ARTICLE: Downsized H3 brings best of Hummer at better price

[TigerH3]

See link below to full article. Here is an excerpt:

"Few vehicles will get you gawked at these days, but a Hummer still will.

Now there's a Hummer we average folks might be able to afford if we need to treat our attention deficit disorder. Say hello to the Hummer H3."

. . .

"In either case, you won't want the standard engine if you haul much. I pulled a loaded enclosed two-place snowmobile trailer, about 1,400 pounds, and the Hummer struggled with it on inclines. Every time there was the slightest hill or rise in the roadway, the H3 downshifted to third gear and needed 3500 to 4000 rpm.

The result was an incredibly noisy ride as the engine labored up the hill, plus my gas mileage averaged about 12 mpg, dipping as low as 10.6 in hilly terrain. One run without the trailer netted me an improved 15.8 mpg, but even then the EPA says to expect 16 mpg city and 19 highway. Hummer says H3 will pull 4,500 pounds, but I wouldn't advise it."

. . .

"The verdict? Heck, if you want a Hummer, this is your easy ticket in, because the H3 looks like the real deal. If you want to haul much other than what you'd toss in a normal mid-size sport utility, then you'll need to move up to something larger. And if you intend to tow, well, you should've had a V-8."


Link

[TigerH3]

See link below to full article. Here is an excerpt:

"Few vehicles will get you gawked at these days, but a Hummer still will.

Now there's a Hummer we average folks might be able to afford if we need to treat our attention deficit disorder. Say hello to the Hummer H3."

. . .

"In either case, you won't want the standard engine if you haul much. I pulled a loaded enclosed two-place snowmobile trailer, about 1,400 pounds, and the Hummer struggled with it on inclines. Every time there was the slightest hill or rise in the roadway, the H3 downshifted to third gear and needed 3500 to 4000 rpm.

The result was an incredibly noisy ride as the engine labored up the hill, plus my gas mileage averaged about 12 mpg, dipping as low as 10.6 in hilly terrain. One run without the trailer netted me an improved 15.8 mpg, but even then the EPA says to expect 16 mpg city and 19 highway. Hummer says H3 will pull 4,500 pounds, but I wouldn't advise it."

. . .

"The verdict? Heck, if you want a Hummer, this is your easy ticket in, because the H3 looks like the real deal. If you want to haul much other than what you'd toss in a normal mid-size sport utility, then you'll need to move up to something larger. And if you intend to tow, well, you should've had a V-8."


Link

[DennisAJC]

Interesting.

[jp's-h3]

I feel that this guy needs to do a little more research before writing an article, some info correct, some incorrect!

Interesting, but I don't think kicking the auto down to 3rd gear at 4000 rpm results in a ton of bad noise. The twin balance shaft inline 5 revs pretty smoothly in that range.

But I guess it's what you are used to. Maybe some people are used to their old '70 Caddy V8.


S.

[westhillsat]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by jp's-h3:
I feel that this guy needs to do a little more research before writing an article, some info correct, some incorrect! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

X2

[Hummer crazy]

I have hauled a trailer with 4 quads and i did not see all that down shiftig to 3rd yea it may have a few times if the hill got steep but all in all i did'nt find all that much shifting but i did find it drove much better after the break in the it did before break in

[HummerJim]

I definitely disagree with his opinion that the cloth seats are "hard." The seating comfort of the cloth seat is one of the main reasons I bought this machine - I sat in it and my bad back loved it and still does after over 8 months.
OK, maybe I'm going deaf, but I don't think the H3 is that loud at all inside, even under full throttle and before I put in some Dynamat. I wish I had done some db level readings before and after I Dynamatted the doors and part of the floor pan, but maybe it made more of a difference than I thought.
Testers rarely emphasize the good highway ride for a true offroad vehicle and excellent braking like this article did.

[Chip]

If I had to hall a trailer I'd get a Cherokee with a Hemi. Then I would get 12 mpg all the time. In the H-3 from Phoenix to Flagstaff if you set the cruise at 80, it shifts down but rarely does it lose speed. That's almost a 6000 foot climb. That's fast enough for me, considering all the other perks you get with the I-5. Like a 300 mile range and really good mileage for an SUV of it's size.