The Hummer H2 is a large SUV that was marketed by Hummer and built by AM General from 2002 to 2009, it was based on a modified GMT820 Chevrolet 2500 HD in front and 1500 frame in back. A four-door pickup truck version with a midgate that opens the vehicle's interior to the external cargo bed was introduced for 2005 as the H2 SUT.
Background
In 2001 and 2002, GM allowed journalists to examine early versions of the Hummer H2, which was still under development at the time. The H2 was built by AM General under contract with General Motors at AM General Military Assembly Plant in Mishawaka, Indiana.
Standard features include air conditioning with tri-zone climate controls, tilt leather-wrapped steering wheel with radio controls, cruise control, leather upholstery, heated front and rear seats, 8-way power front seats, dual memory system, BOSE premium sound system, single-CD/cassette player and later in 2004, a 6-disc CD changer, then in 2008,a single CD-player with MP3 capability, an auxiliary input jack and DVD player, outside-temperature indicator, compass, rear radio controls, independent front torsion bar suspension, rear 5-link coil spring suspension specially created for the H2, oversized tires with HUMMER wheels, universal garage door opener and remote engine start.
Optional
Options for the H2 include adjustable rear suspension , a wide power sunroof, rearview camera, DVD entertainment system, navigation system, ladder, custom grilles, side step bars, Air compressor with road assistance kit, and 20" chrome wheels.
2008 updates
For 2008, the Hummer H2 and H2 SUT received an update. While largely unchanged on the exterior, the H2 and H2 SUT interiors were redesigned. This included new instrument cluster with improved gauges and Driver Information Center, a new leather-wrapped steering wheel, three new radios with a Bose premium audio system and auxiliary audio inputs, a new rear seat DVD entertainment system, Bluetooth hands-free calling capabilities, enhanced voice activation, new OnStar hardware with buttons moved from the rearview mirror to the overhead console, a lower dashboard-mounted radio, new dual-zone climate controls, new rear seat audio system controls, a new dash-mounted control knob for the 4X4 system to replace the old pushbutton controls, brushed aluminum interior trim panels, new interior color options, available remote engine start, and a center dashboard-mounted analog clock. Also for 2008, a new 393-horsepower, 6.2 L V8 gasoline engine replaced the old 325-horsepower, 6.0 L V8 gasoline unit, with a new "6L80-E" six-speed automatic transmission replaced the old "4L65-E" four-speed automatic unit. Hummer launched a special 2009 Black Chrome Limited Edition version.
Under the United States income tax code, the cost of vehicles with a GVWR over can be deducted from specific forms of income. This deduction was enacted decades prior to assist self-employed people in purchasing a vehicle for business use. The weight minimum was intended to limit the deduction to commercial-type trucks. For many years, the deduction remained below the average cost of a new vehicle, since large trucks were relatively inexpensive. Since it is a reduction in taxable income, the actual value of this deduction averages 30% of the price of the vehicle in question. The increasing popularity of these commercial vehicles in the late 1990s and early 2000s, however, pushed their average price to nearly double the average passenger car cost. In response, the 2002 Tax Act increased this "Section 179 depreciation deduction" to US$75,000, and it rose again to US$102,000 for the 2004 tax year. This is more than three times the current average cost of a passenger car in the United States and covers a large number of luxury models, including the Hummer H2. In late 2006, the deduction was again reduced to US$25,000 for vehicles with GVWR between.
