H3!

i saw my first today, and i was pleased to see that they managed to shrink it down without losing that hummer look

I was looking at the h3 pictures in the photo gallery, and I'd like to say that the car looks nice, but A.M. General keeps going from good to bad. the h1 is the best, I bought an h2 because honestly i couldn't afford a brand new h1, but the h3, well, (it looks a bit like the jeep liberty). i'll pass on the h3. just my personal thoughts. :)

i think that the H3 is just too small.

I was looking at getting one of these for my wife as she wants a Hummer but I don't wanna spend the cash on an H2. Does anyone know the towing capacity of the H3? I've looked on the website and can't find it for the life of me...

i think that the H3 capacity is the same or similar to that of the trailblazer...

Towing capacity is 4,500 (I assume it's lbs.), according to www.hummer3.net/specs.html

yes, lbs indeed. thats not too bad..thats a small trailered car

I test drove one and I loved it, over all it is a nice truck.

is it cramped compared to an H2?

I drove one today as well, and I also loved it. The driver's seat and front passenger seat are plenty roomy. I'm over 6' tall and i weigh about 250 lbs and I was totally comfortable in the driver's seat. The cockpit of this vehicle was clearly designed to be comfortable for "typical" hummer owners, not just women.

The back seat is a different story. First of all, there is no way in hell 3 adults can fit comfortably in the back seat, unless of course they are adult midgets. The legroom back there is not so great, but I hear the H2 suffers from this same problem. Perhaps it is ok for kids and chicks, but no full grown man is going to be comfortable on a long trip in the back of the H3. However, since I have no kids and don't plan on hauling groups of adult men around with me, this was not a problem. The interior space feels like a 4 runner, but that's fine because I really don't like driving around in what feels like a school bus.

On the power issue. Well, it certainly isn't a 911 turbo. But the power was adequate for me. I do a lot of driving on the freeway, and i was able to merge, get up to speed, and pass with ease. I actually found myself going 90 without even knowing it...no shake, no loud street noise, nothing. At those speeds, pushing the gas pedal a little more doesnt really make your head hit the headrest, but I'll tell you, it was smooth and QUIET! That was really impressive to me. As far as city driving goes, well the vehicle seems decently quick...again, not a racecar nor a 5.7 ltr v8, but plenty adequate. I moderately gassed it when the light turned green and before i knew it I was going 45mph in a 35 zone(that smoothness issue again). True, not a V8, but very capable of getting its share of speeding tickets. But the most impressive driving we did today was on the hummer obstacle course. Doing the 60 degree ramp up and down was quite a thrill. That car performs like a champ...it definately deserves the HUMMER badge.

Overall, the car is beautifully designed inside and out, small enough to where you dont have to worry about manuevering in traffic, powerful enough to keep up on the highway and more than powerful enough in the city, and a true warrior offroad. People will say "ah, it's just a chevy colorado" or "yeah, hummer, right, it's a tame little kitten with a hummer logo for the ladies". No sir, this is a HUMMER. And I for one, find it perfect for me. First of all, I drive 60 miles round trip everyday for lawschool. So 20 mpg is a godsend in an SUV, considering that my current vehicle, a 92' toyota landcruiser(another offroading legend), gets 6-7 mpg and only has 155 hp. Second, it doesnt feel like driving an M1-Abrams battle tank around town. Still way up off the ground (you have to step UP into it...such a nice feeling) and you get to look DOWN at Jeep Cherokee owners at redlights...heh. And finally, the interior is one of the nicest I've seen in an SUV, or car for that matter. Black leather with dark red piping and seat inserts! Brushed aluminum dash pieces. GREAT sound system(monsoon) with powered subwoofer built in. How could you NOT love this H3?

I was thinking a year or so ago, If I could make a few mods to the H2 to better suit my needs, I would cut back the horsies a little so that I could get better gas mileage (60 mile daily commute again). 11mpg doesn't cut it. I was also thinking that I'd like to scale it down just a tad so that I wasn't wary of changing lanes for fear of crushing a passenger car or a small building. Also, pretty much always needing 2 parking spaces is inconvenient. But I would never dream of changing the offroad capabilities and looks that make this machine what it is. Well, my dreams were answered. And regardless of the inevitable scoffs from naysayers that this is a toy in hummer's clothing, I will be proud to drive what I know to be a superior machine at a fantastic cost. And all of those Chevy Tahoe owners that think they own more of an SUV than H3 owners

I drove one yesterday also. It was really nice but I wish I had more time to sit in it. It was a little slow but I couldn't expect any different. It was much more comfortable than the H2 but not as comfortable as the H1 pre 2004 interior redesign. I am tall and the seats in the '04 and '06 H1 are not comfortable. Of course if I was in the market for a new or another truck I would still buy it.

wow..congrats on the new ride osiris!

"The interior space feels like a 4 runner, but that's fine because I really don't like driving around in what feels like a school bus."

Hey Osiris, careful with those "bus" cracks . . . LOL. I like the looks of the H3, had lots of time to climb around inside one waiting for my 30k service on the shortbus. I don't think it can get much more comfortable than the H2 though, at least on the road. the dealer here in Sac doesn't have any kind of offroad course to play on, so no chance to see what it could do off road. The first one I saw on the road had just been in an accident. he drove off, but the other guy had his car loaded onto a flatbed. gotta suck, he couldn't have had it for more than a day or two. good luck when yours arrives, post up some details on what you like and what you don't once you've had some time to play.

Hey,
Your post was right on!!
I was able to see a pre manuf H3 White, and drove it in either late April or early May. I drove on 275 for a while as well as local streets. It did not ride as good as my jeep but dealer said the pre manuf units will have changes.
Sure enough, when the dealer's first new units arrived in late May I drove a Black one. Some noticeable changes were shock assists for both hood and back door. Ride improved like night and day. Cornering was also great. I am 6' 250 lbs and hit it hard on a long gradual curve almost wide open (not hwy) and the shape of the drivers seat kept me from sliding into the window. I just stayed glued to the center of the seat. The large tires made cornering like I was driving my Aurora. The dealer rep was freaking out.
I was so impressed I ordered a Black H3 which is in production this week. I hardly wait to receive my new Black H3. Hopefully in the next few weeks.

congrats on the new ride!!

I just rented a H3 from Avis in Phoenix, Az.
It was a great ride on the freeway and a blast off-road!
Opps! Did I say off-road? Your not allowed to take the H3
off-road per the rental agreement so I didn't do that
Someone needs to tell Avis that Arizona is 90% off-road!
Anyway, I highly recommend the rental!

SurfCity

I went yesterday to Reeves in Tampa and took their test rides - city and off-road - and was very impressed with the H3. Although it may look smaller on the outside, the interior roominess is impressive compared to other SUVs out there - and I've owned most! I have been in the market "to go Hummer" for a long time, but the size was always an issue for me - I'm only 5'2". This new Hummer fits the bill and mine is now on order - only 8 weeks to wait! Boulder Grey with Ebony/Morocoo interior, Luxury package, and Sun Roof, plus more... - I loaded it up. Congrats to all others who are waiting or have received theirs, I know it will be worth it!!!

I've been thinking hard about a Hummer H3. I've just read all these posts and you guys have me convinced. I'm going to head out soon and test drive one and hopefully order one.
Can I get a good deal on one or are they selling too good?

I signed on to this forum just to reiterate Osiris's thoughts. I don't own a Hummer, nor did I ever want one until now. I have been driving Jeeps since 1994. I have owned every Wrangler and now a Jeep Grand Cherokee. I always liked Jeeps. I love solid axles and driving tight trails. I was perfectly happy with my WJ. It has a ton of cargo room (This is why I gave up the Wranglers) and offers great off-roading ability once properly modified. I was planning on waiting for a year or two to lift my WJ. Along comes the GM Employee Discount. So I start examining new trucks. I was planning on getting a full-size and buying a Wrangler later for trail riding.

Along comes the H3. Osiris nailed it on the head, so I won't go into too much details. I'll address a few other items of interest.

Sure it's slow, but it's faster and gets better MPG than my 6 cylinder WJ. It is smoother on road (even with aftermarket 20" which I couldn't stand). It brakes better, accelerates smoother and is less bouncy. The AC works better on the H3. It does lack rear vents which I think it needs to cool the thing down faster. The optional sunroof is huge. The front seats are more comfortable and the interior is much more roomy than the Avalanche truck it was born from. The rear seats do not fold down completely flat and there is less cargo room than my WJ. This is the vehicle's only drawback for me. A rear sliding back window would have helped negate this a little. The blind spots were minimal to me, but I did have some vision issues with the front fenders, but it was easy to become intuitive with tight manuevers.

Off-road wise, the rear storage section of the H3 is rubber and looks to be washable which is a nice feature. I think GM hired an off-roading engineer because it shows in the details. First there are the front and rear bumpers with tow shackles. The rear quarter panel is plastic. There are real rocker panel gaurds available from the dealer. The approach angles and underbody armor is well designed. It rolls 33" stock. A 4 to 1 T-case is optional. You can order the off-road package with the luxury option. It is a frame on body.

My only things I would consider drawbacks are: It's 7" wider than my WJ, so trails like Red Lake may be an issue. Less cargo room. I hate electronic transfer cases and full-time 4wd. It's an IFS vehicle. Unfortunately, so is everything else. At least it isn't an LR3 which went to IRS and IFS. The H3 can should still hold it's own on the rocks. Although lifting it will be a pain, there really should be no need to lift it since it rolls 33" stock. A 1" body lift should clear 35". It's rear axle offers great articulation and the rear locker is a plus. The front end, well that could use some help. Hopefully ARB or Tractech makes something that will work.

I think this vehicle is perfect for someone like me. It is a good commuter car and trip vehicle ( I only travel with my wife and Springer Spaniel at most). It can play on the trails and is still suitable for the opera.

There is no comparison to the Jeep Liberty IMO. It is essentially a smaller H2, but not small by any means. I look down on alot of smaller SUV's while driving. And the H3 parked next to a H2 shows this.

Hi All, I window shopped in a rain storm one fri night, Dealer was closed but I was lookin anyway. Police came up to see what I was doing, seen the look in my eye and knew I was hooked
Said Your shopping in the rain? chuckled and left. That night I even dream about the H3's. Woke up and went and bought my H3 the next day. Love the ride, quiet, great sound pkg.
Owning my XJ since it was new I can tell you the H3 is no Liberty! I don't consider a Liberty a Jeep either The H2 seemed a tad too big, and better gas mpg. after all I was trading in a Dodge 1500 Ram 4x4 Quad cab, SLT, Loaded, which is no small SUV. Funny in 1988 when I bought the Cherokee which was the 4x4 of the year, I had the same feeling as when I saw my H3

Congratulations on your new ride, Outlaw. I've also owned a late 70's Cherokee, and a 93 Grand Cherokee. They were ok. But my H2 is something I really enjoy driving.
Also, welcome to the forum, and hope you come back often. Glad everything turned out O.K. that night. lol!

hey outlaw, congrats on the new ride. i notice you mentioned it was raining, which should mean mud. you get it dirty yet? do you plan to use it like it wants to be used? we want to see pics, so you'll have to come back.

Good luck, I'm sure you'll enjoy it! What color did ya get?