2009 Chevrolet HHR

Finally, Chevy offers the HHR SS, with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that delivers "serious speed," Car and Driver reviewers say. Fuel economy doesn't suffer much: Expect 24 mpg combined with the manual transmission (21 mpg city and 29 mpg highway), 23 mpg combined with the automatic (19 mpg city and 29 mpg highway). Thanks to much more aggressive suspension tuning, testers don't find the same wallow-and-slide handling with the Chevy HHR SS as they do with the lower-trim models.

Every Chevrolet HHR also comes in a two-seat panel version, which trades the rear cargo-bay windows for sheet metal (Car and Driver calls the SS panel version "a milkman's dream"). Even with the full complement of windows, testers say visibility is poor, thanks to the thick pillars that are a hallmark of boxy wagons like the HHR and Scion xB (*est. $15,750 to $16,700). The tall, narrow body also makes for a cramped cabin, with inadequate rear seat room for three adults and a cockpit that feels confined, reviewers say. Some reviewers say the interior materials themselves are better quality that they're used to seeing from General Motors, but that the cheap plastics and gaps between interior panels make the Chevy HHR feel chintzy anyway.

Of more concern, experts say, are the HHR's relatively long braking distances and inconsistent safety scores. Although the Chevrolet HHR wagon gets excellent ratings in government crash tests (which don't include rear crashes), independent crash tests find that the HHR does only a "marginal" job protecting passengers in a rear-end collision.

Chevy backs the HHR with a five-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty (in addition to the normal three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty). However, reliability has been unremarkable, according to consumer surveys -- a problem in a category that includes several extremely reliable choices. In fact, experts are more likely to recommend almost any other budget wagon over the Chevrolet HHR. In this segment, we found the best reviews for the 2009 Pontiac Vibe (*est. $16,735 to $21,510), which combines a low price with good safety, reliability and performance.

Reviews most often group the retro-styled Chevrolet HHR with its similarly boxy competitors, the Chrysler PT Cruiser and Scion xB. ConsumerGuide.com and ConsumerReports.org base their picks among the three on thorough road testing. Car and Driver and Motor Trend also test the wagons, but their reviews are briefer and less detailed. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provides detailed fuel-economy estimates for all of the HHR's many versions. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety disagree about the HHR's safety.