHR four-speed automatic that indicate it should make this hill so easily. All we can say is that the pulling power of the HHR 2LT is excellent.

We have no complaints with the four-speed automatic. The automatic includes remote starting, and climbing into a toasty car on icy mornings after starting it from a warm house during morning coffee is a nice luxury. We liked the way the automatic could be easily manually downshifted, even though it doesn't feature a separate manual mode. And we liked how it held second gear going down that same steep, slow hill.

Acceleration was equally impressive. Onto the freeway, foot on the floor, and the HHR 2LT really scoots, making it a lot of fun. The 2.4-liter engine is quiet, thanks partly to specially laminated steel in the firewall.

The 2.4-liter engine is efficient. It gets an EPA-rated 22/28 mpg City/Highway with automatic transmission, 20/28 mpg with manual using Premium gas. Premium fuel is recommended but not required for the 2.4-liter. During one week in the 2LT, we averaged 23.4 miles per gallon, as indicated by the digital data on the dash. That included mostly around-town driving, plus about 120 freeway miles with a full load of passengers and the cruise control set at 70. The HHR got slightly better mileage at that freeway pace than it did light-footed around town.

The best fuel economy comes from the base 2.2-liter engine, which gets an EPA-rated 22/30 mpg City/Highway with an automatic, 21/30 mpg with the manual, all on Regular gas.

The 2LT has a sport-tuned suspension with 17-inch aluminum wheels, as well as anti-lock brakes. There is no harshness to the ride around town, or over freeway bumps for that matter. The HHR is nimble, though the suspension shows its limitations when driven like a sports car. Chevrolet said it put a lot of time into the calibration of the rack-and-pinion steering with power assist, and we would say it feels just right, around town.

Brakes are 11.65-inch discs up front, 10-inch drums aft, and have an easy feel. Electronic brake-force distribution, which electronically adjusts the braking so that the rear wheels don't lock up, is not available.

We also drove a Chevy HHR Panel 2LT with the Preferred Equipment Group and, as expected, found its performance mirrored that of the standard five-passenger models.

The HHR SS features a 260-hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged and intercooled Ecotec coupled to either an F23 5-speed Swedish manual or Hydra-Matic 4T45 4-speed automatic transmission. The SS rides on Michelin Pilot Sport performance rubber, mounted on forged, 18-inch polished alloy wheels, and the Nurburgring-tuned FE5 sport suspension delivered 0.86 g grip in testing (with manual transmission). The suspension includes specific stabilizer bars, spring rates and damper tuning, all of which were designed to complement the turbocharged powertrain.

A couple of unique features have been incorporated into the 2008 HHR SS to instill greater driving fun and excitement: Launch Assist and No Lift Shift. Pushing the Traction Control button once to turn it off, and pushing it a second time places the SS in Competition Mode, which automatically sets up in Launch Control when stopped and advances to Competition Mode following vehicle launch. This function defaults back to Traction Control each time the ignition is turned off. Launch Control behaves differently according to the transmission type: With the manual gearbox, the No Lift Shift comes onto play; simply floor the accelerator, release the clutch smoothly but quickly, depress the clutch again when it’s time to shift but without lifting off the throttle; this holds turbo boost pressure at roughly 1,500 psi, allowing one to speed shift without lifting off the accelerator. It's unnatural at first, but it works most effectively while the tires are howling. The operation is similar with the automatic transmission, but torque braking is employed instead: accomplished by holding the brake while flooring the accelerator. The engine revs to approximately 4100 rpm, then release the brake with the same rapid launch result. Both features assist in controlling wheel spin.

We drove a Sunburst Orange II Metallic SS with manual gearbox and Brembo brakes and a Tarnished Silver Metallic SS with an automatic transmission in and around Phoenix as well as on an autocross course and the road course at Firebird International Raceway.

The HHR SS handled everything thrown at it in superior fashion. It literally cooks of the line, stops on a dime, and handles as well as many sports cars, at a bargain price. The bottom line analysis? Go for the manual gearbox and Brembo brakes, and the GM Performance Seat.