H2 Hummer: Do You Need Attention This Badly?
March 2007
Hummer Recalls from Lemon Autos
Hummer owner kills child: States Hummer too high to see youngster in crosswalk
Consumer Guide Gives the Hummer H2 a 2 out of 10 on its value in class scale. The lowest listing.
Hummer drivers most likely than any to die in a roll over
The headlines read, "The Hummer H2 gets close to the worst gas mileage of any civilian vehicle. The Hummer Receives More Complaints Than Any Other Car. The Hummer emits over 3 times more carbon dioxide than an average car."Â And the list goes on and includes the fact that to replace the tires, good for about 20,000 to 30,000 miles costs $1000.
In 20 years of testing we have never evaluated a vehicle that had so little going for it as the hulking, visability inhibiting, H2 Hummer. The reason is simple; this is a road hoggish $52,000 glorified pick-up truck that gets horrible gas mileage, offers extremely poor visibility, and despite its enormous girth, has little passenger and storage space. Worse, its safety record is under investigation. Intellichoice has listed it in the poorest category based on ownership costs.
You can run two or three regular vehicles on the non-renewable energy the H2 gulps at 8-10 mpg. Getting in and out is difficult for children. The ride is soft and very little feel is provided through the steering wheel. There is simply nothing to like about this vehicle except its "Damn the rest of the world" stance.
General Motors indicates that the H2 has a refined four wheel drive system that gives it the ability to push through 20 inches of water and crawl up a 60 percent incline. So, if those types of obstacles are on your way home the Hummer H2 would make sense.
The Hummer creates such hatred that one eco-terrorist burned them on a dealer's lot. Name another vehicle that generates such actions and ask yourself if you want that type of attention on your daily trips. We have heard countless stories of people flipping off Hummer drivers, throwing garbage on them when parked, and even putting holes in the optional spare tire that mounts on the rear hatch because it takes up so much room inside.
The V8 engine produces 325 horsepower that can move the H2's 6400 pounds to 60 mph in about 11 seconds. Just so you know, that tonnage is about twice as much as a normal vehicle. Thus the braking distance it requires are the longest we have ever seen. Expect it to take from 30 to 50 feet longer to stop than smaller vehicles. If anyone stops short in front of a Hummer driver the next stop for the Hummer owner will probably be in court. It is not unusual to read about Hummers involved in rear collisions and thus the highest rating for insurance costs in the industry.
A list of negative comments about Hummer ownership:
http://4wheeldrive.about.com/od/highlightshummer/a/hummerhistory_3.htm
Mom's view: This vehicle is totally irresponsible. You have extremely limited visibility in every direction. No wonder a poor child was run over by a Hummer driver who couldn’t see him in the crosswalk. Can you say class action lawsuit possible against Hummer? Even with a full 32-gallon tank you would be lucky to go 200 miles. You have to crawl into the seat, crawl over the fender to check the engine, crawl over the rear bumper to fetch groceries, and forget trying to wash the top. I think it is anti-patriotic to drive a vehicle that burns so much fuel. I also think it is a danger to others as the bumpers are so high they overwhelm legal safety required steel guard beams in passenger vehicles. If I was a man I wouldn't want to put my daughter, girl friend, or wife in a vehicle that draws so much negative attention.
If you have a child good luck reaching into the rear seat to properly tether the car seat as the vehicle is quite high. And don't forget to check those roll over rates.
Dad's view: This is a very expensive off-road vehicle with lots of headroom, ground clearance, and torque. It would be perfect for a large ranch. In the city and as a commuter vehicle it is out of its element. The two major option packages are expensive and without the relocation of the spare tire the rear cargo area makes the third seat a joke. The spare tire also eliminates most of your storage space and forces you to place the very heavy spare tire on the back of the Hummer in order for this vehicle to even carry a few days worth of family food supplies. Try and remove this tire before you buy to see if this is an option you want and also try to open the rear hatch while parked on a hill.
Driving in traffic is more like aiming. You have little feedback, a great deal of interior noise, and are at the mercy of sidewinds and must live in fear of suddenly stopping traffic. It is not fun to drive, but is comfortable off-roading. On the other hand, who is going to spend nearly $60,000 for a vehicle to go offroading? It also is much to wide for following small trails and the limited visibility makes the Hummer more of a reactive driver than the much better Jeep style vehicles. But let's face it, people buy a Hummer because they want attention. It makes no practical sense if they don't use it as it was designed for and that is for rough roads.
Young working woman's view: The H2 is a clear example of conspicuous consumption. It is over 81-inches wide making it a garage hog as well as a road hog. Many Hummer owners are not aware of how dangerous large SUVs such as the H2 can be. They are involved in 37 percent of the fatal rollover crashes. They are far more likely to be involved in one-vehicle wrecks. What is more startling is that when these SUVs hit a normal sedan they cause more deaths. Can you say wrongful death lawsuit? The Hummer has been under investigation for steering design flaws, too. Plus, there has been a recall because of brake problems.
Family conference: Not much to add. The Hummer H2 is easily the worst vehicle we ever evaluated, but we don't live in the mountains or go deeply off road where its capabilities could be used to advantage although the Sierra Club has complained that such heavy vehicles can damage even legal off-road trails. President Bush has seen fit to give buyers of vehicles that weigh over 6000 pounds a tremendous 25 percent tax break despite the call for a more energy aware America. Thus a business person can write off a signifcant portion of the Hummer's cost, write off the gas, maintenance, and insurance.
The biggest offense might be to the buyer's wallet as resale continues to plummet with the rice of gas prices and potential buyers do more research on customer satisfaction. Of course, some people may just need the attention.
More links reporting major problems with Hummer ownership