When I had the 2026 GMC Hummer EV 3X Pickup for a week, I was shocked by how well it worked. It barely fit in my driveway, given how long, wide, and tall it is, but it was able to accommodate my family perfectly fine. In fact, my husband and I ended up liking it a lot more than we thought it would, because every “flaw” had a feature that helped make it a lot more livable. If you were looking for a family car that will not only meet all your needs, but also make you smile every time you drive it, the GMC Hummer EV will check that box, too.
Kristen Brown
You’re not stuck driving something boring and soulless just because you have kids. After putting my two toddler daughters in one, here are five features that it came with that made me think it was a surprisingly good choice for families who like adventure, speed, and driving something truly unique (and fun).
1: Interior space feels endless
Because the GMC Hummer EV is so tall, there was an insane amount of interior space. The SUV version is much easier to install car seats into, as the pickup version requires looking up the owner’s manual to figure out how to secure the top tethers. Even then, there was so much legroom for the rear passengers and such a tall ceiling that I could get into the back and stand up to strap my daughters in (the right side of the Hummer was parked in a mud puddle because of its width, so I had my oldest crawl in from the left side). I loved how easy it was to strap both of them in. Having them not be able to kick the back of my chair was a bonus, too.
Kristen Brown
When driving it, I loved how large the cup holders were, how cavernous the center console was, the depth of the glove box, and how many clever storage compartments there were throughout. The pickup version lacked the trunk space that the SUV has, but it did have a five-foot bed and a velcro bed cover. I didn’t use it to get groceries, but there’s definitely enough space to put groceries in the footwells even with car seats installed. If you don’t have car seats installed, you can flip up the rear seat cushions with a good tug and open up the floor space for groceries, too.
2: The behemoth has a realistic range, quick charging, and plenty of power
The 3X tester I drove had the 24-module battery pack installed, so it had a maximum range of 363 miles on a full charge, which is easy to achieve because the charging capabilities on it are incredibly fast. Before it was picked up, I put it on a 350kW DC charger in front of my local Safeway when it was at 36%. Before I walked into the store, the maximum charging rate was clocked at 292kW—which is the fastest charging rate I’d seen on an EV (at least on the ones I’ve tested). When I was done shopping, which was about 30 minutes, the Hummer EV was at 80% charge. If the charger put out all 350kW, GMC says it could add 100 miles of range in just 10-12 minutes. Not bad for a truck of its size.
Kristen Brown
Kristen Brown
The 24-module battery pack means the Hummer EV Pickup has 1,160 horsepower, too, which makes the 9,000-pound vehicle very easy to move. My daughters absolutely loved it, and regularly asked me to “go fasser” when they noticed the freeway was empty. Driving something that large with that much horsepower should come with a warning label, because it absolutely gives people a complex. It did for me, at least. I felt unstoppable in it, which would make even school drop-offs a blast (and emissions-free).
3: It’s incredibly easy to drive—if not one of the easiest cars to drive
It may be one of the heaviest cars on the road (the number 1 slot goes to the Escalade IQ at up to 9,400 pounds), but it doesn’t drive like that at all. Its width of 6.8 feet long without the mirrors means it’s required to have clearance lights on top (which you’ll notice are usually only on semi trucks), making it the widest passenger car on the road. It’s so tall and so heavy that most drive-thru car washes won’t allow Hummer EVs through. But I promise you—it doesn’t drive like it’s that big at all. In fact, I’d say it’s one of the easiest cars to drive.
Kristen Brown
The mammoth of a vehicle has four-wheel steering, which gives it a steering radius of 35.4 to 36.5 feet, giving it a tighter steering circle than the Toyota Sienna or the Chevy Suburban (two of the most popular cars for parents). It may be tall, but you can lower it with the press of a button, so it can fit in a parking garage with a seven-foot height limit. When configuring it, it can be built to have up to 18 cameras, including a smart rear view camera, so there’s literally no such thing as a blind spot in the Hummer EV. I loved the Kia-esque side-view cameras that came on when I turned the turn signals on, as well as all the parking assist features (including automatic parking assists), a 360-degree view camera, and proximity sensors. I will say, though, that fitting into a normal parking spot can be tricky. Even though I was within the lines on one side, I stuck out on the other. So, you’d have to get used to parking in the back 40.
4: All that power and instant torque means it can tow. Like, a lot
Because it has 1,160 horsepower and an astonishing 11,500 lb-ft of torque, it means it’s muscular enough to tow about 10,600 pounds. So, you could easily tow a camper, a fifth-wheeler, a boat, or even another vehicle without breaking a sweat. And before you say, “But what about the range?” I already covered that it can charge incredibly quickly, and if you have the myGMC app, you can use it with the built-in Google Maps for route planning to help add EV chargers to the route. And, I just want to remind you that the overall range drops when you’re towing with a gasoline or diesel truck, too. But towing with the GMC Hummer EV is engineered to be relatively easy.
Kristen Brown
The SUV version, even the 3X model, has less overall horsepower at 830, so it has a lower towing rating of 8,500 pounds. The 2X model, though, can tow up to 12,000 pounds, even though the horsepower is less at 570 horsepower. So, if you want a real towing machine, look to the 2X model SUV. But the rating for the 3X pickup is more than enough for most people’s needs.
5: It’s loaded with excellent standard safety features and technology features, including Super Cruise
When GMC brought back the Hummer as an EV, they must thought to themselves, “If we’re making it one of the largest cars on the road, we should probably make it safe, huh?” Which is wise, because it has automatic emergency braking in the front and rear with pedestrian and cyclist detection, a trailer sway assist to keep a trailer stable, blind spot monitoring and intervention, adaptive cruise control, and Google Assistant. As an Android user, I didn’t notice the lack of Android Auto because of all the built-in apps from Google. And being able to say, “Hey, Google,” to help with navigation, make calls, send text messages, and change my music made it even easier to live with.
Kristen Brown
I especially appreciated Super Cruise. The Hummer EV, along with other GM vehicles, comes with a three-year trial of Super Cruise that’s included in the car’s price. After those three years have passed, you have to pay for an OnStar One subscription that includes Super Cruise, for a price of $3,000, to extend it to eight years. It’s pricey, but I’d say if you regularly hit the highway for extended trips, it’s worth it. I loved the ability to turn it on and then pick up the water bottle my daughter dropped, get them a snack, or clean up a mess they made without having to worry about the car in front of me. I loved using it in traffic, too, since it gave me the hands-free ability to reach into my purse for my chapstick, be present for a phone call, or do whatever small task I needed to do while the Hummer EV did all the driving for me. It can even make lane changes for you, which came in handy. But there’s something to be said about something that big and that heavy driving itself. If I turned on the one-pedal driving, it would even do all the regen braking for itself, too.
Kristen Brown
For parents, the ability to turn around and help the kids when they hit the highway helps take a lot of weight off their shoulders. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve caught myself saying, “I can’t help you right now, I’m driving. You’ll have to wait a minute.” Super Cruise at least helps keep the drive smooth and quiet, so you don’t have to keep telling your impatient kids to be patient. If the kids aren’t in the car, it still makes any highway drive more pleasant if you’re not having to do all of the stopping and going.
Final thoughts
I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again: the GMC Hummer EV truly defied all of the expectations I had for it. The four-wheel steering makes it one of the easiest cars to drive, all of the cameras and assist features make it easy to park and maneuver, and all of the space on the inside makes it easy to work with car seats. Securing the top tether was a bit tricky to figure out, but it was easier than most pickup trucks I’ve tested. In combination with the standard safety features, interior space, realistic range, quick charging, bed versatility, and the get-up-and-go from all that horsepower, it would be a family hauler I’d be delighted to drive every time. It was so much fun to drive, I took every excuse to drive it. Even to go to the grocery store for a single forgotten ingredient.
About the author
Kristen Brown
Contributing Writer, Autoblog