The Chevrolet HHR is a retro-styled, high-roofed, five-passenger crossover manufactured and marketed by the Chevrolet division of General Motors Company from 2006 to 2011. Bryan Nesbitt designed the vehicle. The HHR was built upon the same General Motors Delta platform as the Cobalt, G5, and Ion. With the HHR's 2007 debut, Chevrolet also began offering a panel van option.
History of the Chevrolet HHR
Chevrolet HHR 2005–2011
The trend toward vintage aesthetics peaked at the turn of the century, inspiring Chevrolet's designers to study vehicles from the 1940s. Thus, we have the Chevrolet HHR or High Heritage Roof. When the Biodesign era ended, Chrysler and Chevrolet explored a retro-design style on a new platform. Customers began to look at alternative design styles. The HHR was a prime example, but the manufacturer foolishly fitted it with inefficient engines. In addition, the car industry was wiped out by the global financial crisis just a few short years later. Therefore, the HHR line ended with no viable alternatives. Despite the HHR's attractive appearance, sales were terrible in Europe. When diesel engines were at the pinnacle of performance, the automaker stuck solely with gasoline engines. In addition, the 2.2 and 2.4L displacements paid more in taxes.
Chevrolet HHR Panel Van 2007–2011
A four-door panel van variant of the HHR was available from Chevrolet between 2007 and 2011. The HHR Panel Van originally came in LS, 1LT, and 2LT trims, with your choice of a 2.2L or 2.4L EcoTec Inline four-cylinder gasoline engine mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. The rear baggage management system replaced the conventional HHR's split bench seat in the back. For the 2009 model year, Chevrolet introduced a Panel Van variant of the HHR SS Turbocharged. It was equipped with a 2.0L EcoTec Turbocharged Inline Four-Cylinder (I4) gasoline engine and a five-speed manual transmission. There was only one production year of the HHR SS Turbocharged, which was dropped together with the standard HHR in 2010.
Chevrolet HHR SS 2007–2011
In 2006, Chevrolet introduced a stronger HHR model to its portfolio; it was badged with the Super Sport moniker, a throwback to the company's early days. In the middle of the 2000s, General Motors saw a rise in demand from its clients for more powerful vehicles, and the HHR fit the bill perfectly. Starting with a bare HHR shell, it rummaged through its parts bin and assembled a more athletic variant for sale as the SS, setting itself apart from other tuning services and custom car manufacturers. Chevy's director of automobile marketing and commerce integration, Cheryl Catton, announced in October 2006 that a high-performance HHR would be produced. The Ecotec LNF turbocharged engine used in the Pontiac Solstice GXP and the Saturn Sky Red Line was supposed to be used in the SS trim level when Chevrolet debuted it for the 2008 model year. At Birmingham, Michigan's Woodward Dream Cruise on August 16, 2007, Chevrolet unveiled the 2008 Chevrolet HHR SS Turbocharged to the public for the first time. The Performance Division at General Motors came up with it and debuted it in the fall of 2007 as a 2008 model. The SS Turbocharged is powered by a 2.0L (120 cu in) Ecotec LNF I4 turbocharged engine. Additionally, Chevrolet debuted the HHR SS Panel Concept on October 30 at the 2007 SEMA Show. For the 2009 model year, this became a mass-produced option. As a result of the GM Performance Division's demise, commonly called the GM High-Performance Vehicle Operations (HPVO) Group, Chevrolet took the SS model off the market after the 2010 model year. Starting with the 2010.5 model year, Chevrolet HHRs and other General Motors vehicles no longer have the GM logo proudly displayed on the front doors.
Price
In 2010, Chevrolet retailed the 2010 Chevrolet HHR with a starting manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of $19,400 ($26,349 in 2022) for the LS (base) model, rising to $27,000 ($36,672 in 2022) for the SS model.
Features of the Chevrolet HHR
Exterior Features
With a new front grille design that does away with the HHR's previous horizontal slats, Chevrolet was able to give the vehicle a more aggressive appearance. They used the same black rhomboidal-patterned mesh as the apron's lower grille and affixed it to the bottom. The lower ground clearance and the 18" light-alloy wheels helped the car's sporty appearance. The car has a sharp bumper on the back with a single exhaust pipe.
Interior Features
New sport bucket seats are inside with increased bolstering and red SS emblems embroidered into the seatbacks. In a final nod to the driver, the bow-tie emblem was removed from the steering wheel and substituted with the SS emblem.
Release Date
The Chevrolet HHR was released from 2006 to 2011 by the Chevrolet marque of General Motors Company. The HHR, produced in Ramos Arizpe, Mexico, and sold across North America, stopped in May 2011.