The 2006 Chevrolet HHR is a funky, fun-loving tribute to the 1949 Chevrolet Suburban, arguably the vehicle that broke the mold and created the earliest building blocks for today's sport utility vehicles.
HHR stands for heritage high roof, and as the name suggests, the HHR, which is built on the platform provided by Chevy's Cobalt, puts drivers and passengers tall in the saddle, with a cavernous amount of interior space for a vehicle this size.
Comparisons to Chrysler's PT Cruiser are unavoidable, but Chevy has given the HHR its own unique personality and configuration, which are anything but derivative to Chrysler's approach.
The HHR is available with one of three trim levels: LS, 1-LT and 2-LT. There are two four cylinder engines available....the standard 2.2 liter 143 horsepower engine with 155 foot pounds of torque, and the 2.4 liter 4-banger with 172 horsepower and 162 foot pounds of torque.
You can order up either a five-speed manual transmission or a four speed automatic on your HHR.
Front disc and rear drum brakes are standard on the HHR LS, four wheel anti-lock brakes are standard on the 2LT and optional on the other two trim levels. Also optional are front and rear side curtain airbags.
The interior of the HHR maintains the whimsical attitude that drives the rest of this mini-box, and the spacious cargo area features fold down seats that create a perfectly flat load surface covered with wipe-clean plastic. Altogether, there's 63 cubic feet of payload space.
Figure on somewhere in the neighborhood of 23 miles per gallon city and 30 mpg highway in the 2.2 liter equipped HHR, slightly less with the 2.4 liter engine.
$15,425 will by you a 2006 Chevrolet HHR in the LS trim level. Every available option you can tack on will still come in below the $20,000 mark...
...and that's pretty inviting for such a unique and smile-inducing trucklet that combines a retro flavor with the benefits of up-to-date mechanicals. The HHR is on its way to making lots of friends.