Toyota, Hummer Joust (Detroit News: 2006 H3 vs 2007 FJ Cruiser)

[Proetus]

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll...73240646433608

We tested a nicely equipped FJ Cruiser 4x4 with a bottom line of $30,208 and an H3 with a sticker of $33,059.

Exterior
Winner: H3

Interior
Winner: Tie

Ride & Handling
Winner: FJ Cruiser

Powertrain
Winner: FJ Cruiser

Safety
Winner: FJ Cruiser


Summary

In our runoff, the Toyota FJ Cruiser beat the Hummer H3 in the key areas of value, horsepower, fuel economy and safety. If the Toyota's looks, inside and out, speak to you more than its American counterpart, then there's virtually no contest.

Overall winner: Toyota FJ Cruiser

[69Firebird400]

The powertrain issue with the H3 is well-known and very fixable with a small V8, turbo I-5, or any number of alternatives. If they were able to squeeze a V8 under the hood, that would leave only safety and ride/handling as the FJ's "wins." I would have to imagine that a V8 might get at least similar fuel economy to the current I-5 since theoretically a driver would not have to keep it floored constantly to keep up with traffic.

Let's go, GM...fix this thing before it's too late! (Ahem...SSR).

[Buick61]

Hopefully for '07, the H3 will get more power, a better transmission, stability control across the board, and side-impact airbags.

[Quickening]

Originally Posted by Buick61

Hopefully for '07, the H3 will get more power, a better transmission, stability control across the board, and side-impact airbags.

I would really hope so, seeing as almost every organization to review the H3 has said the same thing. GM is still selling these at a nice pace..but they are being handed a nice lil check off list of things to improve on. Do these and it will put H3 firmly on top and the sale should continue.

[Aerodynamix]

Side impact airbags should be standard on everything just like driver and passenger front airbags are now. Why should increased safety be an option? Maybe a 4.8 V8 or 5.3 AFM/DoD would be the right engine to squeeze out as much acceleration and fuel economy as possible. A diesel V6 would be an aweome option too. The one thing I like about the I5 H3 is that you can get it with a manual transmission.

[Quickening]

Supposedly they were boring out the cylinders to get increase power. A diesel would be awesome.

[mjd1001]

Originally Posted by Quickening

Supposedly they were boring out the cylinders to get increase power. A diesel would be awesome.

The strong rumor is the 3.5 will become a 3.7 for the 2007 model year.

It will have more power...but the 4,000 lb H3 needs more than the 20 or so horsepower it will get from 0.2 more displacement.

Of course, I'm not buying one and even with more power I would not...so if they are selling well, the obvioulsy the people who are buying them are happy.

[Quickening]

A 3rd party company put a super charger in car and boosted the HP by 100hp..I dont' see why GM can't do this.

[give_it_all_]

In my books, the H3 wins

[bone]

They H3s are selling well because they are so sharp looking. I don't understand why a 4.8 V-8 won't fit in the engine bay. It's got to be shorter than the 3.5L 5 cylinder. Is width really the issue?

[CobaltSScrazy]

H3 hopefully will be upgrade in the next 1-3 years, one thing it has on the fj is that its a HUMMER...LIKE NOTHING ELSE, no poseurs or imitators can ever match that, even all-holy-green-TOY----ota.

[SSrevolution]

Get rid of the I-5. Thats all I have to say.

[camaro_freak]

Originally Posted by Buick61

Hopefully for '07, the H3 will get more power, a better transmission, stability control across the board, and side-impact airbags.

that is a pretty significant list! WTF GM.... was this a rush job or a quick way to generate cash for the brand?

[GotAWD]

wasnt there also a rumor like a year ago that the H3 would be getting a turbo I5? i dont see why GM released this truck with such little power. i mean theres no need for tire shreading horsepower. the Hummer brand is a cut above the rest so why not give it something more signifigant than the I4 & I5? what is it gonna take to make the bean counters and head of staff to realize that the H3 would be a slow one with such little power.

[GotAWD]

Originally Posted by camaro_freak

that is a pretty significant list! WTF GM.... was this a rush job or a quick way to generate cash for the brand?

i think its the same either way, but the truck is still a nice one. it has finished the dakkar ralley. but ya there are issues to iron out.