Can The $100,000 GMC Hummer EV Turn Better Than A Mazda Miata?

In my life, I’ve followed a few big rivalries: Yugi Muto vs. Seto Kaiba. The University of Texas vs. Texas A&M. Kyle Busch vs. Brad Keselowski. Me vs. the ability to ride a bicycle. But I recently decided to start a rivalry I’ve never seen before: a hulking, $100,000 GMC Hummer EV versus my tiny, nimble 2004 Mazdaspeed MX-5 Miata.

For their first contest a few weeks ago, my husband and I drove the Miata and Hummer EV to a nearby parking lot to determine: Which one has the tighter turning radius?

First, let’s meet the contenders. The GMC Hummer EV is a modern monster, known for its 1,000-horsepower electric powertrain, 9,000-pound curb weight, and launch control called “Watts to Freedom” (or WTF, for short). GMC says the fastest trims of the vehicle can hit 60 mph in 3 seconds, and they’ll leave a trail of thick tire tracks in their wake.

My Mazdaspeed Miata, on the other hand, had 178 horsepower when new. It weighs 2,500 pounds, hits 60 mph in about 7 seconds, and comes exclusively with a manual transmission. Next to the Hummer EV, it looks like a prop in a monster-truck show: a tiny old junkyard car destined to be run over by the shiny mammoth parked next to it.

To a casual onlooker, this competition might seem laughable. The Miata is miniature compared to most modern American vehicles, while the Hummer is massive. Plus, Miatas are known for their agile nature and maneuverability — surely something as big as a Hummer EV wouldn’t stand a chance.

But the Hummer EV has a feature that makes this a close competition: four-wheel steer. Most cars have front-wheel steering, where the front wheels point in the direction you want to go and the vehicle follows. Four-wheel steer expands steering to the rear wheels, allowing them to move in several formations.

A popular party trick with four-wheel steer is crab walking, where all four wheels turn in the same direction and the car drives diagonally. But one of the most practical ways the system works is by pointing the wheels in different directions at low speeds, tightening the turning radius. To illustrate, I found this 1980s Honda diagram that The Drive published a couple of years ago:

Four-wheel steer makes even tanks like the Hummer EV or Cadillac Escalade IQ feel nimble. So, like a couple of automotive Bill Nyes, my husband and I put our drone in the air and did some science: We placed a cone in a parking lot, lined the Hummer’s rear wheel up with it, cranked the steering wheel, and crept forward until the car turned 180 degrees. Then we did the same with the Miata.

Ah, yeah. Ouch. The Hummer EV, which is four times the weight of my Mazdaspeed Miata, has a significantly tighter turning radius. I guess that’s what modern technology and a $100,000 purchase price will get you.

The Hummer’s turning radius doesn’t make it feel small or light like my Miata. The height of the Hummer is impossible to ignore while driving, because every other vehicle looks like a kiddie car. Plus, the weight shifts all around: backward under acceleration, forward under braking, and side to side around corners.

But four-wheel steer does make the Hummer feel far more drivable than it looks. With it, I could easily maneuver into parking spots and do U-turns in tight areas without turning them into three- or five-point turns. Several times, I remember thinking: “Oh, I am not going to make this turn.” Then I would.

You can look at this maneuverability in several ways. With four-wheel steer, the Hummer is easier to drive. It’s a better experience for the driver and passengers, and less of a nuisance to other cars when it needs to make a U-turn. But the easier any vehicle is to drive, the easier it is to forget how big that vehicle is — and how much damage can be done if the driver makes the wrong move.

For now, I’ll stick with my tiny Miata and bigger-than-expected turning radius. Score one for the Hummer fans on this round, but as all good rivals say: I’ll win the next one.

Top photo: Author