2009 HUMMER H3T

In 2006 the brand borrowed the Chevy Colorado / GMC Canyon truck chassis to underpin the H3 SUV. Now, in a crazy automotive circle of life, the truck-based SUV will spawn an actual pickup truck.

The 2009 Hummer H3T gains twenty-two inches between its wheels compared to the T-less H3 SUV. That extra length allows Hummer to fit a five-foot bed instead of making do with whatever would have fit on the H3's shorter wheelbase and also increases rear-seat room over a Canyon or Colorado crew cab.

Engine choices are direct carryovers from the H3. A 3.7-liter I-5 is standard, with the choice of either a five-speed manual or optional four-speed automatic transmission. A V-8 will reside underhood of the top-of-the-line 2009 H3T Alpha, sending 300 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque through a five-speed automatic. The eight-cylinder Alpha will have a tow rating of 5900 lbs.

Like the H3 SUV, the Hummer H3T should prove useful as an off-roading accessory. Full-time four-wheel drive is standard, as are skid plates to protect the undercarriage. The H3T has been designed as a toy hauler and will accommodate dirt bikes, motorcycles, and ATVs.

"The T, as the gang from Hummer refers to the truck, is basically an H3 SUV with a 22-inch longer wheelbase and a five-foot pickup bed behind the rear seats.

A lethargic and long-geared four-speed automatic neuters both the 242-hp five-cylinder and the 300-hp V-8. You can get a five-speed manual with the smaller engine, although, in the SUV at least, very few buyers choose it.

More important, this new V-6 and the V-8 both will get a six-speed automatic. E85 fuel capability also is in the cards. While this is all good news, we'll have to wait until the 2010 model year for the change.

Hummer is also seriously looking at diesel power for the H3 and the H3T.

But for now, prospective H3T buyers who want a rock-crawling, mud-slinging pickup but who intend to spend most of their time on pavement would do well to wait for the new V-6 and the more modern six-speed automatic.

The H3T, which was introduced at the Chicago Auto Show last February, is based on Hummer's successful H3, offering a longer wheelbase and crew-cab configuration, with a true 5-foot box that measures 48 inches between the wheelwells.

The H3T mimics the H3 in powertrain options with the 3.7L inline five-cylinder as the standard engine, with either a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual, and can be had with the excellent 4:1 transfer case and 33s with the Adventure package. Also available is the 5.3L V-8 Alpha model, with a four-speed automatic only.

Thanks to a higher-capacity steering pump from the V-8 on all models and a quicker steering ratio, the H3T drives almost exactly like the H3 over just about any road, save for situations requiring tight turns where the 134-inch wheelbase becomes a bit of a liability.

Other modifications that are exclusive to the T are a frame with a deeper section height that allows the fullsize spare to fit between the framerails, as well as a fuel tank that is fully tucked up out of harm's way. A two-position tailgate is one more feature of the Swiss Army bed.

It rides on the crude Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon crew cab architecture (with a wheelbase stretched nearly eight inches) and available with those pickups' 3.7-liter I-5 or 5.3-liter V-8 engines.

Forget the V-8-powered Alpha, which comes only with a four-speed automatic. Ours also came with an as-tested sticker price of $45,195, making it the antithesis of value.

Our biggest complaint is outward visibility. Its low, wide windshield is the kind that requires most drivers to crane their necks to see stoplights.

As one of the largest names in the truck aftermarket world, DiamondBack Truck Covers received the opportunity to work with Hummer on developing an officially licensed tonneau cover for the 2009 H3T sport utility truck.

The DiamondBack H3T tonneau cover mounts to the H3T's utility track system, making installation and removal a breeze.

The H3T cover is available in two options -- the original aluminum diamond-plate or a LINE-X XTRA-coated version in black. LINE-X XTRA is a spray-on color composite urethane coating that contains Kevlar for additional protection from the elements and anything a truck owner has to throw at the cover.

2009 Hummer H3T SUTs because the fuel tank may potentially separate from the rest of the truck. Holding the fuel tank to the H3T are two support straps and a skidplate, but in some instances the front support strap may break.

Continued use of the truck without the front strap could lead to the failure of the rear strap and the skidplate, which would cause the fuel tank to drop from the truck.