GMC Hummer EV SUV: A Kitschy-Cool EV with Functional Space, Utilitarian Interior
The GMC Hummer EV electric SUV adds the utility of cargo space and a smaller frame to the all electric Hummer EV, adding to the appeal to adventuresome families and those who just prefer an SUV.
Jill Ciminillo
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There’s no way around it: The 2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV has an intimidating footprint.
Even though it is 20 inches shorter than its pickup truck sibling, it’s still a massive SUV. However, the smaller size – along with its excellent enclosed cargo space – make the GMC Hummer EV SUV, with a first edition price of $106,000, a much more livable vehicle.
But is it family friendly? It depends on your perspective.
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Related: Is the GMC Hummer Electric Pickup Truck Also a Family Friendly EV?
A Few Words About Size
The Hummer EV SUV towers over the average human, at 196.8 inches long. However, it’s actually about 10 inches shorter than your average large sedan. For example, the Lexus LS is 206.1 inches long. This helps it fit in the garage, assuming you have a more modern garage with higher ceilings and some extra girth.
Getting into it for the first time, you immediately feel its size. Not only is it tall at 10.1″, but it’s also a foot wider than a regular vehicle. Driving in the city or on busy highways, you feel it filling the road. The learning curve on this SUV is high. Surprisingly, I felt much more natural driving the Hummer EV SUV once I got used to it. After a while, it feels smaller and lighter than the pickup truck version. The Hummer EV SUV is more nimble and easy to handle. That may be due to the shorter length, or maybe the balance of having a full cabin rather than a cabin + truck bed.
Related: 2022 GMC Hummer EV Review: Is it Silly To Like an Electric Truck This Much?
Width and Height are the Potential Pain Points for Families
With the 35-inch tires, which are standard starting at the 2X trim, the step-in height will require a certain amount of flexibility. Even with the narrow running boards, I needed the grab bars and to use my legs as much as my arms to climb behind the wheel.
This means small children (and potentially dogs) will have a tough time clambering up into the back seat without help. My mother, who uses a walker, would never be able to hoist herself up into the passenger seat. Once inside the cabin, it’s spacious and comfortable with plenty of foot and leg room for rear-seat passengers.
But that extra width, which is beneficial for passenger comfort, can give drivers heart palpitations in traffic. When we picked up the test vehicle in downtown San Francisco, the electric SUV looked disproportionately huge peppered among the compact urban vehicles dotting the city streets.
And when we had to cross the Golden Gate Bridge, it was a startling realization that the vehicle was perhaps only a couple inches slimmer than the traffic lanes.
That’s when the lane keep assist and Super Cruise functionalities get an “Amen.”
Related: What Drives Her: GM’s Electrification with Jennifer Widrick
Helpful Technology Makes a Difference
And thankfully, a lot of it is standard. This is tech that makes driving this behemoth a little more doable. The aforementioned Super Cruise kept the Hummer EV SUV within the narrow lanes on the highway. It gave me confidence while I gained familiarity with the vehicle.
Then you have the 360-degree camera views with up to 17 camera angles. These give you excellent visibility surrounding all the corners of the SUV. This is especially helpful when pulling into parking lots or out of garages.
The four-wheel steer functionality, which allows all four wheels to turn at the same time, is also a must-have for urban spaces. Because the wheelbase, the distance between the front and rear axles, of the Hummer EV SUV is 9 inches shorter than the pickup truck, the turning radius shrinks to 35.4 feet, which is smaller than that of a Ford Mustang Mach E.
Outside of the tech that makes driving easier, there’s a lot of tech that just makes life easier. This includes wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a rear camera mirror, a wireless phone charger that doesn’t overheat your phone, a Google-powered multimedia system, a digital key app that allows your phone to become the key, and an in-vehicle energy app that monitors energy use.
Related: The 2022 GMC Hummer EV Sheds Its Gas-Guzzling Skin to Become a High-Functioning EV
Family Friendly Features in the GMC Hummer SUV
While the GMC Hummer EV SUV doesn’t offer a third row, it has a very usable backseat with a flat floor. It even has the ability to install three car seats. Rear-seat entertainment isn’t offered, though there is a 100V jack to charge devices as well as rear-seat climate controls and heated outboard seats.
With that extra foot of width in the rear seat, three tall humans, or three small ones in child passenger car seats, will be comfortable. They won’t be in each other’s space, and everyone will have plenty of room to move around. There are two sets of lower anchors for installing child passenger car seats – one in each outboard seat – and three tether anchors on the seat backs.
Clever Storage Options
I’m also a fan of the clever storage spaces. The GMC Hummer EV SUV has large under-console storage spots up front that will fit a purse or diaper bag. In total, you have up to 81.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the back seat folded flat. Even with the rear seats up, there’s hidden under-floor storage as well as another stowage compartment integrated into the side trim.
I appreciated that the rear gate swings out rather than up, so the height is less of an issue when it comes to closing the gate. Of course, you can always use the key fob to close the gate.
Another feature that families may find great is the sky roof. The panels easily remove and stow in the frunk, giving everyone wind in their hair. There are very few SUVs with removable sky panels (Jeep and Bronco), so now there’s another choice. Also, this is the only electric SUV with a removable roof. Plus, the rear window glass rolls down for even more wind in your hair.
The interior is made of sustainable materials, including marine-grade leather-like upholstery and rubber floor mats. While the exterior is designed to handle everything off-roaders put it through, the interior should be able to stand up to what the average 10-year-old or slobbery Labrador Retriever can do (though the perforations in the front seats may prove challenging to spills).
And Then There’s the Frunk
While the frunk doesn’t have the drainage holes you see in the Ford F-150 Lightning frunk, you do have some very usable space for luggage or groceries. Plus, this might be easier to reach than the cargo area since it’s a bit lower to the ground. The removable sky panels (which I could easily remove and carry by myself) can also be stowed here.
Both the frunk and swing-out tailgate are power operated via the fob, which makes them easy to open/close if your hands are full. The tailgate swings wider than the vehicle, which is helpful when loading large packages or strollers into the rear.
It bears repeating: the big drawback to family friendliness, however, is going to be ease of entry and exit.
A Few Other Drawbacks
Outside of the acrobatics needed to access the Hummer EV SUV, there are a few additional drawbacks to this electric SUV. First is going to be the price point. Though there is an $85k base model, it won’t be available until the spring of 2024. And with 90,000 reservations already in place, it’s going to be a while before customers are able to buy one.
Also, with the chunky A- and C-pillars, there are a lot of big blind spots. There’s no room for distracted driving – especially in urban spaces.
Then, even with all the amazing tech, there are a few would-be-nice-to-haves that are missing on the Hummer EV SUV – namely, a head-up display, massaging seats and rear ventilated seats, which aren’t available. At all.
Off Roading: The Ideal Destination?
With “Extract” that increases ground clearance by 6″ so drivers can go over rocks and obstacles, and “Crabwalk” mode that allows the SUV to drive nearly sideways, the Hummer EV SUV and its pickup truck sibling are ideal for off-roading.
For overlanders who prefer to pack their gear in a locked cabin, who want to be able to crawl the trail in silence and have the height and open sky to see everything, the Hummer EV SUV is a great option. Though the 300-mile range may limit just how far out on the range drivers can go.
Finally, Let’s Talk about Range
Even with more than 300 miles of range available, you’ll burn through it quickly if you have a heavy foot or play around with available features. In particular, the Watts To Freedom feature promises 3.5 seconds to go from 0 to 60 MPH. And when you need to charge on a road trip, you’re looking at sitting at a charger. It’s likely in the back of a Walmart parking lot without amenities, for 55 minutes to go from 20 to 80% charge.
The Hummer SUV is a Standout. Be Prepared to Talk About It.
The 2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV is comfortable to drive and competent in both on- and off-road situations. I liked the retro exterior design and utilitarian (read: easy-to-clean) seating surfaces. It has all the tech you could possibly need (except for the head-up display) and most of the features you want (except for the massaging seats). Driving one is an excellent conversation starter in the grocery parking lot.
Disclosure: GM provided travel and accommodations for me to test the 2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV. All impressions and opinions are my own.