The Chevrolet HHR was launched as an all-new model for 2006. It's built on the platform of the winning Chevy Cobalt small sedan, and incorporates the Cobalt's best features: engine, transmission and suspension. The HHR is meant to compete against the 2WD PT Cruiser, as well as the likes of Jeep Liberty, Ford Escape and Honda Element, which offer four-wheel drive.
As if to add obscurity to curiosity, HHR stands for "Heritage High Roof." The roof of the Chevrolet HHR two-wheel-drive SUV is high, and its heritage dates to the 1949 GMC Suburban panel delivery truck. The HHR is on a smaller scale, but there are no bones about its retro styling.
We found the HHR to be fun to drive. It isn't a sports car, but it's nimble and we were pleased with its acceleration. The HHR feels more responsive than its horsepower, torque, and transmission ratio numbers suggest. Plus it gets decent fuel economy. The interior wasn't as functional as we'd have liked, however, and the base cloth fabric left us wishing we'd ordered the optional leather.