Hummer H2 Driven

Having just stepped out of a Ford Excursion, I had an eery feeling. A been-there-before-deja-vu-all-over-again moment. Something was familiar, and it wasn't just the Excursion. No, I went back in time about a month. Ah yes, I've got it. I basically drove the Hummer H2 today, except without the nice and cozy interior.

Read about the Excursion and GoodCarBadCar relationship here

Oh, I sound so positive. I don't mean to. The Excursion is a must-have. It tows a massive trailer and hauls up to nine fishermen. The Hummer? Nice and cozy interior? "Excuse me Good Car Guy - you sound off your rocker", say you. Well, the H2 does indeed feature one of the most stylish and rugged interiors amongst the cars I drove at General Motors Milford Proving Grounds in September. Too bad I couldn't see what was going on outside due to the gun-slit windows. I understand that's part of the design. After all, the H2 is basically a Tahoe/Yukon/Suburban-based replica of the military original. (Keep in mind, the H1 remains available on special order.)


Which begs the question: why do customers wish to appear as though they're driving through the streets of Baghdad? Albeit, the roads Hummer H2's are typically driven on are far smoother than what you might find in the disaster zone of Iraq. By my unofficial count, most H2's are riding on 22" chrome wheels sprayed with some rubber. These things aren't going off-road. They just look like they're going off-Iraq. And that's not cool.

Which begs the question (actually, it begs other different questions, but I thought I'd continue the theme): if it's not off-roading, what's the use? I don't know. Seat a few of your friends uncomfortably, don't take their luggage, and ask for gas money before you take the weekend trip. You'll pay $90 bucks to fill the H2 in Brooklyn today, up to $111 in LA, and about $115 in Toronto.

And you'll do so often. The H2 weighs 6400 pounds, way above the maximum curb weight where official fuel economy figures are mandated. Outside sources average between 9-11 mpg, indicating that the H2 requires a fill-up every 350 miles - if you're lucky and if you stretch it.

GoodCarBadCar won't be complimentary. Earth has moved on. We use CFL's in our lamps and walk to the convenience store if we can and expect a large vehicle to accomplish something for us if it's going to abuse our wallets. The H2 accomplishes little; next to nothing. Even in the driver's seat I felt cramped, not cozy. Certainly not cuddly. Five miles around GM's own proving grounds was regrettable, to say the least. I wish I'd simply steered the H2 around the Black Lake and given myself time to drive the H3. I didn't. I'm sorry. For myself.

Read other articles from The Good Car Guy's trip to Milford

Hummer's first 'mainstream' vehicle starts a chunk over $50,000 in the USA and gives you plenty of power and torque. Plenty, that is, if the engine is in a vehicle weighing less than 5000 pounds. 365 lb-ft of torque is useful. The H2 does, after all, pull away from the line cleanly and smoothly and provides a distant rumble. Suiting.

The H1 Alpha uses an even torquier 6.6L diesel. I could suggest to GM that this diesel be installed in the H2, but for what reason? Limited fuel savings, not even enough to compensate for the extra cost? A nicer feeling in the environmental section of my brain when I drive the obese brute? That feeling wouldn't last long.

The H2 is cumbersome. It is one of only a few vehicles I've ever driven that made me wish I wasn't driving. I've often felt like I shouldn't drive because of fatigue or sickness. But the H2 and Tahoe Hybrid made me wish someone; something, would take over. Just robotize the thing. The driver is totally disconnected from the process anyway.

There is good news. The Hummer has more cargo capacity than the GCBC-crowned Hyundai Santa Fe, 8.4 cubic feet extra in fact. True, the H2 is 19.5 inches longer, 11.3 inches taller, and 6.8 inches wider on a wheelbase 16 inches longer. Who cares? More space than a GoodCarBadCar Top 5 winner - Hummer'll take that anyday.

2008 MODIFIED FORD FOCI

How do I break it to them gently? The people at Ford Motor Company, I mean. Don't shout it out; just whisper. Apparently they have no clue that their "redesign" and coupe introduction had little-to-no effect on young buyers.

I recently heard a Focus-class buyer (the kind of person this site is really meant for, first-time buyer of a good but inexpensive car) suggest that the Ford Verve concept would actually cause them to consider a Ford. (Read about the Verve here.) However, the North American Focus, a car once full of flair and uniqueness, no longer holds any reputation of that kind. Boring, aged, and dull; a letdown.

Therefore, Ford intends to show you (via the SEMA show) nine modified versions of its 2008 Focus. F2 Motorsports, Street Scene Equipment, RKSport, Hot Wheels, Steeda, 3D Carbon, Fox Marketing, and Ford itself tuned and repainted and reinstalled and big-wheeled and luxed-up sedans and 2-doors to show you the potential in each and every Focus.

There's no denying it: the Focus has always been a good drive. I recall hearing people in recent months or years complain about receiving a Focus as their rental car. Hey, at least it goes 'round corners well and communicates with the driver.

But boys, give me something fresh. Nine modified Foci? I want the Focus they buy Across The Pond. Offer me the Volvo 5-cylinder in ST form like you do the Europeans, Ford. Give me a somewhat boring, but classy, redesign like you gave the rest of the world when the Focus was reengineered. Forsake not your own backyard, Ford. And don't push nine Foci upon the SEMA crowd with hopes that the media will then use that to get the public excited. It's not enough.

We want a new car. I don't care about a modified old-style Ford Focus when there's a new car available elsewhere. I don't care even when there's nine of them.

ENDLESS NISSAN GT-R HYPE

Remember when Beckham came to America? Was he worth the hype? When Sidney Crosby began his rookie campaign - did he merit the attention? How about techy items like Windows Vista or Blue-ray DVD? Then there's Chrysler's PT Cruiser, or the Bugatti Veyron - deserving of years of attention?

There are examples from both sides of the spectrum that lead you to believe hype, the accelerated ballyhoo and inordinate buildup or disproportiante brouhaha; is unnecessary and disadvantageous or a terrific asset and of extreme value.

Hype is bonded with pressure, whether it likes it or not. Hype is also tied to sales, at least in the consumer world. Hype, my friends, goes hand-in-hand with great expectations. The Nissan GT-R, you might say, is Pip. We, the mainstream and online and otherworldly journalists, are the lady in the mansion, Miss Havisham.

You can (and should) read previous instances of hype generating at GoodCarBadCar in a GCBC Top 5, or during some Porsche Nurburgring talk, order-placing in Japan, or upon introduction of official GT-R photos.

Or, to continue the machine which churns and breathes out GT-R info and excitement, watch the clip.

NUMERICALLY SPEAKING - #2

473 - Reportedly, the official horsepower in Nissan's GT-R.

6 - Ratios in the Pontiac G8's transmission.

1 - Transmission available in Pontiac's G8 at launch; just automatic. No manual. 470,000 - Toyota's recalled in Japan yesterday.

2.3812 - x in the equation of how much extra horsepower the Shelby GT500 possesses in contrast to the Mustang V6.

3 - vehicles in Citroen showrooms with three-row seating, only 1 of which is remotely SUVesque.

2 - vehicles in Renault showrooms with three-row seating, neither of which is remotely SUVesque.

2 - vehicles in Peugeot showrooms with three-row seating, only 1 of which is remotely SUVesque.

3 - major French automakers - Citroen/Peugeot and Renault.

9 - categories available on www.Honda.ca's motorcycle & ATV toolbar, besides more intricate subcategories.

9 - vehicles displayed on www.Honda.ca's automobile toolbar.

14 - combined categories available on www.Suzuki.ca's motorcycle, ATV, and marine toolbars, besides more specific entries.

5 - maximum vehicles displayed on www.Suzuki.ca's automotivie toolbar.

50 - years since Toyota first sold Land Cruiser's in America.

117,075 - dollars charged for the BMW Alpina B7 - essentially the M7 BMW won't build itself - the B7 is the second Alpina-tuned model officially sold by BMW in the USA.

2,000,000 - vehicles Shanghai Automotive hopes to build in 2010.

4.4 - seconds required for Audi's 'slowest car', the R8, to reach 60mph. Audi's UK ad campaign regarding the 'slow' R8 is in reference to its painstaking build process, the slowest of any Audi.

180,000 - Mercury's sold in 2006, the lowest total since 1960.

FLASHY NEW CAR SITES

It's been quite a while since GoodCarBadCar rated the best super-luxury automotive websites. Lamborghini came out on top of the eleven-company comparison. If you were to cut away some of the cost found inside those websites cars but keep the cool web features; you might arrive at the sites found below.

Check out these two GM sites: the new Malibu at www.chevrolet.com/malibu and Vauxhall's VXR site at www.vauxhall.co.uk.

Considering the market BMW is attacking with the Mini, www.miniusa.com better have a good site. Fiat wants to cater to the same folks who'll spend slightly higher dollar figures on slightly smaller cars. So, www.Fiat500.com is pretty awesome, especially the configurator/build section.

Suffer through the slow load times and you'll be impressed by www.honda.co.uk/car. Finally, LandRoverusa.com has some Extraordinary Experiences. Watch the Range Rover Sport in Tokyo.

ACROSS THE POND - Opel & Vauxhall Corsa

You're deep in the heart of Kansas. You have long, flat, empty roads. You want to go fast, man. You are a hop, skip, and a jump from great mountain roads in Colorado. Arkansas' back roads are not far at all.

And you're concerned that GoodCarBadCar's recommended cars from Across The Pond, though good and fine, are just not offering the juice you need. 100bhp from a small Fiat is plenty fun, but we're talking about empty roads. Let's have some fun. Suzuki's Swift Sport is very unlike any Swift we've ever known.

But c'mon - this country was built on Z28's and Mustang GT's. How can The Good Car Guy expect you to make such sacrifices? I mean, hey - oil is expensive; but you're living high on the hog. Preserve the oil, sure. Just don't starve me of it.

I hear ya. Vauxhall and Opel are - rather, were - not renowned for their hot hatchbacks. Vauxhall, being General Motors British brand and Opel the European GM outlet, built cars for straight lines with very little excitement. Then along came the Astra VXR. (We'll stick to Vauxhall talk now, Opel would call it the OPC but I don't speak German.)

Vauxhall's Astra VXR is wild, stupid, crazy fast. There is a lot of power flowing through two wheels, and those two wheels are also tasked with steering the car. It also looks like a handsome version of a very angry European hatchback. We'll see this car on our side of the pond as the Saturn Astra, with 100 fewer horsepower.

I digress. The Astra VXR sounds like it fits the bill for Kansas boy who heads to Colorado and Arkansas for roads more worthy than his straight lines. Realistically, if other options include the Fiat Panda 100HP and Suzuki Swift Sport, that Astra is thousands of £ too expensive.

Move on down the ladder, my friend. If you're willing go up two notches from the Panda, but just one from the Swift Sport, and come down a couple steps from the Astra VXR, a £15,625 Corsa VXR is your's. Oh, forgot to mention. You can't buy the Corsa in Kansas, just like you can't buy the Panda or Swift. For that reason, GoodCarBadCar is supplying the video below. Ya ain't never gonna see one of these VXR's in action - and GCBC considered it important viewing.

Pricing for this Corsa VXR is inching toward the domain of Mini Cooper S. The Corsa is unlikely to be recommended by many over-and-above that other Brit, but with 189 horsepower; 140mph capability; plenty of equipment; and modern sporting looks, the Corsa is at least worth watching.

ACROSS THE POND - Suzuki Swift Sport

For those Americans who are unaware of their surroundings, Suzuki of Canada sells a version of the Chevrolet Aveo called the Swift+. (Pontiac offers the Wave - identical.) Suzuki deprives all North Americans of plenty things; fortunately for us, in some cases. But, in light of rising fuel prices; smart fortwo's entrance into the market; and the Fiat Panda 100HP only just shown here on GoodCarBadCar, we ought to know a little bit about the real Suzuki Swift.

And when it comes to The Good Car Guy @ GoodCarBadCar, the Swift Sport is most interesting. The price has risen above and beyond that of the Panda 100HP, but we're still below that of basic Mini Cooper's and a fair £3,000 below cars like the Euro-Civic and Focus. Small budget? Don't wanna bother with a car if you can't have fun? True enough, there ain't much available on our side of the pond, but Across The Pond, you can have a lot of fun with a little cash.

Swift Sport's are decently equipped inside, and under the hood you'll fire up a 1.6L, 125 bhp 4-cylinder. That little bit of power has to deal with a scant 2431 pounds. Whoop-dee-ding. The Swift Sport really is sportacious. Besides, with power windows and locks and mirrors; air-con; and audio controls on the steering wheel, what want ye more? Watch the clip - if you're in North American it'll be a while before you see a Suzuki Swift Sport in action, if ever. Enjoy the lingo.