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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  Oops, reality check - 2006 Hummer H3
  By Phil Mitchell - September 30 - 8:43 am

  Update to my 11/22 review. On 11/26 the transmission went out. Dealership says no others have been reported losing the tranny. They loaned me an H3, so I was happy with that. They took 2 1/2 weeks to fix it though! They have now had it longer than me. I got to drive one with the Adventure package, though, and liked the performance in a heavy snow that we had. Got my H3 back two days ago and seems fine. Keeping my fingers crossed. Love most everything else about it. Can live with the mileage and power. Lux pkg is nice. Do watch backing up, however.

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  H1 - 2003 Hummer H1
  By Kevin9545ATL - September 25 - 2:00 am

  This SUV is great. It is an attention getter. You can pick up girls anytime with this car. I only drive mine to the club or to the beach. This was worth every penny I spent in Law School.

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  The H3 is definitely me! - 2006 Hummer H3
  By J Woods - September 17 - 10:20 pm

  I fully loaded my new H3 with most everything and didnt break $40,000. This is by far the most fun Ive had and the thrill has yet to wear off. The leather seats are a must and are as comfortable Ive experienced. I absolutely love the FAT leather steering wheel! This should be an option in all GM vehicles. Power is just fine and is in balance with its decent fuel economy. Adventure package with 33" wheels makes the truck!

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  The best vehicle in the entire world. - 2003 Hummer H1
  By djw - September 11 - 2:00 am

  They should have used a hummer on the moon instead of that peice they did.

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  Awesome! - 2003 Hummer H2
  By gonzoH2 - September 9 - 2:00 am

  Nothing compares in terms of styling or "fun" factor(except maybe MINI-). This vehicle is surprisingly agile and quiet for a TRUCK(SUV sounds so rav4)this size.Drivers seat feels less like a drivers seat and more like a command post,albeit a plush leather clad one.Love this first year model and look forward to future refinements(see suggested improvements).

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  Love It! - 2003 Hummer H2
  By NJOYthe ride - September 5 - 10:00 am

  Great Vehicle. The ride is excellent, the power superb and the handling is GREAT for a big SUV. The luxury on the interior is wonderful. Only minor drawback is the spare tire mounted in the rear cargo area. This is a big tire and it take up a lot of space. Of all the SUVs out there, nothing compares in price, ride, quality and comfort to the H2 Hummer. If your looking for huge cargo area I would have to say, get a suburban.

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  almost perfect - 2003 Hummer H2
  By cheryl - September 4 - 2:00 am

  i enjoy my hummer,this vehicle sits high off the ground,visibilty clear,no blind spots-in the reverse mode,the side mirrors adjusts itself,and when in drive ,the side mirrors re-adjusts itself-very personalized- with a semi- reclinning nature for confort, that if you have back problems, this seating takes the stress off the back and you can actually drive longer in confort,which is the situation for me. the x-tras ,is very expensive-letters and the gas cap covering,will cost you a little more than $ 500.00 dollars. but i feel it is justifiable,after all YOU ARE driving a HUMMER.

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  AWESOME HUMMERS - 2003 Hummer H1
  By DONALD - September 3 - 2:00 am

  HUMMERS ARE GREAT VEHICLES TO HAVE. THE ONLY THING ID CHANGE IS THE PRICE BECAUSE THEIR A LITTLE EXPENSIVE

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  I love my hummer ! - 2003 Hummer H2
  By veronica baker - August 27 - 2:00 am

  Comfort, fun,style.You name it. The Hummer has it. Now my family spends a lot more time together doing trips to the Florida keys e.t.c. Its definetly worth every dime we paid for it.( Never mind the smile on my husbands face when I let him drive it!!)

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  off road - 2003 Hummer H2
  By Steven Peralez - August 25 - 2:00 am

  If you bought the hummer for its purpose, off road, then you are very happy and excited about its performance! We ran circles around other off road vehicles, and sat in luxury at the same time.