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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  Like Nothing Else - 2003 Hummer H2
  By joe helmsman - May 28 - 2:00 am

  This is the SUV to buy. No problems. I traded in my 2001 RANGE ROVER, glad I did.

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  H2 for You - 2003 Hummer H2
  By sunil - May 27 - 2:00 am

  I have almost 7,000 miles on my 2003 H2. It is a Yellow, Lux with sunroof, brush and taillight guards, and 3rd row seat. I also put off road lights on the truck. I havent had to do my first oil change yet. I have loved driving this truck through 5 states already.

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  Just too big to park... - 2003 Hummer H2
  By Carson - May 25 - 2:00 am

  I was so excited about this car when I got it. I was jumping out of my skin. The thing is HUGE in a good way. The problem is that the truck is actually just to HUGE in a bad way as well. I literally cant park in 90% of the available spots. Im just driving around like a dork looking when I could have been parking even in a large SUV.

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  The coolest truck ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11 - 2003 Hummer H2
  By HUMMERFREAK - May 25 - 2:00 am

  I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WITH MY HUMMER! A GUY RAN A RED LIGHT AND PLOWED RIGHT INTO THE SIDE OF MY TRUCK. HE WAS GOING 85 IN A 40 I WAS DRIVING AND MY KIDS WERE IN THE BACK SEAT WITH THE DOG. THE KIDS AND I WERE PRETTY SHOOK UP , BUT NOT INJURED THE OTHER GUY WAS CUT OUT OF HIS VEHICLE AND LATER DIED AT THE HOSPITAL ITS ALL ABOUT SAFETY NOT FUEL ECONOMY THIS IS THE SAFEST TRUCK ON THE ROAD BY THE WAYMY VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED AND IM IN A BRAND NEW ONE (YELLOW) THNKS GM/HUMMER FOR BUILDING A VEHICLE TO WITHSTAND THE WAY PEOPLE DRIVE!!!!!!!

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  H3 Red Hummer!!!!! - 2006 Hummer H3
  By jackgit - May 24 - 10:10 pm

  Got rid of my Yukon Denali XL for the H3. I wanted someting different, Awesome. I choose the Victory red with Prem pagkage. Added the chrome package & WOW!!!! Rides great. Im 6.2 & hae plenty of room. Heated seat buttons in a bad place for a big guy like me. Some minor complaints below. I did have a 04 Denali XL SLT......I swallowed 7 GMAC payments to get the H3 Did a deal way under invoice...... Used 1k GM card $ 39 mth lease.

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  Like Nothing Else - 2003 Hummer H2
  By Detonate - May 16 - 2:00 am

  This is by far the most fun Ive ever had with a vehicle. It works great as a daily driver to and from work. Has enough room for trips to the Home Depot or my local landscaping store. And on the weekends I take this baby down some serious offroading trails with my local HUMMER club chapter. Everyone knows that a 3.5 ton vehicle with a 6.0 Litre V8, with Full Time 4WD, and 35" tires is NOT going to get good gas milage. However, it empowers the Hummer to do other things. If you want fuel economy, get a Honda Civic. But dont expect it to tow a boat or scale large rocks with ease.

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  Awesome - 2006 Hummer H3
  By Ranger* - May 14 - 5:36 pm

  The H3 is the best SUV thirty grand can buy. Rock solid, awesome handling, and of course; its got the HUMMER look :)

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  HUMMER H2 - 2003 Hummer H2
  By jchapman - May 11 - 2:00 am

  Cant get it away from my wife. Have had no bad experiences with this vehicle with the single exception of putting up with all the enviornmental wannabees in Seattle.

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  LOVE MY NEW H3 - 2006 Hummer H3
  By RKA - May 7 - 10:23 am

  Just bought my first Hummer. Coming from a Mustang and the power it brings...My H3 is perfect!!!! I have read many reviews...some were very helpful others I will have to disagree. I cannot wait to take her on a long rode trip to test her legs long distance. I couldnt have purchased a sexier SUV. LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT.

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  Nothing can match this Big Rig - 2003 Hummer H1
  By Dana Terry - May 7 - 2:00 am

  After purchasing my H1 I decided to join to local So. CA Hummer Group and we have gone up 60% slopes where all you can see is sky out of your window. This rig can go over anything in its way with ease. Fuel economy? 13 miles to gallon (diesel) which is not bad for a 7300 lb dirtbike. The market is not saturated with these vehicles so you get all the looks and admiartion. est vehicle I have ever owned. If you want absolute comfort and fuel economy by a cadillac, but if you want a real machine... get the H1!