H3- The Poor Man’s Hummer
Well, maybe not poor, but there was a time when the thought of a brand new Hummer for under $30,000 was nothing but a dream, of the never going to happen variety. Today however, consumers are being given the choice of the H3, which is 11 inches shorter in the wheel base, 3 inches shorter, and about 1,700lbs lighter.
But wait, if you are considering one of these as an urban commando machines for daily drives into the city, these should all be considered positives rather than negatives. The H3 with its massive size can be a bit of a challenge maneuvering around a busy city streets without sideswiping cars, knocking over stop signs, and maybe even running over an oblivious pedestrian or two.
The real treat that comes with the H3 Hummer however, is its price tag. It is about half the cost of the H2 Hummer, which is $28,000 as compared to $55,000 for a base H3 Hummer. But the real question we ask, is are we really missing anything out of that? Let’s take a look…
H3 is the midsize model from General Motors-owned Hummer. This five-passenger SUV gets its powertrain and chassis design from GM’s compact Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck.
Compared to Hummer’s large H2 SUV, the H3 is 11 inches shorter in wheelbase, 3 inches shorter overall, and 1700 lb lighter. The engine of the H3 is a 220-hp inline 5-cylinder, with a 5-speed manual transmission or 4-speed automatic.
New for the 2008 H3 is a small-block V8 with 295 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque. The new V-8 gives the “baby†Hummer a maximum towing capacity of 6,000 pounds.
On the other side of the coin, the H2 receives a 393-horsepower 6.2-liter V8, replacing its old 325-horse 6.0-liter. It also has a 6-speed automatic with steering wheel paddles for manual operation. This is the only transmission option however, which could be a downside for some traditionalists.
Both come with the options for off-road packages, including ultra low gearing and locking rear axle, if you want to take them off the beaten path as they were originally intended for. And if you get lost, they both come with standard OnStar assistance.
Leather seats and heating a standard on the H2, will be an additional option for the H3.
All said, unless you are in the need for an extreme SUV all terrain vehicle with max comforts at max the price, the H3 seems to offer quite a few of the same amenities at a price range most can afford.
Now if they could just come out with a Bugatti for the poor man!
