2006 Chevrolet HHR

With pricing starting well below $20,000 and funky retro styling, the HHR is precisely the sort of small car GM's mainstream brand needs. Yes, Chrysler was here five years ago with the PT Cruiser, but the HHR's early sales success suggests there's room for more cars with character at this end of the market. Interior versatility is the HHR's strong suit. Rear and front-passenger seats fold flat to create a large deck; seats removed, its 63.1 cubic feet of cargo volume is more than in the PT's. But, typically, GM can't quite keep the good stuff coming: Seats don't provide enough support; interior plastics aren't as viable as those in compact Korean and Japanese cars; window switches aren't placed in an intuitive location. And just as the exterior design is like that of a scaled-down Suburban, the interior is scaled down, too: The seat cushions are too short and narrow, the I.P. is undersized, as is the tachometer in it, and, overall, the cabin feels cramped.

The optional 172-horsepower four provides enough juice, and, compared with an HHR with the four-speed auto, the manual trans decreased time to 60 mph by more than a second and increased quarter-mile trap speed by four mph, though the five-speed manual transmission feels rubbery. The Delta platform is capable and serves the wagon well, and handling and steering response are decent. The five-speed will allow you to wind up the HHR and make it bend to your will, but there's more fun to be had in a 230-horsepower turbocharged PT or the Mazda5 for similar money. GM has increased HHR sales projections--a welcome bright spot for the embattled giant. Sometimes, a good-looking body, functional interior, and low price are enough. Now, if GM only sweated the details more.