The Hummer guys' hubristic claims were thus upheld. How'd they pan out? Far, far better than Carl's little gold mine panned out.Īt the end of 2.5 days of dust, dirt, and rocks, each editor was asked, "If you had to make that same trip by yourself, which vehicle would you choose?" Unanimous reply: the H3. Our three other contestants were fitted with manuals. The Laredo came with a five-speed automatic, because that's the only way Jeep builds 'em. Presto, we had a fourth Mengel Pass contender that was fiscally appropriate. So we backed down to a 4.7-liter V-8 mated to the less dear-and admittedly less capable-Quadra-Trac II. That Jeep, however, was fitted with a Hemi and the top-level Quadra-Drive II off-road package, jacking its base way north of 30 grand. And it also seemed wise to include a Jeep Grand Cherokee of some stripe, in part because that's what won our "Rock-Climbing SUVs, Size M" off-road comparo in April 2005. The H3 also faces the just-introduced 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser, which makes the most of the 4Runner chassis, minus 3.9 inches of wheelbase. "Only a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon can beat us," they boasted, "and we don't compete with that." In the $30,000-SUV range, what the H3 does face, however, is the comprehensively reworked Nissan Xterra, now riding on a platform that underpins the Pathfinder and the burly Titan pickup. The idea for this test was sparked by the Hummer public-relaters, who swore their H3 was to off-roading what a Daisy Cutter is to Fourth of July firecrackers. We weren't as skilled as Robinson, so it was lucky we were ensconced in hardware that masked most of our maladroitness. "You wanna concentrate on precise wheel placement," Robinson instructed, just as one of us high-centered the Toyota and had to be snatched backward off a craggy lump of granite the size of a major kitchen appliance. Here's how the book described it: "High-clearance 4WDs required, rough and rutted surfaces, rocks up to nine inches, mud and deep sand that may be impassable, 18-inch-deep stream crossings, steep climbs with traction problems, narrow shelf roads, steep drop-offs, tight clearances, possible chassis damage, novices sure to pee their pants." Well, maybe not that last part, although after we got started-on a trail so diabolical that a spotter was required every 100 or so feet-two of us did inquire whether anyone had packed a ration of Depends. Good idea, we agreed, until Aaron casually cautioned, "Thing is, the Last Chance trail is a Category Five."įive? We looked it up. That trail slips past the pumice mine that made Old Dutch Cleanser famous. Our expedition leader was tech editor Aaron Robinson, a skilled off-roader who felt the rest of us might benefit from a day practicing on the Last Chance Canyon Trail near Randsburg, California. Uncomfortable but not technically tricky, at least until we were beset by a swell 55-mph wind mixed with sand, giving us the sort of visibility you'd enjoy after sticking your head in a goldfish bowl. That means you'll encounter rocks larger than six inches, mud, sand deep enough to require lowering tire pressures, stream crossings, narrow rock shelves, and loose surfaces. Today, the Mengel Pass is a butt-busting trail with a Category Four rating. Tested: Eight-Way 1997 Off-Road Challenge