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2009 HUMMER H3 Review

December 19, 2008

STYLING | 8 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

Toughest-looking crew cab in the Home Depot parking lot
Edmunds

Thirty-two inch tires are standard while thirty-threes are available
Automobile Magazine

Instrument panel lighting is attractive and easy to read
Jalopnik

If you want a vehicle that looks tough enough to serve in the military, then you should shop from a brand that got its start designing military vehicles. If you want your military styling with a dose of pickup practicality, then the 2009 HUMMER H3T just might be the vehicle you've been looking for.

Edmunds writes that the new HUMMER H3T "is a midsize crew-cab pickup truck that's available in two trims levels: base and the more powerful Alpha." The exterior of the 2009 HUMMER H3T is, for better or for worse, one of the most distinctive in the pickup market, and both the base and Alpha versions of the HUMMER H3T are identical from the outside. Reviews read by TheCarConnection.com generally appreciate the tough styling of the 2009 HUMMER H3T, which Automobile Magazine says has been stretched to make room for "a five-foot bed instead of making do with whatever would have fit on the H3's shorter wheelbase." Car and Driver says that the HUMMER H3T finally brings "visually correct proportions" to the H3 lineup and features a "boxy fuselage" that "is, by design, rather well suited to a boxy bed." Jalopnik describes it as "boxy and kinda cute like a GI Joe toy," while Edmunds says that "you'll likely dig the rugged styling cues (which include the industrial grille, the massive wheel flares and the armored-car-style windows)."

The inside of the 2009 HUMMER H3T is purposefully styled, but unfortunately it lacks the visual impact of the exterior. Edmunds calls the "overall design ... fairly handsome" but notes that the HUMMER H3T's "rather plain interior doesn't quite match its macho exterior." On the positive side, Jalopnik reports that "the instrument panel lighting is attractive and easy to read." One styling cue that is rather unique to the HUMMER H3T and other HUMMER trucks is what Autoblog describes as a "quirky rear-view camera" that displays its image "directly on the left side" of the rearview mirror face, which they say is "a much more graceful arrangement than the previous pop-out version."

Conclusion

Tonka-tough, military-grade, suburban tank—take your pick, since all are pretty apt descriptions of the 2009 HUMMER H3T's styling.

STYLING | 8 out of 10Expert Quotes:Toughest-looking crew cab in the Home Depot parking lotEdmundsThirty-two inch tires are standard while thirty-threes are availableAutomobile MagazineInstrument panel lighting is attractive and easy to readJalopnik If you want a vehicle that looks tough enough to serve in the military, then you should shop from a brand that got its start designing military vehicles. If you want your military styling with a dose of pickup practicality, then the 2009 HUMMER H3T just might be the vehicle you've been looking for. Edmunds writes that the new HUMMER H3T "is a midsize crew-cab pickup truck that's available in two trims levels: base and the more powerful Alpha." The exterior of the 2009 HUMMER H3T is, for better or for worse, one of the most distinctive in the pickup market, and both the base and Alpha versions of the HUMMER H3T are identical from the outside. Reviews read by TheCarConnection.com generally appreciate the tough styling of the 2009 HUMMER H3T, which Automobile Magazine says has been stretched to make room for "a five-foot bed instead of making do with whatever would have fit on the H3's shorter wheelbase." Car and Driver says that the HUMMER H3T finally brings "visually correct proportions" to the H3 lineup and features a "boxy fuselage" that "is, by design, rather well suited to a boxy bed." Jalopnik describes it as "boxy and kinda cute like a GI Joe toy," while Edmunds says that "you'll likely dig the rugged styling cues (which include the industrial grille, the massive wheel flares and the armored-car-style windows)." The inside of the 2009 HUMMER H3T is purposefully styled, but unfortunately it lacks the visual impact of the exterior. Edmunds calls the "overall design ... fairly handsome" but notes that the HUMMER H3T's "rather plain interior doesn't quite match its macho exterior." On the positive side, Jalopnik reports that "the instrument panel lighting is attractive and easy to read." One styling cue that is rather unique to the HUMMER H3T and other HUMMER trucks is what Autoblog describes as a "quirky rear-view camera" that displays its image "directly on the left side" of the rearview mirror face, which they say is "a much more graceful arrangement than the previous pop-out version." ConclusionTonka-tough, military-grade, suburban tank—take your pick, since all are pretty apt descriptions of the 2009 HUMMER H3T's styling. 2009 HUMMER H3T STYLING [8 out of 10] Edmunds: "Toughest-looking crew cab in the Home Depot parking lot" Automobile Magazine: "Thirty-two inch tires are standard while thirty-threes are available" Jalopnik: "Instrument panel lighting is attractive and easy to read" If you want a ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

The 2009 HUMMER H3T is classified as a mid-size pickup truck, so its competition is well-defined on paper. However, as similar as these trucks look on a specification sheet, in person, the H3T's styling makes its competitors look like girlie-man trucks. The Dodge Dakota is significantly improved in 2008 and offers two cab/bed configurations and two engine choices, including a powerful 4.7-liter V-8 matched to a five-speed automatic. The Dakota is a solid choice, but lacks the HUMMER's styling and ultimate off-road capabilities. Built at the same plant as the HUMMER H3T are GM's mid-size twins, and one could also cross-shop the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon. A V-8 option is now available on these trucks, so no longer are these entries the 98-pound weaklings of the mid-size truck segment. Then there are the imports: the six-cylinder Tacoma, Frontier, and Ridgeline. The Toyota and Nissan (like the Dodge and Chevy/GMC) nameplates offer more variety than the HUMMER, including two-wheel-drive variations that offer real benefits every time the fuel tank needs to be filled.

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See the HUMMER H3 in Other Years:

2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005

Comments (2 total)

  1. By c burns #1, Posted: 6/27/2009

    i bought an 09 h3 several months ago and cannot be happier with it... however if you are some eco geek or just a noob that wants a cool SUV i dont recommend it. go buy an effin ford escape or toyota rav4... im from Texas and hummers are for real dudes not girly men that like girly crossover sus

  2. By khadar #2, Posted: 7/10/2009

    waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw Hummer is a nice car it is raelly raelly good car.

    thanks

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