I like them but they are way too common...

 

I like Jeeps a lot, I have owned a few in my years. I agree, the Jeep owners that think Jeeps are the only offroad capable vehicle out are idiots. I see those H2 and H3 recovery team decals on their jeeps and decided to make my own after seeing it on another H2. Now I get these little jeeps racing past me and flipping me the bird. I love it.

 

If you're talking stock Hummer vs. stock Jeep then I say it's a tie with the winner being where personal preference takes you. If you are talking about getting a Wrangler and modding the heck out of it then the Jeep wins hands down; but is it still a Jeep if the only stock part left is the windshield or speedometer???

 

The Hummer is kind of best of both worlds. A stock Wrangler Rubicon is pretty impressive though. Why. Crawl ability. You just let out the clutch and the Jeep goes up or down anything. My only complaint with the h2 off-road is the heavy weight. Just wants to keep pushing on long step down hills.

 

x2. Interior comfort is a big deal - because 90% of the time I'm not off-roading, and the wrangler interior is just cheap/rustic - which is FINE if that's what you like. I'd have no problem having one as a ranch vehicle - but I'm not going to put 20k miles of highway on a wrangler a year and pretend its a nice/comfy ride.

 

Just to clarify....what aspects specifically do the stock Hummer and stock Jeep tie, or are you just saying your personal attraction to both is equal?

 

I third that motion......I own a YJ and had an XJ.....good vehicles but the people that own them are a group of their own.....They like to think they are superior to other off road vehicles....yea like I care.....I leave no one behind....even if its a Jeep.

 

Since buying my first Jeep in '96, I've owned 2 Wranglers (TJs), 2 Cherokees, and a Grand Cherokee (ZJ). Some stock, some modified. An H2 is just too big for my tastes, so when looking for something to replace my XJ it came down to an H3 vs:

Unlimited Wrangler Rubicon - at least as good, and probably better offroad. Can take off the top in Summer. Not as nice and quiet.

Grand Cherokee (WJ) - nicer on road and nicer interior, easy to find V8, cheaper, but to keep with a SFA model it's older and higher mileage plus would need a lift and tires to feel comfortable about going where I want to go.

A couple non-Jeeps that didn't make the cut for one reason or another.

Basically, there are Jeep models that stock for stock are either better offroad or nicer to drive, but not both. Not wanting to do major mods the H3 was the best compromise. If you want top down, open air wheeling, a Jeep is the only option. If you want a pick-up bed like I may need to switch to, a Jeep isn't an option. If you want to heavily mod your vehicle, I'd say a Jeep is the better starting point. If you want to stay stock and have something that is nice to drive on the road and is still very capable offroad a Hummer is the winner.

 

Going from personal opinion and observations that may not be backed up by fact (so I could be all wrong on the details, but from what I've seen...). A stock H2 is a lot heavier but not a lot bigger than a Wrangler Unlimited when parked side by side, but a H3 is where they are a close match up size-wise. There isn't really a Jeep model that compares to the H2 in size, options, motor or day to day driving so it's not a fair comparison. The base H3 vs base Unlimited (4dr vs 4dr) are close in size and ground clearance and general offroad ability (I'd give a nod in base models to the H3 for the motor and full-time 4wd as well as general interior layout and stock "optional" equipment. An H3 adventure vs. Rubicon is a good comparison but the Rubicon has front lockers that the 06-07 Adventures lacked and has slightly better breakover and ground clearance numbers but is lacking in the motor department. But at least they can be easily refitted with lower gearing if 315's or larger are added where the H3 shouldn't go larger than 315's with it's front end and the hwy power suffers (the Jeep does too on the larger tires). The Jeep has a SFA vs the IFS H3- offroad articulation vs on-road ride quality- but the Adventure is close on the Rubicon for general ability and a good H3 driver could take it where a lot of Jeep drivers wouldn't. You can't beat the tight, narrow 2dr Rubicon offroad when mildly lifted and lightly modified but the Hummer will get you to the trailhead in comfort and style.

That's my take on it.

Now if I drop a larger/stronger front diff for gearing changes after adding 37's and maybe a stronger steering rack as well as a SOA lift in the rear and a 2-4" (Rancho,Tuff Country?) lift in the front with new, longer shocks all around and a Duramax conversion (or just the Alpha) then I would have a killer H3 ready for anything. Then there would be no more talk of who's better. But all that would cost some $$$ and possibly involve elective surgery.

 

I've had a number of Jeeps: CJs, Wranglers, Wagoneers, J10s... As said, they are very capable vehicles. But even my loaded out Grand Wagoneer was not the most comfortable vehicle. Not anywhere close to the Hummer.

Before I got the Hummer I considered a 4 door Wrangler. The biggest thing that turned me away from it was towing capacity. The 2000 lb towing capacity told me quickly enough that it wasn't the vehicle for me. My boat trailer weighs about 1200 pounds without the boat on it.

Other than that, the Jeep doesn't have the creature comforts or looks of the Hummer - of course, looks are subjective. I have never spent enough time behind the wheel of a 4 door Wrangler to make an assessment but I can tell you that all of my Wranglers have ridden like bouncy roller skates after getting them lifed and modded. Hummer runs circles around all of my Jeep in the fuel efficiency department too.

So both are capable off-road but overall the Hummer wins by a landslide in my book.