Driving Impressions

The single best feature of the Hummer 2 is its powertrain. The 6.0-liter V8 makes 325 horsepower in this chassis and 365 pound-feet of torque, enough to move this 6,400-pound behemoth from 0 to 60 mph in about 10 seconds. Perhaps more important, it can tow 6,500 pounds or carry 2,200 pounds of cargo. The engine drives through GM's 4L65-E electronically controlled four-speed automatic overdrive transmission, the Borg-Warner 44-84 transfer case with a 40/60 front/rear torque bias, and steep 4.10:1 axle ratios. Fuel economy is not the H2's strong suit. The range is about 350 miles, based on a 32-gallon fuel tank and about 11 miles per gallon under ideal conditions. But power and torque are plentiful, the engine is well muffled and quiet. If you need to take a look under the hood, the H2's hood opens from the rear. The body-on-frame Hummer 2 uses torsion-bar front suspension and a fully independent five-link rear suspension taken from the latest generation of GM's midsize sport utilities. It uses conventional coil springs and shock absorbers. However, there is an optional air suspension system that can make difficult off-roading somewhat more comfortable; the system self-levels the truck and lowers it 0.7 inches. Underway, the Hummer 2 feels more nimble than it should given its considerable heft. The relatively quick steering is helped out by one of the smallest turning circles in the segment at 43.5 feet. The tires are the Hummer 2's first form of suspension, and they help provide a plush ride on road, but with a lot of control and stability off road. Its handling isn't what we'd call precise, however. Brakes on a serious SUV require more than enough power to stop from 70 mph when fully loaded and pulling a trailer. Brakes on a serious SUV also demand the extra good pedal feel and system feel that make challenging off-road conditions easier on the nerves. Even when soaking wet, these brakes performed flawlessly, with lots of pedal feedback. ABS comes standard and allows the driver to maintain steering control in an emergency braking situation. The Hummer 2 offers amazing capability off road. The H2 will drive straight up a 16-inch vertical wall from a standstill. It'll drive over a 16-inch diameter log. It can wade through 20 inches of water. It'll easily drive up a wet 60-degree hill, at a 40-degree angle if necessary. We've never driven a big production SUV that was this good off-road. It uses a specialized Borg-Warner transfer case with two-stage traction control. With this system, you get pushbutton 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 special-conditions strategy allows all four tires to spin freely at high rpm, needed on some loose or slick surfaces. Huge LT315/70R17 BF Goodrich All-Terrain tires were easy to steer on highway and off. As big as they are, with that much contact patch on the road, the tires were surprisingly quiet at highway cruising speeds. There's an optional onboard compressor and hose fittings (that comes with the air suspension) to enable deflating and reinflating tires as road and surface conditions dictate.

Final Word

The Hummer H2 is extremely capable off-road. On the road, it's a behemoth, in terms of size and weight and gets poor fuel economy. It's surprisingly comfortable, reasonable powerful and can perform the heavy-duty hauling and pulling duties of a truck. It's a bargain given its price. Hummer sales have slowed since its introduction. Adding the SUT pickup to the existing SUV version broadens the appeal for recreationally oriented buyers. The SUT is not nearly as utilitarian as it looks, with limited pass-through size at the midgate, but if you have to haul small, messy stuff a lot, it may be the version that best suits your needs. We'd rather have the SUV with the spare tire moved to the outside and the extra taillamps that go with it. We think it's a quieter, more useful package overall.