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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  Just bought this yesterday - 2006 Hummer H3
  By Debra Styron - June 24 - 7:00 pm

  I just bought the first one in MS yesterday. I am a 51 year old woman and I love this vehicle. My grown children are trying to steal it. I was so very surprised at how easy it drove and handled. I could not belive the handling on the highway. It was a much smoother ride than I was expecting. I have driven Cadillacs for years and I actually traded my CTS in on this truck. I am very excited about owning this truck.

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  Best one yet - 2006 Hummer H3
  By Rod Maker - June 19 - 11:40 pm

  This one is a keeper. I have leased most of my vehicles but this is the one I bought. Handles very well, u turns are not a problem. Hard to get use to having people stare at us when we are driving. Fun vehicle.

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  this rules the world - 2003 Hummer H1
  By deathstrike - June 18 - 2:00 am

  This car is the best ever. Ive droven vipers and corvettes but hummers are the best.

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  Watch out! - 2006 Hummer H3
  By Shelby - June 16 - 9:10 am

  I am on my 2nd H3 now. The first I bought in Oct. 2005 and had rear noise at 35 mph. After 3 weeks in the shop and the rear axle replaced (do to lapping paste left in the vehicle after shipping) the car started again after it was returned to me and they have now given me another one. At just under 500 miles on the new one the comtuter module went out and had to be replaced. So far so good but I am ready for another car that is not Hummer or GM.

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  A great, eyecatching ride - 2003 Hummer H2
  By DJB16 - June 15 - 2:00 am

  The HUMMER is an eye catching vehicle that is surprisingly easy to drive around town including parallel parking. The styling is quite dominant, so skip this one if being in the limelight is a problem. Great in mud and snow, we have used it some wet and muddy terrain with ease. The H2 has typical GM interior which is somewhat lacking, but who cares? Very comfortable seating and a smooth ride has made this as much fun for passengers as drivers. Great dealer followup.

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  Love It!! - 2003 Hummer H2
  By Fan4Three - June 14 - 2:00 am

  An outstanding truck from top to bottom!!

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  Too Much Fun - 2006 Hummer H3
  By AZ Off Road - June 13 - 2:53 pm

  The vehicle is very nice. The handling is amazing, for its mass. The turning radius is very impressive, better than many sedans. On road, it rides very nice, everyone that has driven it loves its handling/ride. Off road, it is among the best available. Ive already taken it down a few trails and I am impressed with its capability over rocks, sand, mud, and inclines. The features and quality appear to be very good, which was more than I expected, considering the manufacturer.

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  Looks Fun Must be Fun - 2003 Hummer H2
  By Pacman - June 11 - 2:00 am

  I have been verry happy with my H-2 it dose eat the gas butt most large SUV do.

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  Hummer H1 survey - 2003 Hummer H1
  By Luke Dampf - June 10 - 2:00 am

  Hummer H1s best ogg-road truck I ever see, when I drove Hummer H1, it feel so great, Also very powerful engine, high torque, Flat tire system, bulletproof windows, a lots more, H1s a LOTS better than H2, I believe that H2 is for a road style SUV, not off road, Ugly body style, etc. H1 rules off road world!

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  monster - 2003 Hummer H2
  By colin - June 10 - 2:00 am

  I have owned just about every kind of vehicle, and only keep them for an avg of 6-8 months...I have owned an 03 Pilot, and while it was a nice sport utility vehicle for my wife to drive, and feel like she was driving a car. Before that it was an 02 Tahoe, and getting the H2 is like going back to an old friend and finding them to be better than you remembered.