Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon vs. Hummer H3T

Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited vs. Hummer H3T

Last year, we compared the dirtside manners of the Hummer H2 and Toyota Land Cruiser. Both trucks did everything we asked of them, but at the end of the excursion we were left with another question begging to be answered: could the Hummer H3T stand up to the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon? These cruiserweights live on a fatter part of the buying curve, and any time a Jeep is summoned to the ring, the other vehicle is inevitably the challenger. Even though the H3T is still relatively new to the world, it came time to find out if it was ready to stand up and fight for its place.



In one corner, we have the 2009 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited and in the other, the 2009 Hummer H3T fitted with the Adventure Package that adds such off-road accoutrement as 33-inch tires and a locking front differential. Get the two together for stats and weigh-in, and this is what you come up with:

	Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon	Hummer H3T w/ Adventure Package
Price	$32,840	$34,065
Engine	3.8-liter V6	3.7-liter inline-five
Transmission	Four-speed Automatic	Five-speed manual
Peak HP @ RPM	202 hp @ 5,200 RPM	239 hp @ 5,800 RPM
Peak Torque @ Rpm	237 lb-ft @ 4,000 RPM	241 lb-ft @ 4,600 RPM
EPA Mileage (city/hwy)	15/19 mpg	14/18 mpg
Curb Weight	4,442 pounds	4,911 pounds
Length	184.4 inches	212.7 inches
Width	82.8 inches	85.1 inches
Wheelbase	116 inches	134.3 inches
Ground Clearance	10.1 inches	10.2 inches
Approach	44.4 degrees	38.7 degrees
Breakover	20.8 degrees	20.2 degrees
Departure	40.5 degrees	30.6 degrees
Tires	32-inch	33-inch
Suspension	Solid axle with locating arms, coil springs, track/stabilizer bars, gas-charged monotube shocks	(Front) Independent SLA torsion bars, gas-charged monotube shocks, tubular stabilizer bar, (Rear) multi-leaf semi-elliptic dual-stage leaf spring, gas-charged monotube shocks, stabilizer bar
Additional	Electronic sway bar disconnect, front and rear locking differentials, Dana 44 Heavy Duty front and rear axles, 4.10:1 low, 3,500-lb max tow rating	Locking front and rear differentials, 4.03:1 low, 4,400-lb max tow rating, 1,090-lb bed payload capacity

The H3T is materially more vehicle, and it shows everywhere. You get more room inside, a better ride, and more power, but you lose out on things like approach and departure angles due to the Hummer's overhangs. Would it matter? We thought it time to find out.



But first we'd have a snoop around the two trucks. The Rubicon's styling gives only the merest nod to the word "design" – it's two rectangles with fender flares and bumpers. And for that, we like it. As with most Porsche products, the Jeep's exterior styling hasn't changed much over the last few decades – form follows function, and to good effect. If someone pulled up in a Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon and asked if you wanted to go for a bite, they might mean heading to the local Ruby Tuesday's or driving to the Pampas to slay some Argentine beef. The Rubicon, especially with a liberal coat of mud, is just that kind of contraption.







However, the rest of the Wrangler doesn't venture far beyond that level of nuance. In our previous review, we noted the Rubicon's asceticism and called it out for being "a Protestant affair." That's a fair description at best and, depending on how long you drive or where you're sitting, you might replace that with "penitent."



The original Willys Jeep was made in response to World War II. The Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited appears to have been made in preparation for World War III. Assuming that such a conflict transports us back to a quasi Stone Age, here is a quasi Stone Age vehicle with which to tackle that retro future. There is nothing wrong with it – it's just radically basic. Even though the seats were wrapped in cloth, the interior screamed "Clean me with a hose," something the Rubi's owners would be all too happy to oblige.







Get on the move and you'll discover, as one of our fellow drivers remarked, "Every road is bumpy in the Rubicon." The short-ish wheelbase, high ride height, and a suspension tuned for Battlefield Earth will have you experiencing more good vibrations than you ever wanted. And that's if you're sitting in the front seat. If you're unlucky enough to be banished to the rear bench, with its Lilliputian bolsters and crippling lack of leg room, the encounter could give you PTSD and violent flashbacks every time someone mutters the word "Rubicon."



Yet the Rubicon knows its chosen habitat, and it knows its customers: Jeep-o-philes want a vehicle capable of doing the beat in town and capable of going anywhere off-road. Make no mistake: this is that truck.







The H3T is not merely a horse of another color – it's an entirely different breed of equine. Hummer also knows its customers: They want to go anywhere and will pay a little more to get a little more. The nearly 500-pound weight difference doesn't just come down to footprints: there's a great deal more finish in the cabin: a thick, leather-wrapped steering wheel, more tactile controls, a six-disc CD changer, rear view camera, and a proper rear bench with great seating for two and just enough for three. And the ride is actually pleasant.



The H3T's giant 33-inch rubber certainly doesn't hurt, but the extra inch over the Jeep's BFGs isn't the only thing responsible for its vastly smoother road manners. Heavier and with a longer wheelbase, the H3T is planted where the Rubicon is petulant, and the extra cabin materials make for a more serene experience when ambling along at speed.