The H2 was a hot seller in its first year, but high fuel thirst and record gas prices have lately deflated demand and swollen dealer inventories. GM says it can still make money on lower sales, yet recently offered a 48-month lease with nothing down, nothing due at signing, and a free first month's payment. That sounds fairly desperate to us, so if you've been waiting for an H2 deal, now might be the time to act.

All this puts extra sales pressure on the 2005 H2 pickup, the SUT (Sport Utility Truck), arriving this June. Basically identical to the wagon ahead of the rear doors, it substitutes a 4-x-3-foot cargo bed that can be extended to 6-feet long by lowering a midgate. The related Chevy Avalanche and Cadillac Escalade EXT have this too, but the Hummer adds remote power operation for both the midgate and its drop-down rear window. A locking hard bed cover will be optional along with rubber bed mats, a removable cargo box and other accessories.

Neither H2 should see any major near-term changes, but GM has long since confirmed an even smaller Hummer for 2006. Though recently previewed as a concept 2-passenger pickup, this H3 should bow as a 4-dr wagon, with a 4-dr SUT coming later. Judging by the concept, H3 should be over a foot shorter and some 7 inches narrower and lower than H2 on a wheelbase of about 119 inches. It should also be somewhat lighter, though heavy fuel thirst may remain a deal-breaker for some prospects. Like the concept, the showroom H3 will be a body-on-frame design based on the Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon pickup. The concept used a Colorado/Canyon 3.5-liter inline 5-cyl engine turbocharged to 350 hp. The production model may use something else, but will certainly include dual-range 4WD with locking front and rear differentials to maintain Hummer's go-anywhere reputation. Look for H2-type styling and interior accommodations on a somewhat smaller scale. An H3 pickup would likely retain the concept's novel side-access bed doors. Rumor has it that H3s will price from $30,000 to $40,000. We should have more news soon, so keep checking back with us.