I threw the idea around in late May, after seeing a few of the very first H3 owners post on the Elcova Hummer forum (www.elcova.com).  I’d driven the H1, H2 & H2 SUT before, but the notion that a “Colorado based/sized” HUMMER wasn’t making me feel especially confident that the HUMMER brand was staying true to its heritage.  Don’t get me wrong, I was not opposed to a smaller, more economical HUMMER, but we’ve all seen what GM has done with “cross branding” in the past.  A Chevrolet Trailblazer with Buick badges does not a Buick make.  I was afraid the H3 would be unique on the outside, but homogeneous GM “glop” on the inside.  Usually I would just call up the General and request a press fleet H3, wait a few months and one would magically show up on my door for a week. This time instead, I made a phone call to a HUMMER dealer and ordered my own.  GM-Trucks.com would have its very first 6-month test vehicle.

By the time I ordered our H3 in early June, sales of the H3 were visibly starting to explode.  Dealers were selling each truckload within days.  I even took a stroll down to the local dealer only to find that no H3’s existed on the lot, even though they had sold over 50 of them. No discounts, no special financing, no incentives.  It seemed HUMMER had a certified hit on their hands.  When our H3 arrived at the dealer late in June, I was disappointed that I had not scheduled our trip to retrieve it sooner.  In late July we flew out from NH and drove our new black breadbox home from Michigan.  In that time we’d already bagged three-thousand miles.

We ordered the GM-TC H3 as follows:  black exterior, black/morocco leather interior, luxury package, automatic transmission, off-road package ($695), sunroof, trailer package, chrome appearance package, and XM radio.  I’ll be honest; we came into this expecting a lot from the H3.  From the bottom of my heart, I wanted the H3 to be everything it had been hyped up as.  So much so, I had almost started to turn a slightly negative edge toward the vehicle in the weeks leading up to delivery, trying to protect my fragile ego.  I was about to be extremely surprised.

The H3 is billed as the “affordable” HUMMER.  With cloth seats, the base H3 starts at just a hair under $30,000 including delivery.  The off-road package which adds 33 inch tires, an electronically locking rear differential and special shocks and suspension tuning only costs $695; a bargain for what you get.  Other options including the Lux trim level and chrome appearance package can push the price up a several thousand dollars.  Our H3 has an MSRP of $37,480.  We’ve found identical versions being sold at dealerships for well over $40,000, up to an amazing $47,480, for a $10,000 markup.  The worst part is that dealerships are asking that much because they can still get that much (I’ve never paid MSRP and didn’t plan to start with the H3).

With as much good press going around about with the H3, there have still been some nay-sayers.  I personally believe a lot of those who still bash the H3 are just upset they cannot afford the “affordable” HUMMER.  That’s not to say the H3 is perfect.  It still has its quirks, to which I will explain in just a little bit.  But to say the H3 is not a “real” HUMMER just makes the person saying it seem all that more ignorant.  After driving the H1, I was sure the H2 couldn’t carry over the unique driving experience that it eventually pulled off perfectly.  The H3 is exactly the same, but smaller. You get the upright windshield, vertical A-Pillars, firm ride, wide stance, unique styling, and imposing attitude.  And yes, people still point and stare when you drive by.  Add in the fact that the H3 is actually more capable off road than the H2 due to its more compact size, the H3 runs the board on what it takes to be a “real HUMMER”.  In many ways, the H3 makes the H2 seem like a trial run in expanding the brand name. With one of the best interiors in the industry, non-slab sided styling, and a gearing focused engine strategy, the H3 is actually a better value than the H2 AND H1.  Aside from serving in Iraq, there’s not much more the H3 could possibly do to prove its worth.

Its hard to be negative on a vehicle that is selling so well, is getting so much attention, and gets your stares at every single place you drive it.  In the few weeks we’ve owned the H3, kids and adults together have salivated as we’ve driven past.  Finally, a HUMMER that you don’t feel so bad about having in your driveway.  But the H3 does have a few things that need to be mentioned to prospective buyers and curious onlookers alike.  Rumors of an underpowered engine are partly true, but not as serious as they would like you to believe.  The inline 3.5L 5 cylinder engine lifted from the Colorado/Canyon has a decent 220 horsepower and 220 pound-feet of torque, but the H3 could use more.  When you punch the throttle, the H3 does move smartly, but don’t do any spontaneous passing.  Also, although the H3 in automatic trim comes with an EPA rating of 19mpg on the highway, the best we’ve gotten is 16.8, the lowest being 15.4.  While not the best in this world of inflation adjusted gas prices, this is still a step up from my thirsty S-10 ZR2.  With time, we expect this number to increase.