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Handling
Key Points:
Natural habitat is still off-road, but pavement driving much improved
Drives like a well-mannered truck
One of the most comfortable off-road capable, truck based SUVs available
Hey – 2006 Hummer H3 is a truck that weighs 4,700 lbs. and is designed to travel the Rubicon Trail. If you want a smooth ride, go buy a Honda Pilot. But if you don’t mind a little harshness and body roll in return for awesome off-road capability, the H3 does the job nicely. Just avoid taking corners sharply, or entering into an autocross competition. Seriously, though, push the H3 hard and you’re sure to get plenty of a-rockin’ and a-rollin’, not to mention loud complaining from the big 32-inch tires. This is not the type of vehicle you ever drive aggressively, unless you’re fording a stream. Once again – it’s a truck, bubba, with a ladder-type frame, basically from the Chevrolet Colorado pickup platform. Drive it like a truck and you’ll be content with its handling. Indeed, chances are that you’ll be very happy with its handling on a day-to-day basis, given the H3’s tight turning radius and overall easy maneuvering character. In traffic or on city streets, the H3 handles adeptly, and the 9.1-inch clearance gives drivers a nice view of the road ahead. The result is an SUV that overcomes a critical shortcoming in terms of rearward visibility and reacts to commands in a nimble fashion during urban driving chores such as changing lanes, turning, and merging into traffic. It’s the more civilized Hummer, indeed, one that feels at home on city streets as well as canyon trails.
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