Think back about a decade ago and honestly tell me whether or not you considered Hummer one of the top ten coolest

An intimidating face that was once the epitome of cool. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

new vehicle brands. For some, it would have ranked number one. How far the mighty have fallen.

It didn’t seem like long after the Gulf War ended that Arnold Schwarzenegger showed up in Times Square driving a prototype H2 as part of a New York auto show publicity stunt. It worked, and GM’s Hummer division was born amid more glitz and fanfare than any new brand I can remember had previously enjoyed… but the party didn’t last very long.

Schwarzenegger might literally rule Hollywood now, as California’s governator, but it’s activist actors such as Tim Robbins rolling up to the Grammy’s red (er…. green) carpet in Prius hybrids that run the agenda, and Hummer has decidedly become uncool. Of course, there are those that find Robbins’ constant environmental vigilance about as cool as Martha Stewart eschewing her mother’s tollhouse cookie recipe, and for these people there are Hummers available for the literal taking, or almost.

The

Alpha is the H3's top-dog trim level, and it's really nice. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

H3 was Hummer’s foray into the great unwashed masses, an SUV designed to appeal to the slightly less fortunate as its starting price point was much lower than the H2. Designed with even more muscular haunches than its larger stable mate, it was an immediate success when launched in the summer of 2005 as a 2006 model. Then two years later, after some complaints about a lack of grunt from its 3.5L five-cylinder mill, which initially only put out 220hp and 225 lb-ft of torque, Hummer upped the ante to 3.7L for 239hp and 241 lb-ft. It made all the difference, or at least almost all the difference. That same year Hummer introduced the H3 Alpha, a 5.3L V8-powered variation on the theme that took the H3 into a loftier realm with 300hp and 320 lb-ft of torque, but in case you’re wondering it doesn’t include GM’s fuel-saving cylinder deactivation system, dubbed Active Fuel Management, because the H3’s poor aerodynamics don’t let the motor stay in four-cylinder mode long enough to make it worthwhile. C’est la vie.

A

Watch out below... the H3 can climb like a goat! (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

modest right foot could yield 18 L/100 km (13 US mpg) in the city and 15 (16 US mpg) on the highway, with a combined average of 17 L/100 km (14 US mpg), which is one of the main reasons why GM is saying arrivederci to the Hummer brand. Even H3-lite only bests this by a fraction at 17 L/100 km (14 US mpg) in the city and 13 (18 US mpg) on the highway, with a combined average of 16 L/100 km (15 US mpg). Hummer was talking about a new small-block diesel offering during the H3 Alpha launch I attended in Durango, Colorado a couple of years ago, but sadly this have yet to materialize for reasons that shouldn’t need explanation.

During that launch program, where we drove from Durango to Aztec, New Mexico for a day of seriously intense off-roading, I gained a new respect for GM-designed Hummers in general and the H3 Alpha in particular. Truly, if you need an off-roader that can take you deep into uncharted territory, the H3 is up for the job. Its features ultra-short overhangs for an optimal approach angle of 39.4 degrees and a departure angle of 36.5 degrees (with the 33-inch tires), and vaulted ground clearance of 231 mm (9.1 inches) as well as a shorter wheelbase than the H2 at 2,842 mm (111.9 inches), making for a 25.0-degree breakover angle, so it won't hang up on rocks or stumps jutting out of the roadway… er, trail.

A trail would have been nice, but rather I found myself scaling vertical “cliffs” that I would never have dreamed of attempting without the coaxing of event staff that had obviously made certain the baby Hummer was up to the job before we arrived, and I left breathless. Breathless also from the temperature which measured 48C at midday, making me wish there was 610 mm (24 inches) of water to ford through (its maximum) so I could have taken a personal dip. This time around I didn’t spend any time off-road, as opportunity

Rich interior appointments set the Alpha apart. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

did not allow, but as it turns out the H3 Alpha makes a great everyday vehicle as well.

Its modest size offers good room inside for four adults or five in a pinch, while there’s still space left over for gear in back. Interior quality was great, for Hummer at least, as the original H1 was quite deplorable (albeit good as far as troop carriers go) and the first H2 offered great style but plastics quality and fit and finish that reflected the pickup truck it was based on (since upgraded to premium levels in MY 2008, btw). The H3’s centre stack is especially attractive and well made while switchgear is good and plastic surfaces are nicely textured. The SUV features three auxiliary 12-volt power outlets, OnStar with Turn-by-Turn Navigation, and the usual luxury goodies such as leather in Alpha trim, plus for 2009 there’s Bluetooth hands-free connectivity, a rearview camera integrated into the rearview mirror (a smart place for it), hill start assist and a front locking differential added to the Off-Road

High quality centre stack has always been an H3 trademark. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

Adventure Package. I should also mention that the seats are supportive, and sizeable enough for larger adults.

Safety features include two airbags up front, of course, plus head-curtain side airbags for all window seats, as well as a tire pressure monitoring system. Also important, GM has engineered vehicle-to-vehicle crash compatibility so that occupants of smaller, lower vehicles will be protected from impact as much as possible in case of an accident. It’s always good to respect that this vehicle is truck-based, so that that you don’t have to experience the H3’s myriad safety features.

In other words, don’t expect the H3 to excite in the corners, unless body lean is what gets you excited. Certainly it handles well enough for a body-on-frame SUV and better than the H2, but it has been designed primarily for city and highway use at moderate speeds, plus fully capable towing, up to 2,721 kg (6,000 lbs), and 4x4ing… in other words, if you want to fling an SUV through the corners, opt for one of GM’s numerous crossovers and don’t expect it to deliver off-road, not something born off the back of a pickup truck. Speaking of pickup trucks, you may also want to consider the all-new H3T, a midsize pickup that features a four-door Crew Cab configuration plus a 1.5-metre (five-foot) bed. It looks great too, if you’re into Hummers.

Yes, it will certainly be interesting to look back at the H3 and Hummer on the whole ten years from now. We found out early last month that Hummer will indeed continue to be available to the public in future years (something we were concerned about after GM announced that it, along with Pontiac, Saturn and Saab would get the heave-ho) and not just the military, thanks to a deal struck

The H3 is great on the highway and surprisingly compliant on city streets. (Photo: Canadian Auto Press)

with Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Company Ltd, a Chinese industrial company. GM will continue to build H2s and H3s in their various forms for the time being, and current Hummer management will stay in place. Just how the new owners will modify the brand to make it more appealing to a changing market is unknown. Hollywood has certainly eaten it up and spit it out like it does to many of its rising stars, but there are other global markets that will appreciate Hummer for what it is, without the negative brand image brought about by environmentalists looking for an automotive scapegoat to hang all of the world’s air quality problems on. Speaking as an automotive enthusiast, here’s hoping that Hummer becomes a viable SUV alternative, and one that potentially takes care of its fuel economy and environmental challenges with clean diesel technology.

As for the here an now, the 2009 H3 Alpha is definitely the best midsize Hummer ever offered. No doubt it will deliver years of faithful service and look good doing it. And you’ll only have to fend off the occasional negative leer from hybrid driving do-gooders. Then again, if you’re the kind of person who wants an H3, you’ll hardly care what they think anyway.

Interior

Exterior

Mechanical

Safety

Dimensions

Misc

(J005) Standard Gloss Paint

(TL4) Body Colour Grille

(U2K) XM Satellite Radio

(UC6) AM/FM 6-Disc In-Dash CD Changer

(K05) Engine Block Heater

(M30) 4-Speed Automatic Transmission

(CF5) Sunroof

(CGY) Cargo Cover

(28U) Solar Flare Metallic

(1SB) Adventure Series Package

(ZM6) Suspension Package

(Z82) Trailering Equipment

(1SC) Luxury Series Package

(PCX) Appearance Package

(UM8) AM/FM 6-Disc CD Changer & Navigation

(J004) Standard Black Paint