Overview & Reviews

Few vehicles are as instantly recognizable as a Hummer SUV. Unapologetically boxy and impossibly wide, these rugged vehicles were originally built for military use, and it shows. For Hummer aficionados, the fact that these mammoth rock-crawlers are tank-like both in appearance and nature is a selling point, not a flaw. Go to a Hummer dealer and all you'll see are SUVs. There is no such thing as a Hummer car, at least not yet.

The Hummer brand can actually trace its roots back to another military icon -- the Jeep. Designed by the Willys-Overland company in the 1940s, the Jeep became so popular that when Henry J. Kaiser purchased the Willys-Overland company in 1953, the name was changed to Kaiser-Jeep. In 1970, American Motors bought Kaiser-Jeep and renamed it the Jeep Corporation. At that point, Jeep was producing vehicles through two divisions: the Commercial Products division in Toledo, Ohio, and the Government Products division in South Bend, Indiana.

A year later, the Government Products division was spun off as a wholly owned subsidiary known as AM General. In the early 1980s, the company, now owned by the LTV Corporation, designed a vehicle to compete for a contract offered by the U.S. Army. Called the High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV, or Humvee, as it came to be known), it was designed to serve as the military's main light tactical vehicle. AM General won a 1983 production contract (the first of many with the U.S. Army) that required the delivery of 55,000 vehicles over a five-year period.

AM General's Humvees distinguished themselves in active duty during the Persian Gulf War in the early '90s. The vehicle's wartime prowess garnered a great deal of positive publicity, and not just within military circles. As a result, AM General (now under the ownership of the Renco Group) decided to introduce a civilian version of the Humvee, dubbed the Hummer, in 1992. In 1999, General Motors bought the rights to the Hummer brand name and became responsible for the development, marketing and distribution of future Hummer SUVs.

The original Hummer, called the H1, was sold for a few years as the brand's flagship vehicle. Production ended after 2006, but Hummer has been expanding its vehicle lineup to include vehicles that still possess the Hummer bravado but with more civilized road manners.

User Reviews:

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  HUMMER 2.0 - 2004 Hummer H2
  By Brad3000 - March 18 - 2:00 am

  Its great to drive, rides well and is a little heavy on gas but in bad driving conditions of all kinds you will be very happy to be in one. It really is a blast in s

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  The love continues - 2004 Hummer H2
  By soljr - March 15 - 2:00 am

  Wife & I were skeptical that It would handle or drive nice. Boy, were we surprised! I had a Lincoln Navigator before, so I had a good reference point. I let my wife drive it first and she was surprised at how well it drove. She was alittle nervous about the width but overcame it quickly. I was very impressed and bought it and am still just as impressed. The Love continues even after the newness wears off.

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  lovin the H2 - 2004 Hummer H2
  By dodgers - March 12 - 2:00 am

  The H2 could not be more fun for not only myself but for my children as well. It gets the same exact millage as my lexas lx470 did. Not that Im proud of it. It truly drives like a dream and I can park it anywhere. Living in the mountains makes this car a must.

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  love it - 2004 Hummer H2
  By melissa daniels - March 9 - 2:00 am

  could use a few more miles from the gas tank but wouldnt trade it for anything. Absolutely love it. Melissa

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  I love my Hummer - 2004 Hummer H2
  By Wilton Lash - March 2 - 2:00 am

  I love love my Hummer. The Hummer needs more horse power for passing. The spare tire inside or out side the car gives poor visibility. The air suspension gives a superb ride.

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  luvs hummers - 2004 Hummer H2
  By arm - February 18 - 2:00 am

  my favorite experience was off roading and having to pull a dodge out of a little snow and mud after the dodge owner had just finisihed shooting his mouth off for about an hour about how his truck never gets stuck

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  Hummer - 2004 Hummer H2
  By Keith Morris - February 11 - 2:00 am

  The ultimate chick magnet.

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  Turns heads - 2004 Hummer H2
  By stogyboy - January 22 - 2:00 am

  By far the most fun I have had driving a car. I used to drive a Lincoln TownCar and this is easier to park. Other cars move out of the way when you change lanes. I Love It. Great in the snow. I did have to have the steering box replaced. But got a caddy as a loaner, not really a good thing because I had to buy the CTS for my wife because she liked it so much.

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  H2 - 2004 Hummer H2
  By stang01gt7 - January 21 - 2:00 am

  Well I really like the new H2 I have one and love it. Yeah it gets like 10 mpg but if can afford it in the first place u can afford the gas. People are always asking questions so if u dont like random people asking u really stupid ?s its n ot for u as much as i like it my mom likes it more and drives it more then i do so Hubbys your wife will take it and like it more then u

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  i love this car! - 2004 Hummer H2
  By marthawest - January 10 - 2:00 am

  i bought it for business - needed a car with some style that weighed over 6000 pounds - tax deduction. one caveat - be prepared to take some abuse from friends and others. had i bought a suburban (which is 18 inches larger) or an expedition no one would have dared to say a thing but you know how it is when you venture out and dont choose what everyone else chooses. everyone asks me if the car is hard to handle but it really isnt. it drives a lot like the range rover i had but i feel even safer in it. also be prepared to be stopped everywhere - people dont know the difference between the H1 and H2 so they all think this is the 115K model.