Hummer H3
Encyclopedia
The Hummer H3 was a crossover SUV
/Sport Utility Truck from General Motors
' Hummer
division introduced in 2005 based on the GMT355 underpinning the Chevrolet Colorado
and GMC Canyon compact pickup trucks. Produced at GM's Shreveport, Louisiana
factory
and the Port Elizabeth plant in South Africa
the H3 was the smallest among the Hummer models, and the first to be built by GM. It was available either as a traditional midsize SUV or as a midsize pickup known as the H3T.
cylinder L52 engine that produced 220 hp and 225 ft·lbf (305.1 N·m) of torque and was mated to a standard five-speed manual transmission
or an optional Hydra-Matic 4L60-E
four-speed automatic transmission
. In 2007 this engine was replaced by 3.7 liter LLR that produced 242 hp and 242 ft·lbf (328.1 N·m) of torque, figures that were revised in 2009 to 239 hp and 241 ft·lbf (326.8 N·m). Under revised EPA testing standards when equipped with either transmission this straight-5 engine achieved 14 miles per US gallon in the city and 18 miles per US gallon on the highway with a combined average of 15 miles per US gallon. Available solely with the automatic transmission, a 5.3 liter LH8 V8 engine producing 300 hp and 320 ft·lbf (433.9 N·m) of torque was added in 2008 for the Alpha model and delivered slightly lower fuel economy, estimated at 13 miles per US gallon in the city, 16 miles per US gallon on the highway, with a combined average of 14 miles per US gallon.
, the H3 can ford 24 inches (61 cm) of water (tested in depths up to 31 in (78.7 cm)) at a speed of 5 miles per hour (2.2 m/s) and 16 inches (40.6 cm) of water at a speed of 20 miles per hour (8.9 m/s). Standard ground clearance is measured at 9.7 inches (24.6 cm) while the approach, departure, and breakover angles are measured at 37.4°, 34.7°, and 22.1° respectively, allowing the H3 to scale a 16 inches (40.6 cm) vertical wall and negotiate grades of 60% and side slopes of 40%. Front and rear recovery hooks were standard, with an optional trailer hitch and wiring harness.
Maximum towing capacities were 3000 pounds (1,360.8 kg) for the straight-5 with manual transmission, 4500 pounds (2,041.2 kg) for the straight-5 with automatic transmission, and 6000 pounds (2,721.6 kg) for the V8 with automatic transmission. Cargo volume with the second-row seats in the upright position was 25 cubic foot (0.707921175 m³) that could be expanded to a maximum of 62.8 cubic feet (1.8 m³) when the seats are folded down. V8 models featured the lightest maximum payload capacity of just over 1100 pounds (499 kg) while straight-5, manual transmission models allowed the greatest payload at 1300 pounds (589.7 kg).
, anti-lock four-wheel disc brakes, brake-controlled traction control, LATCH
child-seat anchors, and tire-pressure monitoring were standard features on the H3. Side-curtain airbags were optional until 2008 when they were made standard across. The H3 was rated Acceptable, the second highest rating, by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
in both frontal offset and side-impact crashes (with side airbags) and Poor, the lowest rating, for rear-crash protection/head restraints.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
(NHTSA) gave the 2008 H3 the following scores:
The Hummer H3T is a mid-size pickup truck
that was available during the 2009 and 2010 model years.
The vehicle was originally shown as a regular cab (two-door) concept
pickup truck in 2003, that was shown at the 2004 Los Angeles Auto Show. The production five-passenger four-door crew-cab production version appeared at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show
.
The H3T featured a 5-foot bed with built-in storage boxes and came in standard H3T, H3T Adventure, H3T Luxury, and H3T Alpha (with cloth or leather trim) trim package
s.
A road test by Motor Trend
reported the 2009 truck "crawled up rock steps, ran through sand washes, and navigated steep ledges with confidence and capability to spare." They described its turning radius
"uncomfortably wide" and said "at highway cruising it would've been nice to have a faster, firmer feel.
because of their right hand drive. The plant manufactured only the Hummer H3 for the South African market, as well as units exported to Asia and Europe. This plant also manufactured a right hand drive version for the Australian market between 2007 and 2009. Throughout Australia, Hummer was distributed by GM Holden via specialist dealerships that were also affliated with the Saab brand.
competed in the 2010 Dakar Rally
in a highly modified H3, finishing eighth overall.
built a prototype plug-in hybrid H3 that could achieve up to 100 MPG given enough main power. This vehicle, known later as the Electric Hummer H3, was later showcased by California State Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
at a press conference at the State Capitol in Sacramento as part of a campaign to promote greener vehicles.
Crossover SUV
A crossover SUV is a vehicle built on a car platform and combining, in highly variable degrees, features of a sport utility vehicle with features from a passenger vehicle, especially those of a station wagon or hatchback.Using the unibody construction typical of passenger vehicles, the crossover...
/Sport Utility Truck from General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
' Hummer
Hummer
Hummer was a brand of trucks and SUVs, first marketed in 1992 when AM General began selling a civilian version of the M998 Humvee. In 1998, General Motors purchased the brand name and marketed three vehicles: the original Hummer H1, based on the Humvee; and the H2 and H3 models that were...
division introduced in 2005 based on the GMT355 underpinning the Chevrolet Colorado
Chevrolet Colorado
The Chevrolet Colorado and its counterpart, the GMC Canyon, are mid-size pickup trucks by American carmaker General Motors. It was introduced in 2004 to replace the Chevrolet S-10 and GMC Sonoma compact pickups.-First generation :...
and GMC Canyon compact pickup trucks. Produced at GM's Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
factory
Shreveport Operations
Shreveport Operations is a General Motors automobile factory in Shreveport, Louisiana. The factory opened in 1981 and currently produces the company's compact pickup trucks.-Products:* 1983–2004 Chevrolet S-10* 1983–2004 GMC Sonoma* 1991 GMC Syclone...
and the Port Elizabeth plant in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
the H3 was the smallest among the Hummer models, and the first to be built by GM. It was available either as a traditional midsize SUV or as a midsize pickup known as the H3T.
Powertrains
The H3 was launched with a 3.5 liter straight-5Straight-5
The straight-five engine or inline-five engine is an internal combustion engine with five cylinders aligned in one row or plane, sharing a single engine block and crankcase...
cylinder L52 engine that produced 220 hp and 225 ft·lbf (305.1 N·m) of torque and was mated to a standard five-speed manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
or an optional Hydra-Matic 4L60-E
GM 4L60-E transmission
The 4L60-E is a series of automatic transmissions from General Motors. Designed for longitudinal engine configurations, the series includes 4 forward gears...
four-speed automatic transmission
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
. In 2007 this engine was replaced by 3.7 liter LLR that produced 242 hp and 242 ft·lbf (328.1 N·m) of torque, figures that were revised in 2009 to 239 hp and 241 ft·lbf (326.8 N·m). Under revised EPA testing standards when equipped with either transmission this straight-5 engine achieved 14 miles per US gallon in the city and 18 miles per US gallon on the highway with a combined average of 15 miles per US gallon. Available solely with the automatic transmission, a 5.3 liter LH8 V8 engine producing 300 hp and 320 ft·lbf (433.9 N·m) of torque was added in 2008 for the Alpha model and delivered slightly lower fuel economy, estimated at 13 miles per US gallon in the city, 16 miles per US gallon on the highway, with a combined average of 14 miles per US gallon.
Capabilities
The H3 featured a two-speed, electronically controlled full-time four-wheel drive system that made it suitable for both on-road and off-road driving. Electronic locking front and rear differentials were optional. The Hummer H2Hummer H2
The Hummer H2 is an SUV and SUT that was marketed by General Motors under the Hummer brand. It is a large truck , while longer, heavier , and taller with room for six passengers , seven passengers in some models. The rearmost part of the H2 SUV was modified to a pickup truck bed for the 2005 H2 SUT...
, the H3 can ford 24 inches (61 cm) of water (tested in depths up to 31 in (78.7 cm)) at a speed of 5 miles per hour (2.2 m/s) and 16 inches (40.6 cm) of water at a speed of 20 miles per hour (8.9 m/s). Standard ground clearance is measured at 9.7 inches (24.6 cm) while the approach, departure, and breakover angles are measured at 37.4°, 34.7°, and 22.1° respectively, allowing the H3 to scale a 16 inches (40.6 cm) vertical wall and negotiate grades of 60% and side slopes of 40%. Front and rear recovery hooks were standard, with an optional trailer hitch and wiring harness.
Maximum towing capacities were 3000 pounds (1,360.8 kg) for the straight-5 with manual transmission, 4500 pounds (2,041.2 kg) for the straight-5 with automatic transmission, and 6000 pounds (2,721.6 kg) for the V8 with automatic transmission. Cargo volume with the second-row seats in the upright position was 25 cubic foot (0.707921175 m³) that could be expanded to a maximum of 62.8 cubic feet (1.8 m³) when the seats are folded down. V8 models featured the lightest maximum payload capacity of just over 1100 pounds (499 kg) while straight-5, manual transmission models allowed the greatest payload at 1300 pounds (589.7 kg).
Safety
Electronic stability controlElectronic stability control
Electronic stability control is a computerized technology that may potentially improve the safety of a vehicle's stability by detecting and minimizing skids. When ESC detects loss of steering control, it automatically applies the brakes to help "steer" the vehicle where the driver intends to go...
, anti-lock four-wheel disc brakes, brake-controlled traction control, LATCH
ISOFIX
ISOFIX is the international standard for attachment points for child safety seats in passenger cars. The system has various other regional names including LATCH in the United States and LUAS or Canfix in Canada...
child-seat anchors, and tire-pressure monitoring were standard features on the H3. Side-curtain airbags were optional until 2008 when they were made standard across. The H3 was rated Acceptable, the second highest rating, by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is a U.S. non-profit organization funded by auto insurers, established in 1959 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It works to reduce the number of motor vehicle crashes, and the rate of injuries and amount of property damage in the crashes that...
in both frontal offset and side-impact crashes (with side airbags) and Poor, the lowest rating, for rear-crash protection/head restraints.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is an agency of the Executive Branch of the U.S. government, part of the Department of Transportation...
(NHTSA) gave the 2008 H3 the following scores:
- Frontal Driver:
- Frontal Passenger:
- Side Driver:
- Side Rear Passenger:
- AWD Rollover :
H3T
Pickup truck
A pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area .-Definition:...
that was available during the 2009 and 2010 model years.
The vehicle was originally shown as a regular cab (two-door) concept
Concept car
A concept vehicle or show vehicle is a car made to showcase new styling and or new technology. They are often shown at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not have a chance of being produced....
pickup truck in 2003, that was shown at the 2004 Los Angeles Auto Show. The production five-passenger four-door crew-cab production version appeared at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show
Chicago Auto Show
The Chicago Auto Show is held annually in February at Chicago's McCormick Placeconvention complex. It is among the largest auto shows in North America....
.
The H3T featured a 5-foot bed with built-in storage boxes and came in standard H3T, H3T Adventure, H3T Luxury, and H3T Alpha (with cloth or leather trim) trim package
Trim package
A trim package is an automotive package composed by a set of cosmetic embellishments to a vehicle. In some cases the trim package may include a specific model or ending name...
s.
A road test by Motor Trend
Motor Trend
Motor Trend is an American automobile magazine. It first appeared in September 1949, issued by Petersen Publishing Company in Los Angeles, and bearing the tag line "The Magazine for a Motoring World". Petersen Publishing was sold to British publisher EMAP in 1998, who sold the former Petersen...
reported the 2009 truck "crawled up rock steps, ran through sand washes, and navigated steep ledges with confidence and capability to spare." They described its turning radius
Turning radius
The turning radius or turning circle of a vehicle is the size of the smallest circular turn that the vehicle is capable of making. The term turning radius is actually a misnomer, since the size of a circle is actually its diameter, not its radius. The less ambiguous term turning circle is preferred...
"uncomfortably wide" and said "at highway cruising it would've been nice to have a faster, firmer feel.
Yearly U.S. sales
| Calendar year | H3 | H3T | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 33,140 | 0 | 33,140 |
| 2006 | 54,052 | 0 | 54,052 |
| 2007 | 43,431 | 0 | 43,431 |
| 2008 | 20,681 | 692 | 21,373 |
| 2009 | 5,487 | 2,046 | 7,523 |
International markets
In 2007 GM South Africa launched their first Hummer production facility in Port Elizabeth. Most of the South African made Hummer H3's were imported to EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
because of their right hand drive. The plant manufactured only the Hummer H3 for the South African market, as well as units exported to Asia and Europe. This plant also manufactured a right hand drive version for the Australian market between 2007 and 2009. Throughout Australia, Hummer was distributed by GM Holden via specialist dealerships that were also affliated with the Saab brand.
Motorsports
Robby GordonRobby Gordon
Robert W. "Robby" Gordon is an American racecar driver who currently competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as an owner-driver, driving the No. 7 Speed Energy Dodge Charger for Robby Gordon Motorsports, and also competes part-time in the Nationwide Series...
competed in the 2010 Dakar Rally
2010 Dakar Rally
The 2010 Dakar Rally was the 31st running of the event. It was held in South America for the second successive time, and ran from 1 to 16 January...
in a highly modified H3, finishing eighth overall.
Plug-in hybrid
In early 2009, Raser Technologies and FEVFEV
FEV may refer to:*Forced Expiratory Volume, in spirometry*Full Electric Vehicle*Liga FEV Masculina, a men's Spanish volleyball league*Liga FEV Femenina, a women's Spanish volleyball league*FEV Inc*Brendan Fevola, an Australian Rules footballer...
built a prototype plug-in hybrid H3 that could achieve up to 100 MPG given enough main power. This vehicle, known later as the Electric Hummer H3, was later showcased by California State Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
at a press conference at the State Capitol in Sacramento as part of a campaign to promote greener vehicles.