Chevrolet is calling its eye-catching new five-passenger HHR a sedan, even though it was modeled after the 1949 Chevy Suburban, the original utility vehicle, and copies the muscular wheel flares of the current SSR pickup truck. The result is a squarish look above the beltline and a sporty look below.

Chevrolet can call it anything it wants but the versatility for cargo, plus the spacious interior and passenger comfort, makes it appear more sport utility vehicle than traditional sedan. Consider the storage: a covered tray on the dashboard to hold a cell phone or MP3, folding flat rear seats with a 60/40 split that puts the 60 percent on the passenger side for extra width and length, and front seat armrests that stow out of the way. The plastic trunk floor can be raised 12 inches to create a tailgating shelf, a 5 inch deep bin hides beneath the floor (and below that is the spare tire) and two other nice sized storage bins are found behind the rear seats. The flip up rear door is touchpad activated.

Built on Chevrolet’s new Cobalt platform, the HHR comes in either the base LS or a 1LT or 2LT. Our 2LT test-drive came with the more powerful 2.4-liter, four-cylinder Ecotec engine and sport-tuned suspension as part of a $1,800 preferred equipment group 1LT upgrade. It also added a chrome exhaust tip, anti-lock brakes, shiny 17-inch aluminum wheels, leather wrapped steering wheel, chrome shift knob on the five-speed manual transmission and a seven-speaker amplified Pioneer audio system that provides surprisingly articulated sound. The Getrag gear shifter smoothly draws on the 172-horsepower engine for good front wheel drive power when needed, although the shifter sits lower than typical on the floor.

Cloth covered seats are comfortable, with height and distance adjustments powered and seat back adjustment manual. The driver enjoys lumbar support. Rear visibility is slightly hampered by the rear seat head restraints, but a higher seating position provides a minivan-like overview front and sides but shrinks headroom to somewhere between a typical sedan and SUV. Handling is responsive and, despite its high stance, the HHR feels stable at moderate speed in tight turns, helped by speed sensitive power steering that adjusts resistance depending upon the vehicle’s speed. Inside, a two-tone color scheme reflects warmth, with darker earth brown colors on the dashboard and center console, lighter colors elsewhere. The dashboard has a 3-D look for the rpm gauge and window controls are located in front of the gear shift.