Hummer H3: Has few places it can't go
Cox News Service
November 17,2006
If you like to get away on the weekends -- really get away -- the brawny Hummer H3 will take you where rocks, mud and flowing streams turn away the rest of the crowd.
 Photo by Hummer
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ABOUT THE HUMMER H3:
Body style: Four-door, midsize SUV
Price: $29,355; tester: $42,775
Drive: Four-wheel
Seating: Two in front, three in back
Engine: 242 horsepower, 3.7-liter inline five cylinder
Transmission: Five-speed manual or four-speed automatic
Miles per gallon of fuel: EPA estimate 15 city / 19 highway
WHAT'S SPECIAL: There is perhaps no stock vehicle in dealer showrooms with the off-road capability of the H3. With the H3 powerful enough to slog through any bog, small enough to maneuver between most obstacles, the H3 has few places it can't go. It can even park downtown.
WHAT WE LIKE: There is no denying how fun the H3 is to drive when the pavement ends. An electronically controlled four-wheel drive system and 242-horsepower inline-5 engine allow you to easily plow through knee-deep Georgia red clay muck.
WHAT ISN'T THERE: Visibility. Thick roof pillars and small windows restrict the driver's view. You often must lean forward to see if the traffic light has changed. Storage in the otherwise comfortable cabin is also wanting for an SUV so big.
YOU OUGHTA KNOW: If a regular H3 won't do, Hummer is now offering the H3X, which allows buyers to customize the look with body-color grille, a standout spare tire cover, wheels and brush guard. You get a choice of three leather interiors and eight exterior colors, including two exclusive to the H3X -- an orange metallic and a red metallic.
EXTRAS: An optional luxury package offers plenty to keep you comfortable in the boondocks: heated leather seats for driver and front passenger, a seven-speaker Monsoon sound system with rear woofers, power sunroof and navigation system. The off-road package includes 16-inch wheels and specially tuned shocks. Four standard underbody shields protect the SUV as you travel over the really rough stuff.
AND ANOTHER THING: You can feel even more indestructible with optional roof rail-mounted side curtain air bags that provide head protection for those in front.
