Hummer H3, H3 Adventure and H3 Luxury

What we liked
>> Very capable offroad
>> 'Don't mess with me' styling
>> Tight turning circle and stability

Not so much
>> Engine struggles on the open road
>> Ride is choppy
>> Rear seat access

Overall rating: 3.0/5.0
Engine/Drivetrain/Chassis: 3.0/5.0
Price, Packaging and Practicality: 3.0/5.0
Safety: 3.0/5.0
Behind the wheel: 3.0/5.0
X-factor: 3.5/5.0

About our ratings

OVERVIEW
For a relatively young brand, Hummer can certainly bask in glory. A supplier of military vehicles to the US government, AM General bought into the private market with the original Hummer. This vehicle rose to real prominence in the first Gulf war, when it appeared on CNN's news coverage most nights.

It had begun life in the forces as the 'Hummvee' (High Mobility Multi-Wheeled Vehicle -- 'HMMWV') and subsequently became known idiomatically as the 'Hummer'.

Some of the more illustrious (private) owners of Hummers include Arnold Schwarzenegger and singer Neil Young -- although Young is said to have converted his vehicle to run on biodiesel and 'the Governator' is looking into a hydrogen-power conversion for his.

General Motors saw an opportunity and acquired the business in 1999. After renaming the original Hummer 'H1', the corporation set about developing the more modern H2 model and subsequently the 'baby' Hummer -- the H3.

In 2005, the company released this latest vehicle, the H3. Says General Motors, it has been the most successful so far -- accounting for 50 per cent of all Hummer sales since introduction.

The H3 is also the first Hummer to be officially exported by the factory -- that is outside of the North American marketplace. In fact, it's assembled at a South African plant and then exported all around the world.

H3 is the trailblazer for the brand in Australia and although it shares much with a couple of relatively 'low rent' Chevrolet and GMC models, it retains more than enough offroad capability to hold its head up in mixed company.

Australia is the third market outside the US where the H3 has been released. Hummer has already launched the brand in South Africa and Britain. Japan is the next market after Australia and the marque will make its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show later this month.

As with other Hummer models, the H3 sports a seven-slot grille, which brought GM into legal loggerheads with Jeep -- the other purveyor of offroad vehicles with a military heritage.

That 'wrangle' has been resolved since, but there's still a residual sense of Hummer stepping on Jeep's toes. It goes beyond the grille and the common military heritage. Both companies are as American as Mom and apple pie, and both purport to offer go-anywhere prowess.

Amusingly, for all the debate about the 'plagiarism' of Jeep's grille, Hummer has also been on the other side of the fence. Toyota's Mega Cruiser wagon from the nineties clearly pays homage to the original military design.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
The H3 is launched in Australia as a model range comprising three levels. There's the base level, priced from $51,990 and equipped with the standard engine and five-speed manual transmission. Opting for the four-speed automatic transmission adds $2000 to the price ($53,990).

The other two grades are priced at an equivalent level, although the seriously offroad-oriented grade, the H3 Adventure starts at a lower price ($57,990) because the standard transmission is the same five-speed box as for the entry-level model.

As with the base H3, the H3 Adventure can be 'specced-up' with the four-speed automatic transmission for an extra $2000, taking it up to $59,990. It shares this price with the auto-only H3 Luxury variant.

At the entry level, the H3 features cruise control, electro-chromatic mirror, built-in compass, electric windows/mirrors, remote central locking with alarm and duress button, single-disc in-dash CD audio system, cloth seat trim and 60/40 split-fold rear seat.

Both the Adventure and Luxury variants come similarly equipped and over the base model specification, lay claim to leather trim, heated front seats with eight-way electric adjustment, leather-bound steering wheel, a six-disc in-dash CD audio system, and an exterior chrome package for the door handles, roof rails and mirror bodies.

In a case of swings and roundabouts, the H3 Luxury is fitted with a sunroof and the H3 Adventure features a very low ratio two-speed transfer case and a lockable rear differential.

Metallic paint is a $1200 option for all variants and Hummer offers a comprehensive range of accessories at extra cost. Examples include: Bluetooth connectivity ($325), chrome-finish alloy wheels ($570), a spare tyre cover ($1290) side steps in black ($745) or chrome ($890) and, not least important of all, rear parking sensors ($445).

So plainly, the price of the base H3 could rise in dramatic fashion once you start lashing out for these features and all the other cosmetic and functional items on the list. Also, and of some concern, these accessories are dealer-fit, not ex-factory options. What that means is you may pay more for the labour associated with the installation of those extras.

MECHANICAL
Where it departs from conventional design, the H3 usually does so for a reason. Technically, the H3 is every bit as conservative as any other heavy-duty offroad vehicle. Full chassis, live rear axle with leaf springs, dual-range transfer -- there's nothing new under the sun where the H3 is concerned.

Or is there? The engine is a 3.7-litre inline five-cylinder with DOHC and variable valve timing. Balance shafts still most of the vibration.

So what we have under the bonnet is an amputated six-cylinder in a configuration better associated with Volkswagen and Audi, featuring an NVH counter-measure invented by Mitsubishi. Variable valve timing and DOHC drivetrain result in better fuel economy and the 80,000km spark plugs and coil-on-plug ignition reduce servicing costs.

The all-alloy engine is a five-cylinder because the engine bay is too short for an inline six and (up to this point) too narrow for a V-configuration engine -- although Hummer is working on a V8 for next year.

Developing 328Nm of torque at 4600rpm, the five-cylinder engine is doing the right thing for offroad work. According to Hummer, up to 90 per cent of that torque is available across a rev range from 2000-6000rpm. Peak power of 180kW occurs at 5600rpm.

In manual form, the H3 returns a figure of 13.8lt/100km in combined cycle ADR81/01 testing. Auto variants achieve 14.5lt/100km.

The H3's engine was basically developed for the Chevrolet Colorado and its badge-engineered twin, the GMC Canyon. These two commercial vehicles use a lengthened derivation of the same platform under our RA model Holden Rodeo (Isuzu I-190). The platform also supports the H3, but the Hummer is fitted with different suspension components for its offroad role.

A choice of five-speed manual or four-speed automatic (H3 Luxury is auto-only) transmits the torque to the centre differential and two-speed transfer case. You read that right: the H3 is a full-time four-wheel drive with that centre differential lockable in either high or low range.

The transfer case is electronically controlled. There are three buttons on the dash to select '4-high open', '4-high locked' (centre diff only) and '4-low locked' (centre and rear diffs for the H3 Adventure models). '4-high locked' can be selected on the fly, but it's necessary to bring the vehicle to a halt to select '4-low locked'.

Drive runs to the rear live axle and the front independent suspension. The live axle is a 'Hotchkiss' system with leaf springs and monotube dampers. At the front, the IFS system is suspended by torsion bars. Both ends of the car are fitted with anti-roll bars.

Four-wheel disc brakes take care of the stopping and are modulated by ABS and EBD. The H3 features Hummer's own stability program ('Stabilitrak') and an electronic traction control program. 

Comparing external dimensions, it's tempting to line up the H3 with the four-door Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon and the Land Rover Discovery. The Hummer is longer and wider than the Chrysler Group product but shorter and narrower than the Disco.

At 4782mm long, it's 63mm shorter than the UK-built all-wheel drive and also rides on a shorter wheelbase. The Jeep is just 31mm shorter overall.

Where the H3 does trump its competitors is in height and track. At 1904mm, the Hummer is a touch taller than the Land Rover and towers (60mm) over the Jeep. Track is better than 1650mm front and rear -- around 80mm wider than the Jeep and 50mm or so up on the Pommie 4x4.

PACKAGING
In developing any SUV, there's always a question of balance to be answered. For a highly capable offroad model such as the H3, should the company go all hard plastics and rubber mats?

If it were possible to graph the compromises in the H3's design and packaging, the net result would resemble the Rockies. Well, maybe not, but there are some strange tugs-of-war between form and function going on.

In the cabin, there are dual sunvisors with the sliding extension to block the sun shining through the centre of the screen -- and that's a good thing. And there's the durable-looking cloth trim of the seats in the base model. Then, you have the lovely dark chrome-look centre fascia bezel that gathers dust like moths to a flame. Some might argue that this faux-luxury item has no place in a dedicated offroader such as the H3.

A couple of other design points that should be mentioned too. While there's adequate legroom front and rear, gaining access to the rear seat is harder than expected.

First of all, there's the (literally) sheer step height into the cabin, which similarly afflicts access to the front seats of course. But you could live with this; it is a very high-riding SUV with excellent ground clearance, after all. What's less forgivable is the narrow rear doors and the intrusive rear wheel arch -- leading to some degree of contortion to enter the rear.

Overall, the five-seater-only H3 suffers from a degree of form over function in terms of its packaging. It may top the Disco in height but the extra millimeters are used up in ground clearance not passenger headroom.

The tailgate is set up for LHD countries, so it opens out from the driver's side. That's not a huge safety issue, but it's indicative of RHD countries being -- once again -- low man on the global exports totem pole.

The H3 is fitted with an umbrella handle for parking brake-actuation -- and frankly, it's something that Nissan tried with the Datsun 180B and then gave away as a bad joke. It's no better in the H3. It might even be worse!

Build quality is good for a vehicle that is not really intended to impress neighbours and friends by being at the forefront of panel gaps and tactile sensation. The materials appear a tad cheap, but will most likely prove durable and easily cleaned for years to come.

The driver's seat recline adjuster didn't work on one particular launch vehicle -- a sign of early-build teething problems perhaps.

SAFETY
There's an added dimension to the H3's safety story, since it not only has to avoid the run-of-the-mill on-road accidents, but it also has to avoid rolling down a steep slope in offroad operation.

For a start, the H3's height is offset its considerable width. Indeed with the suspension 'tied down' fairly tight, you rarely feel as if the vehicle is anything less than 'planted'.

Fitted with standard 'StabiliTrak' (stability control in Hummer-speak), the H3 is not likely to snap and fling itself off the side of a road or over a cliff. In some respects, the stability control compensates for the H3's on-road shortcomings.

As far as other driving aids are concerned, the H3 has traction control, ABS and EBD, but doesn't come with hill descent control. Arguably, it doesn't need it -- in low range the H3 will quite happily 'walk' down all but the steepest slopes without getting above walking pace (especially the Adventure).

If there's one item that is not fitted as standard to the H3 and probably should be, it's parking sensors. It's more a convenience feature than a safety feature, but we'll cover it here anyway. Hummers don't come from the factory with them, so the sensors are offered as a dealer-fit accessory for $445 plus fitting.

Without a reversing camera (as available in Territory and Kluger for example), the parking sensors might be the only thing to stop you reversing over a pram -- sounds dramatic, but with the Hummer's restricted field of vision, it doesn't pay to take chances.

On the subject of the field of vision, it's a problem in the H3. The pillars are quite thick and even making a right turn at a T-intersection requires a little more caution than usual.

From a passive safety view point, the H3 is fitted with dual front airbags and side curtain airbags as standard, for all grades.

The H3 will automatically enter 'Emergency mode' as soon as the front seatbelt pretensioners are fired. 'Emergency mode' means the onboard computer will switch off the engine and disable the fuel pump. Provided the battery is spared damage from the accident, the computer will also initiate the hazard lights, switch on the dome light and unlock all doors.

COMPETITORS
The guys from the Chrysler Group don't see it this way, but we believe buyers interested in the Hummer might also take a look at the Jeep Cherokee. Sure, the Jeep is smaller (and due for replacement early in 2008), but it has that same 'ex-military', frontier adventure/lifestyle aspect to it. The Jeep Wrangler, now in the Unlimited model range with four doors, also attracts comparison.

Chrysler itself considers the Dodge Nitro as a more natural competitor for the Hummer. In respect of styling and on-the-road driving, that's certainly true. Off the road? No way.

Hummer, for its part, considers the natural competitors to the Hummer to be the Ford Territory and the Toyota Prado. To us, the Territory is a whole different kettle of fish -- vastly superior on-road and not one you'd take offroad on the sort of excursions you might consider humdrum in the H3.

If Hummer was serious about the Territory, then the latest Kluger would also be in the mix. No: Territory, Kluger, Captiva, Santa Fe and that ilk are just too svelte to be competitors.

Hummer also called upon the Nissan Patrol during the media presentation, but this was most likely due to the Patrol being one SUV that actually weighs more than the Hummer. There's a reason for that too. The Patrol is in the large SUV segment, whereas every other SUV mentioned so far is a medium SUV.

Land Rover's Discovery III offers that same sort of offroad competence as the Hummer, but the Disco is more expensive and we can't really see those individuals attracted to it if they're cross-shopping the H3. They appeal to two different buyer types, who just happen to share an interest in offroad touring. A third buyer type would look at the Toyota Prado and Mitsubishi Pajero.

So that leaves the Cherokee and Wrangler Unlimited. Both those models are cheaper than the H3 -- but they're smaller too.

For further information, check our comparator here. It also features some of the vehicles discarded, just for interest's sake.

ON THE ROAD
Let's get the hard part out of the way first. The Hummer is not the worst thing you'll ever drive on road. It has consistent and predictable handling and reasonable roadholding.

Ride is initially compliant, but religiously follows the undulations of typical Aussie country roads, and eventually gets harsher -- and not all that pleasant -- over bigger amplitudes. It's certainly well damped, but the spring rates are surprisingly firm.

It's impossible to ponder this without cursing the rear leaf springs. They're durable and can haul decent loads, but there's not much give in them. At least they're so tight that axle steer is unlikely to be much of a concern.

The engine, however, just doesn't have enough grunt for a vehicle weighing as much as this. With the right foot flat to the floor, an attempt to overtake a Commodore towing a trailer uphill -- in an overtaking lane that was literally a couple of kilometres long -- was like 'Waiting for Godot' on bitumen. That was in fourth gear with the manual transmission from 80km/h.

The engine was running at a point where it should have been developing that 90 per cent of torque Hummer claims is available but the overtaking manoeuvre was interminable.

Available as an option in the H3 and H3 Adventure, standard for the H3 Luxury, the 4L60E automatic transmission is the same as fitted to the Holden Commodore Omega, and it's fairly clunky. There is one thing in its favour: it can be dropped from a great height or left underwater for years and it will still work. It's the cockroach of transmissions.

Once the H3 turns off the bitumen, everything changes -- for the better. There's more gear whine from the transfer case when low range is selected than any other 4WD in living memory, but it does the trick.

The seats lacked a bit of under-thigh support, but lateral grip was good during the rock-hopping and mud-plugging fun.

An old saying goes "you can haul a freight train with a washing machine motor with the right gearing" -- and so it proves with the H3, particularly the H3 Adventure. In low range, the Adventure was pretty much unstoppable during the drive program.

Even allowing for the strong chance the drive program was specifically structured to cast the H3 in the best possible light, it was an impressive initiation into the ways of Hummer.

And it's no great surprise the H3 is so capable offroad. Approach, departure and breakover angles are comparable or better than the Wrangler's and superior to the Discovery's. The H3 Adventure has more bash-plate protection than the base model or the Luxury grade and those two have four plates anyway. All H3 variants are fitted with the two-speed transfer case and a lockable centre diff, but the H3 Adventure also gains a lockable rear diff for that extra traction.

Only the Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon can beat it for ground clearance and the low range ratio in the H3 Adventure, at 4.03:1 even marginally out-does the Wrangler Rubicon.

The Hummer people sucked us in with increasingly difficult tests over the course of the day. Starting with the open road tour to Kinglake, we were able to become acquainted with the Hummer's general dynamics before we headed offroad for some easier rutted tracks and mud.

As each section of track became steadily harder, so our confidence in the vehicles grew, until even the least experienced were tackling boggy, rutted sections that might have grounded a Prado.

In the last test for the day, we negotiated a slope that probably would have been around 30 degrees (as a guess), but with deep ruts and rocks that measured up to 30cm or more in diameter. The Hummers dragged themselves up over everything.

No one bogged a vehicle and no one stalled. Much like the H3 itself, the drive program looked dramatic, but was actually very confidence-inspiring.

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