Do you want to kick your off-roading up a few notches to where you’re able to handle tougher terrain and surmount extreme off-pavement obstacles? You’ve no doubt investigated several 4×4 trucks for superior off-road capability, but one brand keeps ringing a bell in your head – Hummer. But there’s a degree of dissonance – Hummers were stigmatized as ‘ridiculous’ in their heyday, but are they when it comes to off-roading?
Hummers are equipped with class-leading 4×4 driveline and suspension components configured for extreme off-road conditions. Based on the military-spec 4×4 Humvee, Hummers have extended wheel travel, unmatched ground clearance with wide approach and departure angles, and adjustable air suspension.
Your heart may be saying yes to the iconic behemoth, but your mind is saying no because you’ve heard the auto pundits say the Hummer is oversized, underpowered, unwieldy, and a brazen gas-guzzler. Hummers may be impractical in the city, but there’s no denying their off-road prowess. This post will examine the Hummer lineage to determine just how good off-roading’s heaviest ride is when the terrain gets tricky. Start your engines!
Is A Hummer The Best Truck For Off-Roading?
With a design bias towards off-road use, manual and automatic Hummer 4x4s have robust body armor, large tires, flexible suspension, and dual diff lockers that deliver optimum traction and torque on rocky inclines. Premium interior comfort features enhance their off-road driving experience.
Hummer SUVs have earned their reputation as unmatched off-road trucks due largely to the fact that their design DNA comes directly from a 4×4 military High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) called the Humvee. The Humvee had to be tough. It saw action in the 1991 Gulf war, where it was parachuted out of military cargo planes in hazardous desert terrain.
Humvee manufacturer AM General released the first civilian Hummer in 1992. The no-frills 4×4 civilian version of the Humvee (dubbed the Hummer) captured the hearts of off-roading enthusiasts as well as General Motors (GM), which secured the marketing and distribution rights for the Humvee-based Hummer in 1999.
The GM Hummer H1 was released in 2000, retaining all the off-roading specifications of the original Hummer, plus a range of optional diesel and gas engines. Short on driver comfort but high on off-road capability, the permanent four-wheel-drive H1 included a central tire inflation system (CTIS) that allowed the driver to adjust tire pressure from the cab via a CTIS button.
The Hummer H2 was introduced in 2002 with a choice of V8 gas engines and a maximum power output of 393hp. Built with a shorter wheelbase than the H1, the H2 included 9.9-inches of ground clearance, an independent front torsion bar suspension, a rear five-link coil spring suspension, and massive tires.
Fitted with adjustable rear suspension, a large powered sunroof, a rearview camera, an entertainment and navigation system, a ladder, custom grilles, side step bars, an air compressor with a recovery kit, and 20-inch wheels, the Hummer H2 was recognized as the most purpose-built off-roading large SUV on the market.
In 2006, GM released the Hummer H3, a short wheelbase body-on-truck design with a reinforced chassis. Driveline options included automatic transmission and a 5.3-liter V8 engine producing 300hp and 320lb-ft of torque.
The Hummer H3 is a luxury SUV with a ground clearance of 9.7-inches. Approach, departure, and breakover angles at 37.4-degrees, 34.7-degrees, and 22.1-degrees, respectively, enable the H3 to climb a 16-inch vertical obstacle and tackle grades of 60% and side slopes of 40%. The H3 is capable of fording water to a depth of 27-inches.
GM stopped producing Hummers in 2010, but the many derivatives remain supported by the OEM, with no shortage of parts, service support, and aftermarket upgrades and accessories for the H1, H2, and H3 variants.
The early AM General Hummer (also known as the original H1) is now a collector’s item. They’re not easy to come by, and components are expensive and hard to find, but for off-roading DIY enthusiasts, the original Hummer makes an excellent specialized 4×4 modification project.
Which Hummer Should I Choose For Off-Roading?
Three generations of Hummers offer many options for used 4×4 buyers. Off-roading enthusiasts should match off-pavement terrain characteristics and personal off-roading skill with suitable Hummer power and drivetrain specifications to ensure the best possible clearances, handling and tractive force.
Let’s focus on the vital off-roading specs for each generation of Hummer to quantify the grit in each iteration.
Vital Humvee off-road specs
Original Humvees have naturally aspirated gas and diesel engines and turbocharged 6.5-liter V8 diesel engines, coupled to a four-speed automatic transmission, delivering a maximum 190hp@3,400rpm and 380lb-ft of torque at 1,700rpm.
- The drivetrain is a permanent four-wheel drive with front, rear, and center differential lockers protected by underbody armor.
- With a wheelbase of 130 inches, an approach angle of 54-degrees, and a departure angle of 38-degrees, with a breakover angle of 31.5-degrees, the Humvee can safely negotiate 60% grades.
- The Humvee has a deep water fording capability of 60-inches.
The Humvee has a curb weight from 5,200lb to 5,900lb and a width of 86-inches (not including side mirrors). With a maximum speed of 70mph and a tracking width of 71.6-inches, Humvees do not make the ideal urban tactical vehicle.
With an understanding of where the Hummer got its inspiration, we can take a snapshot of the best off-roading specifications (for serious off-roaders) in respective V8 Hummer models.
Comparing the Hummers’ Best Off-Road Specs
| Specifications | Hummer H1 V8 | Hummer H2 V8 | Hummer H3 V8 |
| Engine | 6.5L V8 Diesel 300hp@3,400rpm 520lb-ft @1,800rpm | 6.0L V8 Gas 316hp@5,200rpm 360lb-ft@4,000rpm | 5.3L V8 Gas 305hp@5,200rpm 434lb-ft@4000rpm |
| Transmission | 4-Speed Automatic | 4-Speed Automatic | 4-Speed Automatic |
| Differential Locks | Rear/Center/Front | Center/Rear | Front/Rear |
| Suspension | 4-wheel Independent Adjustable Air Springs | Solid Rear Axle Independent Front | Solid Rear Axle Independent Front |
| Ground Clearance | 16-inches | 9.9-inches | 9.1-inches |
| Approach Angle | 72-degrees | 40.8-degrees | 37.5-degrees |
| Departure Angle | 37.5-degrees | 39.5-degrees | 35.5-degrees |
| Wheelbase | 130-inches | 122.8-inches | 111.9-inches |
| Curb Weight | 7,154-pounds | 6,400-pounds | 4,700-pounds |
| Max. Payload | 3,710-pounds | 2,200-pounds | 1,150-pounds |
| Width (without mirrors) | 101-inches | 82,1-inches | 74,7-inches |
| Turning Circle | 53-feet | 43,5-feet | 37-feet |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 42-gallons | 32-gallons | 23 Gallons |
Is The New Hummer EV Good For Off-Roading?
Available for the first time to the public in 2022 is the new Hummer EV, a fully electric 4×4 super SUV that retains its forebears’ design and off-road performance ethos. The Hummer EV is a universe apart from gas or diesel-powered 4x4s, and it still has to prove its worth in the off-roading domain.
- Powered by three electric motors and a range of 300-plus miles, the Hummer EV’s specs look impressive, with power output at an estimated 1000hp and torque rated at a mind-boggling 11,500lb-ft!
Futuristic off-roading features in the premium model Hummer EV3x include:
- Crab Walk mode
- UltraVision (a multi-angle underbody camera)
- Adaptive air suspension
- Steel underbody armor
- Extract Mode
- Super Cruise
- A digital key
- Removable roof panels
If these specs read like science fiction, view the Hummer EV taking a test drive.
Conclusion
The Hummer was never meant to be your average eco-friendly family SUV. It was born on the battlefield, and the dirt is its natural habitat. The three generations of Hummer 4x4s give you plenty of options to get your hands on an aggressive off-roading machine. The H1 is a beast, the Godzilla of the Hummer family, while the H2 is Big Mamma, and the H3 is the Spritely Upstart. Take your pick!
