• Not your average SUV

• Comfortable, well-equipped interior.

• Lower than average mileage for these

The original Hummer was developed from the US Military’s M998 HMMWV (Humvee), a soft-skin troop/cargo carrier/medivac that first saw action in Panama in the late 1980s. Arnold Schwarzenegger had a lot do do with the manufacturer, AM General’s decision to adapt a version to civilian use.

Going on sale in 1990, the Hummer H1 shared many drivetrain components with its military counterpart, as well as brakes, frame, hood and tailgate. They were even produced ion the same assembly line. Subtly and restraint were certainly not part of the brief, and even with the bigger roads - and garages of North America, nor was practicality.

In 1999, General Motors bought the rights to the Hummer and immediately set about designing a more toned down, practical version; at least by the standards of the H1.

Weighing in at  8600lb, the H2 was more manageable on the road, fit into far more garages and had a luxury SUV interior. Powered by a six-litre petrol V8 producing in excess of 310bhp, the new model still retained most all of its predecessor’s pretty awesome off-road abilities. 

However, even in this more accessible guise, the Hummer was losing popularity with buyers less enthralled by military chic and less tolerant of high fuel consumption. Despite the release of a smaller H3 in 2005, the Hummer line was terminated in 2009.

Imported from the States in 2005, the present owner acquired the vehicle in 2019. It’s paperwork shows that the big SUV has led a pretty sedentary life in recent years, covering roughly only 400-600 miles a year since 2013. Fuel bills are made a little easier by an LPG conversion, with the gas tank sitting in the rear cargo area.

Records show that the Hummer was declared a Category D write-off for insurance purposes in 2013. However, Cat D denotes no major structural damage (and is often used in surprisingly light cases). The Hummer was repaired and put back on the road

There isn’t a lot of paperwork to go with the truck. The H2 retains its V5 as well as an RAC vehicle check. There are also some older MOT certificated, which, together, verify the mileage. Its worth looking through the documentation just to see how many times its referred to as a Humber! 

Well, you won't lose this one in the car park for sure.The Hummer sports  a combination of chrome and yellow, which, for the most part, is in pretty good condition. What the truck needs most is a good polish and valet. 

The paintwork has a good gloss in the main and most of the (quite extensive) chrome is sound. You will find pitting on some parts - details are scruffy - and there is corrosion on the bonnet locks. though the straps themselves are fine and operate smoothly. Panel gaps are as per the factory and all the doors open without creaking or sagging.

The bumpers are scratched in places and you will find some slight fading to the plastic here and there. But all major plastic parts look sturdy. The door seals retain a healthy black colour and remain supple.Door cavities and hinges look pretty healthy.

Looking lower down, the chrome running boards look fine, with all plastic parts intact. The big alloys do show some corrosion/oxidation.

This is a well equipped cabin, which includes ‘tri-zone’ climate controls, eight-way power front seats, heated seats front and back, and a BOSE sound system.

Like the outside, what the interior of the Hummer needs most is a thorough valeting. 

The grey leather seats are in a generally good condition,their colour is consistent and fade-free across the car. They do show a light creasing with some scuffs to the outer edges of the cushions, the worst being a couple of cracks in the rear seat cushion on the off-side.

The steering wheel shows no fading and the gear selector too is quite presentable, though some buttons (most notably on the hifi) have garnered a lot of wear. Similarly, the door panels and switches are largely good with some localised areas of wear or, in one small patch, discolouration. Carpets are intact but need a clean.

There are a lot of brackets and bracing to the Hummer’s engine ba, many of which have trapped a bit of grime, though there are no signs of corrosion. The paint here is very good. The sound proofing to the underside of the bonnet is intact.

The six-litre V8 and its ancillaries are pretty dusty, but yes; another clean should improve things considerably.

The underside of the truck is showing a fair bit of surface corrosion on such things as chassis rails and anti-roll bars. 

Everything still looks pretty sturdy - outriggers and springs  look fine - though it will be something a buyer will want to keel an eye on.

The Hummer H2 actually has very good bones as an off-roader, so if you’re not so bothered about re-detailing it as a glam-wagon, it might make in interesting and eccentric alternative to the usual 4x4 suspects. 

One thing these trucks do have is character and you can end up really liking them against your better judgement.