Ever since it debuted for the 2006 model year, Hummer's H3 has been one of the toughest-looking SUVs around, while its engine offerings have been comparatively puny. That changes with the debut of the new H3 Alpha, which gives the midsize SUV V-8 power for the first time. Already a competent off-roader, the thirsty V-8 transforms the H3 into a truck that's much easier to live with in urban and suburban jungles, which many H3s call home.
Alpha Male Styling
The H3 exudes toughness to the point of being almost ridiculous, what with its bulging fenders, short side windows and massive tires. Toyota's FJ Cruiser is another radically styled SUV like the H3, but it doesn't have the hard-edged look the Hummer manages to pull off.
Alpha models include a Chrome Appearance package that consists of chrome door handles and mirrors, as well as 16-inch chrome wheels and a badge on the swing gate. All in all, it's a subtle change from the regular H3, which is surprising because Hummer doesn't normally do subtle; just look at its product lineup.
Alpha = Acceleration
While the Alpha doesn't look much different from the regular H3, what's under the hood sets it apart from its siblings. The base H3 is powered by a 242-horsepower, 3.7-liter inline-five-cylinder engine that makes 242 pounds-feet of torque, while the Alpha's 5.3-liter V-8 generates 300 hp and 320 pounds-feet of torque. Hummer says the Alpha can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in about 8 seconds, which isn't bad when you consider the SUV's near 5,000-pound curb weight. The V-8 gets an EPA-estimated 13/16 mpg (city/highway); in comparison, the inline-five with the automatic transmission gets 14/18 mpg.
The Alpha feels relatively light on its feet in city traffic, with the V-8 producing strong acceleration. Teamed with a four-speed automatic transmission, the powertrain will quickly kick down when additional power is needed for highway passing.
While it's rather loud inside the H3, I'm not ready to write this off as a negative, because I can see some Alpha buyers really enjoying the V-8 rumble that invades the cabin when accelerating mildly, not to mention the roar that accompanies full-throttle acceleration. Less appealing is the significant amount of wind noise at 70 mph on the highway.
While the H3 attracts buyers for various reasons, like styling and offroad credentials (which include the ability to drive through a 2-foot-deep stream and scale a 16-inch ledge), its ride and handling probably isn't one of them. Potential buyers need to realize that they're getting a real truck in the H3, not one of the new breed of crossover SUVs that ride and handle more like a car.
In city and suburban settings, the H3 bounds over rough patches of road with exaggerated body motions that lead to quite a bit of rocking back and forth and side to side. The H3's structure isn't the most solid, either; it shakes at bumps and holes in the road that other SUVs have little trouble dispatching.
Even though the H3 is Hummer's smallest model, it's by no means tiny. It feels big when you're driving it, and sizing up how close you are to other cars and obstacles is more difficult in the H3 than in many other vehicles, even full-size SUVs. You end up driving it gingerly in congested areas.
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| V-8 engine The Alpha's all-aluminum 5.3-liter V-8 engine makes 300 hp and 320 pounds-feet of torque and teams with a four-speed automatic transmission. The V-8 runs on regular gasoline and gets an
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| Dashboard For the most part, the cabin features nice materials and has easy-to-use controls, such as the large knobs for the air conditioning system and stereo. The gauges, while simple, are easy to read, day or night. |
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| Mike Hanley images |
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