I took a 2007 h3 for a test drive today with about 40,000km on it and it seems to be really really stiff like could feel every bump... Is that normal

 

Check to make sure the tires are not over inflated. They should be around 36 or so if they are the OEM size and no that is not normal.

 

The stiffness of the feel may also be a function of what you are comparing it to. The H3 will be a lot stiffer than the typical car-like SUV, but should not be as stiff as a Wrangler JK.

 

I agree with both previous statements. But I do have to say ours rides like a cadillac. That was one of the things that sold us when we bought ours. My fiancee suffers from Rheumatoid arthritis and riding in a vehicle has never been a pleasant experience for her. On our test drive she commented within the first few minutes about how soft the ride was. Ours takes the bumps so easy. And now she can go off roading with me too.

One thing that came to mind is if the previous owner of yours had changed the shocks. Some heavy duty off road shocks are awesome for off roading but are terrible on the road. Check to see if the shocks are oem or some off road brand. Just an idea.