Hummer H1 by Glenn Gould

Exclusive Carweb.com Road Review
by Glenn Gould

1999 Hummer H1

Classified / Top- Secret.

Today they were to deliver the Hummer and I was having a Rambo moment. Visions of intimidating Lincoln Navigators and Chevrolet Suburbans danced through my mind. Perhaps, one might subdue a small country before lunch. Was the TOW missile launcher standard equipment?

The thump of the diesel announced the arrival of the Tyrannosaurus Rex of SUVs, as it rolled up the driveway. The 1999 AM General Corporation's Hummer was Pure machismo on wheels. You have to love it. The engine stopped, and out stepped Lucy, the sprightly Hummer driver. She handed me the keys, and mentioned that it had been an easy drive. My macho moment had vanished.

There lies the Hummer's dirty little secret. Although the Hummer looks intimidating, it is a pussy cat to drive.

Part of the civilian Hummer's standard equipment list includes: full-time four wheel drive, automatic transmission, power steering, power brakes, air-conditioning, power door-locks, and windows. The Hummer's steering wheel and control levers were all car sized. The only big truck control was the on-off type emergency brake lever. Admittedly, it did require some muscle power to actuate.

We climbed behind the wheel, emphasis on climb, and turned the ignition key to the on position. Once the glow-plug light goes out, twist the ignition to the start position. The 6.5 liter V-8 GM Turbo Diesel lumbered to life. The Hummer's cockpit resembles a flight deck, more than a truck. Ours even had a device that allowed us to regulate the vehicle's tire pressure while on the move. However, all the vehicle's controls are ergonomically placed on the Hummer's wrap-around control panels. Uncle Sam does not want you to select the wrong lever, or button, when in pursuit of the bad guys.

It takes no more effort, or agility, to get the Hummer into motion than the average family car. Shove the throttle to the floor and a mechanical roar envelops the vehicle's cabin. Acceleration was brisk, but not neck snapping. The steering actually had good feel and was not over boosted. The ABS brakes pulled the beast down efficiently. Although, the Hummer rocked back and forth, for a moment or two, after it came to a stop. Cornering was not the chore you might expect it to be. The vehicle's tires-37 x 12.50R-16.5LT-- and suspension are scaled to the size of the vehicle. The aluminum body and low center of gravity also allow it to corner better than one could imagine.

From inside it was hard seeing anything up close to the big beast. The Hummer was so high and wide that anything near it disappeared from your line of sight. Pedestrians and city traffic were especially nerve-racking. Also, on narrow country roads, I found myself checking the mirrors to see if the mailbox I just passed was still standing.

For all the Hummer's bulk, your actual seating position is quite cramped. The driver and passengers, or crew members, are up against the large, wide, center tunnel. The tunnel houses all the Hummer's drive-train. Also, the fuel tanks, exhaust system, and all that stuff that hangs down on a normal SUV are tucked up and out of the way. Nothing sticks down to snag a rock or land mine. The tunnel's flat center section makes a great place to carry the pizza, or man the TOW missile launcher. If your model is so equipped, sigh, ours was not.

Styling? Ha, a Hummer don't need no stinking styling. With the civilian version of the Hummer, as with the military model, form follows function. Actually, other than the Night Storm Charcoal paint and chrome hubcaps, our Hummer was little changed from the Army's model.

The Hummer's off-road performance was outstanding. It had a 16 inch ground clearance and, new for 1999, a TorqTrac 4 traction control system. With the TorqTrac 4 system the Hummer's off-road superiority is attributable 90 percent to the machine and 10 percent to the driver, before it was a 50/50 proposition. However, funding the fuel for your exploits might be a problem. But, if you can afford the Hummer the price of fuel might not be a problem.

What does it cost to be own the biggest and badest vehicle on you your block, or in your town, city, county, oh you get the idea. Our test vehicle had a base price of $78,887 and an as tested price of $91,523 including a $790 destination charge. Our vehicle was loaded and had, among other things, the leather interior, CD Changer and Monsoon Sound System.

That much money and you still have to add your own anti-tank systems, bummer.

Oh, and about the Hummer being a breeze to drive, that's a classified secret---solider.

CHEERS
1. It's big
2. It's bad
3. It's fun

JEERS
1. It's big
2. It's expensive