2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV First Off-Road Drive: GM’s Off-Road GOAT?

When General Motors decided to resurrect the Hummer name as a model sold under the GMC brand, it made its debut with a full-size electric pickup truck. Billed as a supertruck thanks to its sheer size, power, and off-road capability, the 8,900-pound behemoth can crawl up a rock face or ford a river yet boasts a crazy launch mode that helps it hit 60 mph in 3.0 seconds.

This, the 2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV, was the truck’s immediate follow-up. GMC lopped 9 inches off the wheelbase, 20 inches off the length, and cut weight by (only) about 100 pounds. Maximum output is lower than the ultimate pickup’s, but still a formidable 830 horsepower with 1,200 lb-ft of torque. As a nimbler (comparatively speaking) vehicle, with 35-inch off-road tires and a crazy departure angle of 49 degrees, is the Hummer SUV the most capable vehicle in GM’s stable?

GM engineers think that may be the case. Chevrolet and GMC trucks put up a compelling case for the title with Colorado ZR2 and Bison, Canyon AT4-X, and AEV trims and their Multimatic DSSV dampers, front and rear electronic locking differentials, and super skidplating. But the power of the electric Hummer, coupled with its tech, capability, and comfortable amenity-filled interior, arguably give it the edge.

MotorTrend has driven, evaluated, and tested the SUV mostly on the road—the vehicle has been on sale since early 2023. But GMC invited us out to Moab, Utah’s off-road playground, for the first serious media off-road drive in a vehicle as wide as many of the trails. It was a chance to see if the Hummer deserves the accolades.

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Time to Beat Up on a $120,000 Hummer EV

Our steed: a Void Black $119,280 EV3X, the tri-motor version with one up front and two in the rear for all-wheel drive. Our trail: Jax Trax which is a tribute to pioneer backcountry explorer and Moab trail mapper Jack Bickers. It’s made up of old mineral exploration roads Bickers discovered as an early member of the Red Rock 4 Wheelers. Jax Trax has a technical rating of 5 with a lot of climbs and descents on slick rock and some shelfy hills as well as dirt, sand, and loose rock. Top Notch and El Diablo are the most intimidating sections, being steep and ledgy. Those thinking of tackling Jax Trax are advised to use, at a minimum, a high-clearance 4x4 SUV with an experienced driver and rear locking differential. Stock vehicles fitting those parameters are recommended; modded examples are better. Off-roaders are also told to expect pinstriping or a scratch or two because the trail is narrow in places with tight, scratchy brush. On paper, the Hummer SUV should be up to the task—it was engineered to handle level 7 trails (anything above that should not be done in a stock vehicle) and underwent a lot of testing in Moab.

Arriving at the trailhead with plenty of juice for the day, the SUV (equipped with 22-inch wheels) shows a range of 314 miles. With its 800-volt architecture, it can be recharged at speeds up to 300 kW, adding 100 miles in 14 minutes should that be necessary. The $10,000 Extreme Off-Road package, with 18-inch wheels and 35-inch mud terrain tires, extra skidplate protection, rock sliders, front e-locker diff, a virtual rear locker, and two extra cameras under the vehicle (for a total of 17 possible exterior views) dips the range to 298 miles.

We spent the entire day inching along roughly 16 miles of trail once we left the pavement, offering the perfect chance to experience how hardware and computers work in tandem to evaluate the terrain and respond accordingly to make the driver look good. The Hummer’s tires are normally set to 55 psi (for the 22-inchers) and 45 psi for the 18s. Our 18s were supposed to be aired down to 38 psi, but the driver display shows ours with a range between 40 and 43 at various corners.

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The 2024 GMC Hummer EV Has a Mode for Every Challenge

Our trek starts on sand, with rocky patches, all easily handled in Off-Road mode. The adjustable air suspension makes for a downright comfortable ride on the rough track. The Hummer has 13 inches of suspension travel, and ground clearance increases to 16 inches in the “Extract” sub-mode.

When the going gets tough, it’s time to engage Terrain mode for the traction and extra ground clearance. For most of the day, we only need to bump the height up one level, which is easily done with the push of a button on a dial in the center console. Press twice for the maximum 16 inches of clearance. Activating the one-pedal off-road driving mode (which is also available in GM’s gas-fed off-roaders) is handled via the touchscreen; a more aggressive version is activated automatically in Terrain mode. With so much power and mass, the Hummer demands fine control inputs; the one-pedal driving helps smooth the slow crawls over obstacles and modulate speed on steep hills with all control via the accelerator pedal. Throw the Hummer into Low, and it applies even more brake force when you lift off the throttle.

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Slow-Speed Refinement Improved

Refinement of the regenerative braking is something engineers have been working on since the debut of the 2022 Hummer EV pickup. Originally, it was too abrupt. Smoothing it out has been an area of focus since launch, and the progress is impressive. The 2024 SUV has noticeably improved low-speed drivability.

With its shorter length, approach angle of 49.6 degrees, a 34.4-degree breakover angle and 49-degree departure angle with the spare tire removed, the Hummer is an impressive off-roader. Despite its size, it never gets hung up or scraped its back end in our use.

And we must talk about the four-wheel steering, which gives the hulking SUV a wieldy 35.4-foot turning radius. There is a lightness and responsiveness that comes as a surprise in a vehicle that is 196.8 inches long and 86.5 inches wide, inching along trails often not much wider. Let’s just say the shiny new vehicles were well pinstriped by day’s end. But even with some tight turns around trees or sharp rocks, we didn't need to try for a three- or five-point turn. A Colorado scouting the trail ahead could not say the same.

The SUV normally steers at a ratio of 0.3:1 of front angle, but that increases to 0.6:1 in Off-Road mode and jumps to 1.2:1 in Terrain mode, so the rear axle is steering faster than the front for maneuverability. At highway speeds, the rear tires switch to turning in tandem with the front wheels to enhance stability.

You can go into the drive modes to turn rear steering off, but once you’ve tried it, you’ll probably want to keep it on. And it’s here that you hold down the button for five seconds to engage CrabWalk, the horizontal-ish crawling trick that could in theory get you out of a sticky situation that traditional steering might not work for. CrabWalk puts the front wheels at the same angle as the rear, up to 10 degrees of motion.

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Giving Those Skidplates a Workout

Ahead of our drive, we were warned the skidplates would make contact. Engineers said the five plates provide 1.5 times the protection needed, so we could cringe when they made contact, but rest assured they were doing their job. During our drive, we do wince, but the protection is real, with several hard drops resulting in no obvious damage.

We only need to engage the rear e-locker (which essentially turns each rear motor, and thus each rear wheel, at the same speed) a few times on the more technical hurdles of the day. A front e-locker is also available—another tool to make you look like a rock star on the trail—but it proves unnecessary.

As we start to think the Hummer is invincible and no obstacle too much, with little wheelslip or tirespin all day, we see spotters ahead and realize the most brutal climb remains. We watch two Hummers ahead struggle, spin, slide, and back down for multiple tries up a slick and sheer hill of rock with 2-foot steps. Here’s where the difference between an electric vehicle and having an internal combustion engine became apparent: EVs have instant torque, but if there’s not enough contact for traction, you get wheels spinning in place. And the smell of roasting rubber. Foot to the floor does nothing to advance the SUV stopped midway up. The trick: Reverse about 6 inches so that torque can be used to build the momentum needed for the vehicle to clear the boulders and continue to steam its way to the top, while letting out an involuntary “wahoo!” and grinning from ear to ear. A second hill later in the day also required some reversing and a second attempt.

17 Camera Views

We always appreciate pitch that has us looking only at sky—here is where the Hummer’s cameras become godsends. A number of almost 30-degree descents we encounter re-create that moment at the top of a roller coaster where you pause at the top, about to plummet downward, but you can’t see the track that awaits you—if not for those underbody cameras.

For looking skyward, removing the sky panels of the Infinity Roof and dropping the rear window turns the SUV into a true convertible. We don’t get a chance to do this on our drive, but we let the windows down in the less dusty sections and enjoy the silence compared with an ICE vehicle. You can’t get total silence, though: Legislation requires sound to warn pedestrians, so there is a light hum. And we can also hear the motors working the rear steering.

The SUV is quite comfortable on-road, with well-supported seats and the air suspension contributing to a relaxing ride. Braking is smooth. Use the left paddle on the steering wheel to apply regenerative braking to slow you down. You can set the regen to be higher or lower through the infotainment screen. Acceleration is also smooth—unless you gun it and throw your body back into the seat. With the rear steering, it doesn’t drive like the behemoth it is. The whole experience feels so familiar that it’s easy to forget you’re in an EV.

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Suggestions, Because Nothing Is Perfect

There could be more navigational help on the driver display beyond the next turn. And there’s no head-up display in this $119,280 vehicle. Another software change we’d welcome: Display what mode you’re in at all times. When you turn on the camera view, you lose that piece of information from the screen.

GMC revealed the Hummer EV pickup in October 2020, and GM built the first test vehicle two months later. A mere 127 days later, the new vehicle, on a new architecture, with a new propulsion system, was testing in Moab. The SUV launched in the first quarter of 2023 with the Edition 1 that was first revealed in April 2021. Edition 1 had a limited run of a few thousand—GMC isn’t releasing the exact number of how many were built and sold. We do know they’ve all been delivered. Edition 1 was followed by this EV3X with basically the same hardware but without the special badging. After that came the EV2X that goes down to two motors, one up front and one in back, meaning less power and a more affordable price. Still to come is the base two-motor EV2 with a 400-volt architecture.

Like most of the Hummer rollout, the SUV’s launch has been delayed by production problems. The people we spoke with didn’t know when it would finally go on sale, as GM continues to work to fill orders for higher trims. Currently the sales mix of pickups and SUVs is about 50/50, but executives think it will settle at 60 percent SUVs.

So, is the Hummer the most capable vehicle GM sells? Or will the 2024 GMC Sierra EV trump it? Hummer EV marketing and advertising manager Matt Mallino says the Sierra EV and the Hummer EV appeal to two different buyers. The Sierra EV is the do-it-all truck for those who go to Home Depot as often as they hit the trails. The Hummer is the “it” truck on Hollywood Blvd—more than 20 percent of reservations have been from Tesla owners—and is a different kind of beast, a unique off-road-capable and powerful convertible that Mallino hopes will become part of automotive history.

For the present, the Hummer is the crown of the GMC showroom, the haymaker, and the tip of the sword, Mallino says. The Hummer name went from being poster child of all that was wrong with gas-guzzling vehicles to an electric vehicle, ushering in a new EV architecture and culture of how to develop vehicles faster. That makes it both pioneer and GOAT in many respects.