2026 Lucid Gravity Assessment: A Comprehensive Examination of the Leading Three-Row SUV Available Today

Lucid’s latest model is a versatile family vehicle that should be compared by everyone outside of Porsche — and possibly even those within Porsche — as we approach the new year.

The 2026 Lucid Gravity is here and, in theory, should catapult the brand into the public spotlight as it now provides a crossover SUV, which we know is highly favored in America. The Gravity features three rows of seating, up to 450 miles of driving range, incredibly fast charging, and actual physical controls. It embodies everything that people claim to want from a vehicle.

It’s time to step up, America.

The Basics 

I suspect that if Lucid could do a do-over, they would have debuted with the Gravity since it isn’t a sedan like the Air. Hindsight offers clarity, right? Almost every statistic on paper for this vehicle stands out, from range to power to charging capabilities and space. But that has all been extensively discussed, so let’s dive into why this vehicle is remarkable.

It’s a genuine shape-shifter. That’s a term seldom used for production vehicles, but in the case of the Gravity, I’ve maintained this since the day I tested an early version. From some perspectives, the Gravity appears as an SUV; from others, a high-riding wagon; and at times, a minivan lacking sliding doors. I suspect that last description won’t resonate with many, so consider it from a different viewpoint. It is lower and less blocky than the Rivian R1S or the Cadillac Vistiq, yet it doesn’t resemble a beached whale like the Tesla Model X. Its bodywork, from the hood down to the doors, features elegant curves that facilitate airflow around (and through) the Gravity as efficiently as possible. Its design is undoubtedly polarizing, as my father and wife both remarked that it looks too much like a minivan; meanwhile, I adore it because wagons are fantastic. The rear three-quarter view is unarguably the most awkward and minivan-like, so just avoid that angle.

Inside, the Gravity clearly shares DNA with the Air, but Lucid has optimized the SUV’s additional space with an updated layout. A 34-inch curved glass display hovers above the dashboard and resembles, but is larger than, what’s in the Air sedan. The interface is somewhat alike as well, complete with a static cockpit panel with digital hard buttons for crucial features like defrost and lighting controls. Instead of a portrait-style retractable screen on the center console, Lucid chose a 12.6-inch landscape touchscreen that appears to float on the dashboard. The interface resembles that of the Air, easy to navigate and complemented by physical controls such as toggles for climate settings and a turbine-style volume knob. The center console is designed in two tiers with a sliding shelf, and the lower section can easily conceal a DSLR camera.

The Grand Touring variant features a fully glass roof, which will heat the cabin in sunlight since there’s regrettably no electrochromic roof option available. The vehicle I tested included a $250 clip-in cloth sunshade accessory that is a embarrassingly inadequate solution for a vehicle costing over $100,000. Additionally, it’s a hassle to set up as it genuinely requires two hands. The $130,000 Cadillac Escalade IQ faces a similar issue, so Team Lucid is not alone in this predicament.

All three rows of seating are suitable for adults. At 5’10”, I was able to sit comfortably in each row with the seats adjusted to fit my frame, enjoying plenty of headroom, knee space, legroom, and foot space in every row. The front seats are supportive with excellent bolstering in all the right places, including solid thigh support. My Grand Touring version also had massaging front seats, which were significantly superior to the laughable massaging feature in the Infiniti QX80 (which simply rolls the lumbar support up and down uncomfortably against the back). Ironically, two of the massaging options basically vibrated the seat. The powered tilt-and-slide function to access the third row wasn’t exactly quick, though most powered second rows aren’t. The third row was comfy and could easily accommodate a six-foot-tall adult.

Significantly, with the third row up, there’s a 6.2-cubic-foot concealed storage compartment under the floor. The third row itself is the only SUV globally with a minivan-style folding mechanism, allowing it to fold into that hidden compartment when not in use. With the third row up, there’s a respectable 21.3 cubic feet of cargo space. That expands to 56.2 cubic feet when the third row is stowed. Fold both the second and third rows, which lay completely flat, and you achieve 111.9 cubic feet of space. The substantial front trunk adds another 8.1 cubic feet of cargo area, and there’s an optional pad that converts this space into a two-person bench seat with built-in cup holders.

Two quick packaging quirks exist, one of which needs to be resolved. When the second-row seat is folded, it’s a two-step procedure with the seat bottom flipping forward and down, followed by the seat back folding down onto the seat bottom. The reverse process is required when re-setting the second row for usage, which, with the seat back upright, exposes the messy wiring and cables beneath the second-row seat bottom, an unsightly sight unworthy of a $100,000 luxury vehicle. A cover should have been designed to conceal this unattractive view. The second quirk? A trough-like space between the cargo area and the second-row seat back exists so that when the third row is upright, occupants have room for their legs and a proper drop for their feet when seated. However, when the third row is hidden, this trough becomes a collection point for items. Owners will likely use it for frequently carried items, but it’s still an odd packaging shortcoming. What’s worse, this issue persists even in five-seat two-row configurations. Lucid should develop a cover that can slide over this trough to create a completely flat floor.

I was able to fit myself, my father, mother, wife, and two kids, alongside four substantial pieces of luggage, four computer bags, two backpacks, and a roller bag in the Gravity comfortably.

Driving the Lucid Gravity 

The top-of-the-line Grand Touring model I tested features a dual-motor powertrain generating 828 horsepower and 909 lb-ft of torque, powered by a 123-kilowatt-hour battery and an incredibly rapid 926-volt electrical architecture. A newly introduced Touring model is available with two motors, providing 560 hp and 811 lb-ft of torque, an 89-kWh battery, yet still boasts an astonishingly fast 670-plus-volt electrical system. Currently, all Gravity models have all-wheel drive.

To summarize? Every Gravity is fast, with Grand Touring models accelerating from 0-60 mph in 3.4 seconds and Touring models hitting the same mark in 4.0 seconds. But that’s merely a fun party trick.

The real highlight is that the Gravity is undeniably the best-handling three-row SUV on the market today. Yes, it’s quick and swift, but stoplight theatrics are just that. The Gravity is a delight to drive thanks to perfectly balanced steering that genuinely communicates what’s happening at the wheels. During limited backroad canyon driving, I felt feedback relayed from the road surface to my hands, offering a sense of when I might be nearing the limit.

Tested with a $2,900 Dynamic Handling Package, which enhanced it with a triple-chamber air suspension system and rear-wheel steering, the Gravity exhibited a firm, controlled ride with minimal yet natural body roll. It wasn’t gravity-defying (no pun intended) like some dynamic setups from Germany, but it maneuvered around corners as only a Porsche can. The suspension absorbed potholes effortlessly despite the wide staggered 22- and 23-inch wheels. The more I pushed the Gravity, the more encouragement it gave me to increase my speed. There was a fleeting second I questioned whether the Grand Touring had more power than braking, but I never detected any burnt brakes nor observed smoke, which I experienced with the Cadillac Lyriq V. A caveat to all this is that the Grand Touring model tested was equipped with what can only be described as borderline cheating tires that undoubtedly enhanced its dynamics, featuring Pirelli P-Zeros all around, measuring 265/40R22 in front and 285/35R23 in back.

I eagerly anticipate testing a Gravity without air suspension and narrower wheels and tires that aren’t as grippy to see how those dynamics perform.

That squircle steering wheel takes some getting accustomed to, as it mandates proper 9-and-3 hand positioning, and the flat top allows the digital gauge cluster to remain unobstructed like in the Air sedan. However, in parking lot scenarios, the flat top and bottom can feel cumbersome even by the end of a week. The D-pads on the steering wheel appear touch-sensitive but thankfully are not and require pressure to activate as they are buttons. However, they are unlabeled buttons, requiring the driver to learn their functions and then memorize them. Personally, I didn’t find this difficult.

Yet, as remarkable as the Gravity’s handling was, the software experience was equally notable for mostly the wrong reasons. It’s plagued with bugs and initial issues. Frequently, after waking up, the Gravity’s climate system would blast icy air at full fan speed, and you can imagine my wife and kids’ reactions to this under ambient temperatures in the 40s and 50s. Many people I conversed with over the phone via Bluetooth remarked it sounded as if I was driving through a tornado. My name isn’t Bill Paxton, and we didn’t have cows.

Often, if I was sitting in the vehicle taking photos, notes, or just waiting, an alert would appear in the driver’s cockpit indicating that the key was not detected, prompting me to shake the fob (yes, it literally said shake). While charging once on a Level 2 station, the display indicated the duration in hours and minutes, but then displayed the range in kilometers despite the system being set to miles. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are not yet available, although they are anticipated. One evening, a headlight error appeared on the display, but I couldn’t determine the cause; everything seemed operational, and the error never recurred. The mapping software struggled to zoom in and out correctly while navigating, resulting in stoplights being clustered on a map with no clear route data for the current road the Gravity was traversing. The rear seat climate control perpetually displayed in Celsius instead of Fahrenheit. Overall, the whole system was simply glitchy. 

Since my time with the Gravity, Lucid has released a significant software update that reportedly addresses many of these problems, including the climate control blasting cold air issue. We’ll have to revisit this once we test another model, but none of these issues truly undermined the enjoyable driving experience of this SUV, and theoretically, all of it can be rectified through a software update.

Range, Charging, and Efficiency 

We typically don’t delve into charging and efficiency in first drive reviews because they’re often high-level. With the Gravity, it’s difficult not to highlight this aspect. It’s that impressive.

The Grand Touring model boasts an estimated range of up to 450 miles per charge, while the Touring model, with its smaller battery, offers an estimated range of up to 337 miles per charge. That first figure is unmatched by any electric SUV currently available.

The Grand Touring, featuring larger wheels and high-performance tires, has an EPA-rated range of 386 miles. In mixed LA driving conditions, which are notably not my routine at home, the Gravity averaged 2.81 mi/kWh over 256.7 miles, with ambient temperatures fluctuating between 40 and 65 degrees. 

More impressively, the Grand Touring is a charging dynamo with a peak charge rate reaching up to 400 kW. (The Touring model scales this back to a still remarkable 300 kW.) Lucid claims the Grand Touring can add as much as 200 miles of range in under 11 minutes, while the Touring model accomplishes the same in 15 minutes. This all occurs through a standard Tesla-like NACS charging port.

2026 Lucid Gravity Features, Options, and Competition

The Touring model serves as the entry-level option at $81,550, inclusive of a $1,650 destination fee. It’s well-equipped with those sizable screens, impressive performance, soft-close doors, five-passenger seating, 12-way power heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a four-zone climate control system. Upgrading to the Grand Touring model for $96,550 enhances power output, charging speeds, and tow rating from 3,500 to 6,000 pounds. As tested, the Grand Touring arrived at $122,200 due to $6,750 for Lucid’s DreamDrive 2 Pro suite of driver-assist functions, a Surreal Sound Pro 22-speaker audio system for $2,900, the Comfort & Convenience Package for $2,500 (adding acoustic and thermal glass, power-operated second-row window shades, soft-close doors, and heated steering wheel along with second-row seats), the Dynamic Handling Package for $2,900, Aurora Green Metallic paint for $1,000, Tahoe Nappa Leather with Luxury Seating package for $4,200, third-row seat for $2,900, towing package for $750, and the larger staggered wheels for $1,750.

This base pricing overtakes every single competitor, whether gas- or electric-powered, that approaches this level of performance. The as-tested price narrows that gap and positions the Gravity directly competing with the Rivian R1S Quad, but is still about $40,000 cheaper than the slower, less-powerful Porsche Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid. Rough competition lies ahead. We’ll see how much the Cayenne Electric costs when it launches next year.

The Early Verdict

The Gravity arrives significantly later than Lucid needs, but hindsight is just that. It’s here, the Gravity is available, and families (and enthusiasts) seeking a three-row SUV are better for it. With Porsche scrapping plans for a three-row electric SUV (codenamed K1) in favor of gas and hybrid models, the Gravity is operating in an exceptionally limited space.

It charges more swiftly, has a longer range, accelerates harder and faster, and costs less than anything similar. It accomplishes all that while outpacing anything that intends to compete on asphalt. We, as well as Lucid, require more time behind the wheel and refining the software, but the Gravity holds promise that should instill worry in the competition due to no vehicle currently on sale that amalgamates all these qualities with this level of family-friendly arrangement.

Lucid provided The Drive with an eight-day loan of this vehicle to facilitate the writing of this review.