Overview & Reviews
"Only in America." Nowhere in the vehicular universe does that statement apply more than when in reference to the Hummer H1. Originally designed strictly for military use, this absolutely massive four-wheel-drive utility vehicle earned its 15 minutes of fame as a civilian conveyance when it became the ride of choice among Hollywood celebrities and professional athletes who thought it oh-so-chic to pilot the ultimate ruff-and-tuff image machine.
But the Hummer's early days were anything but glamorous. When the Army decided in the early 1980s that it needed a new go-anywhere vehicle, it held a design contest. AM General won the contest and the contract. The result was AM's High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, or HMMWV, which became known simply as the Humvee. Production started in January 1985.
Boasting 16 inches of ground clearance as well as super-aggressive approach and departure angles, the Humvee could clamber over a 22-inch-high obstacle, handle a 60 percent grade and wade through up to 30 inches of water.
After getting television exposure during its heroic performance in the "first" Gulf War, the Humvee struck a warm, fuzzy chord with the general public. So much so that AM General decided to introduce a civilian version for 1992 that was officially called the Hummer. Arnold Schwarzenegger, famously intrigued by this four-wheeled equivalent of his indestructible Terminator character, amassed a small collection. In 1999, General Motors bought the rights to the Hummer brand name and renamed the brute the H1.
All Hummers had the same basic four-door body that was available with a choice of tops: hardtop, slantback, soft top and wagon top. At 101 inches wide and weighing more than 7,000 pounds, a Hummer was nearly 3 feet wider than a compact car and weighed more than two midsize family cars. Nearly all were powered by a General Motors 6.2- or 6.5-liter V8 engine available in diesel or turbodiesel form. A 5.7-liter gasoline-fueled V8 was available for a few years (1995-'97), but was axed as it was overtaxed by the Hummer's great weight. Regardless of engine, all Hummers had an automatic transmission (either a three- or four-speed depending on the year) sending power to all four wheels. An onboard tire-inflation system allowed the tires to be "aired down" for serious rock crawling and then pumped back up before hitting the pavement.
Although incredibly capable on rough terrain, a Hummer H1 is not something you'd want to use as daily transportation on blacktop. The massive dimensions make maneuvering in city traffic -- not to mention parking -- a nightmare. Performance is sluggish -- the H1's 0-60-mph performance, at over 16 seconds, is nearly twice as slow as some economy cars and only marginally quicker than the Columbia Glacier. Lastly, the cabin is about as luxurious as a postal truck's, and with the tucked-up driveline components taking up valuable passenger space, the seats are comically small.
The final year of the Hummer H1 was 2005, though it actually continued one more year as the H1 Alpha. This model boasted a number of changes under the skin that made the beast the best it had ever been. But by this time, the Hummer's price tag was upwards of $100,000, diesel cost more than $3 a gallon and most people were no longer interested in posing as hard-core military personnel on a covert operation to the shopping mall.
Most Recent Hummer H1
Although most Hummers (pre-H1 and H1 alike) are visually identical, the 1996-2005 versions are most similar beneath the macho bodywork. For '96, a 6.5-liter diesel V8 replaced the former 6.2-liter engine and offered 170 horsepower to the 6.2's 150. But more importantly, a turbocharged version of the 6.5-liter was available too, which furnished 195 hp and 430 pound-feet of torque. A 5.7-liter gas V8 was also available for 1996 and '97, but it wasn't a match for the heavy Hummer. Active safety was greatly increased for 1999 via the adoption of antilock brakes and traction control.
The new millennium saw the debut of the slantback model and the option of a CD changer, while 2001 brought a revamped gauge cluster, rear armrests and optional 17-inch alloy wheels. A 10th-anniversary package, complete with badges, marked 2002, as did a new steering wheel and more legroom for front passengers. An electronically locking rear differential became available for 2003, as did a 12-CD changer. The 6.5 turbodiesel picked up 10 hp and 10 lb-ft for 2004. The last Hummer H1 rolled out in 2005, replaced the following year by the more powerful H1 Alpha, which itself lasted just the single year.
Past Hummer H1 Models
Produced from 1992-'95, nearly all the earlier Hummers were powered by a standard 6.2-liter diesel engine (a 5.7-liter gas engine powered some '95s) and had minimal changes during its first four model years. These were even more lackluster performers than the later versions, as they didn't benefit from the option of turbodiesel power or a 4th gear for the automatic transmission.
User Reviews:
Showing 1 through 10 of 56.00-
h1 - 2004 Hummer H1
By cesguz - January 2 - 7:00 pmGreat car, too fun to drive, excellent for off-roading, lot of power and much more comfortable than others SUV´s off road.
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big hummer - 2004 Hummer H1
By stromboli - October 28 - 2:00 ami love my hummer. it takes me anywhere i ever want to go. all the cost is worth owning one of these awesome machines.
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Hummer - 2003 Hummer H1
By OR Romeo - November 5 - 2:00 amThe H1 Hummer is a vehicle which will go just about anywhere. The best part about this vehicle is that it has independent suspension on all four wheels, unlike the H2 hummer which has only front independent suspesion and it has a solid rear axle. This is what makes H2 so different from the H1 hummer.
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Hummer H1 - 2002 Hummer H1
By discostu004 - October 29 - 2:00 amI just got this and its pretty cool to drive. i get the "511" blonde in a bikini" stare from a lot of people. if you have the opportunity, get one, if only for a little bit. Its worth it!
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Great - 2003 Hummer H1
By HummerGuy - July 8 - 2:00 amThis vehcle is the best. Really fun to drive and great reliability. This vehicle can go anywhere. If you want fake alloy trim and and a mushy interior buy the H2, but if you want the original, real, qualtity Hummer buy the H1. H for hummer and 1 for one and only. If you can afford this car, then you can afford the gas for it. This vehicle is exotic and solid. Goes over virtually any obstacle. Also, you get lots of attention and almost no one has this vehicle. I luv it, I luv it, I luv it.
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Awesome! - 2002 Hummer H1
By TUFENUFTIMM - January 31 - 2:00 amNo concrete cowboy this one! Much more civilized on the street than you would expect,and even gnarlier off road than you could imagine. Acceptable power on the street and more than you really need off road. You dont need to "take a run" at everything,you point it and drive it smoothly,it WILL do the job. This is my 4th 4wd, and unmodified it will do more than any of the other modified ones. Ive noticed that other 4wdrs are envious to the point of hate, everyone else loves it!
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$$$Pricey$$$ - 2003 Hummer H1
By John McCance - December 24 - 2:00 amHummer hasnt really done much with the H1 for the past few years. I love the exterior design and there is no competiton when it comes to off- roading. I think that the people at GM havent really thought more on the lines of the H2 interior because the H1s is PLAIN!
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perfect but gas - 2003 Hummer H1
By kvn - November 22 - 2:00 amI have no complaints about this vechile except for the gas uage.
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horse - 2002 Hummer H1
By georde - June 12 - 2:00 amfun to drive, causes many stares
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Hummer - 2001 Hummer H1
By Craig Barnes - April 19 - 2:00 amNice Car, but a little too big with not much interior space.
