You should know, reader, that when I planned a trip to Texas to visit family for July 4, I figured it would be a great opportunity to test the new Chevrolet Equinox EV. Or, just as importantly, to give the Chevrolet Blazer EV a shot at redemption after our ill-fated fast-charging test last year helped put that car on a stop-sale for months while its software was being retooled. The nice folks at General Motors didn't have either of those cars in their Texas press fleets.
GM's new Google-powered software system continues to impress with its maps integration, voice commands and ease of use. The Hummer EV is a weirdo in that it also has Apple CarPlay unlike other GM EVs, but I haven't had much desire to use it over the native system. It's also packed with off-road gimmicks, like diagonal Crab Walk Mode, an adaptive air suspension, various all-terrain driving modes and impressive four-wheel steering that cuts down its turning radius in a big way.