Do you think the I 5 is under powered for the h3? A motorhead general motors lover at work was telling me that the I 5 is way underpowered for the h3 and it was like putting a 4 cylinder in a cadillac? Do any of you think that it is that bad of a motor for the h3?

 

i wouldnt say its underpowered. the I-5 does just fine for 99% of my driving. it could use more power though. i think the v8 is a better fit.

 

That's a bit of a religous issue...lots of strong opinions and everyone thinks they're right. Guess it depends upon the application. I drive like an old man, on pavement, so I think it's fine. I can understand how some off-roaders would want more power. It doesn't pin me to the seat like the BMW I had prior to the H3 but that's not important to me anymore.

H34me

 

I feel that the I5 does provide suffecient power where it is needed like on the trail. Before getting my H3 I had a Chevy Blazer with a V6 and the H3 definatelly had a lot of getting used to. It greatly lacks the "GO" factor off the line, but then again the H3 is not built for speed off the line. I have found that as long as you ease on the gas instead of flooring it then you will take off faster. Really the only time that I really wish I had the starting power is when getting on the highway at places with short merge lanes like rest areas. All and all, I am satisfied with tht power of the I5 and even happier with the gas mileagevs a V8.

Stan

 

I'll be honest and say that it is underpowered to some degree, IMHO. Passing on the highway takes some great planning ahead and the horrid gas mileage we all receive out of the I-5 is due to it working overtime in the first place to move the weight of a brick. I would've much rather had the I-6 from the Trailblazer. Now do I like the I-5? Yes, I do! I already have a sports car so if I get a need for speed I just hop in it. I think the power is just adequate to move the vehicle and the biggest attribute of the inline motors are the torque they produce. Towing is a totally different story though. I would like to see if the I-5 can pump out 150-200k+ miles. Only time will tell I guess.

 

Yeah I had a 96 jeep grand cherokee before this with the 4 liter inline 6 and I notice a lot more git up and go with the h3 than the jeep. And the guy doesnt like the inline 5 due to the odd number of cylinders because he thinks it sounds odd and that there is something wrong with it. I think it sounds just fine.

 

With all of the 400 and 500 hp cars of today it may seem underpowered but it still moves. Does it have the moves of my higher powered vehicles? No. Can those cars crawl over rocks, move up steep hills and wade through deep water? No. The H3, with the I5, has the power it needs. Even after moving up to larger tires, where it hurts power, I still think it's fine. It would be nice to have the V8 but to me, IMO, it's not worth the $$$.

Underpowered? No. Final answer.

 

I think it is slightly underpowered for some situations but not bad. There are a lot of applications that will help the I5 develop more HP and torque if you want it.

 

I would not say my 06 H3 was underpowered but Im not a speed demon anyway.

Wasnt the I5 beefed up in the 08's ??????

Cheers
Davyo

 

I also don't think it's underpowered. There's no freeways here in Guam so, passing other cars is not a problem. Overall, I'm very happy with the power of my H3.