Well, I could post a bunch of links, but simply search for stuff on H2 and read some of them.

Yes, it does share some parts with Tahoe... but parts sharing is pretty standard these days.

It doesn't change the fact that the only SUV out there that can perform better offroad is the H1.


And is $50k really that unreasonable? How much does Escalade cost? It more of a rebadged Tahoe than H2 certainly is.

And even Tahoe itself can climb well into the $40k's... (I just checked GMBuypower.com for Z71 Tahoes on my local Chevy lots, and there are ones for $43k, $45k, and $46k!!!) so it's not like it's a mountain of cash more, yet you get a serious offroad perfomer....


... of course, we all know that few SUV's actually get used for offroading, but that is beside the point.

 

I thought Jeep Wranglers were supposed to be pretty good...

 

Range Rovers have a pretty good off road rep too...

 

Yes Range Rovers, why they aren't expensive at all!

H2 simply WORKS. It is a successful, competant, desireable GM product. Lo and behold, it still gets kicked around here. I understand it is an SUV, and we're not wild about SUVs here. But any GM product that brings a unique flavor and compares very favorably to its competition is a good thing.

 

Range Rovers are expensive...and so are H2s. If people want to buy them, that's fine with me.

I'm just pointing out that the H2 has nothing in common with the military Humvees blasting across the Iraqi desert....other than a marketing connection.

Under the skin....it's a Tahoe in drag.

 

GM found a way to aquire the Hummer brand, then engineered the Tahoe platform to live up to people's expectations of what a Hummer is. They have managed to make a second generation Hummer which is comparable to the off-road capabilities of the original Humvee while actually being cheaper, light years more refined and more palatable to the masses (this is still a business, isn't it?) They actually made sure that it still is deserving of the Hummer badge. Isn't that the complaint here, that today's FWD V6 MC's and Impalas doesn't deserve the "hallowed" badges their predecessors wore?

Just because it shares Tahoe pieces doesn't mean it's just a rebodied Tahoe. If such was the case, the impressive 2003 Mustang Cobra is just a Ford Fairmont in drag, and the F-body was just a glorified Monza...

 

What size tires come on the H2?

And how in THEE #&!! can they call that thing luxury?JUst because it has leather seats is no reason for calling it that.

 

Bravo!

We should applaud the H2 as a great success for GM. I might not be measuring my garage door for one, but I admire a decent design when I see it.

The Hummer brand was going nowhere with the "civilian" H1, a vehicle which had become virtually invisible on the market in the last couple of years. GM has basically created a new luxury brand with a single product, and unlike Toyota's creation of Lexus, it took only a few months and relatively little advertising.

Putting the glad-handing aside, I really don't see how a Hummer can fit in my lifestyle. A nearly flat windshield and huge 315 profile sand tires don't work very well in a blizzard. Also, wider isn't better when you're in the woods, unless you're fond of scratches. However, I can still see why people buy these things - whether you're a rapper or a dentist, the H2 is the coolest ride out there right now. That's something that pretty hard to design into any vehicle.

 

You must really enjoy in engaging me because we really don't have anything to disagree about. GM bought Hummer. FINE. GM wanted to promote the Hummer brand with new products. FINE. They developed the H2 from off the shelf GM truck parts. FINE AGAIN.
I DO NOT DISAGREE OR HAVE A PROBLEM WITH ANY OF THAT!!!!

Just don't tell me that the H2 has the same lineage, toughness, off roadability and overall indestructability as the Hummer.....because it doesn't, not by a long shot.

The H2 wouldn't operate very well if it were airdropped....AND MISTAKENLY LANDED UPSIDE DOWN. The Humvee would. The H2 probaly couldn't handle running over an anti-tank mine. Many Humvees have been repaired and drove on after such encounters. The H2 Can't ford 5 ft of water, the H2 can't drive on four flat tires...the H2 can't absorb any appreciable battle damage.....and so on and so on.

That doesn't make the H2 bad. And I don't blame GM for making the marketing link with the H1.....I WOULD TOO.

But if we want to be honest with ourselves....the H2's relationship with the H1 is purely PR. (Again nothing wrong with that.....unless you can't stand hearing the truth).

Getting back to your Fairmont/Mustang analogy....which BTW has nothing to do with what we were talking about....I see it differently.

What if Ford bought Ferrari, and wanted a new lower cost Ferrari product to expand the lineup. If they used the Mustang platform (Fox parts or no Fox parts), and called it the Ferrari F460....would that be just as good as any other Ferrari?

 

I'm not trying to engage you, I'm just trying to reiterate the point that there is much more to H2 than just being a glorified Tahoe, that's all. You said yourself earlier that H2 was "just a re-bodied Tahoe." I'm satisfied that I corrected you so it's all good.


Going by the same logic, it would be "just as good" if this theoretical "Mustang" Ferrari lived up to Ferrari expectations in terms of style and performance. Heck, "just as good" is such an ambiguous phrase anyway...in many ways H2 is "better" than the military Humvee.

I think it's time to file this one under the dead-and-buried catalog...

 

What makes it better than a glorified Tahoe? I sincerely don't know.

Is the platform substantially revised. Does it use heavier duty parts. Has it gone with an extremely rugged all indepedent suspension like the H1?

What???????

This is your opportunity to inform me.

 

This stuff is straight from the Hummer website. I'm sure there's more out there but it's getting late.

An H2 will scale a 16 inch vertical wall, ford up to 20 inches of water, and ascend a 60% slope. Obviously the extremely short front and rear overhangs provide great approach and departure angles. The chassis also uses a brake controlled traction control system and a "TC2" system with 3 operating levels, which allow for additional wheel slip in excessive sand and mud. It is a full time 4wd setup. The H2 also utilizes heavy duty skid plates protecting the drivetrain for offroading. It is also available with an optional air adjusting suspension.

http://www.hummer.com/hummerjsp/h2/tech/strength.jsp

While you're at it, check out the H2 off-road picture gallery there. I highly doubt you'll see Tahoes doing that kind of stuff anytime soon!

 

Ahha, so the difference is the TC2.

http://academic.algonquincollege.com...034/page4.html

 

Yes, the H2 is an improvement over the standard GMT800 platform, but to think that it's the world's second-most-capable SUV is really pushing things. The weight and bulk would kill it in any tight spots - your average Wrangler or Cherokee would leave it behind in the woods or rocks. Sorry, the truth hurts.

And to even think about comparing it to the H1, well, that's a joke. The H1 is a specially-designed piece of military equipment that's nearly bombproof in civilian hands, where as the H2 is essentially a clever revamp of a passenger vehicle.

Sucks to be all those complaining folks who bought what's basically a 3/4-ton (i.e. 2500-level) truck only to discover - tada! - it works a lot like a truck. It's nice to see the poseurs get upset once in a while