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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  Like No Other! - 2008 Hummer H2
  By Mike - May 5 - 12:09 pm

  I traded in my 2003 Infiniti G35 for this Hummer. I have owned the Chevy Tahoe and Suburban in th past. I chose the H2 over the Escalade and the Infiniti QX56. The ride is so smooth and comfortable. The gas mileage leaves a lot to be desired, but what do you expect?! Features in the 2008 actually do feel luxury. After driving the G35 which was a great car, I did not want to sacrifice the luxury I had become accustomed to in the G35 not a problem with the 2008 H2.

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  I love it! - 2007 Hummer H3
  By Valerie - April 30 - 4:48 pm

  I bought this H3 a year ago because I had a second child and needed a bigger and more reliable car. Even though it is a beautiful SUV, I wasnt sure I was going to enjoy it that much since I previously drove a Corvette. But I absolutely love the Hummer. With the windows being so high, its also a perfect car to nurse a baby! I have 2 issues with this vehicle though: it is kind of slow (you would expect a bigger engine)& there is no visibility through the back window. When a car is behind you, all you see is the roof, it makes it hard to back up. I notice also that the pedals are very close together just like the Corvette. All in all, it is a great vehicle, I havent had any problems with it.

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  Not Very Impressed with this Vehicle - 2008 Hummer H2
  By Jason Methlin - April 22 - 10:34 pm

  Bought my first Hummer two months ago and regret it already. Poor mileage, poor performance and even worse, it has been in the shop more than it has been with me.

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  Not worth the name - 2006 Hummer H3
  By Sheila - April 15 - 9:56 am

  The truck has been nothing but problems. We had a Trailblazer which had a lot of problems so we leased an H3 because of Hummers reputation. It has 27K miles, they have already replaced all 5 cylinders, worked on tire pressure monitor, it does not start whenever it does not feel like it and now the heating and air conditioning does not go on, no blower, nothing! They really just beefed up a regular SUV and called it a Hummer. Shame on GM.

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  Great Feeling - 2006 Hummer H3
  By Brock - April 8 - 12:10 pm

  I really enjoy driving my new H3. I have put about 1000 miles on it and have found it to be exactly what I expected. I have read complaints about the power off the line but have not had a problem with it. I love the luxury package that I purchased. My wife loves the heated seats, which means she is not burning me out with the heater. I have connected the on board telephone to my Verizon wireless account. Very nice to be able to use the hands free. My wife enjoys driving it because the kids stay quiet watching DVD’s that were installed in the headrest. The blind spots took a little getting used to but nothing that a two-dollar blind spot mirror did not take care of. Over it is great.

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  Much Improved - 2008 Hummer H2
  By Bodyimager - April 6 - 5:03 pm

  In 2006, I purchased a new H2. I really grew to like this SUV, using it for the daily commute, long family trips, and for hunting/hauling the ATV. Like all H2 owners, you deal with its shortcomings for the privilege of driving a SUV "Like no other." Then came the 2008 re-do. I saw one at test track in Disneys Epcot, then rented one in Denver. I was amazed at the changes. As a result of being so impressed, I recently purchased a new 2008 lux model, had the dealership add chrome bits from the trade-in, and I love it. I took a chance on the Sedona leather and it looks great. I highly recommend the new model.

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  Yellow Lemon - 2004 Hummer H2
  By just me - April 6 - 1:50 am

  Love to drive my HUMMER when it is not in the shop. All repairs have been minor fixes, but major irritations. I am now on my fifth TV/DVD replacement! Numerous problems with 12 volt outlets, and other electrical type problems. This vehicle has been in the shop more than 15 times and to top it off the entertainment system went out again and I am told that this model is no longer made and cannot be replaced. Now after 3 "repairs" it still only works 2-3 weeks after each repair.

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  Better than expected - 2006 Hummer H2
  By Roger - April 5 - 8:26 am

  I too have only recently purchased my one-owner Hummer H2. I admit I had some reservations concerning its towing ability and gas mileage. But surprizingly I have average 14.5mpg (2807.2 gal used/40920 miles accrued =14.5mpg). This Hummer is also equipped with the dealer installed Radix Supercharger(63%-123% more power from 2k-6k rpm),base being 325hp, It doesnt require a mathematician to figure out that at 6k rpm its capable of making nearly 600 HP! So power is plentiful. And the vehicle handles beautifully,alot better than the GMC 2500 I traded. And of course with this much power at a given whim, I needed the extended warranty. And off roading is a breeze,just watch your throttle position.

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  Great - 2004 Hummer H2
  By bigcal - March 29 - 10:00 am

  Just got my H2 and loving every minute of it. The gas milage is not as bad as everyone thinks 13mpg everyday driving. When i first saw the H2 i was like this is gonna be clunky and sluggish and real loud tires. To my suprise its very nimble with a great turn radius for a vehicle its size with a smooth ride with min noise inside the cabin. Overall a great vehicle!!!

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  The Hummer Surprise - 2006 Hummer H3
  By JMHUMMER - March 16 - 10:16 am

  I got this Hummer as a birthday surprise from my wife. I drove one of these when I was in the Marine Corps and with very few exceptions this one is much nicer than the military version. It is a comfortable smooth riding truck. It lacks a little bit of power, but it wasnt designed for speed and the lack of power is a good compromise for fuel economy. I love the truck for what it was designed for, its off-road capabilities. Although even if you never take this truck off the payment you can benefit from its capabilities, when driving in rain, flooding, etc.