The 2006 Hummer H3 is an all-new midsize SUV built on the Colorado pickup platform.
Introduction
Compared
to the bad-boy H1 and H2, the 2006 Hummer H3 is downright approachable.
It's a midsize SUV built on the Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon pickup
platform. Not only can you tackle two-track off-road trails in the H3
without wondering if you'll fit around the next bend, you also don't
have to worry so much about flattening mailboxes while backing out of
driveways, either.
The Hummer H3 shares only 10 to 15 percent of
its components with the Colorado, among these its 220-hp, 3.5-liter,
inline five-cylinder engine. Although noticeably smoother in this
application, the engine is lugging around 700 extra pounds. Acceleration
is fine around town, but highway passing maneuvers take planning. Throw
in some elevation increases, and the H3 feels underpowered. This puts
the new Hummer SUV at an immediate disadvantage alongside faster,
mainstream SUVs like the Grand Cherokee and 4Runner that offer optional
V8s.
However, the Hummer H3 redeems itself in other areas. It
comes standard with a full-time four-wheel-drive system with a 2.64
reduction gear in 4 Lo. Pretty typical for a production SUV. However,
there's an optional 4.03 transfer case that provides gearing so low you
can creep down rocky slopes without using the brakes. As on Jeep's
Wrangler Rubicon, the 4-to-1 transfer case is aimed at hard-core
off-roaders who would ordinarily have to go to the aftermarket to get
one. The H3 further bolsters its go-anywhere image with 9.1 inches of
ground clearance, standard skid plates and optional 33-inch off-road
tires.
We doubt many Grand Cherokee owners will give up Hemi power
for an H3 with an inline five. But the otherwise well-rounded H3 is
proof that Hummer SUVs clean up real good. If you're looking for a tough
off-roader that seats five comfortably, the midsize 2006 Hummer H3 is
worth a test-drive.
Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options
The
midsize, five-passenger Hummer H3 is offered in a single
four-wheel-drive model with a handful of option packages. Standard
equipment includes 32-inch Goodyear all-terrain tires, skid plates,
dual-zone air conditioning, a six-speaker CD stereo, cruise control and
power windows, mirrors and locks. Adding the Off-Road Suspension Package
gets you a shorter-geared transfer case for better hill climbing and
descending, a locking rear differential, 33-inch off-road tires and
firmer suspension tuning. The Luxury Package adds leather upholstery,
power-adjustable and heated front seats, and an MP3-compatible Monsoon
stereo. Other extras include an in-dash CD changer, satellite radio, a
tow hitch and a chrome appearance package.
Powertrains and Performance
The
only engine available on the Hummer H3 is a 3.5-liter inline five. It
makes 220 horsepower and 225 lb-ft of torque and routes its power to all
four wheels through a standard five-speed manual transmission or
optional four-speed automatic. As the H3 weighs almost 2.5 tons,
acceleration can often seem sluggish. In our test of an
automatic-equipped H3, it took 11.0 seconds to reach 60 mph. Towing
capacity is rated at 4,500 pounds and EPA fuel economy estimates for the
automatic are set at 16 city, 19 highway.
Safety
Four-wheel
antilock disc brakes, traction control and the OnStar communications
system are standard. Full-length side curtain airbags are optional, and
stability control is standard on H3s equipped with the automatic
transmission. The H3 has not yet been crash tested.
Interior Design and Special Features
Inside,
the Hummer H3 has one of the cleanest layouts we've ever seen in a GM
vehicle. There's even a little style, thanks to a two-tone decor,
contrasting piping on the optional leather seats and slick metallic
trim. Materials quality is well above the low-rent trim in the Colorado,
and the standard cloth upholstery looks good and feels like it could
take a beating. The seats are supportive, but don't expect a commanding
view of the road unless you're tall due to the high cowl and short glass
area. In back, there's enough leg- and foot room for the average-size
adult to get comfortable. Cargo capacity is below average for this
class, but a side-hinged cargo door provides easy access to the
29.5-cubic-foot bay (55.7 with the seats folded).
Driving Impressions
Acceleration
is fine around town, but highway passing maneuvers take planning,
especially with the automatic. Throw in some elevation increases, and
this Hummer SUV feels underpowered. The ride is smooth and comfortable,
however, and the H3 feels stable when going around turns. The steering
is reassuringly firm at highway speeds without being annoying in the
parking lot. Off the pavement, the smallest Hummer is basically
unstoppable. With 9.1 inches of ground clearance, loads of wheel travel,
aggressive approach and departure angles, oversized all-terrain tires
and standard skid plates, the 2006 Hummer H3 can pretty much go wherever
you want without taking damage. Class-leading off-road capability
wouldn't be worth much if the H3 was a sloppy handler on pavement. And
while there's no hiding its 4,700-pound curb weight in the corners, it
feels surprisingly stable, with predictable body roll and a
well-controlled back end.
2011 MEV Hummer HX - Click above to watch the video after the jump The 2008 Hummer HX concept was supposed to be General Motors' answer to the Jeep Wrangler. To put it mildly, that failed to materialize. General Motors killed Hummer as part of its bankruptcy-induced limb severing in 2009, before the HX could be brought to fruition as the H4, as had been rumored. For those of you who wish the HX had indeed surfaced, we have some excellent news: My Electric Vehicle, or MEV, has appropriated the HX concept, added an electric drivetrain and created the MEV Hummer HX. The MEV HX is a fully electric golf cart resort vehicle, licensed by GM and sporting Hummer wheels and skid plates.
For anyone feeling nostalgic about the passing of the Hummer brand, or the actual wartime vehicle that inspired it, now is your chance to own a version of the original HMMWV, albeit without an engine. After a 12-year hiatus from the civilian vehicle market, AM General is reportedly set to offer a kit-car of the C-Series Humvee. The kit will conform to U.S. government regulations and has been made possible by a deal with General Motors. The kit costs $59,000 - and you still need an engine. A likely favorite would be a Duramax Diesel V8 and Allison transmission combination, as was found on the H1 Alpha. AM General estimates that an owner could buy the kit Humvee and outfit a powerplant and transmission for $75,000. Not bad, considering that H1 Alpha has an MSRP of $140,000 in 2005.
Team Miller Fisher finishes the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles - Click above for high-res image gallery Team Miller Fisher has crossed the finish line of the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles - in a Hummer H3 driven off a Parisian dealer's lot - and battled from 51st to 12th out of 98 teams after a mistake on the first leg. The Rallye Aïcha, a six-stage trek through the desert, allows no use of GPS, no pace notes, no cell phones, and no binoculars. Pilots and co-pilots find their way between checkpoints with maps, compasses and pencils, and whoever completes the journey in the shortest distance, wins. The race was made even harder this year by using not the 1:100,000-scale maps of years past, but scraps of paper with increasingly less route information as the race went on. Olympic skier and co-pilot Wendy Fisher wrote to say, "This continues to be the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. An unbelievably tough event. Days were SO long, almost impossible to get all of the checkpoints."
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