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2004 Hummer H2: Ohhhhh
Following in the tradition of the well-loved Jeep, the 1970s military HMWWV, or Humvee, spawned a civilian model born of America’s love affair with rugged, individualistic, go-anywhere vehicles. Recently, the low-slung Hummer H1, still with a utilitarian attitude, has been surpassed in popularity by its younger but bigger brother, the H2. The slightly taller, longer, more luxurious version is built (in Indiana) on a GM truck platform, but it boasts unique Hummer engineering and attributes. This is one SUV with true off-road capabilities. One of the attractions of the H2 is its unique appearance; there’s no mistaking it for anything but a Hummer — and you’re probably seeing more around town than ever before. Its wide stance signifies powerful performance. Its square corners, flat glass, flat panel architecture and huge tires convey macho to the max. Louvered hood grille, roof-mounted exterior lights, rubber hood latches and classic Hummer grille impart a component-assembled ambiance attractive to the independently spirited American male. Lockhart Cadillac/Hummer handed me the keys and stood back as I climbed rather indelicately into the high-slung driver’s seat. The H2 has all the amenities of a luxury car with enough rugged detail to please a weekend warrior. Leather seats with eight-way power adjustment adapt to nearly any size driver, but design cues like the hefty shift lever and enough gauges to tickle the fancy of a pilot bring the brawn of the Hummer’s squared-off exterior inside. The interior is adaptable, with fold-down rear seat, additional sixth-passenger seat next to the spare tire and enough seat adjustment and leg room front and rear for burly guys at the tall end of the scale. Yet, it’s an intimate interior, due in part to the low roofline. Maximum cargo space is obviously limited (86.6 cubic feet), but can be increased if you leave the spare back home in the garage. An immensely strong frame with long wheelbase and low center of gravity make this puppy able to haul, maul and ball with the big dogs. A welded ladder-type frame with full-length box-section rails and three-piece modular design with hydro-formed front section elevate the H2’s winch capacity to 9,000 pounds, and its towing capacity to 6,700 pounds. The body-on-frame Hummer 2 uses torsion-bar front suspension and a fully independent five-link rear suspension with solid rear axle. Durable high-strength monotube gas-charged shocks and 17-inch BF Goodrich All-Terrain tires provide a tough, smooth ride that can off-road over anything and still remain respectably quiet at highway speeds. The Hummer manages to combine highway comfort and luxury without sacrificing off-road control, handling or stability. Should you encounter a 16-inch diameter log, 20-inches of water, a 60-degree hill or even a 16-inch vertical wall, the H2 will go over, through on or past it without a hiccup. The Hummer’s transfer case, two-stage traction control system provides push-button range shifting for high and low ranges, with or without rear differential locking, and a drive system that allows any one wheel with traction to propel the truck by using ABS circuitry to stop and start the rotation of the tires. The TC2 (second traction control strategy) allows all four tires to spin freely at high rpm, a benefit on slick or loose surfaces. The steering on the H2 is nimble, responsive and relatively quick. Although the Hummer feels like it’s half a mile wide, it doesn’t drive that way. And it possesses one of the smallest turning circles in the segment at 43.5 feet. But, proving it is wide at 81.2 inches, its heated chrome side mirrors offer a power folding feature for protection off road and through narrow passages. The Dynamic Rear Proportioning system modulates rear brake pressure to ensured balanced braking and wear, and to prevent the nose from diving under heavy braking. The Hummer’s ABS brakes perform well with plenty of pedal feedback. Perhaps the one weak link in the H2’s performance is its 6.0-liter V8 gasoline engine. Although it produces 316 horsepower and 360 foot-pounds of torque — more than enough to get from 0 to 60 mph in about 10 seconds and more than enough to comfortably tow 7,000 pounds or carry 2,200 pounds of cargo — the most common complaint is that it feels underpowered. As any Lockhart salesman will tell you, the ultimate attraction of the H2 is the lifestyle it introduces you to, eliminating restrictions, opening vistas and introducing you to other tough guys who don’t mind a little mud. 
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May 16, 2008
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