Overview & Reviews

The Chevrolet HHR was something of a late arrival to the compact wagon scene. Its name stood for "Heritage High Roof," referring to its tall retro-wagon styling, which Chevrolet claims was inspired by the '49 Suburban. Everything else about the vehicle, however, was decidedly modern.

Though compact in size, the Chevy HHR featured clever interior packaging solutions, including a split-folding rear seat, a fold-flat front passenger seat and a cargo area floor (with built-in grocery bag hooks) that allowed it to accommodate bulky and/or long cargo items. For shoppers searching for a used versatile compact wagon that's also stylish, the HHR certainly merits consideration.

Most Recent Chevrolet HHR
The Chevrolet HHR was a compact four-door wagon produced from 2006-'11. It shared its front-wheel-drive architecture -- and thus many of its driving characteristics -- with Chevrolet's Cobalt compact sedan.

In testing, our editors commented favorably about the HHR's smooth and quiet ride, ample cargo space, attractive interior, excellent visibility and versatile sound system. The cabin boasted nicely detailed gauges, tight construction and substantial-feeling controls. There was, however, no shortage of hard plastics on hand that sullied the overall ambience. The HHR's tall ceiling provided headroom aplenty, but the narrow body limited comfort for adults riding in the backseat. Other downsides included weak brakes, underwhelming handling dynamics and a lack of refinement from the 2.4-liter engine.

Four trim levels were offered: LS, 1LT, 2LT and a high-performance SS version produced from 2008-'10. A two-seat panel van version that came in LS, LT and SS trims was available every year but 2006.

The base engine was a 2.2-liter four-cylinder that initially produced 143 horsepower, but was bumped to 149 for 2007 and to 155 for 2010. Available on the LT was a 2.4-liter four-cylinder that produced either 172 hp or 175 depending on the year (it actually went back and forth). The SS featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder good for 260 hp, along with stronger brakes and an enhanced suspension that together made it quite fun to drive. Front-wheel drive and a five-speed manual were standard with all, but a four-speed automatic was optional.

Besides the minor horsepower bumps, changes to the HHR were limited to standard features. Most notably, this included stability control for 2008 as well as antilock brakes and side curtain airbags the following year.

User Reviews:

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  Good looking and efficent - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Mike - February 10 - 12:28 pm

  Recently purchased a 2006 HHR 2LT model. On a ski weekend in Michigan, it handled snow fine, and our skis fit inside. I like the styling, nice ride, quality seems pretty good at this stage. People who complain about the performance and handling have the wrong perspective. I bought this car as an affordable daily driver and hauler, with fuel economy as a priority. Highway mileage is in the low 30s at 70 MPH, and the power and handling is what I would expect. I also have a Porsche Boxster S, so I recognize how high performance cars should drive. I just have no illusions that the HHR is one, it is not. For barely over $10k loaded, it is a great value, and a very suitable daily driver.

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  Love this car - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Barry Barnes - February 8 - 8:22 pm

  Its been a great car, never had a breakdown Drives great. I have the LT2 with all the options. Have all the power I have ever needed. I can squeal the tires on take off all the time. Rides great and enough room to carry lumber and piping for yard work

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  Stinks in Deep Snow or Ice - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Lizabeth - February 7 - 5:32 pm

  Bought this car for cargo space & good mileage. Didnt realize it was terrible in snow & ice. Last winter, got stuck at least 15 times. Was in for brakes/ABS & traction control four times before 20,000 miles. This winter, bought a 12-year-old AWD Ford Aerostar to use. Mileage in summer is great on highway driving. But the terrible winter performance forced me to get another vehicle, so its not worth it. Will dump it as soon as I can, but am upside-down on loan because it dropped so much in value in 1 year. May buy foreign next time, because the Big 3 havent made anything with good cargo space, good mileage (24+mpg), & AWD. Maybe Subaru, Kia, or Mazda. Very disappointed with GM!

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  Not in snow - 2009 Chevrolet HHR
  By zee - February 5 - 10:27 am

  Traded our 170,000 mile Subaru in for an American Car, thinking that we could help the economy. We should of kept the Subaru. The Chevy HHR is the worst car that I ever driven in the snow. There are some things that I wouldnt be afraid to say that I like about this vehicle, but if you have to drive in the snow they are not worth mentioning. By the way, I am not comparing the HHR to the Subaru as far as winter drivability because there is no comparison. I was thinking of the 68 Mustang Coupe that I had once own.

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  Love Our HHR - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By Brian Terrell - February 4 - 9:51 pm

  We have an LS with the 2.2L automatic. Highway gas mileage is excellent, about 32-35mpg. City mpg about 23- 25mpg. Only complaint is the cup holders are not user friendly for the driver or the passenger. Otherwise, we love our HHR. Excellent headroom, and we love the retro styling of the interior. Great ride quality with little to no cabin noise. Visibility out the front windshield takes a bit of getting used to, but after a while, you dont even notice. All in all, a great car. We would recommend this car to everyone!

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  Luv it but - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By happy - January 29 - 10:37 pm

  Im very happy with the HHR however, I am from the northeast and this winter has been very cold.The reason I bring the weather up is in the morning when I get on the hughway the engine is quite loud. Getting to the highway I have a little dip or two to go over. When I do go over them it sounds like I lost my under carriage. After like five miles this to calms down. The car has a low front end so stay on well plowed roads.

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  Rusting so soon! - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By john - January 28 - 4:36 pm

  I actually love the car , the ride, the, the mileage all fine. But, after a year and 9 months I had to take it into the dealer to have rust repaired on all 5 doors. The rust is in the doors where the seams are. If you look at the seam in the bottom of the doors you can see the rust bubbling under the paint. I took the car in and they sandblasted the door seams and repainted. I know a good deal about cars and I know for certain this car had to be assembled rusty! I dont mean to pile on when GM is down but maybe this is why. I spoke to my neighbor who owns an HHR who was not surprised because his doors had also been repaired for rust! Is GM building Vegas again? Just a word to the wise.

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  A sweet ride - 2009 Chevrolet HHR
  By blueturtle - January 27 - 3:52 am

  Victory Red HHR SS turbo. Excellent performance. Very comfortable inside, high bolstered sport seats, electric adjustable seats, are excellent for me and I am 61". Plenty of head room,leg room. Inside has a comfy-cozy feel, but not cramped. Nice ride and the 18" wheels help that cause. Very smooth on the highway. Have to get use to this 260 horse. Doing 80 on highway without realizing. ou do not feel the speed in this car. Very quiet. Loaded. Got it all on this SS. Have 900 miles in 2 months, and so far having fun and love it. No reliability issues yet (holding my breath on the brake issue plaguing this car).

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  Best Car Ever! - 2009 Chevrolet HHR
  By Fran - January 24 - 1:58 pm

  I traded a 2004 Ford Explorer for this little show piece. I love this vehicle! It is fun to drive, handles well as it hugs the road and the seating is comfortable. I love the sun roof, the leather seats and seat heaters. The arm rests are optional. You can pull them down if you like. If you want a little more room, leave them up, especially if you have a soft drink in the cup holder. The cupholders are fine with where they are located as long as you remember to lift the armrest. My HHR that gets 27 to 28 mpg around town. I drive 40 plus miles every day and maintain this average constantly. On the highway, I can get about 32 to 33 mph. Best car ever!

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  Love It - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By Derrick Family - January 19 - 8:11 pm

  I bought my LT a couple of months ago used with 35K miles, I have already put 10K miles on it and I have to say, unless mechanical problems arise to dampen my enthusiasm, I absolutely love this car. It is comfortable and roomy (even for a large person like me), quiet, zippy (yes, it really is, even with the 4 cyl.!), the heater rocks and will fry your face off from a cold start in less than 3 minutes (usually more like 1 minute in Texas winter!). Love the sunroof, love the styling, love it all. Wish I had gotten a lighter color (I have the darker red) exterior and darker color interior though. Almost my favorite car Ive ever owned. (Still partial to my old Grand Prix GT!)