The first Hummers were actually Humvees, manufactured by AM General for the American military. The Humvees' usefulness in Operation Desert Storm prompted AM General to sell the rights to civilian manufacturing to General Motors, who built the first commercially-available Hummers in 1992.

Hummers were a popular and novel choice for much of the late nineties and early part of the decade. The H2 was the biggest and most widely-recognized model, technically classified as a Class 3 truck. Hummers were, and still are, especially well-received by off-roading enthusiasts.

The new H3 model was smaller and offered consumers the option to purchase with a more fuel-efficient engine. However, GM discontinued the Hummer in 2010 due to a lack of consumer demand.

GM still owns the rights to the brand, and it is possible the cars could see production again if another automotive company bought Hummer and restarted production.

Hummers are still available on the used car market, and those who want a large utility vehicle may like its size and handling capabilities on various terrain types. All Hummers come with all-wheel drive and a high ground clearance standard.