Even though this is a GM copy of the Chrysler PT Cruiser, I think it's a much better designed vehicle. I also think the powertrain is much better than the Cruiser. My mom & dad have an '01 Cruiser and the gas mileage is horrible. My dad always complains about how much worse MPG they get in the Cruiser vs. the '00 Buick Park Avenue 3800 V6 they had before it. To me, the engine is very buzzy.
The HHR is selling like hotcakes. GM has boosted production a few times since it started being produced. My mom is now looking at replacing her Cruiser with an HHR. If you go on Edmunds.com and read the customer reviews on the HHR, 99% of them are in love with this vehicle. People talk about the great gas mileage in the HHR. Some people are even getting mid to high 30's mpg.
The Ecotec engine is proving to be a pretty bad-*** little engine.
You can say what you want about "it's not going to save GM" or whatever, but the fact of the matter is that GM is trying and improving their products. It seems like whenever somebody on a message board like this mentions a GM product, there's always a handful of people that like to turn it into a "GM sucks, this vehicle won't save them, blah blah blah". GM has obviously had their problems for the last 20-30 years. It's no secret. But they are trying to improve their products and are doing so. You can't just turn around a corporation of GM's size overnight. It will take time for them to right all their wrongs from the last few decades. What's important is that they are trying and succeeding at improving.