HUMMER H3T declared Pickup Truck of the Year by Four Wheeler
Click above for a high-res gallery of the HUMMER H3T
HUMMER might be getting shown the door, but it's not going to leave without taking some of the silverware. Four Wheeler magazine put the marque's newest brute, the H3T Alpha, up against the Dodge Ram, Ford F-150, and... um... the Suzuki Equator (bet you didn't see that one coming), and the V8-powered HUMMER truck took home the medal. The trials lasted a week and involved traveling 1,000 miles over various terrain from sea level to more than a mile high. According to Four Wheeler, "Not only was the HUMMER highly competent and the staff favorite on the trail, it also has the added pluses of on-road comfort, distinctive looks and a usable pickup bed." While we wouldn't mind seeing the H3T earn the top spot against a wider field and stiffer competition, regardless of year, it's good to see it rewarded for its monumental capability.
Gallery: Review: 2009 HUMMER H3T Alpha
[Source: Four Wheeler]
PRESS RELEASE
Four Wheeler Names Hummer H3T 2009 Pickup Truck of the Year
Los Angeles, CA (December 4, 2008): Four Wheeler magazine, the nation's oldest and most prestigious four-wheel drive enthusiast magazine, and a publication of media and marketing services company Source Interlink Companies, Inc. (NASDAQ: SORC), has named the 2009 Hummer H3T the winner of its coveted Pickup Truck of the Year award. The in-depth competition has been held annually since 1989, and this year marks Hummer's first-ever win.
The 2009 competitors' list included four new four-wheel-drive pickup trucks: The H3T, the Dodge Ram, the Ford F-150, and the Suzuki Equator. To qualify, each vehicle had to be entirely new, or sport substantial mechanical revisions from a previous model year, in addition to using a two-speed transfer case.
"The competition this year was fierce, with any of the four competitors capable of taking home the trophy, but in the end, it was the Hummer H3T that emerged from the dust as our 2009 Pickup Truck of the Year," said Four Wheeler Technical Editor, Sean P. Holman. "Not only was the Hummer highly competent and the staff favorite on the trail, it also has the added pluses of on-road comfort, distinctive looks, and a usable pickup bed. Hummer has done its research to provide the four-wheeling enthusiast with a vehicle that has been designed around their needs from the beginning, rather than offering an off-road version of an existing product and it shows in the final product. Congratulations to Hummer's 2009 H3T, our Pickup Truck of the Year."
"The new H3T Alpha is perfect for the person who has to have a pickup to tow and haul, but can't live without above average off-highway capability," added Senior Editor Ken Brubaker. "The H3T is the Alpha male in its segment. Nothing else comes close."
The Hummer won the competition's prestigious Off Highway Performance category, and performed strongly in all other scoring categories. The week-long Pickup Truck of the Year test consisted of a 1,000-mile curriculum on streets, highways, rocky trails, desert sand dunes and steep hills. Elevations ranged from sea level to over 6,000 feet, and the H3T excelled in virtually every type of driving environment.
About FOUR WHEELER
Now in its 47th year of publication, Four Wheeler is published monthly by Source Interlink Media, LLC and reaches over 236,000 subscribers monthly with total approximate readership of three million off-road enthusiasts. Learn more at www.fourwheeler.com.
Source Interlink Companies, Inc. (NASDAQ: SORC), a $2.2 Billion media and marketing services company operating in 25 states, is a leading U.S. distributor of home entertainment products and services and one of the largest publishers of magazines and online content for enthusiast audiences. Source Interlink Media, LLC publishes over 75 magazines and 90 related web sites. Source Interlink Distribution services tens of thousands of retail store locations throughout North America distributing DVDs, music CDs, magazines, video games, books, and related items. In addition to distributing over 6,000 distinct magazine titles annually, the Company maintains the largest in-stock catalog of CDs and DVDs in the U.S. -- a combined total of more than 260,000 titles. Supply chain relationships include consumer goods advertisers, subscribers, movie studios, record labels, magazine and newspaper publishers, confectionary companies and manufacturers of general merchandise.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
happy_penguin 5:02PM (12/09/2008)
Interesting.
Reply
matthew 6:33PM (12/09/2008)
What I find interesting is that they used the V8 H3T instead of the V8 Chevy Colorado. At least you'll be able to buy that truck in the foreseeable future.
Cole Mitguard 4:43AM (12/10/2008)
I don't see how this could be... I havent read the article, nor will I waste my time reading about a car that is about to go out of existence, but I was in one of these at the SF autoshow, the exterior scrams that you want an H2, but you just cant afford it so this is what I came up with, the interior is WORSE than a Sebring, and if it drives anything like the H2... I just dont get it... I guess its cause I live in a city... maybe if I could equip is with the optional HUMMER chrome gun rack on the back... then I would understand.
James 5:06PM (12/09/2008)
are people still buying Hummers? According to the By The Numbers article on 12/2 they were selling a whopping 58 a day...nationwide.
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Kumail 5:11PM (12/09/2008)
but that was before gas was $1.65 a gallon.
anyways, i don't know why, but this thing just doesn't look right...
noz 9:16PM (12/09/2008)
Frankly that's 58 too many. Thank God it's dying.
Parkerman 5:09PM (12/09/2008)
Why.. would you name THAT... truck of the year....
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happy_penguin 5:29PM (12/09/2008)
Did you even bother to read the article?
moyoi 10:54AM (12/10/2008)
guessing no?
aaron 5:11PM (12/09/2008)
Well, not a bad way of going out even though it's a small award and print is less relevant than ever. Now if they could only get the 6-speed from the H2 with the V-8 that would be cool.
I've got a feeling I might be one the few positive comments...
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happy_penguin 5:31PM (12/09/2008)
Positive? I think your comment is rather condescending.
aaron 5:57PM (12/09/2008)
Well, when you have artards on here that bash everything Hummer without reading the post (or even reading it), I just assumed at the time that my comment was going to be one of the few positive posts. Good thing is, so far I'm wrong. The award is still a win for the beleaguered brand regardless of the fact that magazines aren't being bought.
If I forgot something tell me penguin. If not, move along.
happy_penguin 6:09PM (12/09/2008)
"it's a small award and print is less relevant than ever"
That's condescending. Truth be told, I hate the Hummer and if it disappeared from existence it wouldn't hurt my feelings. But if it does some things well, good on it. And apparently Four Wheeler likes it for whatever reasons, in whatever this Hummer does well. Like I said, good on it but I'll never buy one even though I'd love to, just to piss off the tree huggers. I'd make sure I NEVER had a passenger and use it every day for my daily commute. :)
aaron 6:17PM (12/09/2008)
"Like I said, good on it but I'll never buy one even though I'd love to, just to piss off the tree huggers."
lol. Good stuff. I apologize because I didn't mean to be condescending. I guess I was being too modest as I was afraid I might be ripped by tree huggers, thus pissing me off, putting me on a soap box to rant and rave looking like I have nothing better to do.
Truth is, I have nothing better to do ;)
noz 9:19PM (12/09/2008)
"Like I said, good on it but I'll never buy one even though I'd love to, just to piss off the tree huggers."
I'm sure your kids would be proud of the responsible legacy you're leaving them...you can say you just did to boost your ego.
Jake B 5:10PM (12/09/2008)
I saw this coming. The H3T Alpha is a wild beast that I would absolutely love to own. It is attractive, not that big, practical, and the interior is really quite nice. Not to mention that I would have absolutely zero problems driving it around up here in blizzard status Alaska. GM needs to keep Hummer but use it to accentuate other brands, use it as a niche, it could be profitable.
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phewop 5:12PM (12/09/2008)
Finally, credit where credit is due. The H3 and H3T are some of the most capable and nicest vehicles on the road. It's a shame that GM wants to get rid of them. Why can GM make a Chevy out of them to replace the Trailblazer? Bring the cost down a little and it will sell like hotcakes.
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phewop 5:20PM (12/09/2008)
By the way, I own a 2007 H3 and it really is a great truck - not 1 problem on it in nearly 2 years and it gets reasonable MPG. If only I waited though, as the V8 is way better than the so-so I5.
akboss 5:24PM (12/09/2008)
That's the problem...'most capable vehicles on the road' - a Hummer isn't supposed to be on the road, and if it is, it is surely less capable than just about anything else, up to and including a Honda Civic. I'd love to see slalom numbers or emergency lane change results for a Hummer. If you wanted to tow, you'd get a diesel pickup. If you wanted comfort, you'd get a luxury car. If you wanted off-road capability, you'd get a Jeep for half the price. If you're stupid, you'd get one of these.
phewop 5:38PM (12/09/2008)
Yes it certainly is THE most capable off-road, but it is still quite capable on-road as a daily driver. The ride isn't too bumpy, but it isn't sloshy. The handling is better than most other SUVs and the acceleration is right in line with your average accord 4 cylinder or civic. Plus it offers plenty of passenger and cargo space, fantastic looks, and an amazing interior level of refinement (something that many other vehicles in the price range lack, especially the Honda Pilot).
As a side note, these things are rather cheap right now with all the discounts GM piles on them. A few years ago, leasing was cheap - I lease mine at $310 a month, which is a better price than you'd pay for a Camry lease.