Why?
Every time I'd see a Hummer I hear that refrain from that great R.E.M. song: "It's the end of the world as we know it. It's the end of the world as
we know it, and I feel fine."
That driver behind the smoked glass is ready for the coming Armageddon, I say to myself. Or, at least I used to.
Now that I've driven the 2006 Hummer H3, when I spot one these days I hear Supertramp: "Take a dream on a Sunday, Take a life, take a holiday, Take a lie, take a dreamer, dream, dream, dream, dream, dream along..."
For as much as the original Hummer, the road-busting H1, was designed with the kind of real-life realities like the current tragedy in the American South in mind, the all-new H3 was designed for the
wanna-be weekend warrior. It's all show and very little go.
Granted, the off-road capability of the H3 is most likely near the top of the heap in the midsize SUV category, but that's mostly due to the massive knobby tires and high ride height. I didn't have the chance to take the H3 off-road, but according to Hummer press notes, the H3 "can ford 16 inches of water at 20 mph or 24-inch streams at a 5-mph pace, and climb 16-inch vertical steps and rocks ..." Maybe so, but how many H3 owners really have bush-whacking in mind?
Apart from this off-road capability, I found little else of merit in the H3.
Every time I'd see a Hummer I hear that refrain from that great R.E.M. song: "It's the end of the world as we know it. It's the end of the world as
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| Every time I'd see a Hummer I hear that refrain from that great R.E.M. song: "It's the end of the world as we know it. (Photo: General Motors of Canada) |
That driver behind the smoked glass is ready for the coming Armageddon, I say to myself. Or, at least I used to.
Now that I've driven the 2006 Hummer H3, when I spot one these days I hear Supertramp: "Take a dream on a Sunday, Take a life, take a holiday, Take a lie, take a dreamer, dream, dream, dream, dream, dream along..."
For as much as the original Hummer, the road-busting H1, was designed with the kind of real-life realities like the current tragedy in the American South in mind, the all-new H3 was designed for the
 |
| Granted, the off-road capability of the H3 is most likely near the top of the heap in the midsize SUV category, but that's mostly due to the massive knobby tires and high ride height. (Photo: General Motors of Canada) |
Granted, the off-road capability of the H3 is most likely near the top of the heap in the midsize SUV category, but that's mostly due to the massive knobby tires and high ride height. I didn't have the chance to take the H3 off-road, but according to Hummer press notes, the H3 "can ford 16 inches of water at 20 mph or 24-inch streams at a 5-mph pace, and climb 16-inch vertical steps and rocks ..." Maybe so, but how many H3 owners really have bush-whacking in mind?
Apart from this off-road capability, I found little else of merit in the H3.