2022 GMC Hummer EV CrabWalk Mode Explained

• The GMC Hummer EV SUV and SUT pickup are arriving soon, promising to be some of the most capable off-roaders around.
• Both are available with four-wheel steering that includes a CrabWalk mode to let you scuttle sideways at an angle.
• These Hummers aren't small, but CrabWalk should help them feel relatively agile on a tight trail.

What's the big deal about CrabWalk?

The first thing to know is that it's based on a four-wheel steering system, which will be available on higher trim levels of both Hummer EV models. As the name suggests, four-wheel steering allows the rear wheels to turn up to 10 degrees in or out of phase with the front wheels. By default, the rear wheels swivel the opposite way at low speeds, enabling the Hummer to turn tighter — a boon in parking lots, for example. At higher speeds, meanwhile, the rear wheels turn in the same direction as the fronts, making for more stable lane changes.

Now, this is far from new technology. GM was selling trucks and Suburbans more than a decade ago with Quadrasteer four-wheel steering, and cars such as the Audi RS 6 Avant and Porsche 911 use it today to improve overall performance and handling.

No vehicle has used it quite like these Hummer EVs, though.

Specifically, when the driver activates CrabWalk mode, the Hummer will override the default out-of-phase turning at low speeds and instead turn all four wheels in the same direction. That means you can effectively drive diagonally to avoid an obstacle rather than trying a multipoint turn that might not work anyway.

It's an especially intriguing feature when you consider the formidable size of these Hummers. The Hummer EV SUV is more than 16 feet long, while the SUT truck stretches out more than 18 feet. Both are more than 7 feet wide too. That's both longer and wider than a GMC Yukon. In something so large, you're going to want all the help you can get in tight spots. GMC even touts the benefits on public roads in a new video.

Edmunds says

CrabWalk should help make the hulking new Hummer EVs easier to drive and maneuver when trails get tight. We can't wait to try it out and see if it lives up to the hype. Either way, you won't see a Jeep Wrangler or Ford Bronco moving like this.