The HHR has been around now for about 8 years, so i was wondering if any one year or engine has emerged as the most reliable? Usually after a few years a pattern will emerge and a single year or two will be better than others, has enough time passed?

If your truck/car/suv has been reliable or has had lots of problems let us know the year mileage etc. Should be some interesting stories.

 

The HHR was made for 6 years, 06'-11'. Very few changes were made during the entire production run.
I doubt you will find that one year is that much more reliable than another.
Maybe the 06 had more bugs being the first year.

 

Our 06 has been what I'd refer to as reliable. We've had a couple of things repaired under warranty (shifter, catalytic converter/flex pipe), a couple of recalls but nothing out of pocket from the dealership. I've done brakes and front hubs, a timing belt and replaced the tires. Ours has just a shade under 70K miles. It seems to me that I hear more horror stories about the SS which didn't begin until 08.

 

The SS was only made from 2008 to 2010. I really haven't heard of many major problems with them. Mine has 73K miles on it, and it's been routine maintenance items, plus new front swaybar drop links (fixed clunking) that were reasonable from AutoZone.

I don't think there are major differences between years otherwise. Some of the colors were only available for 1 or 2 years, though.

 

The 06 had some first year quirks that were indentified quick. Most, if all of those should be fixed by now. Not many changes/updates through the years.

If you paid to replaced a timing belt, you got robbed...... Ecotec's have a chain.

 

Okay, okay...what I meant was a serpentine belt.

 

I have an 08 SS with 81K miles on it, and have had basically zero issues with it. There were a few owners that had problems with the turbo, mostly related to the connections failing. I think most of the problems were with the 5-speed as opposed to the automatic.

What's amazing is that I get a very powerful performance AND I can get close to 30 MPG on the highway. It's an amazing combination.

 

My 06 1LT 2.4L auto turned 101,000 recently. Brakes replaced at 92K, shocks at 62K, key stuck in switch under warrenty in 06. Other maintenance battery, turn signal light bulb and some tires (third set) and a couple of wheel alighments..

 

I would say that any significant "bugs" would have been worked out with the cobalt(same delta platform) in 05...I have had a 06 cobalt, 07 hhr lt, and 08 hhr ss...all have been awesome, and taken a beating at times

 

The answer "Should Be" 2011's as all the updates and upgrades are usually in the last year of production.

Unfortunately it is still somewhat a car by car basis based on how lucky you are.

Just look at the Steering Column issue as an example. I'm not sure if they actually ever got the fixed replacement Parts into the late model 2011 production.

The 2010 still had the Column issue as early as 15-17,000 miles.
It also still had an ignition switch recall too.

SF