Say this much for the 2006 Hummer H3: It ain’t no wilting pansy. The look is smash mouth all the way, something any good soccer Mom would find to be an endearing quality about her SUV. You want that guy in the wimpy Honda to move out of your way, after all, and in the H3 he may just do that without complaint. It helps, too, that in addition to its aggressive stance, the H3 is an exceedingly good-looking truck, with its seven-slot grille, round headlights, short overhangs, slab sides, and high beltline. Aside from other Hummers, there’s nothing else is like it, really, with its upright windshield and big, come-hit-me black bumper. This vehicle has a personality, aye, an attitude that says, in essence: Just because I never get to go off-road don’t mean I can’t, so na-na-na-na.

But enough happy talk. Whether you think it’s well-designed depends on whether you put form over function. While it’s attractive (save for those flashy fender flares), the Hummer H3 lacks some serious function in its design. Consider the high beltline, plastic fake bits all over the outside, and small windows. Yeah, it looks great, but visibility is terrible. Add to that the spare tire, located on the backside of this beast, and your ability to see what’s behind is severely limited. Because the spare must be mounted there, the H3 suffers another design flaw – the swing-out tailgate. It is a monstrous thing that, while spring loaded, could crush a finger swinging shut on an uphill slope. Consider, too, the joy of parallel parking with a swing-out tailgate. You did want to carry your stuff over the top of the backseat, right?