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 my H2! - 2003 Hummer H2
  By Chris - December 18 - 8:39 pm

  So safe and secure. I can let my wife drive around Miami and not worry about her. Very happy, rain or shine!

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  No Title - 2005 Hummer H2
  By Jim - December 18 - 7:16 pm

  I love my H2. I would not buy any other SUV (maybe an H3). It goes anywhere I want to go. And it has power and torque to spare.

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  H2 - Safety Design - 2005 Hummer H2
  By MACCKS - December 15 - 3:08 pm

  My husband recently hit a tree and totalled our $71,000 05 H2. How do you total a HUMMER? The H2 front end impact design shifted the "energy" absorbed by the accident under the vehicle instead of into the passenger seating area. Thus, damaging the frame, transfer case, rear end housing, etc. He walked away with only a seatbelt bruise. We are convinced this vehicle saved his life and cant wait to buy another!

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  Cant wait to get another one - 2003 Hummer H2
  By SCUnited - December 6 - 4:52 pm

  I love my H2. Big and safe. I travel with ny family in it (5) all over the place. I love when it snows. Its like a big toy that you can keep adding to since there are many after market accessories. If you can afford the H2 you can afford the gas! Coolest car Ive ever owned.

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  Speedster307s Review - 2005 Hummer H2
  By speedster307 - December 3 - 10:00 am

  Over all a great SUV to drive and just relax. If you saw the movie Bad Boys 2, you could see how a Hummer H2 could go completely offroad. Over All Rating: 99.99%

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  The Best - 2006 Hummer H1 Alpha
  By zokoye williams - December 1 - 11:03 am

  It allowed me to explore that part of the world we live in. that part is the wilderness and the mountains. I could not do it with out the hummer vehicle. It had all the features of most luxury cars and the workload better than any other vecihle known to civilian world.

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  Its a TRUCK - 2006 Hummer H2
  By "KURLZ" - November 15 - 5:23 am

  This is absolutely THE finest vehicle on the road (and off). I have owned two and am one of the only female drivers to attend offroad outings, which I attend alot of, and I have been rated best offroad driver on a couple (-look out boys!) might I add I take great pride in the unmatched dependability and capabilities of this machine. I absolutely, without a doubt, love it and will, from day one forward, never never never live without one (maybe even two). NOTHING can compare, I challenge anyone to prove me wrong.

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  Humming along - 2005 Hummer H2
  By mjleblanc - November 8 - 5:45 pm

  Perhaps the best SUV I have ever owned, can really go just about anywhere. Maintenance and repairs are costly, given the thievery rampant in the dealer/manufacturer scheme of hourly bilking. Gas mileage is the same as my Suburban. Love the car!

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  Gotta have one - 2005 Hummer H2
  By CPO TOYS - November 7 - 10:11 am

  What an awesome vehicle. This is my 2nd H2. The power is great, the ride is comfortable even on the long drives. The only item I wish the 2005 model would come with is adjustable pedals. You can buy after market exhaust, airfilter and a chip to boost the HP, but hold on to your hat, it will move. People who complain about gas mileage, shouldnt own one then. I average 11-12 per gallon.

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  If You Like Attention, Get an H2 - 2006 Hummer H2
  By Alzy - November 1 - 11:38 pm

  So far the H2 has been really fun to own. It is the biggest beast on the road, and you feel like a king overlooking your empire when riding around. Get used to people staring at the ride and asking you about it. The engine is powerful enough to move the 6700 pound vehicle with no problem. It rides like a truck, but the handling is surprisingly nice. Mirrors can automatically turn down to assist with parallel parking. I think the interior is nice, although I may not have the most refined tastes. Were getting 11.5 mpg. We can afford it, but you still think about it from time to time. It uses regular gas, which helps offset the cost. Overall, if you like attention, consider the H2!