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Contrary to common belief, automotive design doesn’t need to be an overly complicated exercise.
OK, it might seem like I’m discrediting the creative process more than a little; and my own artistic abilities are hardly enough to make me an authority on the issue. Beyond computer chair criticism — for what it’s worth, I’m holed up in a deskless hotel room as I type this — it all comes down to the simple concept of, well, simplicity. Where brands like Hyundai have resorted to radical reinvention as a way to turn heads, there’s a sense of satisfaction that comes with cohesive styling.
To take it a step further, it seems especially important for an upstart automaker like Lucid to create an identity and stick with it. After all, this is a brand fighting for attention — and fighting really is the operative word here — in an electric vehicle (EV) market already staked out by established players like Tesla and Mercedes-Benz, both of which happen to stick with the same styling formula. Well, for the most part, anyway.
While Lucid hasn’t had a ton of success to date, it’s hoping its first-ever SUV will help jumpstart sluggish sales. And it just so happens that the 2026 Lucid Gravity looks an awful lot like an adaptation of its existing — and unquestionably stunning — sedan. It’s also underpinned by the same sort of impressive technology as the Air, which makes it an instant segment leader when it comes to the stuff that matters in a premium EV like it.
Gravitational Pull
Look, it’s not like the Gravity is a carbon copy of the Air that came before it. Instead, it shares the same basic styling elements with its sedan sibling — including an incredibly flat beltline that extends from the hood to the haunches — but they’ve been wrapped up in heartier proportions. Then there are the contrast-finished cantrails that arch above the doors to give the Gravity a silhouette that’s similar to the Air’s, although they terminate with more pronounced pillars at the back.
This being an automaker that’s still in its relative infancy, Lucid is learning on the fly and pivoting more quickly than most legacy brands are capable of. So while the front half of the cabin has the same form factor as the Air’s, designers ditched the portrait-oriented lower touchscreen for a more conventional horizontal unit. Like before, it plays a supporting role to the expansive 34-inch curved display up top that combines infotainment and drive information under a single panel.
Despite its size, the display sits low on the dash so it doesn’t distract from the open road ahead; plus, the steering wheel — I’m really stretching the definition of the word “wheel,” since the oblong unit is flat both bottom and top — stays out of the way of whatever’s on the screen. Instead, it’s the impossibly thick A-pillars that pose problems, since they’re wide enough to obstruct outward visibility on a tightly winding road, or hide a pedestrian when turning on a city street.
The interior itself is offered in the choice of four “themes” — modern automotive parlance for colour schemes. Each of them is as dour as the last, although the lightest of the bunch uses off-white upholstery that naturally brightens the space. All four themes are named after some of the most iconic geographical areas in Lucid’s home state of California — Yosemite, Ojai, Tahoe, Mojave — which is an endearing touch if nothing else.
Lucid UX 3.0
The space is stylish despite the mundane shades spread throughout, with a nice mix of materials that (optionally) includes real wood trim, suede, and, in some case, recycled fabrics, all of which is well put together and befitting of the top-of-the-line Lucid Gravity Grand Touring tested here. Beyond the touchpoints, the user experience has been made better than before through the implementation of the so-called Lucid UX 3.0 — the automaker’s latest interface.
While other brands have turned to the experts at Google for infotainment, Lucid has gambled yet again on a system developed almost entirely in-house. (The exceptions are map data, as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity that rivals like Rivian and Tesla don’t offer, nor do they plan to.) That bet looks like a wise one, with a whole host of unique features to set the Gravity apart from its peers.
Those include an assortment of tranquility settings that go beyond gimmicks to deliver immersive relaxation experiences. Count the so-called “spaces” programs among them, with a combination of sights and sounds that are almost like the automotive reimagination of a ‘Solitudes’ album from the 1990s. Outdated though that reference may be, it neatly sums up the relaxation modes that use the spectacular screens and 10- or optional 22-speaker stereos to turn the space into a mobile sanctuary.
When it comes to more utilitarian components, the navigation system features an estimated range overlay that looks like weather radar with the way it shows all the places the Gravity can roam with whatever state of charge remains. And on that note, the dynamic range indicator on the left side of the drive display uses a weighted formula that takes special consideration of the last 16 kilometres or so in particular to calculate how much distance the battery has left in it.
The downsides of Lucid’s system seem few and far between, although there are some to consider. For example, since it relies on a data connection for satellite radio rather than actual satellites, the signal is prone to dropping out in areas SiriusXM might otherwise work in another vehicle. Likewise, the integrated Tidal and Spotify streaming capabilities are prone to interruption; but then a connected smartphone with a catalogue of downloaded audio will do just fine instead, as will the FM radio.
Better With Age
This is perhaps the one area the Gravity comes back down to earth — see what I did there? — with a bit too much outside interference making its way in, a phenomenon that becomes more apparent when the audio system is off (whether by choice of circumstance). And it isn’t as if it’s an exceptionally noisy space. Rather, the relatively elevated sounds from the surface below — and even the powertrain itself — are at odds with the serenity of the rest of the experience.
That experience is built on the same underpinnings as the Air sedan, although they’ve been modernized for use in Lucid’s latest product. There’s a 123-kWh battery pack that’s bookended by electric motors that together generate as much as 828 hp and 909 lb-ft of torque in this Grand Touring version — supercar-like numbers that don’t really tell the Gravity’s story. Sure, it’ll accelerate to 100 km/h in about 3.5 seconds, but there’s none of the aggression that can come with such fantastical figures.
Instead, this all-wheel-drive SUV prioritizes effortless luxury over pure performance, surging ahead smoothly instead of violently. Meanwhile, the powertrain is perfectly complemented by the suspension that uses standard single-chamber or optional three-chamber air springs to soak up bumps in the road with ease. (The height-adjustable system has five different settings ranging from a low of 132 mm to a high of 236 mm.)
While the massive staggered 22-inch front and 23-inch rear wheels this fully loaded tester was riding on were noticeable, they meant California’s coarse pavement was heard more than it was felt, with satisfying ride characteristics that made the Gravity more spritely than its roughly 2,722-kg (6,000-lb) curb weight would otherwise suggest. The optional rear-axle steering helped, too, giving it the sensation of a small sport utility on tightly twisting roads.
Well-Used Space
Now it’s time for a reminder that this isn’t a luxury sedan or swanky coupe — it’s an SUV with seating for as many as seven people, and plenty of space for stuff inside. There’s a frunk that’s been cleverly designed to include temporary seating, while the generously sized cargo area around back has a false floor that can be removed to stow the optional third-row seats the way the ones in the Toyota Sienna can be tucked away when they aren’t in use.
Of all the Gravity’s clever touches, the rear doors might well top the list for their ability to swing up a full 90 degrees — wider, even, than the ones up front. This being an EV with a flat floor, the step-in height of all four doors is low like a sedan’s to make climbing in and out easy even for those with mobility limitations. And then there are the roomy and comfortable seats, including the optional pair in the back that managed to accommodate my 6-foot-4 frame with ease.
It’s all a credit to the packaging of the powertrain, which is about as compact as any production EV’s. Characterising the all-new — and all-electric — Cadillac Escalade IQ as a true competitor to the Gravity is probably a stretch, but it’s a good example of the contrast that can exist between two similarly executed SUVs. The tidier arrangement of components underneath the Gravity, as well as its more aerodynamic design, means it can travel almost as far on a full charge with a significantly smaller battery.
The 123-kWh lithium-ion pack provides a Lucid-estimated 720 km of range — barely less than the Escalade IQ (740 km) that needs a hulking 215-kWh battery to do it. That also makes the Cadillac quite a bit bulkier, with a curb weight in excess of 4,082 kg (9,000 lb). That’s more than 1,361 kg (3,000 lb) heavier than the Gravity, which also benefits from a built-in Tesla-style charge port and the ability to add about 320 km of range in a little more than 10 minutes in ideal conditions.
Final Thoughts
Just like the Air before it, the 2026 Lucid Gravity is a segment leader by most measures that matter. More importantly, it’s an encouraging encore performance that proves just how serious this brand is about building some of the best EVs around. There’s a thoughtfulness to just about every aspect of this SUV that’s born of a desire to do things just a little differently than others in the segments in which the Gravity competes, including conventional models like the Porsche Cayenne.
Rather than simply mimicking the best parts of the Cayenne or the all-electric Rivian R1S, to name a couple SUVs the automaker’s engineers benchmarked, they distilled the development process into something more straightforward: to make the spiritual successor to the Lucid Air sedan — one that’s been designed to defy the traditional limitations of a vehicle like it. Whether that resonates with shoppers remains to be seen, but it certainly won’t be down to a lack of effort.
The 2026 Lucid Gravity Grand Touring is available to order now. It starts at $134,500 before options, freight, and taxes.
