Which year to buy
2011GOOD BUYSerious complaints 0.6× usual Extended coverage
173 serious complaints of 203, the most about fuel system (43) and air bags (30); per car on the road, 0.6× this model's usual year. 3 recalls.
What owners report
“Fuel supply lines near drivers rear wheel started leaking while engine is running. Strong odors of gasoline and significant puddle of fuel under the car after a short time of running. It appears to be excessive corrosion of the line near the supports, heat shield.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the fuel system, Sep 2021
“The contact owns a 2011 chevrolet hhr. The contact stated that the check air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to be diagnosed by the dealer. The contact was informed that the front driver and passenger side air bags needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the air bags, May 2016
Fixes and extended coverage
- Extended coverage On some vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission, the vehicles transmission shifter may not properly transmit an electrical signal that allows the ignition key to be turned counter clockwise past the accessory mode to the lock position after the vehicle has been shifted into park.… (14632B, Mar 2015)
- Extended coverage 14632 - special coverage (q&a). On december 11, 2014, general motors released special coverage adjustment 14632. (G-206857, Dec 2014)
- Repair program This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have a Diagnostic Trouble Code B101D stored in Telematics Communication Interface Control Module. (PIT5236F, Aug 2015)
From the manufacturer's bulletins filed with NHTSA. A dealer can look up whether a car has had the work done or is still covered.
203 owner complaints · 3 recalls (check a car's VIN for open recalls) · EPA combined: 24–26 mpg · NHTSA: Not rated · 2011 trims and features
Verdicts computed from NHTSA owner complaints, defect investigations and recalls. Cars on the road from New York State registrations. (How we judge.) Data checked 2026-10-06.
Trims and features
Engines: 2.2L 4-cyl; 2.4L 4-cyl · Drive: FWD
2011 HHR trims
| 1LT | 2LT | LS |
|---|
base price, seating and driver-assistance equipment from NHTSA's vehicle database (vPIC), as Chevrolet reports it. Tech and comfort features (CarPlay, heated seats, sunroof) for Chevrolet aren't in our data yet. "—": not verified in our sources. "Varies": standard on some versions of the trim.
Year by year
| Year | Engines | Drive | Fuel economy | Crash rating | Recalls | Owner complaints | Most-reported problem | CarPlay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 2.2L 4-cyl 2.4L 4-cyl manual available | FWD | 24–26 mpg | Not rated | 3 | 203 | Fuel/propulsion system (43) | — |
| 2010 | 2.0L 4-cyl turbo 2.2L 4-cyl 2.4L 4-cyl manual available | FWD | 23–26 mpg | Not rated | 4 | 515 | Steering (231) | — |
Owner complaints are unverified reports to NHTSA, counted as filed: older years have had longer to collect them and sales aren't adjusted for, so see Which year to buy for a fair comparison. Most-reported problem: the component named in the most complaints that year. Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Apple.
Every NHTSA-rated version: crash ratings, safety tech, recalls, complaints
| Year | Version | Stars | Forward collision warning | Lane departure warning | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Chevrolet HHR SUV FWD | Not Rated | No | No | 3 | 203 |
| 2011 | Chevrolet HHR Panel VAN FWD | Not Rated | No | No | 3 | 203 |
| 2010 | Chevrolet HHR 4-DR. w/SAB | Not Rated | No | No | 4 | 515 |
| 2010 | Chevrolet HHR 2-DR. Panel Truck w/SAB | Not Rated | No | No | 4 | 515 |
Source: NHTSA.
Every EPA-rated version: engines and combined mpg
| Year | EPA model | Engines | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | HHR FWD | Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.2 L Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.4 L Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.4 L Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.2 L |
24–26 |
| 2011 | HHR Panel FWD | Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.2 L Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.4 L Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.4 L Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.2 L |
24–26 |
| 2010 | HHR FWD | Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.2 L Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.4 L Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.2 L Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.4 L Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo |
23–26 |
| 2010 | HHR Panel FWD | Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.2 L Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.4 L Auto 4-spd, 4 cyl, 2.2 L Man 5-spd, 4 cyl, 2.4 L |
25–26 |
Source: fueleconomy.gov.