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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  Fun to Drive - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Bob - December 1 - 10:11 pm

  Just purchased my HHR LT2 4dr wagon. Nice vehicle to drive, good gas milage. 23 in town 30 highway. Love all the goodies, I have the Spring addition package.

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  Liked Wifes HHR; Bought one for myself - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Terry - November 24 - 1:33 pm

  Love this vehicle. Bought loaded 2LT Amethyst for my wife. Liked it so much I bought a Sunburst Orange loaded 2LT for myself. Great and fun car to drive. So many feature with such a reasonable price. Lots of great comments from others.

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  Love it - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By K - November 23 - 2:31 pm

  Its been 2 months and Im very happy with my purchase. The HHR has a great look, is easy to drive and has lots of head and leg room. Averaging 31mpg is great since I log about 400 miles a week. Sits high enough for my mother to get in and out easily and a very smooth ride. Gauge panel is setup for easy viewing of all gauges.

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  Wonderful little vehicle - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By shebagirl48 - November 23 - 11:00 am

  Ive had the HHR for about a week now. I love it. Had looked at PT Cruisers, but this vehicle is beautiful. First saw her on the internet and thought it was cute. That didnt do the HHR justice. When you actually see it your heart goes thump thump. So many of my friends and family that see it automatically say they want one too. Its fun to drive and like everyone else has said it sure does turn a lot of heads. There are just so many extra things such as the remote start, controls for the radio on steering wheel, sun roof, etc. etc. I Love It I Love It I Love It!!!!!

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  HHR is solid fun / great value - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By Michael - November 20 - 12:31 pm

  Every one who sees and or rides in my HHR is very complimentary. It is an excellent value. People are amazed at how inexpensive a fully loaded HHR is to buy. and looks tastefully different. The HHR has great interior space with folding seats for good versatility. It is spunky and fun to drive and gets very good gas mileage.

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  Bought Two - Both Great Cars - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Kizzme - November 9 - 12:41 pm

  Boucht one in October 2005 for my wife. Liked it so well that I bought one for myself. Very comfortable on 1,000-mile trip. Plenty of pep, unless you need to drag race.

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  Fun Car - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Lin Andresen - November 2 - 4:10 am

  I love HHRs retro looks and size. The aluminum wheels are also a nice touch. I find the HHR fun to drive, I love the great gas mileage and range between fill- ups.

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  HHR is a cool retro ride - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By ducky57 - November 1 - 11:23 pm

  Turned in a leased Equinox and purchased an 07 HHR with the 2LT chrome package. I was attracted to the HHR by its "retro" look, favorable safety ratings and decent gas mileage. I am 6 ft tall and the cabin has ample room. It rides smoothly around town and on Freeway, gas mileage is in the 28-30 mpg range (with 2.4 litre engine). It has ample storage room and rear seats fold down nicely with hard coated floor surface. Its a fun and well built ride at an affordable price.

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  Fun Ride - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By Buccley - October 29 - 2:18 pm

  I have had the car now for almost 3 months and nearly 5k miles. I have 2LT 2.4L. Its a fun car to drive, for a car its size does well on gas mileage, when I baby it I can get 27 mpg, when I drive more aggressive I can expect about 24.5 mpg. I have older parents and its really easy for them to get in and out of the car without hitting their head on the way in, and its a quite smooth ride. I helped a friend move and had plenty of room to haul stuff. The selling price of my HHR was 19.6k, for that price I have the 2LT package, heated leather seats, 6-CD changer, XM radio, and running boards (and some other additional trim). I dont think for that price you can do much better.

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  Great Value! - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By GeorgiaB - October 29 - 12:40 am

  Roomy and comfortable when driving long distances. Good gas mileage. Rear area is roomy and the shelving for storage is excellent.