H3 test drive - impressions and questions

[poul]

So to determine if I can live with it, I rented H3 from Budget ($100/day, ouch) and took it for a road trip to Mt. Rainier last weekend.

City driving is total blast, the truck is fast, responsive, and turning radius is unreal. You cannot see squat when backing during parking, of course, but I would just ride on pavement and drop from it into perfect spot.

On a highway, it’s somewhat sluggish and passing is hard, but I drive Mustang Cobra, so nothing is really fast after that monster. Overall, the impression is OK, ride is comfy and sure, lesser cars part their way to let me drive , takes turns with confidence and stays on course, which is more than can be said about most SUVs.

I went camping, and what can I say? “Almost folding” rear seats suck. Really stupid design compromise. Everybody has flatly folding rear seats these days, even freakin HHR, what’s the freakin’ problem, Chevy?

Offroad, this beast goes through any challenge I could find for it, including specially designed offroad course; it was really amusing to look at faces of all the guys with heavily modified jeeps and land cruisers when I drove past them on a trail in a rental, with music blasting, cute girl in bikini, cigar in my mouth

What concerns me is horrible handling on a gravel road. At any speed above 25MPH this thing would just skid sideways. Very unstable and uncontrollable. I could drive this in my rear drive Cobra faster and with more confidence. Every single Honda Element and Toyota Matrix passed me, driving 10..15 MPH faster, really annoying. My question to off-roaders – is this normal on rigs like this? Jeep Wranglers were passing me too.

Other than these points, I am really impressed with this beast.

Cheers,
Poul.