Hummer H3 vs. Toyota FJ Cruiser - A side by side comparison

Here's a side by side comparison of two classic off roaders from the late 2000s - the Hummer H3 and the Toyota FJ Cruiser. Here's how they stack up in terms of styling, interiors, performance, capability, reliablity and value.
Which would you choose? Let us know in the comment section below!
#HummerH3 #ToyotaFJCruiser #Hummer #FJCruiser #ytmikec

[@broken.glasss5722]

Bought my hummer h3 because of this video

[@abdallahmoussa1983]

I have both. I love driving the H3. More comfortable and better interior. Fj has less issues and live longer and has better engine

[@CarnutMM]

I’ve always loved these H3’s. Especially the adventure package which came with 285/75/16 stock.

[@DrivenCompanion]

Yeah, I think its a real shame they stopped making them and it blows me away how cheap used ones are.

[@toddcunningham2410]

Very good comparison video. I’ve looked at both myself. A neighbor had a mid miles FJ for sale. Unfortunately I found out you can’t flat tow a 4wd FJ behind a RV. The Hummer H3 can be flat towed behind a RV, and that was a major requirement for me. Ended up with a H3, with the 5.3l V8 engine with Adventure Package that has front & rear lockers. Was priced about 1/3 lower than the FJ was, and the FJ did not have the lockers. The FJ has a much better aftermarket support vs the H3. Fortunately I have not needed too much aftermarket help for the H3. But it would be nice as everyone likes to personalize or customize their vehicle, and you have very little for the H3 vs the FJ. But you can’t blaim anyone as the H3 was only made for 4 years. It’s obsolete. Also the H3 GM replacement parts are much cheaper than replacement Toyota parts. The GM 5.3 & 4L60 transmission are in allot of GM vehicles and still used today. So parts are readily available and rather inexpensive. Not knowing allot about Toyotas, I’m not sure how affordable Toyota engine, trans & drivetrain parts might be? Like the video stated, visibility sucks in both. I think it might be worse in the FJ due to the little side windows in the rear. The FJ I drove, the interior seemed more solid and less creaks or rattles vs the H3, but I think the H3 wheelbase makes the H3 ride much nicer on the road. The GM “Leather” seats seem more comfortable and not as firm as the Toyota seats are. The rear passenger doors are no comparison. The H3 wins this comparison. The FJ doors are a circus clown act to get into in a parking lot when trying to get passengers or things in the back seats. If your considering a older used 4wd SUV, check both out as they each have their pluses.

[@cskiles318]

I have h3 alpha 16 years. I love so much. I don’t fell interior is cheap feel. But been so long since I drove anything else. A lot of great info I did not know about the hummer. I love driving it in the snow. It does not hesitate at all. It’s a beast. Great sharing 👍

[@adarvold5157]

what an absolutely incredible video. Bravo!

[@73dustpan]

Looking at both at the moment, H3 with the 5.3 and regular rear doors with lockers has my eye and priced well for a budget build.

[@onthesiderc429]

Great vid!

[@rjohnson5972]

Great video thanks ! You should post up a patreon link you're 20 minute video saved me hours driving around. 👍👍👍👍

[@carlross-works630]

I looked at both of these about two years ago. The build quality and usable torque of the FJ made it an easy choice. The only down side is the Toyota tax you have to pay.

[@DrivenCompanion]

Yeah, sometimes I wonder if the Toyota Tax is worth it. You could always save that money for repairs on something else.

[@Kana0211]

@@DrivenCompanion for me id rather pay more to get something that works and is reliable than to pay less and constantly fix it.

[@jpboquete]

FJ cruiser the best car ive ever had

[@crosisofborg5524]

Mine was the most unreliable Toyota I ever had but it looked cool.

[@OneLovePsych]

HUMMER GANGGGG!!!

[@cass4240]

Not my 07 FJ so you got a good one, for me my 07 Tundra never let me down.

[@marcelodietrich8674]

Thank you! These 2 of the 3 SUVs I'm considering.

[@dalejones4322]

A great informative comparison. I have the fj and would completely agree with your assessment of it. I considered the h3 but they don't seem to hold up quite as well and complaints of being underpowered and thirsty drove me away from it. Nice to see a first hand comparison and would like to see an off road comparison.

[@DrivenCompanion]

I'd love to do an offroad comparison as well! If the H3 were mine it would happen.

[@adurpandya2742]

I got an H3 cause FJs are twice as expensive. I got a really low mileage 08 H3 though so I think I made the right choice.

[@mrnicewitit1587]

How much did you pay for it?

[@adurpandya2742]

@Justin Turdeau what’s your point? steak is crap and rice is great.

[@Countcho]

What was the mileage? How is it so far

[@adurpandya2742]

@@Countcho 53,000 miles, $13,000. A 13k FJ would be older and have 300k miles.

[@bronxnyc9680]

I did the same!! The FJ CRUISER IS BIGTIME OVERPRICED. ITS PRICED 2 TIMES AS MUCH AS THE H3 HUMMER ON 2021 MARKET. THATS RIDICULOUS!!

[@timweber5958]

I just purchased an H3 for my 16 year old daughter. I love Toyotas but im usually not willing to pay the tax. My budget for her was under $10K. I found an 06 with 190K and a stick shift for just under $8K. The body, frame, transmission, and motor are all solid. It did need some rejuvenation though. Almost all of the parts were OEM. The AC compressor grenaded. I changed it out, and while I was in there, I replaced the alternator, serpentine belt, belt, tensioner, idler, pulley, water pump, fan, clutch, fan, radiator, radiator, hoses, thermostat, intake camshaft position sensor, exhaust camshaft position sensor, and oil pressure switch. I've also done all of the fluids: oil & filter, front differential, rear differential, transmission, transfer case, clutch, and power steering. I installed a new head unit, four new speakers, and backup camera. I detrimmed interior and remove the seats so that I could do a proper interior detail and carpet cleaning. I clean the seats outside of the vehicle. I live in Utah and we have a dry climate, so I used the garden hose and some upholstery cleaner on the seats. I'm working on the exterior now. I'm using heat and ceramic coating to restore all of the plastic molding. It's going to look top shelf after a wash, clay, polish and wax. It's been a ton of work, but I've had fun. I bet I haven't spent more than $2500 on parts. That includes the only unexpected item, which was a fuse and relay box. I was troubleshooting an issue with the radio install and discovered that the fuse and relay box was terribly corroded. The relays couldn't be pulled out without breaking because the contacts were welded welded with corrosion and to their slots. Now we've got a truck. That'll probably go another hundred thousand miles without major repairs. all of the FJ cruisers in that same price range had many more miles and would have needed most of the same type of repairs. Additionally, a lot of them were rusted. I feel really good about purchasing the Hummer over the FJ. It's also a lot less common around here. I'm actually kind of falling in love with the thing while working on it. Maybe I'll give her my 21 Titan Pro4X and I'll drive the Hummer, lol. Both the Hummer and FJ cruiser are aging off-roaders. Many of them have been worked pretty hard. Especially if you don't want to spend big money, it's really helpful to know how to work on them. I saved many thousands of dollars by doing all this work myself. If we're talking about models that are the same age with the same mileage, I'm not at all convinced that the FJ cruiser would have been any more reliable.

[@WinnieTheTrain]

I sold my 07 H3 after getting my 2014 FJ Cruiser. Honestly the H3 drives so much better, like it don't feel skittish and feels like a true all wheel drive vehicle like you know all 4 wheels aren't going to ever leave the road, and the FJ doesn't feel like that, it's rear wheel drive that can be locked into 4 wheel drive. The FJ feels a little bouncy like he said, mine has big tires and doesn't turn good at all, the sharp turns suck compared to the H3 which turned on a dime. Other than that, I love everything else more on my FJ. Also the Hummer h3 eats snow for breakfest, hopefully my FJ will do the same.

[@johngeolas9896]

Great breakdown all fact without the bull/s. This guy knows his stuff. As I've owned both and he's spot on. I tend to like my H 3 a bit better.

[@josephdunkle1152]

I have an 07 H3 with the 3.7 Atlas i5, 138k no issues just general maintenance. I have owned Toyotas, Fords, GMs, Chryslers before and the H3 seems to be solidly built and reliable so far. I also like the FJ a lot. Toyota needs to bring it back and GM needs a new Colorado truck based SUV with real off road capability like the old H3s.

[@budknox7200]

I’ve owned a 2007 FJ CRUISER and a 2008 GM Hummer H3. I really enjoyed both of them. If you are wanting to get looks and comments from people the the FJ Cruiser is the way to go. I was always getting comments, questions and looks while in my FJ. My Hummer was a gorgeous red with lights on the roof….a real looker. However i really did not get the looks and admiration that I did while driving my FJ. I had the basic 5 cylinder and a 5 speed stick that was a hoot to drive but it was so slow. Kinda scary trying to enter the interstate because it took a while to get up to speed. Once rolling on the interstate it was great. I really love them both but my heart is with the FJ. Bud Knox

[@Countcho]

How did they compare in reliability?

[@cowman876]

@@Countcho prob the same lol. Gm went downhill after 06

[@1satisfiedmind]

@@cowman876 Really (GM downhill comment)? I keep seeing "Get '08-'10, everything is better, plus the Alpha and Offroad Package are improvements" commentary. I've owned 4Runners, Jeeps, a Trooper, and a Montero (current/broken), and have stared looking at H3's, and in my state its pretty much only '06-'08 , priced between 9k-16k, miles between 160k-225k. A lower mile H3 is priced similarly to an FJ, but where a high mile H3 drops to around 9k, the FJ's hold around 14k. Touch call for me, i love the look of both, but the H3 fits in my under $10k.

[@stussels]

on the h3, one of the air intakes at the base of the windshield is real. passenger side. sucks in air there and through the inner fender into the airbox.

[@stussels]

@Justin Turdeau ive had three toyotas over the years. 93, 01, and a 15. 93 was my favorite. ive had my 2010 h3t for four years now and its a close second.

[@RnGkSayge]

Crazy to see you're from Oregon! I am too. Haha

[@raedavilcevivisa6834]

I have 2007 FJ cruiser and 2009 hummer h2, and i love it..

[@DrJohn493]

After watching another KZbinr document the breakdowns he's had and all the repairs he's had to make on his H3, I'm not surprised at all the FJC's I've seen that have a "Hummer Recovery Vehicle" sticker on the rear bumper.

[@mycars1518]

H3 nice

[@daddylobo]

Good video. I bought them both.

[@Zazquatch1]

2008 H3 Alpha with 5.3L V8, 40.000 miles, price: $25.500 or… 2007 H3Safari Edition Adveture pkg (Lifted) 3.7L 245hp, 97.000 miles, price: $17.300 or… 2006 H3 3.5L, 223hp, including Rear Diff Locker, 87.000 miles, price: $13.500 or finally… 2009 H3 3.7, 245hp, Lifted incl. Rear Diff Locker, 44.000 miles, price: $19.000. I am not atm a "Rock Climber" or yet an "Overlander", but I want to have a capable car in snow as I live far up north in Scandinavia. Q - Are the 3.5's and 3.7's enough? I have heard that they are not optimized for such a heavy vehicle. Q - Vere/Are there problems with the 3.5/3.7's with overheating or " oil boiling"? Thoughts..?

[@kairicampbell3559]

I’m planning on buying a 2015 2.0T prestige Quattro 2.0 L 4cyl turbo gas/electric hybrid with 91,700 miles on it for 15,000. I know you owned a Q5 before but do you think that’ll be a good deal?

[@DrivenCompanion]

I'm not real up to date on values for the hybrid model but it sounds like a fair price. I'd always try to talk them down a bit though!

[@meenakshisharma340]

Is a Bugatti Veyron review coming to this channel????

[@orochish532]

I'm having to drive them both to determine which one I want. I want my next car to be able to use for daily commutes, along with offloading on the weekend. I'm suck between these too 😥

[@DrivenCompanion]

I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun with either choice. Good luck!

[@DrJohn493]

Go with the FJC. I have an '08 with 175,000 miles ( plenty of those are in the Colorado backcountry) and still going strong with routine maintenance.

[@orochish532]

@@DrJohn493 I think I will. I stay looking around at Hummers but always come back to the FJ. It's just something about it. Maintenence is a big thing for me, and I know going with the FJ, would result in less lol. I really like the design as well. I still would like to test drive both of them, but, definitely believe it will be the FJ. I plan on moving to SC in the Spring. I'm having to save up of course. The car would be a little in the future, haha. I appreciate the response though! I love being able to hear what others think. Helps with deciding 😃

[@DrJohn493]

@@orochish532I will admit I'm partial to Toyotas. I also have a well-maintained '77 FJ40 I've owned since 1983 with only 80,000 miles. I use it around the place mostly with very little road usage.

[@orochish532]

@@DrJohn493 Oh sick! I've seen 2 older ones out and about near me. I really do like them. I just, unfortunately don't know anything about them and I haven't, from the little I've researched, can't find a straight answer on if people recommend daily driving and off-road as I'm looking for a daily and something for off-road.

[@bronxnyc9680]

H3 Hummer is DEFINITELY the better BANG FOR YOUR BUCK. Personally I Love both VEHICLES but the FJ CRUISER is SUPER SUPER SUPER OVERPRICED. You could buy 2 H3 HUMMERS FOR THE PRICE OF THE FJ CRUISER ON THE MARKET 2021.THATS RIDICULOUS!! TRUTH BE TOLD THE HUMMER H3 IS GREAT ON GAS. VERY UNDERATED. HUMMER H3 ALL DAY!!

[@OneLovePsych]

HUMMER GANGGG 💯💯 I’ve had an H2 and H3 (I still drive my H3 daily), they have been the most reliable vehicles I’ve EVER had. They’re fun af, decent gas mileage on the H3 and they will take you to 300K miles if you maintain them regularly 💯💯

[@darkmoon8425]

Whats the mile per gallon

[@rachelekramer432]

So many recalls with the H3and moonroof draintubes leakage,arleast mine did. but she was dependable!

[@cowman876]

@@darkmoon8425 I believe around 16-18

[@darkmoon8425]

@@cowman876 mh I can't choose one am about the go with the land cruiser 76 series 2018 with price of 14,000$.. and I have seen one hummer like 12,400$ H2..

[@sonnyvito504]

Im looking at a h3 with 120k miles i was worried but after reading this makes me feel better car fax shows it stayed up to date on all services needed

[@offroadhub.official]

Good comparison! The roof rack on the FJ is aluminum and very light weight.

[@sy7843]

Is fj cruiser a good first car?

[@Agent.K.]

If you can pay for fuel then yeah. Reverse camera helps a lot.

[@sy7843]

@@Agent.K. Ok thanks!

[@vinr6867]

I would not get the FJ as a first car unless you get one for 15k or less. They have big blind spots and a SUV is a big truck for a first car. Everyone gets their first car dented up or an accident. Get at least 1 year's experience first.

[@georgegulden5819]

It’s my sons first car and we’re having fun doing off-road mods on it together as well as routine maintenance.

[@Kana0211]

@@vinr6867 I get 13mpg for some reason I think there's something wrong. Anyways I got it for 13k 6mt

[@naturalnature]

HUMMER H3!

[@srd5554]

My mom haves a hummer h3

[@srd5554]

1 hour

[@IzzyCookiBella]

Hummer H3 all day

[@mattythorn3179]

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[@OneLovePsych]

@@mattythorn3179 YESSSSSSSSSS

[@opticalsheet8666]

You should review your brothers Bugatti

[@ja_e314]

Hummer H2 VS Isuzu VehiCROSS

[@boogrbear9224]

H3 is Isuzu and I've had great service from Isuzu's I've owned. You can get great Japanese quality without having to pay the brand pricing.

[@WACONimages]

Are the 3.5 + 3.7Liter engines developed by Isuzu? Or did Isuzu use these motors in rebranded Colorado Pickups?

[@jamesray3920]

Toyota fj cruiser has coil springs all around where h3 hummer has rear leaf springs I own Toyota fj cruiser 6 speed has more appeal very easy to work on and a much higher resale value I think Toyota you have more fun

[@enginjass]

driving FJ is a privelege.

[@n3d.studio]

I'd take the H3, but I don't like the engine. Should have put a small V8 in it, like a 4.5L or so. The FJ, that second row looks worthless but the dash does look better than H3. Oh, well. I'll keep my H2. Good review on both.

[@DrivenCompanion]

The H3 is offered with an optional V8. Look at the Alpha model.

[@n3d.studio]

​@@DrivenCompanion Oh, right. And on the H3T. Forgot about the Alpha. But they didn't sell enough of them, very hard to find now and expensive. They ALL should have been V8. They could have had a smaller V8 and then the 5.3 for the Alpha. Instead a wimpy 5 cylinder.

[@n3d.studio]

I wonder which has the more vertical windshield? It looks pretty steep on the FJ too, H3 might be more.

[@Kana0211]

@@n3d.studio the fj needs 3 wipers so

[@pyro7358]

You know bummer has hit rock bottom when it's being compared to a toyota

[@Agent.K.]

From my experience with both, I felt the FJ was easier to drive especially in tight parking areas. It also feels lighter, plus it has more power. But if I find a V8 H3 for a reasonable price, I would take it. Maybe do an LS/LT swap when it breaks.

[@camsnow5374]

I have a H3 alpha, but she ain’t for sell

[@Agent.K.]

@@camsnow5374 That’s a gem!

[@jessearroyo93]

Are you kidding fj blindspots an I swear I ca turn the wheel on my h3 atkwast 3 times 😆 and the alpha blows away all of these

[@usa3105]

The 5.3 vortec alpha v8 is so reliable I got over 330k on mine without anything failing motor wise just a fuel pump but that was my fault letting it get below a 1/4 tank I would drive it across the states right now without having to worry one bit

[@rickroel4994]

The misted hated car in America. The stupid Hummer.

[@mustangenthusiast884]

Why bro hummers are sick bro

[@captaincrypto9660]

Love the H3

[@mustangenthusiast884]

@@captaincrypto9660 totally me too bro

[@TheFoMoCo1903]

@@mustangenthusiast884 bro FJ all day bro

[@mustangenthusiast884]

@@TheFoMoCo1903 haha just got home from the mountains in the NorthEast. Got a foot of snow didn't see one jeep or hummer, but a couple of trucks in ditches pretty bad.

[@cflip7452]

H3 is way better than the Toyota! No comparison! Toyota looks like a girls off-roader