Journal-News

Small business owners, listen up. Chances are for years you have utilized a van of some sort for your needs, whether it be deliveries or to pick up supplies. For the past couple of years Chevrolet has offered an alternative as part of its HHR lineup.

The 2009 HHR is listed by the General Motors company as a compact sport-utility vehicle, although it could also be considered a wagon or a hatchback. A retro-looking vehicle with the old-time styling of a 1949 Suburban, the HHR seats up to five people.

But the version that the small-business owner could be attracted to is the HHR Panel. Strictly a two-passenger vehicle, the HHR Panel features plenty of interior vertical space (the HHR stands for Heritage High Roof) and a hard rubber, flat floor that stretches from behind the front seats to the liftgate — accounting for 57.7 cubic feet of space.

The front passenger seat also folds flat. The rear doors come without exterior handles and are opened via a button on the dash or the key fob. There are also storage bins under the floor, which adds 5.4 cubic feet of space. The rear doors have no windows, making them perfect for that small-business signage.

Our test HHR Panel had the base 155-horsepower, 2.2-liter 4-cylinder engine. EPA mileage ratings of 22 mpg/city and 30 mpg/highway are also a plus, as is the fact that it can also run on E85 ethanol. Should you want a little more heft under the hood, there is also a 170-hp 4-cylinder and a 260-hp turbocharged version.

Being a utilitarian vehicle is the HHR Panel's purpose, but that doesn't mean this is a bare-bones delivery truck, with many of the amenities found in compact cars in this price range. Antilock brakes, side curtain airbags and a traction control system are standard this year, too.

See photos of the HHR here.

David Mikesell is a free-lance automotive reviewer based in Indianapolis. Read this review and others like it at DaytonDailyNews.com/Wheels.