The inaugural SUV from Lucid is enjoyable, functional, and pretty much the most high-tech electric vehicle available for purchase nowadays.
When I First time at the helm of the Lucid Gravity Towards the end of last year, I was taken aback. However, that test drive of a prototype car was conducted too hastily for me to form solid opinions. After spending considerable time driving the company’s latest version, I can now speak with greater certainty about my thoughts from December: The Gravity stands out as the most comprehensive electric vehicle I have ever encountered.
This three-row SUV accomplishes everything in an almost unbelievable way. It seems to defy physics as it handles like a sportscar but can still accommodate up to seven passengers comfortably. Despite its compact exterior dimensions compared to rivals, it offers astonishingly generous interior room. Adding to this impressive feat, it excels in every crucial electric vehicle metric, providing nearly unrivaled EPA range and performance. the fastest recharge times in America .
2026 Lucid Gravity
However, Lucid’s path with its initial vehicle demonstrates that possessing an excellent product is merely part of the challenge. Both theoretically and physically, the Gravity stands out as a remarkable achievement. There’s no doubt about that.
The larger uncertainty lies in whether Lucid will manage to attract sufficient customers.
What Is It?
California-based Lucid Motors wowed electric-car nerds in late 2021 when the Air sedan arrived with a still-untouched 520 miles of range and staggering performance.
But Lucid’s debut product was hamstrung by being a four-door sedan, at a time when the car market largely shifted to SUVs and trucks. Lucid sold 6,000 Airs in 2023 and just over 10,000 in 2024. It’s solid growth for a newcomer, but not exactly the makings of a major car company. Lucid wants to conquer far more customers and make strides toward profitability with the Gravity, which features all of its impressive home-built tech, but in a bigger, more widely appealing package.
The Gravity isn’t just a taller Air, though. It rides on a new platform with new motors and more energy-dense batteries. It’s built at Lucid’s factory in Arizona and technically went on sale in late December , with a limited quantity being sent out to clients near the company. Genuine deliveries to real customers are underway. start later this month .
The inaugural edition of the Gravity Grand Touring comes with a hefty price tag, particularly if you opt for extras such as a third-row seating option, 110-volt power outlets, and softly closing doors. However, it offers impressive performance features including an advertised output of 828 horsepower, acceleration from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds, and a maximum driving range of up to 450 miles. For those looking for something slightly more budget-friendly, a touring variant will be available later this year priced approximately $15,000 lower.
What Is It Like To Drive?
A few weeks earlier, I put the Cadillac Escalade IQ through testing. It's incredible how distinctively these two three-row electric vehicles perform on the road. The massive Escalade maneuvers like an ocean liner. While it accelerates swiftly in a straight path and provides a smooth ride on highways, it falls short in almost all other aspects.
On the contrary, driving The Gravity is incredibly enjoyable. You might easily lose track of having an entire SUV due to how nimble it is. The steering responds swiftly and accurately. No matter if you floor the accelerator, hit the brakes firmly, or take a tight turn, the Gravity remains stable and impressively composed. This is quite astounding considering it’s a spacious family vehicle rather than a sleek sports car or coupé.
Our friends at The Autopian They summed it up nicely by saying that the Gravity handles like a sports car confined within a minivan’s frame. This is particularly evident in the Gravity’s "Sprint" driving mode, which pulls the vehicle closer to the road, firms up its suspension, and sensitizes the gas pedal response. Additionally, there is a softer "Smooth" setting and a moderate "Swift" option available.
2026 Lucid Gravity
It's incredibly swift, offering the seamless, easy acceleration characteristic of electric vehicles (EVs), with Lucid being notably skilled in this area. Even when cruising at high speeds on highways, you'll find an abundance of power readily available.
Who genuinely requires a seven-seater SUV with handling like this? Not many people probably do. However, what's appealing is that the Gravity handles daily tasks effortlessly as well. The car’s adaptable air suspension lets you cruise through city streets smoothly, avoiding the bumpy ride often found in larger SUVs. Additionally, it remains quite silent inside. Thanks to its short bonnet, forward vision is top-notch, particularly when contrasted with taller, squarer rivals. It’s also worth mentioning that the blind-spot cameras which activate upon signaling turns add an extra layer of convenience.
A point to consider: The test vehicle included the Dynamic Handling Package, offering rear-wheel steering and enhancing the distinction among its three driving modes. Therefore, my feedback doesn't cover the performance of the base model without these options.
2026 Lucid Gravity
Anyway, you receive three tiers of access. regenerative braking I usually stuck with the Goldilocks "Standard" setting, but you have the option to switch it to "High" or turn it off altogether.
Oh, and what about the Gravity’s squished steering wheel ? I actually liked this idea a lot. The “squircle,” as Lucid calls it, helps provide an unobstructed view of the SUV’s screen, while still being familiar enough that there’s no learning curve. The same can’t be said of yoke-style wheels from Tesla.
A Massive Interior
I think the Gravity’s clown-car interior will rope in far more customers than absurd driving dynamics ever will. Because if there’s one issue that unites all Americans during this increasingly polarized moment, it’s a love for hauling as much crap as possible.
2026 Lucid Gravity
This SUV boasts the charming feature of seeming much more spacious internally than its exterior suggests. This is due to its bright, mid-century style, along with excellent use of space.
Standing at 6 feet 1 inch tall, I easily fit into both the second and third rows, thanks to their level flooring and generous legroom. Compared to similar models, the rear seating offered even more space. Rivian R1S Or the Escalade IQ, both of which were available for Lucid’s comparison.
Moreover, the Gravity offers nearly identical storage space—up to 120 cubic feet with the seats down—as the considerably larger Escalade. An oversized, eight-cubic-foot front trunk significantly contributes to this, along with an extensive rear compartment located beneath the floor.
It can be difficult to visualize just how spacious a car is on the interior when measured only in cubic feet. Let me illustrate this for you instead: at the driving event, Lucid filled up a Gravity with cardboard boxes and invited me to see how many I could fit into an adjacent area. Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV .
I have decent spatial awareness—if you require assistance moving a sofa up a narrow staircase, count me in—but I genuinely believed I could neatly fit all the boxes into the vehicle. However, after several minutes, the trunk of the EQS was completely full, leaving behind an unexpectedly sizable stack of unplaced boxes, roughly equal to about three overhead luggage pieces. Well played, Lucid.
A Much Improved Lucid User Interface
Lucid's software capabilities have consistently lagged behind those of competitors like Tesla. Rivian The design of the Air's user interface was visually appealing, yet lacked functionality and could be somewhat bewildering at points. In previous models, we've frequently encountered problems with the voice command system powered by Alexa. Additionally, Lucid lags behind several rivals regarding sophisticated driver-assistance features.
I would tentatively suggest that the Gravity marks considerable progress in terms of technological advancements. Behind the steering wheel, there's an eye-catching curved 34-inch OLED display which offers vivid and sharp visuals. Below this, you'll find a bigger tablet-like interface that proves much easier to navigate at first sight compared to earlier models. This device also showcases smooth transitions synchronized with different driving modes, suspension configurations, and regeneration choices. Overall, the updated Lucid UX 3.0 appears more polished and unified when contrasted with previous versions seen in the Air model. However, it remains unclear if these improvements will be extended to their saloon vehicle counterparts.
2026 Lucid Gravity
The route-planning system has been expanded with additional features such as choosing your desired battery level upon arrival and selecting favourite charging networks. The energy tab now shows efficiency advice tailored for novice electric vehicle drivers. Additionally, a significant improvement allows running two separate applications simultaneously across the Lucid’s dual screens; previously, this capability was notably absent from the Air model.
I'm labeling this as a preliminary enhancement solely due to many features not being operational during my trial run. Both the brand-new heads-up display and the voice assistant were inactive, several streaming apps remained unannounced, and Dog Mode along with Camp Mode had not been activated. We've observed a similar situation with vehicles such as the Polestar 3. Volvo EX90 , and I can’t say I hope it becomes the norm.
2026 Lucid Gravity
As physical controls become increasingly rare in the auto world, Lucid is going against the grain by including customizable buttons on both the steering wheel and center console. They weren’t actually programmable yet on the test cars, but that will be a nice touch when it arrives.
How Good Is It As A Car, And As An EV?
At InsideEVs , we always answer those two questions with our reviews. In this case, I’d argue the Gravity is a great car because it’s a great EV. Let’s start with the basics.
The Gravity Grand Touring has an impressive range of 450 miles per full charge, outperforming major competitors such as the R1S with its 410-mile range. BMW iX (364 miles) and the EQS SUV (324 miles). The Escalade IQ stands out as the outlier, boasting an estimated range of 460 miles according to the manufacturer, thanks to a substantially larger battery pack—which we will discuss further shortly.
2026 Lucid Gravity
The charging speed is remarkably fast too. The Gravity supports charging at an astounding rate of up to 400 kilowatts, surpassing what many American charging stations can provide. According to separate tests, it gained approximately 200 miles of range in less than 11 minutes, solidifying its position as one of the fastest-charging electric vehicles globally, excluding those from China. Furthermore, this model stands out among non-Tesla electric vehicles for being equipped with such technology right off the bat. Tesla’s NACS charging port ,enabling charge-on-the-go without needing a dongle at numerous Superchargers.'
These are the clear advantages of excelling as an electric vehicle. However, there are also secondary benefits.
2026 Lucid Gravity
Why does the Gravity perform significantly better than the Escalade IQ? Partly, this is due to Lucid’s dedication to achieving more with fewer resources. Despite having a smaller 123-kWh battery pack, the Gravity achieves roughly the same range as the Escalade, which boasts a larger 205-kWh battery. This size difference contributes to the fact that the Escalade weighs approximately 3,000 pounds more than the Gravity. With Lucid, you receive ample range using less power and enjoy faster recharge times—a testament to their efficiency philosophy.
The relatively small battery pack, along with Lucid’s compact motors, contributes significantly to the ample interior space I mentioned before.
Initial Review: Lucid Is a Contender, Provided It Manages to Market Its Product Successfully
Lucid possesses the product now. The next hurdle is to sell it.
2026 Lucid Gravity
An uncertainty remains about how consumers will react to an aspect I've not highlighted so far: its van-inspired design. Although I appreciate the Gravity’s space-age appearance, there's no assurance it will appeal to affluent customers who prefer traditional designs like those found in robust models from brands such as Rivian, Audi, and Volvo. Additionally, another challenge lies in the cost factor. When first released, the 2026 Gravity has a starting price of at least $96,625 for the Grand Touring version, which could soar beyond six figures when including extra features. As noted earlier, this represents quite a significant investment.
Moreover, Lucid must effectively communicate the impressive nature of its fully electric SUV to potential customers, acknowledging that this effort has consistently proven challenging for the company.
"Frankly, I believe each one of us hopes Lucid enjoys greater recognition," stated Derek Jenkins, the company’s senior vice president of design and branding. According to him, they're planning an extensive marketing campaign focused on their fresh slogan "Compromise Nothing." This catchphrase might be familiar as it has been featured in certain online advertisements.
We'll have to wait and see how that develops. However, when it comes to slogans, I must say this one hits the mark quite well.
Received an insight into the EV sphere? Reach out to the author: Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com
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| 2025 Lucid Gravity Grand Touring | |
| Base Price | $96,625 (incl. fees) |
| As-Tested Price | $122,225 |
| Charge Type | NACS |
| EV Range | 450 max (386 as-tested) |
| Drive Type | Dual-Motor All-Wheel-Drive |
| Output | 828 hp |
| Speed 0-60 MPH | 3.4 seconds |
| Cargo Volume | 120 cubic feet (for 5 passengers); 114.3 cubic feet (for 7 passengers) |
| Battery | 123 kWh |