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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  First HHR - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By STU - July 8 - 7:50 pm

  Very peppy ride. This base unit has everything I need for a utility vehicle.

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  Highly Satisfied - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By CHARLES - May 21 - 8:00 am

  Right after we purchased the HHR we took it on a trip to Ft. Wayne, IN. About a 3500 mile round trip and was so pleased with the performance and comfort of the vehicle that we couldnt believe that it was a compact. We have not had one problem with this HHR as of yet

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  HHR-SS - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By Ed - March 22 - 10:16 pm

  Its an awesome little car. Very fast, great handling, steering very quick and predictable. Tires are good in all weather. I drive it hard and am getting 23.5mpg. But I think 1st gear is a bit low, lots of torque steer at full throttle. It is a handfull if driven very hard. Using the launch control and all I get is wheel spin.

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  HHR Sales Will Soar - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By JV - March 19 - 2:56 pm

  Great vehicle in every aspect. Best of all, gas mileage. I went from a V-8 Tahoe getting 17 Hwy, I now get 31 Hwy! Cant go wrong!! Very, very stylish. Almost bought a PT Cruiser before I saw the HHR in a showroom. I snatched the second of only two HHRs on the lot! What a tremendous value for the price! I didnt have to sacrifice looks, performance, gas mileage or quality! Of course its smaller than my Tahoe, but its pretty roomy for what I need. Good luck getting one. I think theyll sell like hotcakes! Hats off to you GM! You made my year in these times of the terrible gas price hike!

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  Awesome! - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By JAMES/ROSLYNN EATON - March 19 - 3:03 am

  As you can tell, this was just purchased 3 days ago, but the more I drive it, the better I like it. We are dyed in the wool GM fans (my husband has a 1967 Camaro original) but regardless, this is fantastic. We had a 2000 Tahoe which we traded in, it was great also, but this surpasses all I expected of it. Handles great, easy to drive, very comfortable for the size, as my husband is 63", but head room and leg room for him is great. I, on the other hand am 51", so the extremes are quite a challenge for any vehicle. It has much more power than I imagined it would for a 4 cyl. All in all, we love it.

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  Love our HHR - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Don - March 18 - 12:00 pm

  Great ride & handling with the 2LT sport suspension, plenty of get up & go for a 4 cylinder. Good fuel econemy. No complaints, Like everything about the HHR.

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  vtm37 - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By vtm37 - March 14 - 9:43 am

  It does not have enough horsepower. When moving from a dead stop it feels like you really have to push the gas pedal hard, but is adequate on the highway for passing. The engine has whirring noise when taking off from dead stop that is very noticble. Seat belt hookup with the arm rests down is difficult. Handles very well.

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  More car for your money - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By kathleen - February 13 - 12:10 pm

  Ive been impressed with the overall quality of our new HHR. We got ours close to fully loaded and it has features youd expect to see only on much more expensive cars. It feels more solid than our Honda Accord and has a smoother, quieter ride too. Its not very fast but I guess thats the trade off for the good gas mileage. Overall Im happy to find an affordable car with good style and lots of cool features that has excellent safety ratings(and side air bags) thats excellent on gas. Chevrolet needs to build more cars like this.

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  My New HHR - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By David - February 11 - 4:00 am

  I purchased my HHR April 10, 2006. I have a metallic blue HHR, and I closed my deal online. I had never heard of this car until my salesman suggested I check it out. I love this car! I elected to get the basic LT with cloth seats and the six speaker system. It comes with a CD player, power everything, and theft system. I didnt need leather seats, so this model was fine. I thank all of you guys for helping me make my decision. I check every review, and I was sold. I didnt realize how nice my car was until I walked my dog one day, and turned back and looked at my car. It is beautiful. For those who compare this to a PT Crusier, can you see? The PT Cruiser is a hearse!!

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  Love at first sight - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By cindyd - February 10 - 6:23 am

  I had to have one. I love everything about this car. I was pretty surprised when I discovered how quiet it is at highway speeds. It has personality and charm, and is a true joy to own. I have a long daily commute, and this car has made it so much better. I actually enjoy it now, well, as much as you can anyway. The car handles great, and has a really smooth ride. I like the fact that it really seems to fit females. The armrest to steering wheel span for example. I feel out of place in pickup trucks that seem to be built just for men.