2007 Hummer H3 Australian Launch
April 3, 2007 by Alborz Fallah
We finally have official word of the Hummer H3. When we had the opportunity to sit inside the H3 at the Brisbane International Motorshow, we were more than disappointed. The interior felt less spacious than a Lotus Elise, while the plastic trim put the final nail in the coffin. Just look at this interior:
Nonetheless, its a Hummer, so it wouldn’t really matter what it was powered with or if the car was made out of used Hyundai parts from the 80s. People would still buy it, and buy it they have, with over 150 orders already taken for the Hummer H3 since its debut at the Brisbane International Motorshow. Infact GM plans to sell 750 Hummers this year and 1400 to 1500 next year! More giant SUVs on our roads.
The Hummer H3 sold in Australian will come with the 3.7 litre in-line five-cylinder engine (180kW of power and 320Nm of torque). This will be linked up to a choice of a five-speed manual or electronic four-speed automatic transmission. As mentioned earlier, this power to weight distribution is the equivalent to a miniature pony pulling Kim Beazly up a hill.
Also as mentioned yesterday the Americans are going to get the Hummer H3 Alpha, which is powered by a more potent V8 engine which delivers 220kW and 430Nm. So far GM has no plans to bring the H3 Alpha down under, but given the relatively good start for the H3, you never know!
The Hummer H3 right hand drive models are built in South Africa and start at $51,990 for a manual and $53,990 for automatic. The base models include such features as traction control, ABS & stability control as standard.
For those few who really think they will take their hummer off-road (think again) there is an option to go all out and get the H3 Adventure for $57,990 for the manual and $59,990 for the auto. The upgrade includes fully locking electronic rear differential and rugged suspension.
At the top of the range, there is always the choice to get the Hummer H3 you really want, the H3 Luxury. This is the blinged out American version with chrome trimmed exterior and leather interior. It will set you back a good $59,990 (auto only).
Print it: 
small interior, weak engine, high price and four-speed auto?
what’s the point?
Yeah, totally agree, this thing is rubbish. A few years ago I used to think the H2 Hummer was pretty sweet but I was a hell of a lot younger them and I soon realised they were overrated because celebs drive them. If I ever see anyone driving them I laugh, loud and hard, because they don’t have a clue what they are driving. Al they care is: “Or I got big rims and subbies tha back man…”, sound like something to expect from Anthony Mundine rolling in his H2 Hummer anyway. No BBS wheels, no Rockford Fosgate sound system = no class in my opinion. To sum this up, this is just another heavy, fuel guzzling, ugly yank tank, with a fairly uninspring interior as well as the exterior.
The point is that its a Hummer
this will be a HUGE hit here in Australia for all the females who wish to be the king of the road, and for all the males who have an ego problem and want to express their utter manlyness
Ill try and see if we can get this car for a review, it might change our mind.. or it might not.
Hmmm, does it comply with my Arerican car design formula:-
1) UGLY – Check
2) Fat & Boxy – Check
3) Lots of chrome – Check
I think it will sell (Small numbers), not because its any good. But because its different.
The people who buy this car are the same people who think who watch American wrestling and think its all real.
people who want this are people who want something different, with all the political crap that is going on now its just rediculous. if i drive a h3 with a v10 petrol at 25l/100ks not going to wreck the world. if you think its ugly, fine, but what you drive maybe crap to lots of other people. i think lots of people will have a clue what they are driving Damo, sounds like you wish you had one or just love to pick on people with something different. lazy has it right, just because its different, thats why people will want it. it may be crap, but that wont stop people buying it.
If you dont like – dont buy it! It’s a personal choice and those buying one will spend their $60K on whatever they like.
I’ve ordered one because I think it’s a cool looking car. If it is a little because of ego – Fine. Why not? My $$$, my choice. If I can afford to pat my own ego what’s it to you? Alot of car purchases are made for this reason whether you admit it or not. How many guys go – “I look like a girl in that car – I’ll buy it?” NOT MANY.
How about you all post what you drive at the bottom of every post so we can talk about your ego, size of your you know what, how little you are doing for the environment and whether or not your mrs should be allowed to drive it to pick the kids up.
the car has its own pluses, and minuses. i actually took up the chance and went to the Perth autoshow and sat in the h3. I’m a little taller than the average height being 6′6, but still, for the size of the hummer u would think that it would have a descent interior with a descent amount of space, after all its an American car and America is a nation that accomodates the ‘bigger’ of the worlds population. but then again its mainly movie stars who drive this poxy piece of…errrrr…crap would be an understatment, and i think this would be the only reason people would buy it. They think that if they go and buy this car that they will be as cool as the celebs and get just as much attention…wrong! any true car enthusiast will look down on you for buying it. apart from the looks on the exterior, which in my personal opinion, are fairly nice, the car really has nothing to offer. a 3.7L inline 5cyl with 160kw trying to push nearly 3 tonnes of car. squishy plastic interior, and probably too wide like the series of F trucks made by ford to fit through most Australian bush tracks. Ive seen videos on the net of hummers trying, yes trying, to get up rocky hills. The car just couldnt do it, there were jeeps, hilux’s and chevs all goin off of the track and around a much harder section just to get past the hummer which was stuck. Mind you, if your goin to spend roughly $55k on a car that only offers good looks then your probably not going to take it off road. so basically to some it all up-
$$$-over priced for what it is(if they changed a few things it would be worth it)
interior-more suited to a midget with a bad attitude
exterior-looks nice, bulky, rugged…they do use them in the american army
engine-better off packing your hiking bag and walking to where your going, or you could always just go and buy a commodore with an alloy 3.6L v6 that puts out over 190kw for half the price of a hummer. and both the commodore and the hummer will be sold through holden…go figure.
oh and corey…i drive a 1985 toyota hilux (4×4). iv worked on the car for over a year modifying it to get it how i want it…yer mayb some of it was ego based. i liked the shape n looks of it…but it had a pisspore 2.4L 4cyl diesel in it…i ripped that out n put a 3.8L v6 commodore engine in to replace it. mayb hummer should do the same sort of thing with there h3. my mrs can tell u how big my ‘you know what is’ if u really must kno. im doing more for the environment because my car now uses charcoal cannisters and catalytic converters and its actually more economical to drive than the diesel was. and no…the mrs shouldnt b allowed to drive it to pick the kids up, simply because she cant drive my car…its too hard for her to drive. and there looking at banning 4×4’s in metro suburbs anyway because of little kids running around on the streets, and 4×4’s are too big, and they have bullbars n all that other crap…
Well I must be one sad egotistical saps that secretly want to be a celebrity, because I ordered an H3 last week. Having done alright in recent years, I’m finally in a position to treat myself and replace the old 95 Falcon Wagon with a decent 4wd or SUV.
I do a lot of sport and recreation like cycling, windsurfing paddling and that means carting lots of gear/crap around so I use my wagon space all the time. And now the kids are getting to a decent age, I want to do some camping/outdoor trips that could require a 4wd. I’ve been procrastinating for years looking at brochures and going to car shows, but last week I finally got to do some serious test driving. I tried out Nissan Pathfinders, Patrols, Mitsubishi Pajeros, the Dodge Nitro and of course the H3.
The patrol was big simple beast with heaps of room like I’m used to in the Falcoon, and of course is a tried and tested 4wd, but man, talk about gutless and sluggish and noisy! Plus a new model was bloody expensive, over $70 driveway for anything decent. Scratch that.
Always liked the Pajero, the petrol cruises around really well and it’s got plenty of room. But the 2nd row seat folding is pretty crap. Diesel was okay and really well appointed. But also expensive for the mid range – nudging over $70 drive away. A very sensible car and that was part of the problem – they’re pretty bland looking and are as common as dirt…if I’m going to spend that sort of dough I want something that looks good or out of the ordinary.
The Pathie was pretty hard to go past for my needs. Sensational cabin-fold away seating. Competent 4wd capacity. The diesel was pretty good combined with a tiptronic gearbox but quite noisy. The mid ST-L was $58K drive away and you didn’t get side curtain air bags (had to buy the Ti for that), which kind of p*ssed me off.
The Dodge Nitro. Talk about value for money, wow, $48 K drive away for the top of the range. Maybe $50-52 once you add a bit of fruit. Great 5 star safety and cabin appointments. Seating flat folding was as good or better that the Pathie (but it was only a 5 seater). Sensational power/torque on the diesel model – throw you back in your seat stuff, but really noisy too. And the styling was pretty bold with the cross grill and 20 inch mags (maybe even a bit too wanky). Pretty hard to go past. Also I did read on blogs just like this that the early US models had a lot of engine computer management problems, like just completely stopping, and had to be recalled. That was a concern.
At last I drove the H3. Having read everything there is to read about it on the web and magazines (including all the hot cock on blogs like this) I went in with two major concerns – seating and power. Getting down to the local Saab dealer, I found them a bit snobby at first and they wouldn’t let me drive it on the Saturday – I had to book for Monday. But the vehicle’s looks and styling just really tickle your balls. It’s got such great presence the way is sits. It really hits you. I didn’t get that “try hard” feeling like with the Nitro. This is after all a real Hummer, but it’s not really that big – a bees dick smaller than a Pajero.
Hopping in, personally I didn’t find the cabin appointments too bad. For Christ sake, it’s not a BMW or a merc with wood grain panels, what do people expect? Anyway, it was adequate to good I reckon and certainly better than the Falcoon.
Then came the cargo seat folding. The 2nd row seats are pretty plush and padded, so the bottom section kind of pops out and forward to allow the backrest to fold down. This makes a small step/bump, which means the cargo floor is not flat. And the room? It’s really only slightly bigger than mid sized and the front seat barely even leans forward! The back wheel arches really encroach on the cabin. Only 2/3rd to ¾’s of the Falcoon. First real compromise for me and one that I had to really think about.
Then came the drive…nice, really nice. It was limousine quite, felt solid on the road, braked well, was quite nimble around the corners and was not at all difficult to park (I pulled into a shopping centre). So what about the power? Well, no it won’t make it to the drags that’s for sure, but I found it slightly better than adequate around the streets and traffic lights. On the freeway, it cruised nicely at 100-120, but required a feed and a change down to do a fast overtake (but the gearbox didn’t hunt like the Patrol). Nowhere near as anaemic as I was led to believe. Then again I do drive a tired old 12 year old EF Falcon.
So what to do? I stressed out like a dickhead all week and eventually, being the sensible careful cautious guy I’ve always been, I reluctantly decided on the cheaper Dodge. The Hummer salesman rang and I gave him the bad news. I felt cheated, deep down I didn’t want to be that boring sensible guy anymore.
On the Thursday another mate came around and we poured over the brochures. He’s a big arrogant bloke who doesn’t mince words, right into to his 4-wheel driving trips in his modified 100 series Landcruiser and was pretty scathing of my decision to go Dodge. What was I, a soccer Dad? (Well yeah, I am on winter Sundays). He reckoned I could afford the extra cash and would always regret not going with my heart every time I saw a Hummer on the road. He’d have one if he could afford it. Bugger the smaller cab, put on a roof cage or bullet on top. He was right. I went down and placed and order (for February 2008) the next day.
It was $64K drive away for a silver base model with some fruit on it (towbar, racks, and side steps). I went the base because sunroofs and heated electric leather seats have never been my thing and don’t really mesh with a vehicle I intend to get wet and dirty a lot of the time.
So time will tell on my decision. Frankly I couldn’t give a rat’s arse what people think of me, they can jam it up their kyber sideways for all I care. For now, I’m as happy as a pig in sh*t because I’ve got me a Hummer….
well i think th h3 is awsome and any one can drive it because they obvisoly have the money for it
I reckon Hummer is cool. And I seriously believe in “To each his own preference”. So what, if to some people the vehicle is big & ugly OR cool & macho. Aren’t we all driving what we prefer? Then why complain? What about those who drive modified Patrols or Pajeroes or Grand Cherokee?
I simply love this vehicle and intend to change to a Hummer by end of this year 2008, unless I get a better deal elsewhere. And yes I do love leather seats and sunroof for the price of a base model I feel it should be included, after all its almost $10000 cheaper in USA. Will see what the competition has to offer by this year end when I make a purchase. Good luck every one and stop complaining.
Sure the Hummers are great, I personally love them but who really wants to spend about $120 at the fuel pump every time they have to fill up? It’s like owning a boat – Expensive. I mean don’t get me wrong I have always wanted a hummer ever since I can remember but fuel wise it’s crap. These cars should be blamed for the global warming epidemic and as for the hummers that are released here in aus? Only one word – UGLY. The H2’s in America are way nicer, if we wanted a smaller hummer then why not go buy a 4 door jeep wrangler? They look almost exactly the same when there black or maybe a Dodge Nitro, they could all pass for hummers.