2011 Acura MDX

After a half-dozen years on the market with few updates, the Chevrolet HHR's shamelessly retro design is starting to look dated, which constitutes an oxymoron of the worst kind. Despite its slightly tired exterior style, its boxy shape offers a great amount of cargo-carrying ability in a rather compact footprint. Inside, the HHR is extremely versatile. Clever packaging solutions include a covered cubby on the dash top, removable rear seats, and hidden storage space beneath the cargo floor. For additional storage options, the cargo floor can be elevated to create a two-tier arrangement or mounted at a forty-five-degree angle to take advantage of the grocery-bag hooks mounted underneath. The HHR Panel has sheetmetal in place of the rear windows and cargo doors -- which open only using buttons on the dash or an inside handle -- instead of traditional, windowed rear doors. The absence of rear seats allows the HHR Panel to hold nearly 58 cubic feet of cargo (not including the underfloor storage space). This makes the HHR a unique -- and welcome -- option for customers who might otherwise choose a conventional full-size van for commercial use. Although it lacks the refinement of the Equinox and the Malibu, the HHR, especially when equipped with the standard five-speed manual transmission, continues to offer good fuel economy in a user-friendly, reasonably priced package. With more refined and ueber-hip options such as the Kia Soul and the Nissan Cube now on the market, though, the HHR is ripe for an update to keep it competitive.