2006 Chevy HHR Preview

HHR will start production in the summer of 2005 and become available the following fall as a 2006 model. At this time it

The HHR will be the third vehicle to be based on the General's Delta global small-car architecture. (Photo: General Motors of Canada)

will be the third vehicle to be based on the General's Delta global small-car architecture, following the Saturn ION that came out last year, Chevrolet Cobalt due to replace the Cavalier, and Canadian only Pontiac Pursuit, that replaces the Sunfire.

That makes the HHR a compact, and directly targeting the PT Cruiser's market. Some question this strategy, as the PT hasn't exactly been growing in sales despite its overwhelming initial success. Will the HHR be too late to capitalize on the retro trend?

Only time can tell, but GM obviously feels there are Chevy loyalists that

Whether pulling styling cues from fifty year old vehicles or attempting to look futuristic, the HHR's compact crossover segment is growing in leaps and bounds. (Photo: General Motors of Canada)

love the idea of a retro people hauler but want to stay true to their brand. This could very well be the case.

By the way, while the only retro in the group other than the PT Cruiser, the HHR is joined by other competitors vying for business in the compact crossover market. Radical in a modernistic way is Honda's Element, similar in its cubic shape to Scion's xB, not available in Canada. Nissan has announced it will bring its appropriately named Cube to North America too.

It only makes sense that this segment will continue to grow, whether pulling styling cues from fifty year old vehicles or attempting to look futuristic.