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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  Fun Truck!!!! - 2005 Hummer H2
  By Tree - January 1 - 7:24 pm

  I love this truck! I traded in my 330ci convertible BMW for it and havent looked back since. The ride is incredible. You wont believe it until you drive one. The only downfall is the gas mileage, but you dont buy this truck if you need economy mileage.

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  Like Nothing Else - 2004 Hummer H1
  By mudhog - December 30 - 8:22 pm

  This is the ultimate in 4x4 experiences. All other manufacturers can only hope to achieve on & off road performance like the H1. After driving one of these impressive vehicles for a year, I will never go back to any other type of 4x4. Although the price of a new unit is high the used market is affordable and booming. Once you have driven one, you will see why so many documentaries and "ultimate style" TV show feature the H1 as a true stand alone truck in what has become a world of SUV clones. Anyone who has a chance should test drive one of these, they are: "Like Nothing Else"

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  Hummerific - 2003 Hummer H2
  By Pookysmooth - December 24 - 10:00 am

  Absolutely love it. I came from a Lexus LX470 which of course is more refined, quieter, smoother, more reliable, and also a great off roader, but it was not fun. This is an absolute blast to drive. I always wanted and H1 but thought its size and interior was not usable. This was the perfect blend between Hummer H1 and a livable usable vehicle. Feels like a load, but drives nicer than I thought it would. Has great character and my kids love it. I guess I am a big kid and that is also why I like it. Hummer and Gm did an excellent job in a short amount of time. Hope the reliablilty is livable.

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  H 2 - 2005 Hummer H2
  By KVNCB - December 21 - 11:37 pm

  This is the best suv that i have ever owned. I have driven suvs for about fifteen years. It has an awesome presence and stance. It is well recognized in public. It is very comfortable and the sound system is awesome. Good job gm! The power is excellent and the cabin is very quiet.

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  Fun in the snow! - 2005 Hummer H2
  By J Duckett - December 18 - 3:02 pm

  Unbelievable drive through horrible whiteout conditions!. No slip, no slide . Safety a plus in this SUV.

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  Hummin Right Along in NJ - 2005 Hummer H2
  By Teresa - December 18 - 9:53 am

  Smooth and powerful drive. Plenty of lux features that make it a pleasure to drive. Passenger room to be envious of! Lack of space for cargo in "truck" with spare tire placed inside. Great option is the third row seat. Comfortable for children and adults alike.

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  Who Would Think? - 2005 Hummer H2
  By PJ - December 17 - 4:46 pm

  We never thought that this vehicle would satisfy so many of our needs. We just returned from a 1800 mile trip through some of the worst weather and traffic conditions and our Hummer H2 took us to NY and back in comfort and style. Not to mention how safe we felt. Other cars seem to stay away and those big rigs give respect. We cruised at 70 to 80 MPH and averaged 13.7 MPG. In the ad they say "Like nothing Else" - its hard to explain but you get the feeling like youre Capt. Kirk commanding the Star Ship Enterprise. Its wonderful! If you need one vehicle to do everything, the H2 is it. We drove it for over 30 hours roundtrip and felt refreshed when we arrived. I would buy this H2 again.

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  Orange Peel Baby! - 2006 Hummer H3
  By wooddorker - December 15 - 1:20 pm

  Two points stick in my mind, a total lack of power and poor QC. The Black H3 I drove couldnt get out of its own way and had heavy orange peel all over the body. Think of what anti-chip coating, which is normally applied to lower body panels looks like, now think of a whole vehicle that looks like it was painted with a roller. All of the in stock units had the same problem. Naturally, the dealer didnt seem to see a problem. The versions I looked at also had misaligned body and interior panels reminding me of a Cavalier. The H1s & 2s nearby did not look anywhere near as bad. A neat vehicle on paper, its too bad it got executed the way it did. Look closely before you b

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  HI - 2004 Hummer H1
  By havenblue - December 11 - 7:37 pm

  This is a fun vehicle that can go almost anywhere. The milage is not too bad for its size.

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  1,000 Mile Review - 2006 Hummer H3
  By mymarisa - December 1 - 4:26 pm

  Cargo room in the rear is less than expected and smaller than smaller SUVs. Nice handling even in the worst driving conditions.