GMC brought back the excitement of the Hummer but in a whole new light. The GMC Hummer EV is a massive electric vehicle that takes away what is most hated about the original Hummer models. Derived from the military’s Humvee, the Hummer brand created the H1, H2, and H3, before it was shut down. The new craze around the electric Hummer signals a change in the market and current Hummer H2 owners would be wise to hold onto their massive military-style SUVs.

Why should Hummer H2 owners keep their gas-guzzling SUVs?

The recent return of the Hummer name to the market brings higher value estimates for the Hummer H2. Recently, low mileage examples of the H2 have gone for more than $70,000 on auction sites like Bring a Trailer. That is much more than the H2 cost when it was brand new.

What makes this Hummer SUV popular and valuable?

The popularity of the H2 comes from its smaller size than the Hummer H1. The smaller footprint, coupled with its off-road capabilities, gives some owners a taste of the boxy military Humvees driven by U.S. Veterans in the Persian Gulf. This military-style SUV has increased in value because of its cult following, but also because there will never be another SUV like it.

Although the Hummer H2 never dipped its fuel mileage too high into the double digits, the popularity of the new GMC Hummer EV truck and SUV models has created price increases in the early Hummer brand vehicles.

Why were Hummer SUVs all the rage?

The H1 and H2 were unabashedly American bravado at their best. These massive bests screamed “look at me, I’m big, and I love it,” or something like that. Most off-road SUVs require the addition of lift kits, larger tires, and bigger wheels to create more ground clearance, but not the H2.

The Hummer H2 came with stick 35-inch BF Goodrich all-terrain tires, 12 inches of ground clearance, a 42-degree approach angle, and a 37-degree departure angle. This SUV could be driven from the factory to the roughest trails and tackle them easily.

Is the H2 reliable?

Some consider this version of the Hummer SUV to be one of the worst vehicles ever made, but it was never considered unreliable. In fact, for ruggedness and go-anywhere attitude, it’s hard to beat. That said, the annual maintenance and repair costs cost some owners as much as $745 per year. Still, if this SUV is becoming more valuable, that investment could be worth it in the end.

Why did this SUV fail?

The failure of the Hummer H2 was a simple formula of bad economics at the time. With skyrocketing gas prices in 2007, followed by the global automotive recession of 2008, the Hummer brand was doomed. Eventually, General Motors shut down the brand in 2010.

What is the worst Hummer H2 ever?

Although most of these military-derived brutes were basically the same, some owners modified their Hummer SUVs to stand out in a crowd of H2s (as if there were ever such a thing). The Drive found one owner who added extra lights, a massive body kit, and additional decals. One deal looks strange because the “Hummer H2” name is mirrored from the other side, causing it to read backward spelling “H2 REMMUH” which is just odd. This could be the worst H2 on the planet.

Could we see the Hummer H2 cross the stage at some of the most prestigious car auctions in the world? Anything’s possible.