When it came time to develop a small compact wagon, the Chevrolet designers chose to go down the same road as the wildly successful Chrysler PT Cruiser, harnessing retro styling themes to a utilitarian package with a look that captures the spirit of the 1949 Chevy Suburban. Since its introduction in 2006, the Chevrolet HHR (Heritage High Roof) has carved out an effective niche for itself, and now with the passing of the PT Cruiser into history, the Chevrolet HHR has become a more compelling choice for people looking for a small car that's really practical.
The Chevrolet HHR is available as a traditional four-door, five-passenger hatchback wagon or a two-seat Panel variant. The Chevrolet HHR Panel is meant for business owners with its windowless rear cargo panel doors and rear quarter panels, cargo floor storage compartments and rear 40-amp power point for accessory equipment.
The Chevrolet HHR is offered in three trim levels: Chevrolet HHR LS, Chevrolet HHR 1LT and Chevrolet HHR 2LT. The Chevrolet HHR Panel comes as an LS only. The base LS model starts off with 16-inch steel wheels, air-conditioning, cruise control, keyless entry, full powered accessories, a fold-flat front passenger seat, a 60/40 split-folding rear seat (regular HHR only), OnStar and a six-speaker CD/MP3 stereo with satellite radio and an auxiliary audio jack.
Chevrolet’s front-wheel-drive HHR gives buyers a choice of two different engines: the standard 2.2-liter inline-4 that makes 155 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque and a 2.4-liter inline-4 offered on LT models that generates 172 hp and 167 lb-ft of torque. Both are mated to either a standard five-speed manual transmission or an optional four-speed automatic.
Standard Chevrolet HHR safety equipment includes antilock brakes, stability and traction control, OnStar telematics and side curtain airbags. In government testing, the Chevrolet HHR earned a perfect five-star rating for both front- and side-impact crash protection. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety also gave the Chevrolet HHR its highest rating of "Good" for frontal-offset impacts.
