Man, I'd completely forgotten how it feels to have a full-day, real-work job. When GM lent me the Chevrolet HHR Panel for a week, I knew I'd actually have to put this little work vehicle to work. So I enlisted the help of my friend Paul Burk, who delivers auto parts for RPG Supply in Whitby, and drove his day's route – all 450-plus km of it. The HHR Panel is similar to the sedan version, but with windowless rear panels and no back seat. It's a smart way to build a low-volume vehicle. And GM has kept the price tag at $19,480 for the 2.2-litre LS version, and $22,120 for the 2.4-litre LT; both prices include air conditioning, power windows and locks with keyless entry, CD stereo and running boards. Most businesses will probably opt for my tester's $1,260 four-speed automatic transmission and perhaps the optional $600 anti-lock brakes. These car-based closed vans, known as sedan deliveries, used to be quite popular. But they've been gone a long time: Chevrolet built its last one in 1960. The HHR is currently the only one; Chrysler hinted about one for the PT Cruiser, and a few one-off custom versions were made, but never came to market. This little hauler is practical indeed; just about everything I disliked about the HHR sedan is acceptable in the Panel. My tester's 2.2-litre was no powerhouse, and it got very wheezy on hills, but was just fine for the daily grind of urban deliveries – unless your business is "three minutes or free," the smaller engine should be enough. The back seats are replaced by a flat, plastic-topped panel that contains two lidded cubbies, which can be secured by a set of optional $35 locks. Two rubber mats cover everything, preventing items from sliding around. The HHR's high roofline accommodates plenty of stacked cargo, and Paul, at 6-foot-3, was comfortable in both seats, with lots of headroom. That wide, windowless expanse is perfect for splashing on the company logo, and it helps keep prying eyes out; it also offers protection from the sun for sensitive cargo carried by florists and bakeries. With no rear side-door handles, the HHR looks like a van. A couple of guys at our delivery points didn't realize it was a four-door at first. These doors pop open electrically from buttons on the dash, or you can reach in for the inside door handles – which, because they're straight from the sedan version, must be awkwardly pushed instead of pulled. The doors need a secondary safety latch, like a hood has, to prevent the wind throwing them open when the driver pops them remotely. To be the perfect delivery vehicle, the HHR also needs a set of combination flat and convex truck mirrors. In place of the dainty reading lights on the rear-view mirror, it needs a big map light on the ceiling for after-dark paperwork. The cargo area measures 148 cm in length, and the passenger seat can be folded flat, opening it to 250 cm. Both engine versions have a payload of 408 kg (900 lbs.) – small potatoes by full-size van standards, but more than enough for most small-item deliveries. Most of RPG's drivers were impressed, as were the auto shops where we delivered. At one, surrounded by classic cars and with a racecar on the hoist, the mechanics were itching to customize it GM expects the Panel to be low-volume, but I'm guessing they'll fly out the door when businesses start noticing them. As for me, after my nine-hour day, I went home dead-tired; I haven't driven for a living since my taxi days in the 1980s. If you got your car fixed on time that day thanks to a part delivered right on schedule, you're welcome. |