In America the cars are in many cases just a bit bigger than here. The recent unveiling of the GMC Hummer EV seems to confirm that yet again. These days, such large cars are actually only available through gray import in our country. What are your options if you want to drive a large American SUV here? Time for a look at the range used.
An American vehicle concept that does enjoy considerable popularity in our country are the pick-ups. On our roads you still regularly come across a Dodge Ram, Ford F-150 or Chevrolet Silverado. Most are equipped with an LPG installation and have a gray license plate to reduce the costs somewhat. Pick-ups are still quite easy to find on the used car market, as there are a number of specialized import companies located in our country. That is why they fell outside the criteria for this list. The search was limited to SUVs. The bigger the better. The common denominator? They are all equipped with a cool V8 under the hood.
Hummer H1 – € 59,999
Oh yes, there is simply a Hummer H1 for sale on the Dutch used car market! This copy saw the light of day in 1997 – even before the takeover of Hummer by General Motors – and was registered in the Netherlands last December. No gray license plate, just a yellow license plate, so that the road tax, thanks to its weight of more than 3,300 kg, amounts to an average of € 1,111.50 per quarter! To be able to drive a Hummer H1, you have to fill the treasury with almost € 4,500 per year. It is not that the consumption of the 195 hp 6.5-liter V8 diesel will outweigh that, it will only ruin you financially even more. You can enter for the also hefty purchase price of € 59,999 the real deal. Despite its enormous size, the H1 only has four seats, with an enormously wide center tunnel. You can at least keep a nice distance of 1.5 meters from your fellow passengers.
Hummer H2 – € 18,400
A Hummer H1 a bit too much? Then you can of course also go for an H2. In our country there is a handful of copies for sale, of which this is the cheapest. It is not that the road tax is much lower, because it is still very high at € 939.58 per quarter. If desired, the selling party can deliver the Hummer on a gray license plate, which means that you have to pay much less tax. This copy does have an LPG installation, which means that your wallet does not have to suffer as much at the pump. The H2 will be a lot more comfortable on public roads than the H1, but you should not expect any form of dynamic driving characteristics. The interior is slightly more luxurious and practical, but the finish is still typical of American cars of that time: with little refinement and a lot of plastic.
Cadillac Escalade ESV – € 42,950
The Cadillac Escalade is a household name in the car world. Meanwhile, the fifth generation has already seen the light of day, which says something about the success of the luxury SUV in the States. There are also some for sale in the Netherlands. This 5.6 meter long Escalade ESV of the third generation is actually the pinnacle. Compared to the regular Escalade, this variant is half a meter longer. This means that you can transport seven people in a fairly generous way and still have a lot of luggage space at your disposal. Under the hood is a 400 hp 6.2-liter V8, with which there is enough power available to propel the colossus. Please note: the price of € 42,950 does not include bpm, because this copy is not yet on a Dutch registration. The mileage of 27,600 km can be called virgin by the way.
Chevrolet Tahoe – € 16,950
The Chevrolet Tahoe shares its platform with the Cadillac Escalade. Actually, a Suburban – the extended version – should have been here, but unfortunately it is not for sale. Then just the regular version. The Tahoe is a bit more sober than the opulent Escalade, but still offers typical American luxury: large leather armchairs, huge cup holders and lots of ‘wood’ on the dashboard. This copy is an LTZ, which was the most luxurious variant at the time. Incidentally, it was originally delivered in Dutch. In 2007 the Tahoe was still on the price lists at the Chevrolet dealer. With a 5.3-liter V8 under the hood, it’s a little less fortunate than the Escalade, but 324 horsepower is still nothing to be ashamed of. The LPG installation also helps to reduce fuel costs somewhat here. With 243,570 km on the odometer, this copy still looks pretty neat. This is a piece of cake for the V8.
Lincoln Navigator – € 6,500
If you don’t want to drive an Escalade, but are looking for a luxury American SUV, then the Lincoln Navigator is an obvious choice. In our country, however, it is not popular, because there is only one for sale: this copy of the first generation. It has more than 3 tons of kilometers behind you, but for € 6,500 you are the king of the road. Things like climate control, a sunroof and electrically adjustable seats are just on board. The large leather seats also look in the back as if you are sinking into it. You can fit seven people in the Navigator, but the seating arrangement in the back is a bit unusual. The second row of seats is equipped with two spacious ‘captains chairs’, while three people can sit on the temporary bench in the third row of seats. That will be fighting.