Last year the H3 proved it was not merely a reskinned Chevrolet Colorado but a true Hummer in every sense (“Saved in Translation,” May 30, 2005). But when dressed up in fancy H3x chrome duds, would the truck lose its hard-core heritage? And would people even want to take it off-road with all that bling on the thing?
The answer to both questions is yes. There were plenty of Hummers at the Hummer Homecoming in South Bend, Indiana, prior to a drive of the H3x. Hummer owners like to play in the mud as much as they like to look good on the street, it’s just that they aren’t willing to give up luxury appointments when they venture off-road.
The H3x, a new model for 2007, is based on the H3 Street concept shown at the 2005 SEMA show. If you want a flashy Hummer right out of the showroom, look no further than the H3x. Take an H3 with the luxury package, add 18-inch chrome rims with unique center caps, chrome trim, chrome tube steps, a body-colored grille and a hard tire cover and you’ve got an H3x. If you want to further distance your H3x from other H3s, order the Hummer in one of the two colors unique to the H3x: Sonoma Red Metallic or Desert Orange Metallic.
Many have complained about the 3.5-liter I5 and its meager output. Even the folks over at Hummer admit the H3 was a bit underpowered at launch, though they maintain H3 owners have no complaints about the engine’s power. The good news is all 2007 H3s get a displacement increase. The old block has been bored out to 3.7 liters to increase horsepower by 10 percent, to 242 hp. It would be nice if at least one more cylinder could find its way into the H3 engine bay, or even if a diesel engine were added to the mix, but for now this power increase will do.
The 3.7-liter engine uses a new 125-amp alternator with regulated voltage control. The voltage control allows the alternator to draw less power from the engine when there is little load on the electrical system. This system allows for the increase in horsepower with no reduction in fuel economy. Another welcome change is the addition of Stabilitrak to all H3s equipped with manual transmissions.
The H3 packs a few more horsepower than a Toyota FJ Cruiser, but it also weighs in about 400 pounds heavier, so the Hummer feels slower in traffic. But off-road you would rarely need more power. After several hours of testing the H3 and H3x on hillclimbs and water crossings at the Silver Lake Sand Dunes in western Michigan, the increase in power was obvious.
Those who venture off-road will also appreciate the increase in torque for the H3, from 228 to 242 lb-ft. Fear not, rock crawlers, even though the peak torque comes in at 4600 rpm as opposed to last year’s 2800 rpm, there is now 5 more lb-ft on tap at 2800 rpm, and the torque curve remains nice and flat.
The automatic transmission is still preferred over the five-speed manual for all-around use in the H3, though the extra power makes the manual a little easier to live with in traffic.
If you want the classic Hummer styling but couldn’t live with the old 3.5-liter I5, give the 2007 H3 a look. Step up to the H3x and let everyone know you appreciate bling as much as rugged looks. The H3 is the People’s Hummer, and now the people have more power.
