2012 Hummer H4

With GM making plans to discontinue the Hummer Brand Name and every automaker killing their SUV line up there is still a large amount of us that want more. According to J. D. Power and Associates, the Hummer brand captures and retains owners better than most, so it’s worth nurturing. The trick is making hugeness less of a calling card – a process that started with the demise of the H1 – but preserving extreme off-road ability.

2012 hummer h4

As anyone who has done any serious off-roading can attest, size is your enemy on the trail, so a smaller but still off-road-ready Hummer, perhaps like the HX concept makes perfect sense. The HX gives us a good look at the upcoming H4, and if that new entry has all the off-road gear of the show car, it’ll be a strong addition to the lineup. The HX sports full-time four-wheel drive with locking front and rear differentials, 35-inch tires, a 3.6-liter direct-injected V-6, and an electronically disconnectable front antiroll bar – not to mention that unmistakable blocky styling. I think it will be a big hit not just in the U.S. market.