With retro design in style, Chevrolet couldn't resist producing its show-stopping SSR concept from a few years ago. With remarkably little change from the concept, the production SSR is built on the new TrailBlazer frame and features a 300hp 5.3L Vortec V-8. This newest Chevy is blessed with retro good looks and top-down fun.
Chevy provided us with a bright-yellow tester with a black leather interior. We, along with every person who stopped us to see it in action, marveled at the top's fascinating operation. Needless to say, this truck captured the essence of cool. Whether it was being piloted through the drive-thru or stopped to fill up the tanks, this retro roadster was the icebreaker between otherwise strangers. We met friends everywhere we went; neighbors came out from their homes and drivers slowed to gawk. We were often saluted with one finger, and not the same one jealous drivers often offered our way while driving the Dodge SRT-10 aggressively. Young guys thought it was rad and old guys couldn't get enough, often telling us stories about their first post-war Chevy trucks. Our only complaints about the styling were the too-high stance, overly square rear fenders, and the awkward profile with the top up, but who wants to cruise with the top up anyway?
While not a barnburner by anyone's standard, the SSR is relatively quick. However, this truck isn't about speed; it is about showing off. The SSR's engine is plenty strong, but it is let down by the transmission's torque converter, which contributes to the soft shifts and cruising personality of the SSR. The exhaust, looking like two cannons jutting through the roll pan, sounds as if it was ripped right off of a Camaro SS and is best enjoyed when the top is stowed. The SSR benefits from a tight chassis, and the typical convertible cowl shake is notably absent. Handling of the SSR was good, no doubt assisted by the 19-inch wheels in the front and 20-inch wheels in the rear. The ride is smooth and has none of the harshness of some of its competitors. The brakes have good pedal feel and excellent stopping power.
The SSR's interior is sporty and logically laid out with all of the buttons placed in easy reach. This ranks as one of Chevrolet's best interiors. Some of the less svelte testers found the seats of the SSR uncomfortable, while they fit those of us of slighter stature like a glove. Road noise is controlled well, but with the top up, there is lack of headroom and moderate wind noise. We also missed the adequate storage space for our cell phones, wallets, and other odds and ends.
We feel that the SSR is more of Chevy's answer to the Thunderbird than a sport truck in the cloth of the SRT-10 and Lightning. Both vehicles are retro designs, both have a V-8 powering the rear wheels, both are convertibles, and both are classic cruising machines. But whatever your thoughts, it is one of the most fun vehicles we have driven in a long time. None of our friends we gave rides too wanted to haul, they just wanted to turn the hat around, toss on a pair of sunglasses and head up the coast, feeling like a celebrity the entire way.