Small-business owners, listen up. You probably have utilized a van of some sort for your needs, whether it be for 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 General Motors 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 flat, hard- rubber 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 add 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 miles per gallon/city and 30 mpg/highway are also a plus, as is the fact that it also can run on E85 ethanol. Should you want more heft, there is a 170-hp version, as well as a 260-hp with turbo.

This is no bare-bones delivery truck. It has many of the amenities found in compact cars in this price range, including antilock brakes, side-curtain airbags and a traction control system. Suggested prices for the HHR start at $18,720.

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