2022 GMC Hummer EV Pickup
GM Got This One Right!
For much of the late 1990s and early 2000s the Hummer was the macho-est of macho SUVs. But the Hummer and its multiple offshoots were also a major target of eco-warriors across the country. Well, after becoming a brief casualty to GM’s bankruptcy earlier this century, a new Hummer has arisen from the ashes. And this one looks to please not only the off-road crowd, but the eco-chorus as well!
In one of the more ironic turns of the automotive world, the Hummer is back; though not as a gas-guzzling sport utility vehicle, but a fully electric truck under the GMC umbrella, this 2022 GMC Hummer EV Pickup. And as the first EV for the GMC brand, General Motors is not fooling around. Their new Ultium platform is a modular chassis that can encase various battery modules within its frame for multiple wheelbases.
This Edition 1 is the first Hummer EV to arrive, and features 24 such battery modules, 213-kWh’s worth, double stacked to deliver 329-miles of range, which seems more than reasonable, as we were on pace for 332 before recharging. A 3-motor arrangement puts a single motor for the front wheels, while each rear wheel gets its own motor. Together they produce 1,000-horsepower, and 1,200 lb-ft. of torque. If you can find a 350-kW DC fast charger, you can get back on the road quickly, adding up to 100-miles of range in just 10-minutes.
And speaking of quickness, not only does this Hummer put out 1,000-horsepower, but it comes with a launch control system dubbed Watts to Freedom. It’s a process, and perhaps a little gimmicky; but once engaged, it essentially picks this 9,000–lb. beast up and hurls it to 60 in 3.3-seconds time after time after time.
Power continues to pour on as you head down the track until you reach the vehicle’s top speed of 106 miles-per-hour; at which time you get a nice warning in the gauge display, and only as much power as is necessary to maintain that 106 limit. Still, we cleared the ¼ in 11.9-seconds.
With that much weight, the Hummer EV was not so eager to get through the cones at any real speed, but standard rear wheel steering enables a super-tight turning radius to get this big brute in and out of tight spaces with surprising ease. Plus, the much talked about crab walking feature allows you to steer the rears in the same direction as the fronts for more of a sidestepping approach.
But this is a Hummer after all, so it was off-pavement where we had the most fun. Standard equipment includes substantial underbody protection, 35-inch Good Year Wrangler Mud-Terrain tires, 13-inches of suspension travel, and cameras all over the place to help you navigate trails and obstacles. As before, the Hummer is amazingly capable off road, with a wide range of programming to manage all that torque. You can still get over just about any obstacle you’d encounter on the trail, if it’s wide enough, but where it impresses most is again it’s amazingly tight turning radius to get you in and around things like no Hummer before.
Somehow it manages to look exactly like you’d expect an electric Hummer to look like, beefy and militarist, but with a modern edge. All are crew cabs with a 5-foot bed, and you’ll appreciate the step in the tailgate should you ever need to actually get into the bed. It’s a healthy step up into the cabin as well, but plenty of room awaits.
There’s an incredibly spacious feel thanks to the Infinity Roof, with transparent and removable panels; it’s yet another cool feature that doesn’t disappoint. A large 13-inch infotainment screen is within easy reach, and there’s a very luxurious feel to everything that previous Hummers merely aspired to. There are a lot of unique surfaces and materials; and even some references to the moon landing, as of course, GM has been there done that. No engine under the hood means trunk-like space for lots of gear, or organized storage for those roof panels.
Initial Edition 1 HUMMER EV Pickups have a sticker price of $110,295 and are already sold out. But you can put your order in soon for any of the three additional versions coming over the next few years; priced as low as $86,645. And yes, an SUV version will arrive shortly as well.
The Hummer is indeed back and built with pride in GM’s new Factory Zero. But the 2022 GMC Hummer EV Pickup is truly a new Hummer for a new era. It still may not be for everyone, but there’s no doubt about it, GM got this one right!
Specifications
- Battery: 213-kWh
- Horsepower: 1,000
- Torque: 1,200 lb-ft
- Range: 329 miles
- MW Range: ~ 332 miles
- 0-60 mph: 3.3 seconds
- 1/4 Mile: 11.9 seconds at 106 mph
2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid
Crossed Up Corolla Gets More Efficient
Toyota offers a hybrid powertrain in just about everything they make, so it did seem odd that last year, when they debuted an all-new SUV version of their long-time best-selling Corolla, a hybrid was nowhere to be found. Well, it didn’t take long for Toyota to correct that situation, delivering this Corolla Cross Hybrid for 2023.
With prices for everything seemingly going up daily, we can all use a little more cost efficiency in our lives. That’s a mission that Toyota has been undertaking for some time now and continues to do it with this 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid.
The Alabama-built Corolla Cross arrived just last year as Toyota’s attempt to bring their best-selling nameplate into the SUV era, and give them an additional entry into the most popular automotive segment going right now, small crossovers.
There are some RAV4 styling cues here, but the Corolla Cross is mostly its own deal, and the Hybrid is more than just a fuel efficient option, it has added performance too. So, it’s offered only in Toyota’s S line of trims S, SE, and XSE, where the standard Corolla Cross is available in base L, LE, and XLE.
There are some differences outside, most notably unique front and rear fasicas; the front with a much more aggressive look, with larger grille and blacked-out trim.
Black trim and logos in back too, along with a redesigned bumper; plus, you can optionally go 2-tone by adding black paint to the roof.
Great packaging has it feeling roomier inside than most small 5-seat utes, straddling the line between subcompact and compact. And seats are way more comfortable than your typical urban-minded utility.
In fact, the entire interior feels quite upscale, and the layout will be very familiar to those stepping up from an actual Corolla.
Those who put off buying a Corolla Cross until now will be rewarded with upgraded infotainment, as all Hybrid’s will come with Toyota’s latest 8-inch touchscreen multimedia system standard.
The Hybrid’s small battery is located under the rear seat, so there’s minimal loss of rom, with a good 21.5 cubic-ft. of cargo space available; expanding to 61.8 with rear seatbacks folded.
Getting to the heart of the matter, the Corolla Cross Hybrid’s fuel-sipping ways are courtesy of the 5th generation of Toyota’s Hybrid System which outputs a combined 196-horsepower through its trio of electric motors and naturally-aspirated 2.0-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine. One of those motors operating strictly the rear axle for standard all-wheel-drive.
At our test track, there was a nice little chirp of the tires off the line, but that’s where the excitement ended.
So while a 7.5-second trip to 60 may not raise your blood pressure, it’s a full 3-seconds quicker than the standard Corolla Cross we tested last year. We’ll take that!
CVT automatic means engine revs and engine noise both hang relatively high throughout the whole ¼-mile, which took us 15.6-seconds to complete, finishing at a reasonable 90 miles-per-hour.
The Hybrid also gets a “sport-tuned” suspension, and indeed it felt light and nimble through our cone course, very neutral too, with no noticeable understeer or oversteer. Steering was light but still provided good feedback. With some grippier tires, this would certainly give the best handlers in the segment a run for their money.
But the real reward comes in Government Fuel Economy Ratings which are 45-City, 38-Highway, and 42-Combined. We averaged a great 43.3 miles-per-gallon of Regular; that’s a 40% increase over the 30.9 miles-per-gallon we averaged in the standard Corolla Cross last year.
But, that does come at a cost, though it’s difficult to make direct comparisons with separate trim families, but pricing starts at $29,320 for the Hybrid, about 3-grand over a base all-wheel-drive non-hybrid. Top XSE comes in at $32,400.
As influential as Toyota is in spreading the hybrid doctrine, it was indeed odd that the Corolla Cross arrived last year without a hybrid option. Smartly, it didn’t take them long to right that wrong, as it was always part of the plan, and the Corolla Cross has benefitted from it greatly. The 2023 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid is not just more efficient, it’s more capable, and a much better small utility all around.
Specifications
- Engine: 2.0-liter 4-cylinder
- Horsepower: 196
- 0-60 mph: 7.5-seconds
- MW Fuel Economy: 43.3 MPG (Regular)
- Transmission: e-CVT
- Torque: 139 lb-ft
- 1/4 Mile: 15.6-seconds at 90 mph
- EPA: 45-City, 38-Highway, and 42-Combined