EDMUNDS.COM 2004 HUMMER H1
Find, Buy, Review, Make offers on, and View more vehicles like the 2004 HUMMER H1 new at UsedNewCars.com!
Click Here For More Reviews On Edmunds.com
 Summary
What Edmunds.com Says
Unless you''re desperately in need of attention or you own a sprawling cattle ranch, leave the H1 to movie stars and army commandos.
Pros
Unsurpassed off-road ability, major-league attention getter.
Cons
Drives poorly on the street, not much interior room for such a big vehicle, high price, H2 offers more civility.
What''s New for 2004
The original Hummer gets a slightly reworked dash with an in-dash six-disc CD changer. The 6.5-liter turbodiesel has been retuned to deliver more power and reduce emissions.
Overview
Introduction:
The H1 (the original Hummer''s official name since the debut of the H2) is a civilian version of the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV), or Humvee used by the U.S. military. A.M. General, the current manufacturer of the H1, was awarded its first government contract to build the Humvee in 1983. Significant exposure to the American public during the Gulf War convinced A.M. General that a civilian version would be a viable consumer product. It was first made available to the public in 1992 and has sold in limited numbers continuously since then. Although certain modifications were made to qualify it for public sale, the H1 differs only slightly from the original military version. For 2004, the engine gets a bump in power and there is a new locking front diff on the Off-Road Adventure package. One of the vehicle''s many weak points is its rather spartan interior given the high price. To lessen the abuse, a Monsoon stereo is standard and there is now an in-dash CD changer. For those who want a no-holds-barred off-road vehicle, the H1 will certainly deliver. But buyers who are more interested in the image than the performance will find the H1''s primitive ergonomics and lack of refinement a bit hard to chew. If that''s the case, we recommend the H2. It''s has much of the H1''s rugged styling and off-road prowess without the military design drawbacks. Regardless of which vehicle you choose, both the H1 and H2 offer supreme off-road capability in head-turning packages that will get you noticed.
 |
For Pricing information, see Edmunds'' Pricing page. |
Body Styles, Trim Levels and Options:
The H1 is available in two body styles -- four-door open top or four-door hardtop -- and just one trim level. Standard equipment includes usual items like power windows and door locks, cruise control, a Monsoon audio system, keyless entry, a Central Tire Inflation System, heated exterior mirrors and run-flat tires. Options include a 12,000-pound winch and 17-inch aluminum wheels. There is also an Off-Road Adventure package that includes a front and rear Eaton ELocker locking differential that can be engaged at the push of a button. The package also includes a 12,000-pound winch kit, 17-inch, aluminum wheels with Goodyear Wrangler MT/R tires. Goodyear GS-As can be had in place of the Wranglers.
Powertrains and Performance:
The Hummer offers only one engine: a 205-hp turbodiesel V8 borrowed from previous-generation GM trucks. Coupled to a four-speed automatic transmission, acceleration is best described as leisurely, but 440 pound-feet of torque renders it fully capable in the dirt. Torsen differentials front and rear deliver the power to geared hubs with in-board-mounted disc brakes to protect them from damage. An Eaton E-Locker offers push-button control for locking the front and rear differentials.
Safety:
Standard antilock brakes, a tire-pressure monitoring system and a padded interior constitute the Hummer''s limited safety features. No government agency has crash tested a Hummer, but with a curb weight of over 7,000 pounds, the odds are in your favor.
|
For more Safety information, see Edmunds'' Safety page. |
Interior Design and Special Features:
Ergonomics in the passenger compartment have been improved over the years, but still lag far behind less expensive luxury SUV competitors. The seats are anything but comfortable, with a strange system of multilever adjustments that never really give you the position you''re looking for. In 2002, the Hummer received a reshaped console to give front passengers better legroom along with an express-down driver window, and in 2004 an in-dash CD changer was added. Even with these upgrades, however, the Hummer still possesses a unique personality that plants it firmly in the love-it-or-hate-it category.
|
For more Interior Features information, see Edmunds'' Specifications page. |
Driving Impressions:
The Hummer goes from zero to 60 mph in a lollygagging 16 seconds, and its top speed is only 83 mph. Don''t expect carlike, or even trucklike, handling either. The Hummer lumbers and wallows its way around town the way you might expect a 15-year-old military vehicle would. The brakes have a tough time managing to bring the three-ton beast to a stop, and the nonadjustable steering wheel often feels like it has lost its connection with the rest of the suspension.
|
For more Driving Impressions, Recent Articles and Car Awards from Edmunds'' editors, see Edmunds'' Road Tests page. |
[ UsedNewCars.com ] [ Information Index ] [ Site Map ]
[ HUMMER Information Index ] [ SUV Information Index ]
|
