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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  MY H2 - 2004 Hummer H2
  By Sandra Gail - January 19 - 2:00 am

  I can go where most dont

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  great ride - 2006 Hummer H3
  By K.P. - January 13 - 7:16 pm

  This SUV is fun to drive. My wife prefers it on the road to her Envoy. Took it from Texas to Colorado and back and got 19.5 mpg using premium gas in the Rockies. No problem getting over the passes. Great fun on back country roads.

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  American Junk - 2003 Hummer H2
  By SandyAL - January 11 - 2:00 am

  The manufacturer installed suspension wrong, as was evident by the stickers on the springs, i.e. the left was on the right and so forth. 4wd was none functioning for 5 mos of ownership, dealership informed that replacement part was soon to be released.....still waiting.

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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.

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  The Best suv on the road!! - 2004 Hummer H2
  By Canaffordit - January 8 - 2:00 am

  For the record its not an economy car,if you cant get past that then maybe you need to go down to your local honda showroom and buy a hybrid. its the most inspiring truck ive ever seen! and the most capable offroad vehicle ive ever driven(with proper training of course)it truly puts "sport" into SUV.Anything else is a station wagon!!

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  Just had it 10 days & lovin it! - 2006 Hummer H3
  By Phil Mitchell - January 7 - 3:40 pm

  Just had a yellow H3 for 10 days but just love it! Never had a vehicle that caused so much stir. Everyone comments and loves it. Comfortable, stable, decent mileage, excellent equipment, great quality, and fun. Cant wait for it to snow! Would def. recommend. My daughter has a Mercedes SLK and wants to drive the Hummer! It must be cool.

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  Awesome! - 2006 Hummer H3
  By Leslie Rink - January 4 - 11:10 pm

  We just purchased our new 2006 H3 and we absolutely love it! Its a blast to drive. Very plush interior. All of the bells or whistles you could want. Smooth driving, peppy engine and great brakes. Responds well. Great visibility with large side mirrors I think the third time is a charm for the H3. The price is just right. Great for around town comfort. Seating for five. Secure feeling drive. A must have for the offroad enthusiast who loves all of the Hummer qualities. Simple stated, "We love our Hummer" We have always wanted one and now we can afford to have one. Take one out for a test drive and see for yourself!

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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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  Nice - 2004 Hummer H1
  By Dide - December 30 - 2:00 am

  Awesome Vehicle to drive.

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  4get the neg. reviews this is THE SUV !! - 2004 Hummer H2
  By Summerlin SUV LUVR - December 29 - 2:00 am

  Ive had it for only a couple of months and absolutely love this vehicle!!! Cmon its 3 tons of fun and people are expecting the gas mileage of a Honda Civic? The majority of us will agree, this wasnt bought to save gas.The stare I get are just ego-satisfying. I had mine slightly customized. Deep Purple Metallic Pearl with a chrome emblem kit. The wheels are basic. I scrapped them for custom 24" chrome shoes.