The first batch of the all-new 2006 H3s is here. The H3 is a smaller version of the hulking H2 that started the Hummer brand craze. I've already started to see them on the road. GM hopes to repeat of the success of the original H2 which launched the civilian Hummer brand to the world. However, that was then and this is now. There have been dramatic changes in gasoline prices; there is greater emphasis on vehicles a bit less "huge" and in LA, there is the feel-good romance with complex hybrid vehicles offered by Toyota, Honda and Ford.

The huge H2 rides on the ancient Chevy Suburban platform, although unlike a GMC clone of a Chevy product, the H2 wears its own sheet metal and has a better interior than either of its cousins. However, after the first couple years of gleeful excess and "look at me" purchases, many customers found that the H2 wouldn't fit on some narrow streets and parking was nearly impossible either in a normal parking space or your home garage. It also got terrible gas mileage on LA's stop-and-go gridlocked streets.

At this point, the H2s I see are mostly property of the Bling Clan. The more chrome trim pieces, fender guards, flood lights and fancy step bars, the better. For these purchasers, they want a truck that just screams "look how much money I spent on aftermarket crap". Even the valets at The Ivy have a hard time finding a place to park these monsters. So will the H3 bring the "normal" SUV buyers into the Hummer brand? In LA, the short answer is yes.

First and foremost, the H3 is instantly distinguishable in the vast sea of SUVs running around LA. Image is everything here and the H3, like big brother H2, makes a statement about the driver. I'm not sure what that statement might be, but I'm guessing that it has great rugged, macho appeal. Women will love that same image too.

The H3 looks like it should be driven off-road all the time and that the driver should be a great adventurer. Naturally, 99% of these SUVs will never be driven off-road. The roughest terrain would be the southbound stretch of Vermont Ave between Hollywood Blvd and Sunset. If the MTA ever fixes that mess it made with the subway station, I'm sure there are plenty of other horrible streets never repaired in LA.

Under the macho skin of the H3 is a Chevy Colorado truck platform. The Colorado and its twin the GMC Canyon are completely unremarkable trucks. In the July 2005 Consumer Reports review of crew cab pickup trucks, the Colorado was dead last on the list. In typical GM style, any new truck always starts life as a Chevrolet that has to be dressed up or re-engineered to become a more expensive GM vehicle. The H3 engineers had their work cut out for them. The brakes are beefed up to help stop the 4,700 (curb weight) H3. Front and rear suspensions are strengthened and heavy-duty monotube gas-charged shocks are added. For off-road creds, the H3 gets underbody armor and a host of impressive approach and departure angles. The average H3 driver will only care about those figures when he drives over a curb, through parking bumpers at the mall or when powering through a series of speed bumps.

The work done by Hummer's engineers will be used on the upcoming replacements for the Chevy TrailBlazer and GMC Envoy, so GM will easily recoup the engineering investment in the lower volume H3 -- even with slowing sales of big, heavy SUVs.

The H3 is saddled with GM's Vortec 3500 3.5L inline 5 cylinder engine mated to the ubiquitous 4-speed Hydra-Matic 4L460-E transmission.* I haven't heard any rave reviews of this engine/transmission combination in the Colorado and with 220 hp and 225 lb.-ft. @ 2800 rpm, I think this powertrain is insufficient for the H3's weight. Once loaded up, the GVWR climbs to 5,850 lbs. and if you actually add some construction equipment, supplies and maybe camping gear, I'm sure you can get it up over 6,000 lbs. The H3 can tow 4,500 lbs. The Honda Ridgeline can tow 5,000 lbs and that's with unibody construction and independent read suspension. Loaded, the H3's powertrain isn't going to provide any immediate acceleration needs. I was very interested (not surprised) that the Hummer literature doesn't mention that this engine is an inline 5-cylinder. I think customers were expecting a V8 or at least a strong V6 for a truck this size.

[* Note: GM is offering the H3 with a 5-speed manual transmission; however, I doubt many of those low-end models will be sold in Los Angeles where daily commutes in jammed streets, freeways and canyons are the norm. A clutch would be considered cruel and unusual punishment.]

The interior of the H3 looks much better than current Envoy or TrailBlazer. [Again, with most GM products, this is a pretty low bar to jump over.] Unfortunately, none of the extremely cool concept H3T pickup truck shown at the auto shows a couple years ago made it inside the H3. The interior is much improved and much of the really cheap plastic has been replaced with less-cheap plastic and faux-aluminum trim in the center console. The seats look like the best feature and I look forward to a test drive in the near future.

I have to say I'm disappointed with the final product. The Concept H3T was one of the coolest concept trucks I've ever seen. The interior was nothing short of revolutional for GM. Wouldn't it be great if GM had made a truck and SUV version of the Concept H3T? It's just so dulled-down that the end result disappoints auto enthusiasts like us. However, with enough bling, the H3 has plenty of balls to carry out its mission.

On Tuesday, the New York Times reported on the new ad campaign for the H3. The H3 is meant to be a mass-market SUV. So it has to appeal to a broader audience than the H2. In typical disconnect from reality, one industry analyst (probably based in Detroit) thought that it would be "impossible" for Hummer to sell itself to the masses. "How in the world can you possibly fathom that something that looks like a military vehicle is practical for the average driver." If she has any questions, she should come to Los Angeles a year from now. Despite high gas prices, I believe the H3 will appeal to a much more diverse range of customers. The H2 has become a cliché niche vehicle. I think this more human-sized H3 is a much more appealing product if you're looking for the image and versatility it offers. It's not about practicality -- it's about image. And in this time of polarized political views surround the military, I'd think that there will be plenty of red state folks who would like to drive around in a faux-military vehicle made in North America.

Then there is the issue of price. The H3 arrives with a base sticker price of $30,000. However, once you dress it up a bit, the price easily tops $40,000. I built my own H3 on the Hummer website (http://www.hummer.com). I like the site build and found it clear, easy to navigate and different enough to be memorable. There are three trim levels available -- Basic, Adventure and Luxury. Hummer's marketing department is right on top of the add-on products this time. There is plenty of factory/dealer installed bling you can buy. However, by the time you load the Luxury edition (+ $3,125) up with automatic transmission ($1,695), chrome wheels and some outside chrome ($1,650), a nice large sliding glass sunroof ($800), side curtain airbags ($395), DVD Navigation with CD ($1,995) and a few other miscellaneous items, my virtual H3 hit $42,160.

Of course, your Hummer dealer will offer bigger wheels, gaudier bling, bumper, fender guards and underbody armor stronger than an armored vehicle in Iraq carrying Don Rumsfield, and lots of bright lights that have no possible civilian purpose. So the price of a totally tricked-out H3 can easily hit $50,000+. It's still cheaper than a fully dressed H2 and the H3 will fit in a normal parking space!

Anyone wanting to buy a Hummer here in LA might be a bit disturbed to know that Hummer dealers are far and few between. I always do a search of dealers from the 90210 Beverly Hills zip code. Beverly Hills is sort of in the middle of the corridor that stretches from Santa Monica to Silver Lake and represents a vast diversity of ethnic and economic backgrounds. The closest dealer is in Sherman Oaks (think Casa de Cadillac). That's great, but when you need service, you have to drive over one of the canyons or go around the Hollywood Hills. Suddenly, that three to six mile drive turns into 45 minutes each way in hell traffic. If you live in the west or north Valley, surface traffic to Sherman Oaks isn't always great either. To the south, there is a dealer in Torrance (Penske). To the north there is a dealer in Valencia (Parkway) and the closest eastern dealer is in Pasadena (Team). There also is a dealer in Cerritos and one in Thousand Oaks, but anyone living in LA can tell you that unless you live or work close to one of these dealers, getting service is going to be really inconvenient.

I've pointed out in the past the paucity of GM stores in Metro LA. The few here are old and outdated. It's hard to invest when you can't make money selling cars. Hummer dealers are relatively new, but with the price of real estate, few dealer franchisees can afford to invest in new property. And GM's demands for the look and size of a new Hummer dealership make the investment all but impossible in most urban areas. This is definitely a customer service problem for GM and Hummer. It wouldn't look good if you had to bring your Hummer to a Chevy dealer for service. That would never happen for Lexus or Infinity. These companies know where their customers are and go the extra mile to try and have dealers in certain areas.

In April 2005, before the H3 went on sale, Hummer's sales were down by 34%. In May, sales jumped 62% compared with May 2004. Just about every point of that increase was due to H3 sales. And GM is just starting to fill the dealers' inventories. I can see a business owner using it as some sort of advertisement. If you teach doggie yoga classes in Runyon Park, everyone knows it's a real hike up there. So why not scrim your H3 with an ad for your business? Some people will think that the H3 is the "responsible" Hummer because it doesn't leave such a large "footprint" on the environment. Sure, that's just a delusional justification for a guilty pleasure, but that's what thrives in LA. The H3 isn't my cup of tea, but I predict a hit, even if it's a Chevy truck, with really nice seats and an anemic engine. The H3 has a well-defined brand image and in full bling, it will certainly make a statement -- any statement the owner wants.