2006 Chevrolet HHR vs. 2006 Chrysler PT Cruiser

A disservice was once done to a great friend of mankind, the appliance. Some clever car writer, in search of a colorful metaphor to describe a particularly dull vehicle, called it an appliance. Let's reverse that insinuation. Let's celebrate the appliance. After all, one of its definitions is "willing service," which is arguably the most fundamental element of any human-friendly machine. Even in its broader sense, as in putting an action into effect, appliance is a concept to be praised and enjoyed, not used as a negative. Moreover, thanks to creative minds in the industrial arts, the appearance of many appliances is far from dull.

Like the freshened Chrysler PT Cruiser and all-new Chevrolet HHR: two of the more striking automotive appliances in the compact crossover market. At the heart of both is a combination of flexible spacious interior and efficient powertrain, providing the essential requirements of utility vehicles. But their functionality is distinguished by evocative styling that raises their reasons for being beyond the merely useful.

The initial success of the PT Cruiser, launched amid the nostalgia-tinted turn of the millennium, revealed both a hunger for the good old days and a thirst for basic transportation that says more about the buyer than just being careful with money. That first flurry of excitement was followed by continued robust sales, as the PT returned the real-world rewards of willing service.

Model variants and freshenings have benefited the PT's enduring appeal (see sidebar for 2006 changes), but its fortune hasn't gone unnoticed by the competition. In fact, GM was so convinced of the PT's winning formula, it used the same designer who styled the PT to conceive Chevrolet's latecomer to the segment, the HHR.

HHR stands for Heritage High Roof. The heritage bit comes from looks borrowed from the 1949 Chevy Suburban and the contemporary SSR roadster. Built on the same Delta platform as the Chevrolet Cobalt sedan and coupe, the HHR is, under that retro-skin, all about functionality. Was it built specifically to battle the PT? Well, yes and no. Obviously, GM would like to slice into the PT's action, but says the HHR's real target is the compact crossover market, which is busting out all over as the big rigs get taken down by rising fuel prices.