TL TEST
GM'S NEW H2 AND THE LIGHTWEIGHT JAYCO MAKE A VERSATILE, GO-ANYWHERE, EASY-TOWING COMBO
It may not tow the biggest trailer or haul the most cargo or people, but the all-new GM Hummer H2 is undoubtedly the most-exciting new tow rig to come along in many moons. It has the head-turning style and rugged abilities of its namesake, and it handles a trailer like an old pro.
GM's H2 embodies the best of the first-generation Hummer image in its macho styling and supreme functionality, yet its "civilianized" interior and creature comforts make it a vehicle that virtually anyone would be happy driving on a day-to-day basis. Behind that tough-guy persona lurks the spirit of a truly user-friendly tow rig.
We matched the H2 up with a Jayco Kiwi Too 28R trailer. Not all growing families have un]limited budgets or big tow rigs, so the Kiwi Too fills the bill on several fronts. This Jayco series of lightweight models is suitable for use when the user's tow vehicle does not have mega towing ability, but full RV livability and quality features are still on the must-have list.
The 28R model, with a front kitchen, mid lounge, curbside self-contained bath and aft-end master bedroom, provides full living features in a lightweight 5,300pound wet-but-empty package. The test model had a manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of $22,511 - not the least expensive of its type but still affordable as a family-use RV Its weight makes the Kiwi Too a good match for the H2's 6,700-pound tow rating.
At the same time, while the H2's $52,510 MSRP isn't exactly inexpensive, it's about half the cost of the original Hummer and very much in line with the price of a full-pop Ford Excursion, Chevrolet Suburban or other top-end SUV.
Our road-test trip found us headed up California State Highway 99 en route to the Sierra Nevada mountain range above Fresno. The objective was the Whiskey Ridge area, outside the hamlet of North Fork, where we planned to continue some research on historic sites relating to the Sugar Pine Lumber Company, which operated in this region during the 1920s. We knew this drive would cover freeways, steep highways in the mountains and scarcely maintained Forest Service roads that once were railroad grades, so the H2 would be adequately put through its paces under a variety of towing and driving situations.
POWERTRAIN
The H2 frame is all-new, made in three sections from hydroformed steel, but many of its suspension and drivetrain components are lifted directly from the GM parts bin. This helps keep costs down, as well as ensuring reliability, because the parts are time-tested in other GM applications. The independent front suspension with torsion bars soaks up the bumps on pavement or eroded granite trails, and the optional air-bag rear suspension that's part of the Adventure-series package ($2,215) works well with the solid axle to provide support and a supple ride.
Buyers have the choice of just one powertrain: The GM Vortec 6000 6-liter gas engine, Hydra-Matic 4L65-E fourspeed automatic transmission and BorgWarner electrically controlled transfer case. Given the engine's 315 hp and 360 lb-ft of torque, there are plenty of ponies under the hood for any reasonable task.
Speaking of hood, the H2's front end tilts forward in one piece in the same manner as the original Hi. The containment enclosure for the engine, however, means there's about the same engine access as there is when popping the hood on a pickup or conventional SUV.
Four-wheel disc brakes and a fourchannel anti-lock braking system (ABS) are standard. In addition, the Bosch ABS includes a traction-control system to deter wheelspin on slippery surfaces. This system monitors tire rotation at all four comers and provides individual antispin control to keep the torque routed to the tires) with the most traction.
We were surprised at how smoothly the H2 rides over rough trails. Many of the former lumber-company railroad grades have fallen into disrepair, so washouts and eroded sections are common. The H2 trundles over these spots with amazing fluidity. It's definitely a civilized ride in the outback.
In town, the H2 makes a fine, albeit attention-getting, family hauler. Ease of parking, a tight turning radius and brisk throttle response give the H2 the kind of driving manners we want in our city cruiser.
COMFORT, CONVENIENCE
Our test crew included two adults, a 10-year-old lass and a large macaw. Miss Rachel served as our back-seat comfort-and convenience analyst, and Barlow's travel cage took up most of the already-abbrieviated cargo space adjacent to the spare tire in back. Fortunately, the single third-row seat removes easily to provide extra storage space.
Compared to most other similarsized SUVs, the H2 would not be my choice if I had any considerable amount of cargo to haul along with me, plus regular back-seat passengers who'd nix the chance of folding the seats down for more space.
However, a lack of cargo space is where our objections to the new H2 end. From there on, it's all fun.
GM has done a tremendous job of creating a civilized vehicle from the original Hummer concept. Comfortable front seats, an accommodating driver's compartment and an interesting and wellplanned instrument and control layout make the H2 an easy rig to drive. The high step-over sill and definite trucklike design make it clear that this is no luxury car, but it's light years ahead of the original Hummer It's not as roomy as a conventional SUV and its angular, industrial-type decor and interior design may not be for everyone, but for those who find the H2's features appealing, it's dead-on.
A full complement of power accessories is on hand, as are GM's dual climate controls and an extensive driverinformation center that provides 28 vehicle-function readouts. A standard Bose nine-speaker sound system floods the interior with quality tunes, and the SUV is quiet enough to actually appreciate the music.
We were frequently in and out of the H2 as we stopped to investigate various lumber-company artifacts and sites. The clamber over the sill is not much worse than in any other full-size SUV, and the doors open wide to allow fairly easy adult-size access.
ON THE ROAD
In short, the H2 is a mighty fine tow vehicle. We were delightfully surprised at how well it towed and the rock-solid stability we felt with the Kiwi Too tagging along.
The H2's biggest advantage is probably its short rear-axle-to-hitch-ball dimension, a factor that has a lot to do with yaw-free travel trailer towing. It made the Jayco almost feel like a fifth-wheel trailer. Steering corrections are minimal with this combo, and cornering and braking are likewise stable and predictable. It's really easy to sit back and enjoy the drive behind the wheel of the H2.
Our standard-issue 6-percent-grade test found us motoring along at 55 mph in second gear turning 3,800 rpm, at which point the engine sounds comfortable. An even steeper 8-percent hill slowed us to 41 mph at 3,000 rpm in second gear, and that's understandable for such a slope. Downhill, the lashup held steady at 53 mph turning 3,500 rpm in second gear under engine compression only.
At 8.1 mpg while towing and 11.4 while driving solo, fuel economy is one area that's lacking in the H2, although it's par for the course for tow rigs of this general size.
TRAILER LIVABILITY
While the Kiwi 28-footer isn't the most-compact trailer we've used, it was still fairly easy to maneuver into its parking spot in the Camp 5 Forest Service campground - a spot that was once a "steel camp" for railroad workers on the lumber-company railroad - in the Whiskey Ridge area above North Fork. The manual-cranked slideout required scant effort to move to its deployed position. Rachel used the hand-cranked threaded-rod slideout drive mechanism and had no difficulties moving the room into place in less than a minute. With a simple crank-down of the optional stabilizing jacks ($100) the trailer was ready.
We've been in a lot of trailers with front-kitchen floorplans, but this one was a bit different, utilitzing open-shelftype storage areas above the kitchen on the streetside and forward walls. This was handy in that all our fixin's were plainly visible and accessible while camped, but we had to stow this gear when driving to avoid discovering a messy kitchen disaster at our next stop.
There are functional cabinets below the sink and stove and a couple more above the dinette, but that's it for storage in the kitchen/dining area. It was OK with us because we planned modest meals, and used a portable Rubbermaid container as our "bulk storage" unit during the trip. Under the circumstances, I'd delete the optional oven ($179) in favor of the storage cabinet in its place.
The balance of the kitchen works fine, as expected, but users with more than a couple of people or several days on the road planned will need to do some food-storage juggling to make the area work.
