2008 Hummer H3 Alpha Road Test Video

By Edmunds Video Productions | Published September 25, 2009

2:44 min

It�s hard to come off like a tough guy with only an inline five-cylinder engine under the hood. Yet that�s exactly what the Hummer H3 has been up against ever since its introduction in 2005. Tired of getting sand kicked in its face, the H3 has bulked up with a new more muscular version � it�s called the H3 Alpha. Get it? Alpha as in Alpha Dog, Alpha male, leader of the pack. A little silly? Perhaps, but Hummer has backed up all the Alpha talk with a 5.3 liter V8. It�s the same V8 General Motors uses in its other full-size trucks, although due to exhaust constraints, the H3 Alpha�s V8 makes 15 fewer horsepower. Still, it�s rated at 300 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque --up 78 lb ft of torque and 58 hp versus the H3�s inline-five. The extra power is noticeable right away. The Alpha gets from 0-60 in 8.8 seconds -- that�s about two seconds quicker than the normal H3 but a second slower than a V6-powered Toyota FJ. Handling is about average for a vehicle in this class which is to say it hates slaloms. On the skidpad, It records only 0.69g of lateral grip. If the H3 Alpha was our daily driver, we would probably get used to the slightly bouncy ride you get w/ an off-road calibrated suspension. The interior takes no getting used to � the materials are decent and features like leather trim, heated power seats, XM radio and a Monsoon sound system are standard. To make sure everyone knows the H3 Alpha is packing � there are some exterior upgrades as well. Largely they consist of chrome trim but there are also fog lights and all-terrain tires. If you love extreme rock crawling and mud slinging and hate Jeeps and will only buy a product with a domestic badge, then the 2008 Hummer H3 Alpha is a great choice. But if you�re going to pretend that the H3 Alpha is somehow a reasonable commuter car, then prepare to make some sacrifices.