Introduction: When I got the opportunity to ride in a HUMMER for the first time, it would have to be in 2003 when the new H2 came out and a friend of mine let me baby sit his brand new H2 for two weeks. During that two week period, there were several Tongan Dignitaries in Los Angeles for a wedding out in Riverside County and I was fortunate enough to escort a newlywed couple and their bodyguard to a private wedding. I didn’t mind driving because I was driving an H2 and it was a monster on the road. I love big vehicles where you feel like you own the road. Now, that the new H3 has been released it is just as fun and adventurous on the road just like the H2.
Performance: The H3 clambers around on standard four-wheel drive with a two-speed transfer case and a low-range gear for the trickiest off-road obstacles; the standard low-range ratio is 2.64:1, but a 4.03:1 ratio is available for the not-so-off-roaders who will actually spend the cash on the H3 and risk denting its military-chic metal. All H3s’ sport a locking center differential and a locking rear differential can be had too, giving more options than the casual user will comprehend and less of the electronic decision-making that vehicles like the Land Rover LR3 offer up.
Style and Safety: The H3 will be available with two optional packages - Adventure and Luxury. The Adventure Series includes key off-road performance equipment such as huge 33-inch tires, a 4:1 electronic transfer case, and locking rear differential. The Luxury Series includes amenities such as heated leather seats and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The Adventure and Luxury series can be combined as well, for a truck offering the best of both worlds. Stand-alone options include the automatic, a huge sunroof, XM Satellite Radio, six-disc CD changer, and Monsoon speakers.
Feel Factor: When I was cruising down the traffic streets of LA, I enjoyed driving the H3 because it demanded respect on the road. Vehicles would get out of my (which is fine by me) way when they saw me coming down the road. The leather interior as well as the cool amenities of the navigation system, XM Radio, and On-Star would make my drive much more enjoyable as I would visit some relatives in the Hawthorne area for them to take a look at it and give them options besides the regular purchases of the Expeditions, Mini-Vans, and trucks that most Tongans seem to purchase.
2006 HUMMER H3
Base price: $29,500
Engine: 3.5-liter in-line five, 220 hp/225 lb-ft
Transmission: Five-speed manual or four-speed automatic, four-wheel drive with locking center differential; optional locking rear differential
Length x width x height: 186.7 x 85.5 x 74.5 inches
Wheelbase: 111.9 inches
Curb weight: 4700 lb
Fuel economy (EPA city/hwy): 16/20 mpg (manual); 16/19 mpg (auto)
Safety equipment: Dual front airbags, anti-lock brakes, four-wheel drive, traction control
Major standard equipment: AM/FM/CD player, power door locks/windows/mirrors, air conditioning, rear defogger, OnStar
Warranty: Four years/50,000 miles
Review By–
Elizabeth Lavulo
