Hummer isn’t just a truck; it’s a statement. Born from the military Humvee and civilized (barely) by GM, it became the symbol of 2000s American power and excess. From the trail-crushing H1 Alpha to the pop-culture icon H2, Hummer proved that in America, size doesn’t just matter—it is everything.
Explore the current production vehicles.
The icon, reborn as an all-electric supertruck. The GMC Hummer EV is a revolutionary leap in engineering, a 1,000-horsepower beast with unique features like CrabWalk and Watts to Freedom mode. It’s a silent, zero-emissions monster that has completely redefined the brand.
The original. The legend. A civilian version of the military's battle-proven HUMVEE. The H1 was an authentic, impossibly wide, and utterly unstoppable off-road machine. It is the purest and most uncompromising expression of the Hummer ethos.
The vehicle that brought the Hummer brand to the masses. The H2 captured the bold, military-inspired styling of the H1 in a more civilized, GM-truck-based package. It was a cultural phenomenon and the undisputed icon of 2000s automotive excess.
The smallest and most accessible Hummer. The H3 distilled the brand's legendary look and off-road capability into a more manageable, mid-size package based on the Chevy Colorado. The rare Alpha model, with its V8 engine, is a sought-after classic.
A rare and incredibly cool pickup truck version of the H3. The H3T was a versatile and capable mid-size truck with a separate bed, offering a unique blend of Hummer's off-road prowess and pickup utility. A true collector's item for enthusiasts.
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In the early 2000s, if you wanted to tell the world you had arrived, you didn't buy a Ferrari. You bought a bright yellow Hummer H2. This brand was the automotive embodiment of "Manifest Destiny." It was unapologetic, massive, and thirsty. While Prius drivers glared at them, Hummer owners simply drove over the curb and kept going.
Although originally built by AM General, the Hummer brand we know was a creation of GM, acquired in 1999 to market these beasts to civilians. It was a brand built on testosterone and presence.
The Hummer H1 is the closest a civilian can get to driving a tank without enlisting. It is essentially the military HMMWV with a stereo and (sometimes) air conditioning. It is 7 feet wide. It has Central Tire Inflation Systems (CTIS) that let you deflate tires from the cabin.
The Holy Grail of this lineup is the H1 Alpha (2006). GM finally ditched the underpowered old diesels and dropped in the legendary 6.6L Duramax Diesel V8 paired with an Allison transmission. It finally had the torque to move its own weight, making it the ultimate off-road predator.
The Hummer H2 is the most controversial truck in history. Purists hated it because it was built on a modified Chevy Suburban chassis rather than the bespoke military frame. Environmentalists hated it because it averaged single-digit MPG.
But let's be objective: The H2 was brilliant. It captured the look of the military truck but drove like a comfortable SUV. And contrary to popular belief, it was a beast off-road. With short overhangs and a locking rear differential, it could climb things a Jeep Wrangler would struggle with. It defined the "Bling Era" of hip-hop videos and MTV Cribs.
Then came the H3. Built on the Chevy Colorado pickup platform, this was the "approachable" Hummer. It brought the rugged styling to a mid-size package. While the 5-cylinder engine was weak, the H3 Alpha (with a V8) was a serious sleeper. It allowed normal people to park a Hummer in a normal garage.
In 2010, amid high gas prices and a global recession, GM killed the Hummer brand. It seemed like the era of excess was over. But you can't kill a legend.
Hummer has returned (under the GMC badge) as an all-electric supertruck. The new Hummer EV is pure insanity:
Hummer is the heavyweight champion of the automotive world. It represents a refusal to compromise on size or capability. Whether it's a diesel-chugging H1 Alpha or a silent, 9,000-pound electric missile, a Hummer commands respect on the road like nothing else.
These three models represent distinct eras of the brand:
CrabWalk⢠is a revolutionary four-wheel steer mode available on the GMC Hummer EV.
At low speeds, the rear wheels can turn up to 10 degrees in the same direction as the front wheels. This allows the vehicle to drive diagonally (like a crab), which is incredibly useful for extracting the massive truck from tight trails or navigating around obstacles without needing to make a multi-point turn.
General Motors shut down the standalone Hummer brand in 2010.
The decision was driven by the 2008 financial crisis and rising gas prices, which made large, fuel-thirsty SUVs unpopular. The brand became a symbol of excess that didn't fit GM's post-bankruptcy restructuring plan, though the name has since returned as a sub-brand of GMC.
The Hummer H2 is infamous for its fuel consumption. Because it had a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) over 8,500 lbs, it was exempt from EPA fuel economy ratings at the time.
Real-world driving typically yields 8 to 10 MPG in the city and perhaps 11 to 12 MPG on the highway. Owners jokingly measure fuel economy in "Smiles Per Gallon."
Yes, the H3 Alpha is the "Holy Grail" of the H3 lineup.
Standard H3s came with a 3.5L or 3.7L inline-5 cylinder engine, which many drivers felt was underpowered for the vehicle's weight. The Alpha model (introduced in 2008) featured a 5.3L V8 engine, solving the power issue and significantly increasing towing capacity, making it a highly capable and desirable off-roader today.
Watts to Freedom is the launch control system for the GMC Hummer EV. It is a playful acronym (WTF) designed to show off the electric powertrain's capabilities.
When activated, the truck lowers its suspension, vibrates the seat, and prepares the battery for maximum output, launching the 9,000-pound super-truck from 0 to 60 mph in approximately 3 seconds.
Almost certainly no. The width is the problem, not the length.
The Hummer H1 is nearly 87 inches wide (over 7 feet) without mirrors. A standard single-car garage door is typically 8 or 9 feet wide, leaving almost no room for error. Furthermore, navigating it through standard drive-thrus or parking garage ticket lanes is virtually impossible.
Yes, significantly. The Hummer H2 sits on a unique chassis that blends the front section of a GM 2500HD pickup (for strength) with the rear section of a Chevy Tahoe/Suburban (for ride quality).
It uses the same 6.0L or 6.2L Vortec V8 engines and 4L60E/6L80E transmissions found in Chevy trucks. This is a huge benefit for owners, as mechanical parts are cheap and available at any auto parts store.
Technically, yes. The GMC Hummer EV features the "Infinity Roof" with modular Sky Panels.
These four transparent roof panels can be removed and stored in the "frunk" (front trunk). Even the I-bar mounting frame can be removed, creating a true open-air driving experience similar to a Jeep Wrangler or Ford Bronco, but on a much massive scale.
The H1 utilizes portal axles (geared hubs). This design lifts the drivetrain axles high above the wheel center.
This results in an incredible 16 inches of ground clearance with a completely flat underside. Combined with the Central Tire Inflation System (CTIS) that allows drivers to air down tires from inside the cab, the H1 can climb vertical walls and traverse mud that would strand almost any other stock vehicle.