Hummer H3
Ho-hummer |
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By Richard J. Newman
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Nits: Noise. The engine can be loud, and the vertical windshield creates lots of resistance that penetrates the cabin.
G forces: The 220-horsepower five-cylinder engine is adequate, and strong enough to tow up to 4,500 pounds. The standard transmission is a five-speed manual—unusual for a large SUV—which allows a bit better control off-road and overall (and also helps keep the base price under $30,000.) The optional four-speed automatic transmission is dated and makes for harsher, noisier performance than in some other SUVs. As for handling, the H3 is surprisingly agile, crisp on turns and easy to maneuver. Visibility, however, is poor, because of narrow side and rear windows.
Gizmology: Dashboard controls are large and simple, though a few controls are oddly placed. To reach the switches for the optional heated seats, for example, you have to feel around blindly along the bottom of the seat cushions. Folding down the rear seat, for storage, is also a balky exercise, requiring you to first slide out seat bottoms that seem reluctant. And the seats stow at an incline instead of folding completely flat.
Kidmarks: Kids love Hummers, innately sensing their standout moxie. And there's plenty of space for them to romp around inside. For smaller kids, it's a mighty high climb into the back seat, and even small adults may find the doors heavy and hard to close.
Hot or Not: Hot. For its distinctiveness.
Pain at the pump: Considerable. The EPA's mileage ratings range from 16 mpg/city to 20 mpg/highway. And the Hummer ranked 395 out of 477 on U.S. News's Muscle per Gallon Index. The EPA rates the H3 below average for emissions, and poor for air pollution. Details are at www.fueleconomy.gov.
Crash course: Not yet tested. Ratings and other safety info should eventually be posted at www.nhtsa.gov. Side-curtain airbags are optional, while plain side-impact airbags aren't available.
Price points: Base prices range from $29,500 to $32,730. Price as tested: $37,385. (Prices include delivery fees.)
More info: www.hummer.com
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Model year tested: 2006
When I first drove the $50,000 Hummer H2 in 2003, it was a gargantuan thrill. The H2 had instant cachet. Every time I parked, people would surround the behemoth and marvel. I felt large driving it. There were a few sneers from other drivers, but public opinion ruled: The H2 was cool.
The H3 is cool too—but the Hummer moment seems to have passed. As I was driving the cub of the lineup–calling it the Baby Hummer would be an oxymoron—I kept wondering, who needs all this? With regard to SUVs, of course, these have become more modest times, thanks to $3 gas. And the H3 does make an effort at moderation. Instead of the big V-8 in the H2, the Hummer features a 220-horsepower five-cylinder engine, which the EPA assigns an average fuel-economy rating of 17 miles per gallon. Not terrible, though in real-world mixed driving I averaged closer to 14. The H3 is smaller than the H2 and more nimble, with a good turning radius for maneuvering in parking lots, for instance. Still: Its hulking form makes a statement that's not all that fashionable anymore. Nobody stopped to admire the H3.
Compared with other full-size SUVs, the H3 is appealing. The distinctive Hummer styling is about as bold as it gets, rectangular and defiant in a world of slicked-back dandies. It handles remarkably well for a large vehicle, thanks to wheels pushed out to the far edges of the chassis. The interior is understated and handsome, with a sense of bigness all around. And for those who need real off-road talents—or are willing to pay for them, just in case a hurricane comes through—the H3 is at the top of the class. It can ford 2 feet of water, plow through deep sand, and manage other obstacles that would puncture the manhood of most other SUVs. Those and other Hummer attributes are certainly nice to have. The question is where purchasers these days will end up drawing the line between nice-to-have and must-have.
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