The Lucid Gravity in 2025: An Electric SUV Masterpiece Marred by Digital Growing Pains
As an automotive expert with a decade steeped in the electrifying evolution of the industry, I’ve witnessed countless vehicles promise to redefine segments. Few, however, arrive with the sheer audacious vision of the Lucid Gravity. Stepping into 2025, the luxury electric SUV market is a battleground of titans, each vying for supremacy with groundbreaking technology, exquisite design, and unparalleled performance. The Gravity, Lucid’s highly anticipated three-row entrant, confidently strides into this arena, not just as a competitor, but as a provocative statement on the very state of automotive art. It’s a vehicle built for discerning minds, one that compels contemplation, admiration, and, regrettably, more than a little head-scratching.
Lucid has, once again, proven its engineering prowess, crafting a vehicle that embodies the spirit of a high-performance, long-range electric SUV. Yet, this brilliant hardware often finds itself shackled by a nascent software ecosystem and design quirks that feel surprisingly underdeveloped for a vehicle positioned at the pinnacle of luxury. My time with the Gravity has been a fascinating journey of highs and lows, a compelling narrative of what happens when ambition meets the unforgiving realities of user experience in the digital age. This isn’t just another electric SUV; it’s a profound paradox on wheels.
The Digital Gatekeepers: First Impressions and Frustrating Fundamentals
In 2025, the expectation for any premium vehicle, let alone an electric one, is seamless, intuitive interaction. From unlocking the doors to firing up the powertrain, the experience should be effortless. This is where the Lucid Gravity, surprisingly, stumbles right out of the gate. As someone who has driven virtually every significant luxury EV on the market, I can attest that consistency in basic functionalities like vehicle access is paramount.
With the Gravity, whether you’re fumbling with the elegant key fob, presenting the sleek key card, or attempting to command it through the mobile app, the act of simply unlocking the doors can be a wild card. It’s not just occasionally inconsistent; it’s a recurring theme that chips away at the premium veneer. Picture this: you’re trying to quickly load groceries or get out of the rain, only to stand there impatiently, repeatedly tapping or swiping, wondering if the car is ignoring you. This isn’t just an inconvenience; it undermines the very essence of modern luxury, which prides itself on effortless command.
The frustration continues once you’re inside. Finding a repeatable, intuitive method to “start” the Gravity borders on the impossible. In an era where many EVs eschew a traditional start button for a simple “sit down and drive” approach, Lucid insists on a specific, yet poorly communicated, sequence. Having encountered similar perplexing issues with early iterations of the Lucid Air, our 2022 Car of the Year, it’s genuinely baffling that these foundational user experience challenges persist. Four years on, with significant development time and market feedback, these digital growing pains in such core functionalities are hard to overlook, especially when competitors like Tesla, Rivian, and even established players like Mercedes-Benz and BMW have largely perfected these basics. For a vehicle targeting the discerning buyer interested in cutting-edge electric vehicle innovation, these initial interactions cast a long shadow.
Interior Ingenuity: Space, Comfort, and Sustainable Luxury
Once you do manage to navigate the digital entry sequence, the Gravity’s interior begins to tell a more compelling story. Lucid has successfully translated the Air’s innovative ethos into a more versatile body, resulting in packaging brilliance that truly sets it apart in the 3-row electric SUV segment. This is not merely a larger Air; it’s a meticulously engineered expansion of the brand’s design philosophy.
Whether configured with two or three rows of seating, the Gravity showcases an exceptional command of interior volume. Our evaluation team comprised individuals ranging from just over 5 feet to nearly 7 feet tall, and without exception, every single judge found comfort in every seat. This is a monumental achievement for any SUV, particularly an electric one where battery placement often compromises cabin space. The second row offers genuine adult-sized comfort, and even the third row, often an afterthought in many SUVs, is surprisingly accommodating for shorter journeys or nimble passengers. The panoramic glass roof further enhances the sense of airiness and spaciousness, contributing to an overall inviting cabin atmosphere.
Beyond passenger comfort, the Gravity excels in practical utility. The frunk (front trunk) is generously sized, perfect for charging cables or small bags, a feature increasingly vital for EV owners. More impressively, the sub-trunk beneath the rear cargo floor adds substantial hidden storage, allowing for a vast amount of luggage or gear within a relatively compact footprint. This intelligent use of space positions the Gravity as a genuinely practical and luxurious family hauler, capable of accommodating diverse lifestyles without feeling overly bulky on the road. For families seeking a long-range 3-row EV with uncompromising space, the Gravity presents a highly attractive proposition. Lucid’s commitment to premium cabin materials is evident throughout, from the supple leather options to the thoughtful metallic accents, all contributing to an ambience of sustainable luxury vehicles that resonate with today’s environmentally conscious premium buyer.
The Paradox of Polish: Design Flaws in a Premium Package
However, even within the Gravity’s brilliant interior, some design choices hint at a lack of real-world usability testing or an unfortunate triumph of form over function. These instances reveal a peculiar disconnect, almost as if good ideas were allowed to devolve into merely ideas, without the crucial final polish.
Take, for example, the motorized second-row track. While the ambition to offer flexible seating and cargo configurations is commendable, the execution leaves much to be desired. The motorized mechanism, while initially impressive, leaves exposed componentry when folded, creating an unsightly gap that invites floor debris and crumbs into its intricate workings. In a luxury vehicle, exposed mechanics are typically hidden beneath elegant covers, not flaunted as a potential maintenance headache. This detail, while contributing to a large, flat load surface, compromises the overall aesthetic and long-term durability perception.
Another peculiar design choice is the frosted glass center console lid, beneath which a tray is shaped specifically for the key fob. A thoughtful touch, perhaps, but one that backfired spectacularly during our testing. A standard key fob often has a small tag or a ring attached. Resting the key in its designated spot and then closing the lid resulted in the tag getting jammed, preventing the lid from opening. This wasn’t an isolated incident; it was a repeated frustration, suggesting a lack of real-world scenario testing in the design phase. It’s these minor, yet infuriating, usability issues that undermine the Gravity’s claim to the luxury mantle.
The unconventional steering wheel, while visually striking and feeling good in hand, also harbors some questionable design elements. Its unique shape is a conversation starter, but the dual control pads situated on the wheel itself are a letdown. Their insubstantial, almost flimsy feel stands in stark contrast to the sumptuous touchpoints found elsewhere in the cabin. This inconsistency calls Lucid’s meticulous attention to detail into question. In a vehicle where every surface should exude quality, these cheap-feeling pads are a tactile misstep.
And then there’s the upper touchscreen. While the display technology is generally impressive, a discernible jagged edge of pixels along its top curve is a glaring imperfection. In 2025, with ultra-high-resolution displays being standard across the premium segment, such a visual artifact in a flagship EV is simply unacceptable. It speaks to either poor quality control or an oversight in software rendering that should have been rectified long before launch.
Furthermore, Lucid’s user interface (UI), even with a few welcome physical buttons, presents a steep learning curve. While it aims for minimalism and sleekness, it often sacrifices clarity and intuitive navigation. During our extensive evaluation, we frequently found ourselves questioning whether certain tech features were broken or if we were simply misunderstanding the intricate, sometimes illogical, system logic. This kind of ambiguity is a significant barrier to entry for many users and detracts from the seamless experience expected from an advanced electric vehicle features suite. The UI’s complexity stands in stark contrast to the effortless elegance often found in competing luxury EV interior technology.
The Unquestionable Performance: A Supercar in SUV Clothing
It’s after grappling with these digital and design eccentricities that you finally engage the Gravity in its natural habitat: the open road. And this is where all concept of logic almost eclipses. The sheer, unadulterated performance of the Lucid Gravity is nothing short of breathtaking, almost making you forgive its earlier transgressions.
Whether equipped with the “basic” 600-ish horsepower powertrain and dual-chamber air suspension or the monstrous available 828-hp, triple-chamber setup, the Gravity does not drive like an SUV. It drives like a high-riding all-electric supercar. This isn’t hyperbole; it’s a testament to Lucid’s chassis engineering prowess. The acceleration is instant and brutal, pinning you back into the exceptionally comfortable seats with a force that belies its substantial size. For those seeking best electric SUV performance, the Gravity delivers in spades.
What truly elevates the Gravity beyond mere straight-line speed is its dynamic composure. This vehicle has been set up by and for skilled drivers, showcasing an uncanny balance and control. You can push it into corners with confidence, feeling the advanced air suspension technology and precise steering work in harmony. The way it manages its significant mass through turns is genuinely phenomenal; it “drives sideways like it does in a straight line: beautifully.” This indicates sophisticated torque vectoring and active damping systems, allowing for incredible grip and agility.
Even in mundane driving scenarios, this dynamic refinement is profoundly tangible. The ride quality, even on broken pavement, is supple and controlled, absorbing imperfections without any harshness. Body control is exemplary, virtually eliminating roll and pitch, making for a remarkably smooth and serene journey. This makes the Gravity not just an exhilarating machine but also a supremely comfortable daily driver and long-distance cruiser. Lucid’s engineering heritage, honed with the Air, clearly shines through in the Gravity’s exceptional EV driving dynamics, setting a new benchmark for luxury electric vehicle performance.
Charging and Range: The Realities of 2025 EV Ownership
In the 2025 landscape, charging speed and real-world range are critical considerations for any electric vehicle, especially a luxury family SUV. The NACS-equipped Gravity stands among the quickest-charging EVs we’ve tested, capable of rapidly replenishing its battery at compatible public stations. This capability is crucial for alleviating range anxiety and making long-distance travel a viable and convenient option.
However, like many electrics, the Gravity’s real-world range, while excellent, tends to fall short of its ambitious official ratings. This is a common industry challenge, influenced by factors such as driving style, ambient temperature, terrain, and use of climate control. While Lucid’s theoretical figures are impressive, buyers should always factor in a slight reduction for daily driving scenarios. Nevertheless, for a long-range 3-row EV, the Gravity’s practical range still places it among the leaders, offering ample capacity for most journeys. The rapid integration of the NACS charging standard across the U.S. further enhances its appeal and usability.
The Verdict: A Masterpiece Undermined
The Lucid Gravity is a vehicle that commands respect for its audacious vision and engineering brilliance. It is a masterpiece in aluminum and lithium, pushing the boundaries of what an electric SUV can be in terms of performance, packaging, and driving dynamics. It embodies the future of electric mobility with a powerful statement.
Yet, this profound success in hardware is regrettably undermined by its ongoing struggles with software, digital integration, and user experience. The persistent issues with basic functionality, the perplexing UI, and the minor but irritating design flaws prevent the Gravity from achieving the seamless, intuitive luxury experience its price point and positioning demand. As an automotive expert, I find it difficult to reconcile such engineering marvels with such fundamental digital shortcomings.
When selecting finalists for various automotive awards, a vehicle this ambitious must succeed uniformly across the board. The heady theoreticals of its advanced design are, too often, undermined by practical application. The Lucid Air, as a groundbreaking pioneer, was granted some leeway for its “prototype status” feel in early examples. But after four years of development and several months on the market, the Gravity simply cannot be afforded the same grace. It should be a fully resolved product.
Lucid has demonstrated an unparalleled ability to craft truly exceptional automotive hardware. If it can achieve the same level of polish and intuitive design with its code and user interface, then the Gravity, and indeed the entire Lucid brand, will truly unlock its full, awe-inspiring potential. Until then, it remains a brilliant, flawed gem—a testament to innovation that still has critical lessons to learn in the digital realm.
Experience the Future, Flaws and All.
Are you ready to witness firsthand the raw power and innovative design of the Lucid Gravity, and perhaps even form your own opinion on its intriguing paradox? What are your thoughts on the delicate balance between groundbreaking engineering and day-to-day usability in the luxury EV segment? Discover how the Lucid Gravity truly drives and join the conversation about the future of electric vehicles. Visit your nearest Lucid Studio today or connect with us online to explore the next frontier of sustainable luxury.
