2008 Chevy HHR Review
2008 Chevy HHR Review
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Used HHR for sale
Appraise This CarChevrolet HHR types
- Wagon
- SS
See Edmunds pricing data
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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Smooth and quiet ride, plenty of cargo space, attractive cabin, excellent outward visibility.
Cons
- Lackluster handling and braking, unrefined engines, some low-grade interior plastics.
What’s new
The 2008 Chevrolet HHR receives minor feature updates this year. OnStar is standard across the lineup and stability control has been added as an option. Debuting later in the model year will be the HHR SS with a 260-horsepower turbocharged engine.
Edmunds says
Recent improvements and updates have made the 2008 Chevrolet HHR a respectable choice for a small wagon.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2008 Chevrolet HHR LS 4dr Wagon (2.2L 4cyl 5M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.50 per gallon for regular unleaded in Ohio.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio
$175/mo for HHR LS
HHR LS
vs
$179/mo
Avg. Compact Car
Vehicle overview
Introduced two years ago, the Chevrolet HHR is a modern take on the expressive, big-fendered American vehicles of the late 1940s. Chevrolet says the HHR moniker refers to Heritage High Roof, and the model's overall styling was inspired by the 1949 Chevy Suburban. Most prospective buyers wouldn't know a '49 Suburban if it ran them over, but they will likely be drawn to the HHR's mix of classic-car styling, everyday practicality, mainstream mechanicals and affordable sticker price.
Like the Chrysler PT Cruiser, Dodge Caliber, Pontiac Vibe and redesigned Scion xB, Chevy's sporty HHR offers a tall passenger compartment and lots of usable room. For example, the HHR is 4 inches shorter than the compact Chevy Cobalt, yet offers almost 6 extra inches of rear legroom. And at nearly 24 cubic feet with the rear seat up, the HHR offers one of the best luggage capacities in its class.
Where the HHR suffers is in overall performance and refinement. Its base engine struggles to sufficiently motivate the 3,100-pound vehicle, and the HHR doesn't feel as responsive as its lighter and less powerful rivals when accelerating or cornering. On the plus side, it does have a smooth and quiet ride, with a softly tuned suspension that handily soaks up bumps and surface irregularities.
Overall, the 2008 Chevrolet HHR delivers practical and roomy transportation with retro styling that's distinctive and appealing. But given that competitors like the Mazda 3 offer better performance and handling while the Scion xB is more up-to-date in terms of image and features, it's a good idea to check out all your options first before deciding on the HHR. That is, unless you want to wait for the 260-hp SS Turbocharged model expected later this year with high-performance suspension tuning, 18-inch wheels and various other goodies to sweeten the deal on this otherwise utilitarian retro-flavored wagon.
Performance & mpg
Base LS and midlevel 1LT HHRs come equipped with a 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 149 hp and 152 pound-feet of torque. Optional on the 1LT and standard on the top-level 2LT model is a 2.4-liter four-cylinder generating 175 horses and 167 lb-ft of torque. Both are backed by a standard five-speed manual transmission, with a four-speed automatic optional. The engines are somewhat noisy, and due to the HHR's heft, neither provides an abundance of thrust down low. However, the larger 2.4-liter delivers more spirited performance once engine rpm and road speed spool up. The EPA gives the 2008 Chevy HHR with the 2.4-liter engine and automatic a fuel economy estimate of 22 mpg city and 28 mpg highway.
Safety
GM's OnStar emergency communications system is now standard on all 2008 Chevrolet HHRs. A basic front disc/rear drum brake setup is included across the lineup; ABS is standard on the 2LT and optional on the LS and 1LT as part of the Enhanced Safety Package, which also includes side curtain airbags. Front seat-mounted side airbags are not available. Traction control is included with ABS when ordered with an automatic transmission, and is standard on all 2LT vehicles, as is this year's new addition of stability control.
In National Highway Transportation Safety Administration testing, the HHR earned a highest possible five-star rating for occupant protection in both front and side-impact crash tests.
Driving
The Chevy HHR's strength is a smooth and quiet ride, and it's really in its element pointed straight down the highway. When the road gets curvy, it's best to maintain an easygoing pace, as the suspension and steering just can't keep up with overly aggressive driving. Body motions are not well controlled, and the electric-assisted steering is slow to respond and numb in feel. Braking is another weak area, as the HHR exhibits a loss of straight-line stability during maximum braking.
Interior
Attractive and functional, the 2008 Chevrolet HHR's cabin has handsome bright-ringed gauges, easy-to-use audio systems and impressive outward visibility for the regular wagon models. Less happily, the window buttons are awkwardly mounted behind the shifter, and some of the interior plastics are of mediocre quality. The standard cloth buckets are not as comfortable as we'd like, but the optional leather seats are better cushioned and more supportive. Legroom is ample front and rear owing to the HHR's voluminous layout, and the front passenger seat and rear seats fold easily to provide a flat load surface trimmed in easily cleaned plastic. Maximum cargo capacity is among the class leaders at 63 cubic feet.
2008 Chevrolet HHR models
The compact, front-wheel-drive 2008 Chevrolet HHR is available as a regular four-door wagon or a two-seat Panel variant with solid and handle-less rear doors. The regular wagon comes in two main trim levels: LS and LT. The LS includes 16-inch steel wheels, air-conditioning with cabin filtration, cruise control, keyless entry, a fold-flat front passenger seat, a 60/40-split-folding rear seat, full power accessories and a six-speaker CD stereo with an auxiliary audio jack.
The uplevel LT trim is actually available in two packages: standard 1LT and enhanced 2LT. The 1LT includes upgraded 16-inch wheels, an eight-way power driver seat and an enhanced MP3-compatible stereo. The sportier top-level 2LT adds a sport-tuned suspension, 17-inch alloy wheels, foglamps, exterior chrome accents, color-keyed running boards, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls and a premium audio speaker system with subwoofer.
Major options for the LT include remote vehicle starting (included with the automatic transmission), leather seating with heated front seats, in-dash CD changer, satellite radio and a sunroof. The HHR Panel van comes similarly equipped in the same trim levels but has solid rear cargo panel doors (they open via remote release), cargo floor storage compartments and a rear 40-amp power point for electronic equipment.
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Reliability Ratings by RepairPal
4 out of 5 stars4/5Above Average
#23 out of 46 among Compact Cars
RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.
Cost
The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the Chevrolet HHR from 2008-2022.$397/yr
vs. $416/yr
for Average Compact Car
for Average Compact Car
Frequency
The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).1.1x/yr
vs. 1.01x/yr
for Average Compact Car
for Average Compact Car
Severity
The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).11.8%
vs. 10.4%
for Average Compact Car
for Average Compact Car
powered by RepairPal Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 2008 Chevrolet HHR.
5 star(62%)
4 star(28%)
3 star(6%)
2 star(1%)
1 star(3%)
141 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
4 out of 5 stars
Wonderful car, great ride, best cargo room, 32 mpg
DDOlson, 05/25/2016
2008 Chevrolet HHR LS 4dr Wagon (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
For cheap and good this is the real deal. First of all this is my second HHR. I bought the 2006 first off the assembly line. I never had a single problem with it until 200,000 and even then the problem was easy to solve. I must preface this by saying my husband is a great mechanic. We maintain every car we own as a 10 out of 10. Many of the bad reviews I see here I think are caused by … people beating their cars into the ground and reselling them as junk. Seriously people, don't buy a used car until you've done your research, test drove it and had a mechanic check it out. And buying from a back lot small time dealer is a real roll of the dice and you'll pay much more for a car from a factory type dealer. My 2006 I finally sold at 220,000 just because I didn't want to have anything happen out on the rural roads in Minnesota's winter weather. That said the problem I did have was BATTERY GENERATED. You must replace newer car's batteries every 3 years. If you do not, cars today are so electronically generated from the computerization to lights, sensors etc. you start getting warning lights, sensor lights, power downs etc. as the batteries age because the old battery cannot support the juice needed to run the car. The cargo room in this car is better than any other its size and MPG. My son can get two bass bins and music gear galore in it no problem..I use to get ladders and dressers and beds in mine!!!!Its the best for this. Also I have three family members over 6 feet tall and they fit comfortably in the vehicle..so much we got one for my 6 ft+ son.
Also the inside car handles are cheap plastic and wear out. My drivers side simply broke in two but one, You Tube video later and a replacement part at NAPA, and it was fixed at home.
Now my son graduated from college. We bought him a 2008 HHR used 91,000 miles on it. Believe me it took weeks and a 7 hour road trip to buy the right one. There were tons out there but over priced, poorly maintained, a real crap shoot if you don't know what you are doing. I was very surprised how people just out and out try to deceive you about vehicles. I am so glad I have a reliable person to check things over before purchase. Our 2008 has the 2.2 engine and does get 32 MPH with the cruise on..my husband claims without the cruise it would be more if you drive it a certain way. The guy we bought it from even did the 100,000 maintenance on it all ready with the high end platinum plugs. New front tires-smooth ride and we really kicked the tires on this HHR before we bought it and drove it 7 hours straight to get it home. And the person who said they could have gotten a VW-good luck with that and buying used. I had VWs for years. If you do not do the routine maintain on them at a rep. certified VW place at thousands of dollars a pop, the vehicle is crap and a money hole. A used one maintained is hard to find.
it is now 2017 and we are still very happy to own an HHR. The 2008 had a small flaw in design where they took the fuel line and routed it close to the exhaust and wrapped the fuel line close to the exhaust with heat shielding that absorbed water...so it rusted out. Again another You Tube video later, replaced that length of fuel line with a piece that included a rust preventative( make sure you get compression fittings due to fuel injected vehicle- for some reason O"REILLY employees didn't know this- don't rely on store employees). We did put the heat shielding back on but open so the moisture can escape.
Also again, as with the 2006, there seem to be glitchy things with the mother boards and electrically system just randomly deciding to do finicky things. Being a seasoned HHR owner, we pulled the battery which reset the electronics and when we put it back in, trouble free. Got to make sure you have a good newer battery.
I can tell you I do not like the computer technology in ANY vehicle I have owned. They stink...you can have nothing wrong with the vehicle itself-just the computer. It also can be an expensive fix. AND mechanics charge you a fortune and rarely get to the real problem-it's a crap shoot...Glad it hasn't been on this HHR yet!
3.75 out of 5 stars
Get What You Pay For
mrsyam, 05/26/2012
2008 Chevrolet HHR LS 4dr Wagon (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
We bought this car after our first child was born. We bought it used with 25K miles on it and save a bunch of money than buying it new. It was great at first, but then all sorts of issues started popping up. The rotors have needed replaced 3 different times due to grinding. The CD player stopped working for some reason, but the dealership replaced it for free. The drivers side lock … always sticks and I've gotten locked out of my car before with my children in the car because the key fobs also are cheaply made and don't work properly. The newest issue is that the Passlock feature is malfunctioning due to a microchip error in the ignition!!! Trading in for something else.
5 out of 5 stars
Best Buy for the Money
Kevin, 06/01/2008
2008 Chevrolet HHR SS 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 5M)
We been driving this car for about a month and each day we love it more and more. Gets great gas milage, handles great, and when you need to move the turbo kicks in. Plenty of room inside for a small car. I'm 6 ft tall, 210lbs and there is plenty of knee and head room. We have two younger kids and they love it.
4.13 out of 5 stars
Good Car but has some problems.
FFDice, 09/24/2010
2008 Chevrolet HHR LS 4dr Wagon (2.2L 4cyl 5M)
This was my 1st new car ever. I always liked the look of classic cars and this car caught my eye. I bought this car during the gas price boom and it didn't disappoint me. Average MPG 24- 26. The car does have some squeaks and problems, but still a good car. Dealership has taken care of all my concerns. Back seats lower and can haul a lot of stuff as long as its not filthy dirty.
2008 HHR Highlights
Wagon
LS
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $16,730 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 24 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $175/month |
Seating | 5 seats |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 25.2 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Warranty | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
Safety
Key safety features on the HHR include:
- Alarm
- Tire Pressure Warning
- Stability Control
- Post-collision safety system
NHTSA Overall Rating
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverallNot RatedDriver5 / 5Passenger5 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverallNot Rated
- Side Barrier RatingOverallNot RatedDriver5 / 5Passenger5 / 5
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront SeatNot RatedBack SeatNot Rated
- RolloverRollover4 / 5Dynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of RolloverNot Rated
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