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Best tires for the Chevrolet HHR

Top picks across four categories for the Chevrolet HHR, anchored to the current-generation OEM size 215/55R16. Every recommendation is selected from our 22,000-tire catalog by ranking on UTQG treadwear, mileage warranty, cabin-noise rating, and season class; no commission-weighted reordering.

By Mark Bishop · Last verified 2026-10-07

Daily driver

Best all-season touring

Long warranty, low noise, balanced ride. The one-tire compromise that works for 80% of owners.

Lowest cost per mile

Best budget

Best price-per-warranty-mile in this size. Trade-off is shorter warranty vs premium options, not safety.

Lowest cabin noise

Best quiet

Tread patterns engineered to break up the harmonic peaks that cause highway droning. Pick this if you commute long highway distances daily.

Cold-weather grip

Best winter

Dedicated winter or all-weather compounds that stay pliable below 7 °C. Necessary for >5 snow days a year.

Side-by-side

Pick the trade-off that matches your driving

All-season
Bridgestone Turanza QuietTrack
Best budget
Goodyear Assurance MaxLife
Best winter
Bridgestone Blizzak WS90
UTQG treadwear800820-
Mileage warranty80,000 mi85,000 mi-
Cabin noise68 dB70 dB71 dB
Season classall-seasonall-seasonwinter
Typetouringtouringpassenger

OEM tire sizes by year

What size does the chevrolet HHR use?

Recommendations on this page are anchored to the latest model-year's OEM size. Confirm yours against the driver-door placard before purchase.

YearOEM size
2006–2007215/55R16Year-specific fitment →
2008–2010225/45R18Year-specific fitment →
2011215/55R16Year-specific fitment →

How we ranked these tires for the chevrolet HHR

We started with the latest model-year's OEM tire size; 215/55R16; and filtered our catalog of 22,000+ tires to those offered in that exact size. From there, four parallel rankings:

For sedans and compacts, the all-season touring tire below is the best default; long warranty, low cabin noise, reasonable cost per mile. Switch to the quiet pick if highway droning is a deal-breaker; switch to the winter pick if you see significant snow each year. Use the side-by-side comparison above to weigh the trade-offs against your specific driving; highway-heavy, winter-state, performance-oriented, or budget-constrained.

NHTSA-reported issues for chevrolet HHR

3
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Top issue category: Tires (General)

Most reported: Tires (General) (2) · TPMS (1)

Reported across: 2011 – 2011 (1 year)

What owners described

Blowout or sudden deflation is the most common description, in 19% of these reports. Percentages are shares of the 27 reports covering every model year of the Chevrolet HHR that include a written account; a single report can describe more than one problem, so they do not total 100%.

Reported problemThis subjectAll tire complaintsRelative
Blowout or sudden deflation 19% 20% 0.9×
Sidewall failure 15% 15% 1.0×
Pressure-monitoring (TPMS) fault 15% 2% 6.2×
Loss of control, rollover or collision 11% 8% 1.3×
Tread or belt separation 7% 13% 0.6×
Bubble or bulge in the tire 4% 6% 0.6×

Mileage at failure

17 of these reports state an odometer reading. The middle report is at 15,000 miles, with 8 in 10 falling between 1,942 and 153,241 miles.

In owners' own words

Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA about Chevrolet HHR. Reports are published by NHTSA as filed and are lightly cleaned here only to remove intake codes.

THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET HHR EQUIPPED WITH FIRESTONE AFFINITY TOURING TIRES SIZE P215/55 R16. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE DRIVER REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO OVER INFLATION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGES, VIN AND DOT NUMBER WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA complaint 1058795 · 2009 vehicle

THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET HHR EQUIPPED WITH COOPER ULTRA TOURING HT TIRES (NA). WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM INDICATED THAT THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS DECREASING. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A RECURRING FAILURE OF TREAD SEPARATION WITH THE REPLACEMENT TIRES OVER THE COURSE OF TWO MONTHS. A DEALER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES THROUGH SEVERAL VOICE MESSAGES BY THE CONTACT. THE TIRE SIZE, DOT NUMBER, VIN, AND TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 108,000.

NHTSA complaint 1501639 · 2009 vehicle

THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET HHR EQUIPPED WITH DEXTERO TOURING DTR1 TIRES, SIZE: 216/50/R17 95VXL (NA). THE CONTACT PURCHASED A REPLACEMENT TIRE FROM WALMART AND STATED THAT THE SIDEWALL WAS WORN. AS A RESULT, THE TIRE BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE FAILURE UNTIL HE RETURNED TO WALMART AND HAD THE TIRE DIAGNOSED. THE TIRE WAS NOT REPLACED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 153,241. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA complaint 1531731 · 2006 vehicle

I AM HAVING TIRE PROBLEMS, PREMATURE WEAR ON FRONT, AND KNOCKING NOISE IN FRONT STEERING, TOOK IT TO I TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL DEALER THEY REPLACED THE STEERING ASSY, BUT DID NOTHING WITH TIRES, NOW I NEED TIRES AND HAVE GONE TO 5 DIFFERENT TIRE STORES, AND ALL OF THEM STATE THAT THE TIRES I HAVE ON MY 2007 CHEVROLET HHR 2.2 DOHC, ARE NOT THE PROPER ONES FOR THE VEHICLE RATING. AND NO ONE CARRIES THEM. AND IF THEY DID THEY WOULD BE 175.00 PER TIRE, TIRES IN MENTION ARE P215/50 R17 90T, I WOULD EXPECT FULL TIRE REPLACEMENT AT NO CHARGE TO MYSELF AND OTHERS IN THIS SITUATION.

NHTSA complaint 652893 · 2007 vehicle

Complaints are voluntarily submitted to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation and are not verified by NHTSA; they represent owner-reported problems, not proven defects. Counts can be useful as a relative quality signal across comparable tires or vehicles.

FAQ

What's the best all-season tire for the Chevrolet HHR?
The all-season touring slate above ranks the top options for the 215/55R16 OEM size. The leader is selected by matching chevrolet-segment fitment, all-season compound class, and premium-brand quality bonus. For most Chevrolet HHR owners, the all-season touring pick is the best one-tire compromise; long warranty, low noise, reasonable cost per mile.
Should I get a cheaper tire for my Chevrolet HHR?
The budget slate above ranks tires by cost-per-warranty-mile, ignoring brand premium. The budget pick is genuinely competitive on durability metrics; the trade-off is shorter warranty and slightly higher cabin noise, not actual safety risk. If you drive less than 15,000 miles a year, the budget pick will outlast your replacement window regardless.
Does the Chevrolet HHR need winter tires?
If you see more than 5 snow days a year or drive at sustained temperatures below 7 °C, yes; winter compounds stay pliable in cold where all-season rubber hardens, which translates directly to shorter braking distances. The winter pick above is 3PMSF severe-snow rated and works for the 215/55R16 OEM fitment. Storage cost is real (4 extra tires somewhere), but the safety margin in winter conditions is substantial.
Can I run a different tire size on my Chevrolet HHR?
Plus-size and minus-size alternatives within ±3% overall diameter are typically safe per the ETRTO standard. See the 215/55R16 upsize options for the full categorised alternatives table with verdicts.
Where can I buy these tires?
Each tire links to its detail page with live pricing from our online retailer partners. Out-the-door cost (including mount, balance, TPMS service, and disposal) varies by state; use the install cost calculator for a realistic estimate.

Last verified 2026-10-07.