The Story Of *NOT* PT Cruiser

Dive into the quirky history of the Chevrolet HHR—one of the most polarizing cars of the 2000s retro-styling craze. After watching Chrysler sell over a million PT Cruisers, General Motors wanted a piece of the pie. Their strategy was bold: they poached the PT Cruiser’s lead designer, Bryan Nesbitt, and tasked him with building a rival for Chevy. The result was the HHR (Heritage High Roof). Heavily inspired by the iconic 1947 Chevrolet Suburban, the HHR was a strange blend of a compact car, a wagon, and an SUV. In this video, we explore the bizarre history of this retro ride, from its practical but controversial design to the oddly brilliant 260-horsepower HHR SS and the quirky windowless Panel Van versions.