Hummer H3 Review

The Hummer H3 is the smallest SUV in the Hummer lineup. With the unique looks of its older siblings and renowned off-road capabilities, the H3 packages it all up into a smaller and more affordable price. In addition, the H3 is also much more civil than the other Hummer models. It features greater creature comforts, such as cabin sound dampening, and stylish flair with its chrome accents. All in all the H3 is marketed to the average SUV consumer looking for Hummer’s rugged image on a budget.

See also the main fact sheet for the Hummer H3.

High Points

 * Extreme offroad capabilities
 * Pleasing interior

Low Points

 * When the H3 was first released, Some critics had argued that 220-hp was not enough for a mid-size SUV For 2007, the engine has been enlarged and retuned to give 242 hp. The vehicle now has more than adequate power at all sane speeds. While the engine boasts an amazingly high redline (for a truck), low end torque is this engine's strength. When speeds begin to approach 80 mph, the combination of the 4 speed auto and massive frontal area conspire to give a wheezy feel.

Performance and Handling
Like other Hummers, the H3 was built not for its zero-to-60 mph acceleration time but for its ability to climb 60 percent (31-degree) grades, to handle 40 percent side slopes and to ford 24 inches of water. But the H3's 220 (242 for 2007)horsepower engine isn't all that sluggish when you enter a freeway on ramp and the engine emits a nice growl as you accelerate to the speed limit.

The capabilities engineered into the H3 for off-roading also are beneficial in city driving, and especially in parking, where the tight steering and 37-foot turning circle combine to make parking, even parallel parking, a simple maneuver.

A suspension system designed to deal with extreme hazards of off-road driving improves on-road performance as well, whether it's in the way the traction control operates on slippery surfaces or the way the shock absorbers and secondary jounce bumpers make smooth work of pot holes in the pavement. Engaging low range readjusts the computer mapping to provide the slower throttle progression needed for safely stepping over boulders and other obstacles; low range also changes shift points in the automatic transmission to allow for higher torque in lower gears and linear rather than snappy shifts.

The stock H3 tackles any trail normally reserved for modified off-road vehicles with ease. General Motors says its engineers and designers created the H3 to have best-in-class off-road ability and the H3’s performance indicates that they achieved their goal. The H3 is an authentic Hummer.

Gas Mileage
As seen on Autos.com, in the luxury SUV MPG rankings, the 2007 Hummer H3 is in 10th place with 15/20 MPG.

Safety
The Hummer H3 comes standard with the following features:


 * STABILITRAK, stability control
 * Traction control
 * 4 wheel anti-lock breaks (ABS)
 * Dual front airbags
 * Remote Keyless Entry
 * Tire pressure monitoring system

Reliability and Maintenance
Hummer and its parent company, GM, offer a 5 year/100,000 mile warranty on all 2007 Hummer H3s. This includes limited powertrain coverage and 24 hour roadside assistance.

Interior and Comforts
While the H3 is capable of extreme off-road driving, its passenger compartment was designed and equipped for extreme on-pavement comfort.

Care was taken in designing the exterior to create nuances, such as the shape of the structure around the very upright windshield, to enhance both exterior aerodynamics and help keep the interior quiet at Interstate speeds. Special sound insulation materials and window sealing enable H3 occupants to carry on conversations without raising their voices even though the H3 has off-road worthy tires, which have more aggressive and noise generating tread.

The leather seating surfaces are comfortable for highway driving, yet supportive for severe off-road conditions as well. Lumbar support is good and headrests are properly positioned close to back of the driver and passengers' heads.

Color-contrast piping around the edges of the leather seats enhances the luxurious look and feel of the H3 interior. The interior can be ordered in all black (ebony) or with contrasting ebony and cashmere (a beige tone) or ebony and Morocco (terra cotta) colors for the seats and door panel trim. Metallic-colored trim finishes highlight the dashboard and center console.

Positioning the spare tire on the rear door provides extra room for cargo inside the H3. Even with the second row occupied, there's room for nearly 30 cubic feet of gear. Capacity nearly doubles with second-row seats flipped forward.

Exterior
The Hummer H3 applies the design cues that made the Hummer H1 and H2 so popular and so unlike anything else on the road. The difference is the more compact package.

The H3 has an extremely upright windshield and side windows that more closely resemble those in a turret than a typical family wagon, as well as the very short front and rear overhangs and increased ground clearance that are vital for negotiating the sort of extreme off-pavement environments Hummers have to be able to survive.

One area in which the H3 differs from other Hummers is in the blistered fenders that cover its widely set wheels and large tires. The standard tires are 32 inches in diameter; special off-road tires developed for the H3 by Bridgestone are 33 inches tall.

Large round headlamps are positioned on either side of an upright grille with seven vertical slots. Large fog lamps positioned below the headlamps underscore the vehicle's height. Its width is accentuated by amber signal lamps positioned outboard of the headlamps, up above the front tires at the front of bulging front fenders.

Lending even more strength to the H3's face is a wide black bumper with a pair of bolted-in D rings, each of which can support the vehicle's full weight. A visible reminder that Hummers are at home away from pavement, the H3 has a skid plate, bright metallic underbody armor designed to protect its oil pan and other powertrain components from damage.

The hood has louvers that look like those on the H1 or H2 and a pair of air boxes at the base of the windshield supports. While the louvers are non-functional, one of the air boxes draws oxygen into the 3.5-liter five-cylinder engine.

Because of its military heritage as a Humvee, the wheels on the Hummer H1 have an integrated tire inflation system. The wheels on the H2 and H3 have a similar look, though they do not provide inflation on the go. However, the H3 does come with a standard tire-pressure monitoring system.

The rear view of the H3 is dominated by the full-size spare tire mounted on the back of the rear door. A hydraulic strut eases the opening and closing this tire-carrying door, which is hinged on the driver's side and thus can be loaded from curbside in parallel parking situations.

As at the front of the H3, a metallic skid plate protects the fuel tank and other underbody components at the rear of the vehicle's chassis.

Styles and Options
The Hummer H3 is available in 4 trims H3, H3 Adventure, H3 Luxury and H3x.

H3
 * Vortec 3700 3.7L engine
 * 5-speed manual transmission
 * Electronic controlled full-time 4WD
 * P265/75R16 all-terrain tires
 * 16x7.5 in. aluminum wheels
 * OnStar

H3 Adventure (adds to H3)
 * Rear locking electronic differential
 * LT285/75R16C on-road/off-road tires
 * 16x7.5 in. chrome wheels

H3 Luxury (adds to H3)
 * Leather interior
 * Heated front seats with power adjustment
 * Monsoon sound system

H3x (adds to H3)
 * Monsoon sound system
 * Embroidered head rests
 * Leather interior
 * Heated front seats
 * Spare tire cover w/ chrome accent
 * Chrome wheels
 * Exclusive colors
 * Chrome brush guard and grill

Main Competitors

 * Jeep Grand Cherokee: side-by-side comparison
 * Land Rover LR3: side-by-side comparison
 * Nissan Pathfinder: side-by-side comparison
 * Toyota 4Runner: side-by-side comparison