The Morning Call and Mcall.com's view

Thrifty government, military intelligence and small Hummer all seem like oxymorons.

But you might want to rethink that last one. The new 2006 Hummer H3 is the Hummer that even a Hummer hater could love.

I should know, since I’ve never been a big fan.

Obviously the military just loves its massive H1s, which were developed by AM General Corp., an Indiana firm specializing in the design, engineering, production and parts support of military and special purpose vehicles.

Hey, who am I to argue with the intelligence of the military brass?

I do have issue with the rather Brinks-like H2s, pretenders to the throne developed and built by GM. They are little more than a Chevy Blazer with a glandular condition. They are clown cars, ungainly cartoon doodles of the real thing.

But the H3 is a different story, advancing the marque in significant ways, most importantly in styling.

It may be hard to tell from photographs, but GM stylists have masterfully added a dose of sophistication to the Hummer’s vocabulary without detracting from the toughness the marque engenders.

Walk around this vehicle and you’ll still see a large chrome grille, chunky door handles and slab-sided swagger. But the proportion is better, and many details tacked onto the H2 have been subtracted from the H3, lending the truck a refined toughness. OK, the step-in height is still a bit challenging for those wearing tight skirts. But at least a woman might want to be seen in this vehicle.

And when she does climb inside, she’ll find it’s all good.

GM has been upgrading the quality of its interiors and it shows on the H3. Like the interior of many vehicles, there’s hard plastic. But it’s offset by a salt-and-pepper colored fabric stitched together with French seams. It’s refined yet rugged. Switchgear and knobs have a good solid feel.

The instrument panel is thankfully free of the sort of electronic gewgaws that have overrun too many SUVs. That also means there’s no LCD screen to distract the driver at night.

While admiring the H3’s cockpit, you might notice the comfortably firm seats you’re sitting on. They prove excellent on long trips, although the rear seat cushion is somewhat low.

The H3s manners are the real surprise.

The H3 shares its underpinnings with the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon pickups. But the H3 seems much more solid than its cousins. It also feels more nimble, able to squirt through parking lots with an ease you just don’t associate with Hummer (unless you’re rolling over something).

Road manners are a real surprise as well. The ride is firm, but not punishing. Body lean is well-controlled for an SUV and there’s nary a trace of any bobbing or weaving. But the Hummer was just as good going off-road. But a word of caution: while driving the Hummer across a field of tall grasses, myself and a fellow troublemaker were able to fill up the cavity in front of the radiator with a milkweed-like substance that required stopping and scooping it all out from behind the grille.

But the H3 is also surprisingly quiet at all speeds. It’s even quieter than a recently-tested Buick minivan.

But it isn’t fast.

The Hummer uses the Colorado/Canyon’s in-line five-cylinder engine, mated to either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic and a four-wheel-drive system. Acceleration is merely adequate, something true of other Hummers. So in this regard, it’s true to form. But GM is hinting at more power in future model years. It’s needed.

There’s a flip side to the smaller engine and that’s fuel economy, which ran right around 17 mpg in mixed driving. That’s good for any four-wheel-drive vehicle and may banish the thought from some minds that all Hummers are gas hogs.

Cargo room is quite good, with the rear seats folding for additional space, although the seats don’t fold flat. Additionally, the rear cargo door is incredibly heavy, and the lone strut doesn’t seem stout enough to survive the payment book.

The test vehicle started at $28,935, with a bottom line of $35,225, which is right in line with many competitors, some of which offer a navigation system or some such gadget.

But the Hummer H3 has a rugged simplicity and stylish elan that trumps them all, making this a must-drive if you’re considering an SUV in the mid-30s.

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Email:larry.printz@mcall.com