Trebor - that's an interesting observation about towing. I noticed when I had 3 hefty passengers in the H3, I could barely feel the difference in handling/ride/acceleration. In my previous Toyota Highlander, extra weight was much more noticeable.


Other observations:

-the driver's armrest/window controls setup is lame but not too bothersome.
-I would like a 5th gear and closer gear spacing on the automatic tranny.
-brakes are pretty good, 4 piston calipers on front-impressive for a truck
-love that huge sunroof
-backing up requires a lot of extra attention, I'm considering electronic aids later.
(fyi-Jag X-type back sensors work great)
-cargo space is only adequate with rear seat up
-space in general is only adequate due to all that heavy duty hardware and ground clearance underneath
(of course a front-wheel derived crossover SUV will have better space utilization)
-Even in the trendy Bay Area, H3's are still somewhat rare. I've only seen about a dozen on the road so far.


Steve