With Hummer recently premiering their EV SUV, we decided to take a look back at the truck variant of the H3 Hummer, the H3T, its history, and why somebody would want to buy one.
Automotive enthusiasts all around the globe are mostly familiar with Hummer’s military heritage. More than heritage even, it is Hummer’s very own identity and nature. The story starts in the mid-80s. When the American military felt the need for a new high-mobility vehicle, AM General offered them the notorious Humvee (HMMWV). It was the ultimate war machine for the time. It had a wide-enough wheelbase to go on tracks that were left by tanks on the field, and it had the ability to have its tires inflated and deflated depending on the surface it is trying to surpass, among other options perfect for military use.
Later on, AM General released a civilian version of the Humvee, the H1, and it still had mostly the same features like the military variant. It was a bold, gas-guzzling, scary piece of machinery. The H1 was not cheap and it was not meant as a mass-market product.
In 1999, the rights to the Hummer was bought by GMC and they designed a smaller, more subtle civilian SUV that had a slightly better fuel economy but still held the spirit of a Hummer, called the H2.
Later, in 2005, the H3 was released, which was the smallest Hummer yet weighing in at 5,800 lbs. It had a number of luxury features and a fuel economy of a surprising 16 MPG. This was General Motor’s attempt at keeping the Hummer alive.
GMC offered a mid-sized pickup truck version of the H3 in the years 2009 and 2010 and called it H3T, and it featured a 5-foot pickup bed with built-in storage boxes. It came in standard H3T, H3T Adventure, H3T Luxury, and H3T Alpha trim packages.
True Utility
The H3T’s wheelbase was designed 22.3 inches longer than the H3 to accommodate the pickup bed. From the B-pillar forward, the H3 and the H3T were almost the same but from the B-pillar on, the H3T featured a 60/40 flat-folding rear bench seat allowing more legroom, longer doors, and the pickup bed.
With Hummer H3's design, it was naturally a well-suited host for a boxy bed. Besides the appearance, at 19.4 inches deep, 59.3 inches long, and 44.2 inches wide, the H3T's bed offered more versatility than its mid-sized crew-cab competitors at the time. None of the said competitors could reach the H3T's ground clearance of 10.2 inches either.
Hummer claimed that the H3T could carry an ATV, a snowmobile, or two dirt bikes. However, most of them require the tailgate to be left open or removed entirely, which is easy to do according to Hummer. It also comes with multiple compartments that could hold tools, ropes, or anything else you would imagine you’d need in your H3T.
Yet, all of this cargo space would be rendered pointless if whatever you put back there would just slide right off. This is why Hummer fitted every H3T with bed rails, cargo tie-downs, and a variety of accessories that allow different kinds of drawers, enclosures, and cages to be attached to the roof or the bed.
It Can Go Almost Anywhere
The H3T model had the option to be equipped with the Off-road Adventure package for an additional $2,570 which included 33-inch tires, bespoke shocks, a cast-iron front differential case, locking rear and front differentials, and 4.03:1 low-range gearing, which allowed for immensely controlled and slow off-road maneuvers, enabling crawl ratios of 50.6:1 for the Alpha model's 5.3-liter 300 HP V8, and 69:1 for the base model's 3.7- liter 239 HP inline five-cylinder engine.
Once aired down, the tires allow their treads to grip on rocky surfaces, giving the H3T the ability to grasp the top of the obstacles and reach for the next, as it slowly, but vigorously climbs a mountain like a stairway with the locking differentials helping it stay stable.
The H3T, especially the Alpha, does not disappoint when it comes to off-roading and it stays loyal to its tough nature.
The Driving Experience On The Road
When tires are properly inflated and on the road again, the H3 and its pickup variant almost behave the same way, meaning both are slow behemoths that take a while to accelerate. The Alpha version gives the Hummer a bit of extra push with its V8 and the additional torque it makes but it is still not easy to get a 5,069 lbs giant to get up to speed.
However, the H3T offers a noticeable improvement in ride quality and noise reduction compared to the previous models. It is comfortable on the inside and it is equipped with well-made interior features.
An Extinct Breed
Probably the most important reason for someone to buy a Hummer H3T right now is the fact that it was the end of an era. No matter how hard GMC tried to keep the fuel-hungry Hummer alive, the image of the big, bold, metal beast could not be erased from the minds of those who care either about the environment or about the money they pay for fuel.
The Hummer H3T was destined to be the last of its kind. But now with the Hummer EV being premiered by GMC and the features it carries, Hummer has the potential to be successfully resurrected
Maybe Hummer’s Heritage was not to be just a gas-guzzler, but a reliable and powerful American vision; be it gas or electricity that runs it.