2006 Chevrolet HHR rear.jpg

If you see a pre-pubescent Chevy Suburban, that's the idea. Serving as both an entry into the almost-over-already retro fad and a plead for acceptance among the Pimp My Ride crowd, the HHR spreads an extremely useful body style over its Cobalt (or "Delta") underpinnings. GM's Ecotec engine powers the HHR in two versions – 140-horse 2.2-liter and 170-horse 2.4 – exactly as they appear in the Chevy Cobalt and Pontiac Solstice, respectively. 4-speed automatic and Getrag 5-speed manual transmissions hook up to both engines. Like all of its small and midsize cars, the HHR is stuck with GM's feel-free electric power steering. The interior is as stylish and classy as Chevys come, and multispeaker MP3 Pioneer sound systems indicate GM is paying attention to today's higher audio standards. Slightly under $20,000 is a safe bet for pricing. This modernized 1949 anachronism gets a summer 2005 release.