I personally witnessed a Hummer snap the front like this, driving over a speed bump in a grocery store parking lot.

I beleive it's a defect, but the fact you don't hear about it more shows how infreqeuntly they go off road.

That would happen to a large number of production cars! Not to defend the Hummer, but if you took many of the large SUVs in production into a situation like that, you will see the same result.

Despite the origins of the name, the production Hummer is more like an Escalade than what a soldier drives!

Well this begs the question,
'What kind of vehicles do successfully navigate 'roads' like these?'

I'd hike, but..ya know...

Mule/horse Hooves would likely get stuck in a hole and break a leg.

I think it's a reality check. Lots of people think the Hummer is the "toughest" SUV. Yet it if can't deal with a few rocks, the others probably can't either. It's all about image.

Not to mention that people really shouldn't be off-roading anyway! I can understand an SUV if you live in a super-snowy-mountainy place, a pickup if you do work like construction, or a minivan if you have a large family. But otherwise, I like my sub-compact!

The h2 is a well known bad off road platform, based on the 2500 (3/4 ton) suburban its too heavy and wide for trails and is based off a platform that was designed for towing and hauling not off road ability. The GM 2500 series also has too weak of tie rods for off road trails like this and those tie rod ends are one of the first things that need upgraded.
Lots of off road people know that you can take a 1500 or 1500 suburban and a few after market parts and make a more capable than a stock h2 for less. It truly is/was a vehicle for the Arnold wannabes.

Well, the *original* hummer was an off-road vehicle...

The later incarnations were pale shadows of the originals. It was more of a "Let's license the name and put a vaguely hummer-looking body on the chassis of a Durango" kind of ploy.

My dad has a jacked-up 1979 Ford Bronco that's more suitable for off-roading (or at least, back-roading) than this thing in no small part due to the higher ground clearance. But at the same time, this video demonstrates more that this creekbed isn't the place to take any vehicle. Because if something breaks, you'll need a helicopter to get it out.

That has to be a defect. It happened way too easily.

That wouldn't be a fun place to do a tie-rod repair.

I don't understand why people have to drive up terrain like that...just because?...just put some hiking boots on and go for a walk.

Boy we've turned into a dumb species

This cheered me up immensely. Thank you.

EPIC FAIL.

That isn't even that bad a road. We've done worse to our geology department vans -- modified Ford 10-seaters -- and they're just fine.

That's great!! "Hey guys, check me out!" Doh!

Get a JEEP! Aside from the H2 being junk, the wheelbase is too long for that kind of terrain. I've gone over terrain like that in a JEEP trying to get to hard to reach camping spots.

That would have been even funnier if the vehicle exploded with its evil occupants still inside.

They use cranes to lift them up onto the rocky terrain they shoot for the commercials.

No matter what that monster truck is meant for, that video is hilarious:)

Ok, I hate Hummers as much as the next person, but this is a silly and kinda meanspirited article for Treehugger, don't you think? Not really contributing to the dialogue, more like pointing and going "nyahh nyahhh"....

applebox ---> it's more like pointing and snickering behind your hand

Oh one more thing .... serious off-roaders consider the H2 a poser vehicle and they don't snicker when they see this video they laugh out load and point out the obvious faults of this beast as an off-road vehicle. :D

The H2 is nothing more than an over-priced ego boost - it's useful for nothing else.

ps the original Hummers are serious off-road vehicles

Thad asked, "What kind of vehicles do successfully navigate 'roads' like these?"

A Hummer H1 or a Jeep modified for off-roading wouldn't have problems with this. Driving a stock Shoppingmall Utility Vehicle on roads like this is a bad idea, though, as this owner found out.

Fortunately, if you can afford $60k for what is essentially a minivan with a marketing budget, you can easily afford the $5k is probably cost these people to get their H2 towed out of here and repaired.

@TrollPatrol

The original hummer isn't known to be the best off road vehicle either. It usually requires a trail twice as wide as a jeep to start with. Then there is the whole debate around independant suspension vs solid axel where a solid axel does a better job of lifting the center of the vehicle. And of course the cost, one could build three more capabale off road vehicles for the price of an original hummer. Its all about using the right tool for the job, the hummer was designed fit a certain need and true off roading was actaully low on the list since the .mil can easily plow a makeshift road with a blade on the front of a tracked vehilce.

@ justin

Its really no different than any other sport, its a test of the drivers ability to navigate rough terrain and ability to build a capable vehicle.

Auto manufacturers learn from sports such as these, racing shows how to make cars more aerodynamic and off road sports helps with tire and suspension technology.

personally, i know that my chevy could take more than that H2, and all it has done is an SAS, 350 swap, race headers, and a 3" body lift. but at least it gets better mileage and pollutes less!!

ANY landrover/rangerover could deal with this! I suspect that even the little Fiat Panda 4x4 would cope better given some help to climb the larger rocks. The hummer hums big time - talk about a car that should never have gone into production! It's end is well and truly due!

I love it! FUH2!!!

Was that one of the infamous Hummer Heroes?

typical yankee chicken shit .. what you need is a real off roader .. range rover dicovery v8 .. ths dogs bollocks