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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  Love the hummer, nothing like it - 2004 Hummer H2
  By Mike3119 - January 1 - 2:00 am

  Love the vehicle, no problems or issues

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  Kens choice - 2003 Hummer H2
  By kwilli9123 - December 20 - 2:00 am

  i traded in my 00 navigator for it. with the exception of lack of interior roominess, 9 months and 10k miles later, im still satisfied with my choice. as far as fuel consumption goes, i find it comparable to the other suvs ive owned. i find the handling and performace of my yellow 03 h-2 to be most satisfying. and the best part is, my wife loves it!

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  Hummer H2 - 2004 Hummer H2
  By poopsybr - December 10 - 2:00 am

  Love my Hummer, gas mileage is not any worse than any other large SUV on the market.

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  Owner - 2004 Hummer H2
  By Rocky Mountain Homes - November 30 - 2:00 am

  I love the vechicle. The small windows are a little problem but nothing you wont get over. Enjoy:)

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  MOSTLY HAPPY - 2003 Hummer H2
  By LPACHECO1 - November 14 - 2:00 am

  MOSTLY SATISFIED WITH MY PURCHASE OF THE 2003 HUMMER 2, PURCHASED IN AUGUST 2003. HOWEVER ALREADY GETTING A SQUEAKING NOISE IN THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR PART OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO, NOISE LEVEL FROM WIND SEEMS TO BE EXCEPTIONALLY LOUD COMING FROM THE WINDSHIELD AREA. ALSO REAR WINDOW ALMOST SEEMS LOOSE. P.S. I HAVE NOT HAD THIS VEHICLE 4 WHEELING EITHER, PRETTY MUCH BABIED. OTHER THAN THOSE ISSUES, VEHICLE IS GREAT TO DRIVE.

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  its more than expected - 2003 Hummer H2
  By jgraber - November 8 - 2:00 am

  There is nothing else like it. If your looking for fuel mileage buy a toy one. If you are looking for the ultimate on/off road vehicle, buy one. Its a UAV not a suv. Urban Assault Vehicle.

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  Hummer - 2003 Hummer H1
  By OR Romeo - November 5 - 2:00 am

  The 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 am

  I 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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  H3 Feel - 2006 Hummer H3
  By jaime lim - October 27 - 10:20 am

  Thoroughly enjoy driving the H3; looks like the larger sibling, but easy to fit into normal sized parking spaces and has good gas economy. H3 gets alot of positive comments for its look and the main question asked is about gas mileage rating. Im currently averaging about 18mpg combined city/freeway. The luxury model has leather seating and is very comfortable on longer trips. Ive owned the Lexus RX300 and Nissan Murano SUVs and the H3 is a worthy competitor in the midsize market and should be considered a US SUV market challenge to all off-shore manufacturers.

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  exellent - 2003 Hummer H2
  By monirul bhuiyan - October 17 - 2:00 am

  Best Look suv on the road.off road capability