2004 Chevrolet SSR

Review

Need friends? Get an SSR!

Before telling you anything about the SSR, let me tell you about the attention it garners. Ive never driven a vehicle that draws a crowd as quickly as the SSR. Sure Ive driven vehicles that cost a whole lot more and perform a whole lot better, but in my experience nothing attracts human beings better than Chevys flagship pickup cum roadster.

Anthropophobiacs - those that suffer from a fear of people - best avoid driving an SSR, or rapidly overcome their antisocial affliction. So many people, young, old, male and female expressed an interest in the radical pickup that it became annoying to drive the beast anywhere in the vicinity of civilization. Although I always make an effort to answer the many questions directed toward auto journalists, I found myself becoming weary of the attention generated by the awesome looking and equally awesome sounding SSR.

When driving with the roof down I began to hide beneath my ballcap and avoid eye contact with any sort of being that appeared to have a heartbeat in an effort to avoid the inevitable questions and comments. And I must say some folks are pretty darn bold, on second thought rude, when it comes to questions. "Hey, how much does that cost," was heard many-a-time. A question I wouldnt pose to a relative, never mind a complete stranger. But perhaps its the anonymity of the situation the boosts the courage of these well-meaning mortals.

But given that this article is intended to be a road test and not an article for Psychology Today, its time we get down to the nuts and bolts. Not long ago the SSR was a stunning concept vehicle that I dare say, seemed too radical for Chevy. Imagine? A roadster pickup truck based on a 1947 to 1953 GMC pickup design theme. Who would have thought? Well apparently the execs at Chevy thought and today the SSR is an eye-catching reality that is remarkably faithful to its concept origins, except for its toned-down V8 incapable of pumping out the necessary ponies true hot-rodders appreciate.

My SSR tester was finished in "look at me" Slingshot Yellow - a $350 option. Of the few colors Chevy coats on to its SSR, Slingshot Yellow is definitely the standout. I could never really see myself owning a yellow car, but then again the SSR is already an exhibitionist by nature so the yellow would be my number one choice. The brilliant color accentuates the trucks sensuous lines. Never before have I seen such curvaceous sheet metal on a vehicle that wasnt handcrafted. I marveled at its deeply sculpted hood and beautifully bulging fenders.

Incidentally, in order to achieve its incredible fender bulge the Fuji Dietec Corporation, supplier to GM, developed a deep-draw process called "inverted toggle draw," which stamps as much as 18 inches of draw, or depth into the formed area of the Grade 5 steel used in the SSR fenders.

There isnt a single aspect of the SSRs exterior that I would change, including the upper slat of the grille which extends wide enough to bisect each of the circular headlights - what a neat feature.

Unfortunately my bold endorsement of the SSRs exterior does not extend to its interior. The seats are wonderfully supportive and infinitely adjustable, if you can get your hand between the seat and door panel to access the power adjustment switches. This is partly because the cab is fairly narrow, which I presume was necessary in order to allow the overall width necessary to create the bulbous fenders. That being said the switches should have been mounted elsewhere, like on the top of one of the lower bolsters such as done in Infinitis G35 and FX35/45, eliminating the need to open the door to make adjustments. Even the switches for the seat heaters reside in this hard-to-reach locale.

Also on my gripe sheet is the narrow console storage bin located between the two seats. Open the lid, insert a hand, and if youre not careful removing your hand it will encounter nasty abrasions from the unfinished fiberglass lip that encircles the bin opening. The consequences are not as severe as forcing a hand into a blender, but who would do that anyway? Just the same it is quite unacceptable, especially given the price Chevy demands for custom pickup.

Injuries aside, the issue that most affected me was the inadequacy of its cupholders. One flimsy unit pops out from the dash and is too little to be of use if your java choice isnt of the smallest size. Theres a larger clip-on holder that snaps into place on the passenger-side of the transmission hump, but in my test unit the mounting bracket had already been snapped, making the cupholder inoperable. Take it from a java-junkie Chevy, dont mess with our elixir. Equip the SSR with suitable cupholders, or we take Bob Lutz prisoner.

These quibbles aside, the interior of the SSR is not too bad. I especially like the use of satin metal trim, which cuts horizontally across the dash and door panels. And Im a fan of the retro-type metal controls for the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning. But Chevy may wish to improve the audio dynamics in the cab. The unit belts out decent sound quality, but speaker placement is down low in the doors making it difficult to hear when the roof is retracted. Better speaker placement would likely solve this problem.

Covering the interior during inclement weather is a gorgeous bubble of a hardtop roof. Its an engineering marvel and a joy to behold, dropping easily with the push of a console mounted button. The various computer-controlled hydraulic pumps and servomotors do all the work. In under a minute, the restrictive confines of a closed cab dissolve into thin air and the world with all of its sounds, fragrances and vistas flood the five senses.

The sense most spoiled by the SSR is auditory. I found myself winding the beast up just to revel in the cacophony of its eight cylinders firing in rapid succession. Oh the sound. It rumbles with an exhaust note that could drain the blood from the face of a Corvette driver at a stoplight. Theres nothing that stirs the soul of a domestic auto enthusiast more than the hollow, baritone rumble of American iron. In the case of the SSR, a 300-horsepower, 5.3-liter Chevy Vortec engine provides the reverberation. The sound alone is worth the price of admission. With the hardtop convertible in the retracted position, which stacks it neatly out of sight behind the cockpit, every beat of the Vortec is heard loud and clear

Some folks have been critical of GMs decision to power the SSR with its venerable Vortec 5.3 truck engine, rather than the fire-breathing Corvette powerplant or even the larger displacement 6.0-liter truck unit - and given the staggering price Chevy demands for an SSR I have to concur. However, I wouldnt characterize the SSR as under-powered - Id characterize its power rating as not being commensurate with its $41,370 to $47,715 (depending on options) price tag. Surely for that kind of coin Chevy could scrounge up a few more Corvette engines and drastically increase the value and desirability of the SSR, not to mention its performance.

But all of these could-have-beens and should-have-beens melt away when behind the wheel of the SSR on a sunny day. During my test period, the sun shone down upon the good earth on just about every occasion I motored about town or country in the SSR, with the top lowered of course.

On numerous mornings en-route to my day job, a thin veil of frost coated the lawns and rooftops as the sun was breaking the horizon. With an ambient air temperature brushing the freezing mark, I dropped the top, raised the side windows, activated the optional heated drivers seat (after opening the door to do so), spun some old-time Eddy Arnold in the CD changer - in recognition of the 1950s theme - and headed into the crisp darkness. Theres something quite inspirational about driving under the stars of a darkened sky, bundled in fleece and listening to old Eddy croon like no one else. Sometimes the road to work is too short!

The SSRs throaty authority added to the pleasure of every cruise, whether the intended destination was work or play. And although the acceleration factor of the SSR may leave some feeling unfulfilled, it suited me just fine. In my view, this type of vehicle is meant more for "show" than "go." And by that criterion, the SSR hits the nail squarely and forcefully on the head. If the "go" factor is priority-one for an owner, with a few minor engine mods Im certain that nail could be hit squarely as well.

Although sans Corvette equivalent horsepower and torque, the SSR will hustle to highway speeds and much more in fairly short order. The 300 horsepower 5.3 Vortec with 331 foot-pounds of torque pulls strongly to redline in each of the four gears in the SSR autobox. The SSR is capable of a respectable 0 to 60 mph time of 7.6 seconds. Hill climbing and highway passing are both confidently executed. As with all modern GM transmissions, downshifts are smooth, quick and well placed. In all driving situations, GMs Hydramatic performed flawlessly.

But when discussing performance figures, its important to remember that Chevys SSR is SUV based, therefore expectations need to be kept in perspective. Given its TrailBlazer roots, Chevy has done a creditable job of building decent handling capability into the truck without sacrificing a smooth ride, making the vehicle that much more enjoyable for boulevard cruising. The components facilitating it all include independent unequal-length control arms and coil springs up front, complemented by an anti-roll bar. At the rear a rigid axle is supported by coil springs and again, an anti-roll bar.

The SSRs suspension calibration tends to favor passenger comfort over bullish performance by ensuring theres no undue jarring when neglected roads are encountered. Over most irregularities the SSR jiggles side to side, as opposed to bouncing up and down or hammering through potholes and over bumps. Unfortunately a little more body flex was detected than would be optimal, no doubt part of its roadster character accentuated by its long wheelbase and overall bulk. Nevertheless, its more rigid than if Chevy hadnt utilized strong, hydro-formed frame rails to minimize such.

Within the handling spectrum of pickup trucks and SUVs the passenger pleasing SSR is a standout. Cornering is administered with finesse, given the 4,760 pound SSR curb weight. Not unexpectedly, road-feel is not great in the steering setup, but hey its important to keep in mind it does pretty well considering its TrailBlazer roots. This vehicle didnt exactly start life as a sports car.

Juxtaposing the SSRs thundering acceleration are brakes that blow off speed with terrific efficiency. The vented front and rear antilock equipped discs continue to work well after repeated stops and dont adversely upset the SSR applecart under extremely hard braking. Nose-dive is minimal too, and stops are sure footed, brief and easily controlled, again using the pickup truck/SUV framework as the yardstick for measurement.

While cruising in the SSR its easy to forget about the versatility it offers, after all its a pickup. That means theres a cargo box behind the cab. In the case of the SSR, the cargo box is fully covered by a large fiberglass lid which unlatches with the key fob. The lid is hinged just behind the cab and raises somewhat similar to a trunk lid. The tailgate opens like a conventional pickup truck, thus allowing unimpeded access to a fully lined and carpeted cargo box.

Unlike cruising in a true roadster, the SSR can hold a whole lot more than an overnight bag or two. The fully contained cargo box secures all manner of luggage and protects from the elements and prying eyes.

With the SSR you can go beyond just hauling luggage or camping gear and towing a ski boat to a favorite destination. The SSR is capable of towing up to 2,500 pounds Try doing that in a Porsche Boxster or Mazda Miata!

Another grand advantage over the little roadsters is the SSRs ride height. As with those in pickup trucks and SUVs, SSR occupants ride considerably higher than car ensconced motorists. The elevated ride height equates to better visibility as well. One of my chief concerns when driving low slung sports cars is the inability to see over other vehicles on the roadway - not so with the SSR. I actually found it rather odd to sit so high in a convertible and look down (literally, not figuratively) at those in conventional convertibles.

There is no argument that the SSR is anything but conventional. Its a bold, dramatic departure from the norm, for an otherwise conservative and staid car company. I give GM big kudos for their grit in taking the SSR from the sketchpad to the production plant. I also acknowledge its deficiencies, and its pricing is a major barrier to all but a lucky few, of which I am not one.

But in the end the SSR is an enthralling vehicle, and sets a unique benchmark in American automotive styling. Although I loathed the attention it drew I loved driving it, especially through rural back roads and historic farming communities where time has stood still - awaiting the arrival of the retro SSR. Yup, this is one sweet ride.