2006 Hummer H3 Review

Specifications

Why?

Every time Id see a Hummer I hear that refrain from that great R.E.M. song: “Its the end of the world as we know it. Its the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine.”

That driver behind the smoked glass is ready for the coming Armageddon, I say to myself. Or, at least I used to.

Now that Ive driven the 2006 Hummer H3, when I spot one these days I hear Supertramp: “Take a dream on a Sunday, Take a life, take a holiday, Take a lie, take a dreamer, dream, dream, dream, dream, dream along…”

For as much as the original Hummer, the road-busting H1, was designed with the kind of real-life realities like the current tragedy in the South in mind, the all-new H3 was designed for the wanna-be weekend warrior. Its all show and very little go.

Granted, the off-road capability of the H3 is most likely near the top of the heap in the midsize SUV category, but thats mostly due to the massive knobby tires and high ride height. I didnt have the chance to take the H3 off-road, but according to Hummer press notes, the H3 “can ford 16 inches of water at 20 mph or 24-inch streams at a 5-mph pace, and climb 16-inch vertical steps and rocks …” Maybe so, but how many H3 owners really have bush-whacking in mind? Apart from this off-road capability, I found little else of merit in the H3.

Powered by a 3.5-liter five-cylinder engine producing 220 horses and 225 lb-ft of torque, the H3 is designed to appeal to those who love the looks of the H1 and H2 but arent too keen on piloting such wide and long vehicles through the urban jungle. And while it may well look like its army-inspired stable mates, the H3 is in essence a midsize SUV with a surprisingly small cabin interior and cargo space. The ergonomics for the driver are, in a word, dreadful. With my left arm on the door armrest, the power window buttons were at my elbow, making operation of the buttons uncomfortable and distracting.

Likewise, the seats werent up to any long distance driving, and the rear seat room was tight for two adults.

The small windows of the H3 create numerous blind spots, though admittedly the high ride height does give you a good view of whats in front of you.

What really got me about the H3 was the lengths Hummer designers went to cash in on the distinctive looks of the H1 and H2 (both of which, incidentally, are still in production for 2006, although the H1 is no longer available to Canadian consumers). The most apparent styling cues borrowed from the original are the grille and over-the-top body cladding. On closer inspection, however, more detailed visual features include fake inflatable wheel hub covers. In the H1, an air hose runs out of the hub and into the tire stem allowing the driver to increase and decrease individual tire pressures with a flip of a switch in the cabin. The H3s wheel hubs look like they have the same feature, but like so much of the new Hummer, it is only for looks and looks alone.

Hummer has made a name for itself by building arguably the toughest SUVs on the planet. The 2006 H3 will not advance that reputation one bit, and in fact just might water down the tough truck image of Hummer. I give it a two out of five.