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Cars

Hummer H1 is a better ride

By ANN M. JOB, for the Associated Press
Published April 22, 2005

Editor's note: Frank R. Hotchkiss' column, "America on the Road," is not running this week. In its place, we are substituting a car review from the Associated Press. "America on the Road" will return next week.

Arguably the most exotic 4X4 vehicle in the country, the military-styled Hummer H1 now is more powerful, more refined in its ride, quieter inside and taller than ever.

But the look remains unmistakably, aggressively Hummer, with only subtle design changes mostly made to accommodate the new, 300-horsepower, Duramax 6600 turbo-diesel V8.

The revamped 2006 flagship of the Hummer line also is the first to wear a new badge - Alpha - that denotes it's a performance model. The new H1 has 95 more horsepower and 80 more foot-pounds of torque than its predecessor.

Hummer officials plan to add the Alpha badge to other, smaller Hummers, such as the H2 and H3, as their performance versions are developed down the road. This marks the first time Hummer has a performance series, and the H1 - the first commercial model of Hummer ever sold - now will be available only in Alpha form.

The H1's price is increased considerably. Starting manufacturer's suggested retail price, including destination charge, for the base, open-top, 2006 H1 Alpha is $129,389. The 2006 H1 Alpha with hardtop is now $140,000.

In contrast, the predecessor 2004 H1 started at $106,185. There were no 2005 H1s, company officials said.

This major redesign of the H1 started as officials sought to substitute the Duramax turbo-diesel engine for the lower-powered General Motors Corp. turbo-diesel V8 that had been in previous Hummers.

Customers wanted the newer technology and the higher performance afforded by the Duramax engine, officials said.

Indeed, it was especially welcome in the test H1, a hardtop model weighing more than 7,500 pounds. For a vehicle with just four seats inside - all widely space around the raised mechanicals in the vehicle's middle section - this is an unheard-of weight. It's more than two Ford Ranger 4X4 Regular Cab pickup trucks put together.

Reason for the H1's massive weight: The civilian H1 retains much of the durable, military-spec construction and equipment requirements of its sibling military Humvees that are sold to the U.S. armed forces and to foreign governments.

The test H1 got up to speed on a rural road in what seemed like a sprightly manner compared with its predecessor.

No matter that the H1 and I were swiftly passed by a guy in a sporty Porsche. The boost in power that comes from the H1's new, 6.6-liter Duramax V8 - including an awesome 520 foot-pounds of torque at a low 1,500 rpm - was palpable and pleasing. The H1's previous 205-horsepower, turbo-diesel V8 provided 440 foot-pounds of torque at 1,800 rpm.

At times, I even had to watch the speedometer to make sure I wasn't speeding on the highway - something I didn't seem to worry about in the lower-powered, previous H1s. Note the speedometer tops out at 100 miles an hour.

On- and off-road, the new five-speed, heavy-duty, automatic transmission supplied by Allison - which replaced a Hydra-Matic four-speed automatic in earlier H1s - had well-timed shifts and good gearing.

And off-road, clambering over boulders and through gullies, I appreciated the now lower gearing that helped me better maintain vehicle control in delicate maneuvers.

But overall, it wasn't just the increased power that made the H1 tester more attractive. It was the nicer ride.

Previous H1s were so noisy, I could scarcely converse or listen to the radio, and the rough ride made me feel fatigued at the end of a daylong drive.

Now, the interior is noticeably quieter. Although I heard the Duramax V8 every time I pressed the accelerator, it was nowhere as noisy and rough-sounding as the previous engine.

Hummer engineers also installed quieter differentials, and the cooling fan for the radiator is a new design and less noisy, too.

There's still wind noise, to be sure, in this blockish vehicle, and some tire noise as well on pavement.

Seats are improved, too, and now incorporate some of the same type of padding that's in today's body-conforming foam pillows and mattress pads.

But climbing inside the 6.6-foot-tall H1 took some doing for someone 5 feet 4,like me.

Already a tall vehicle, the H1 now is 2 inches taller and has a minimum ground clearance of 16 inches, which is double that of some other SUVs. The increased body height was prompted by the new engine, which is bigger than the previous powerplant.

At least Hummer officials now have a grab handle by the windshield to help people get inside. I used to have to grab hold of the steering wheel, which was an awkward move.

Once inside the Hummer, passengers have bird's eye views out, though the mostly upright windshield and side windows are smallish.

There's no airbag in the H1. It's not required for this kind of heavy-duty vehicle.

There's no official government fuel economy rating, either, though company officials estimate that the now-larger-capacity fuel tanks - there are two to hold a total of some 52 gallons - can provide a range of nearly 600 miles.

In contrast with the military Humvees, the H1 comes standard with air conditioning, power windows and door locks, a premium Monsoon stereo system, leather-trimmed seats and other amenities.

Company officials expect H1 sales to remain stable. Average annual sales over the last four calendar years have totaled more than 660.

Most H1 buyers are men, with affluent lifestyles and adventurous spirits, Hummer said. They are well along in their careers or entrepreneurial endeavors, and the H1 is one of many vehicles in their households.

BASE PRICE: $128,364 for open top model; $139,771 for hardtop model.

AS TESTED: $146,522.

TYPE: Front-engine, four-wheel-drive, four-passenger, large sport utility vehicle.

ENGINE: 6.6-liter, overhead valve, Duramax 6600 common rail turbo-diesel V8.

MILEAGE: Not available.

TOP SPEED: Not available.

LENGTH: 184.5 inches.

WHEELBASE: 130 inches.

CURB WEIGHT: 7,558 pounds.

BUILT AT: Mishawaka, Ind.

OPTIONS: Off-road adventure package (includes 12,000-pound winch, Eaton ELocker locking front and rear differentials and two-piece, forged aluminum wheels) $5,726.

DESTINATION CHARGE: $1,025.

- ASSOCIATED PRESS

[Last modified April 21, 2005, 08:32:04]