Gravity test drive impressions, Millbrae CA showroom

So I was able to test drive the Gravity today from the Millbrae, CA (Bay Area) showroom. It sounds like they've had their test drive car for about a week, and have been conducting continuous test drives, 1× per hour, at least on the weekends. Wanted to post some impressions here; I'm new to Lucid, but currently drive a Tesla Model X. For reference, it was a GT, and their vehicle had everything except for the power/tech package (so no HUD) and the tow hitch, and I believe 21"/22"s.

The test drive experience was pretty good. Coming from Tesla where they just dump the car onto you unceremoniously with a take-it-or-leave-it approach, I appreciated an SA actually walking through the car, the infotainment systems, the seating functions, etc. The test route was thought out well, with some windy roads (Millbrae Ave.) and freeway entrance ramps both short and long, and the SA cycled between the 3 drive modes along the route to highlight the differences in steering, acceleration, etc.

The car itself felt…refined. Coming from the Model X, there was definitely less road noise, smoother suspension, and a feeling that I'm a bit more cushioned from the bumps on the road. DDPro was fine on the freeway and kept me in the lane, but it was not hands-free yet and kept on bugging me to keep my hands on the wheel. Punching the motor felt about as fast as the Model X, but I didn't push it all the way in the Gravity (since it wasn't my car, and my kids were in the back). That said, the Gravity didn't lose any oomph around the 50–60mph and featured a very smooth acceleration curve. I had set the brake regen on "high" just to get a sense of how that felt, and it was quite aggressive in slowing the car down, especially on city streets at slower speeds. I also realized, upon backing into the reserved parking space, that I miss the 360° camera view.

Some random tidbits from the SA:

• They've been getting 3–4 Gravities to the Millbrae showroom every few days for the past few weeks
• They're supposedly waiting for the phone key with a bigger Lucid app update (presumably to improve the Air as well)
• It takes about ~4 weeks to go from VIN assignment to delivery

I was definitely glad to have test driven the car, and the kids enjoyed everything about it—except that the second row screen didn't have games available on it (I have the rare Model X that supported Steam before they removed it in newer cars, I think). Excited, but back to waiting.

Nice review. I'm amused that almost all of us on this forum are coming from the Model X. Are there not enough EQE/EQS/iX/EX90/Vistiq owners to report, or is this really category-defining for powerful luxury 3-row EVs?

jered said:

Nice review. I'm amused that almost all of us on this forum are coming from the Model X. Are there not enough EQE/EQS/iX/EX90/Vistiq owners to report, or is this really category-defining for powerful luxury 3-row EVs?

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Good question. I, too, would expect a lot of new folks to our forums from other SUVs from other brands. And not just EVs, necessarily.

Not surprising a lot of Model X owners would be interested, though I guess. I just thought we’d see other brands, too.

Maybe we will see more after the early adopter period.

I am coming from a Mercedes GLE 63. Gravity will be my first EV. I have seen a couple of posters on this forum coming from Merc EQS. I would suggest EX90 and Vistiq are too new for many people to already be looking to trade out. I think main reason there are so many Model X owners here is that there are a ton more old MX vehicles out there than any other electric SUV. Tesla has virtually ignored the MX for years now and the recent updates do nothing to improve its luxury image. Unless you prioritize FSD above all else, the MX no longer has anything compelling to offer. I am not trying to trash Tesla as a whole. If I was in market for smaller, $50,000 ish SUV, I would be looking very close at the new Model Y.

jered said:

Nice review. I'm amused that almost all of us on this forum are coming from the Model X. Are there not enough EQE/EQS/iX/EX90/Vistiq owners to report, or is this really category-defining for powerful luxury 3-row EVs?

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ex90 owners are too busy complaining on their own forum about how bad the software is

joec said:

Good question. I, too, would expect a lot of new folks to our forums from other SUVs from other brands. And not just EVs, necessarily.

Not surprising a lot of Model X owners would be interested, though I guess. I just thought we’d see other brands, too.

Maybe we will see more after the early adopter period.

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Yeah, I think a part of it is just the number of Model X owners out there should be more than all the other midsize/large EV SUVs; it's the OG after all and has had like a 4-year headstart in the market compared to all the other models at least.

I also feel like the Lucid brand and what they're aiming for hones closest to Tesla; they're the "Tesla 2.0" after all. All those other cars have the tech and are plenty fast, but I still associate them with their respective brands and what those brands have represented for a long time.

The third row in the Tesla Model X is fit for animals, children and lower limb amputees only. That is all.

allenmhc said:

Yeah, I think a part of it is just the number of Model X owners out there should be more than all the other midsize/large EV SUVs; it's the OG after all and has had like a 4-year headstart in the market compared to all the other models at least.

I also feel like the Lucid brand and what they're aiming for hones closest to Tesla; they're the "Tesla 2.0" after all. All those other cars have the tech and are plenty fast, but I still associate them with their respective brands and what those brands have represented for a long time.

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Yes. Agreed. Lucid was always destined to win over former Tesla customers. And you are right that at least in the 3-row EV space, there are bound to be a lot more Model X owners who have had their cars long enough to be considering something new than other brands. Other brands’ models are likely still too new for their owners to be ready to get something else.

I think we’ll see more people moving in Lucid’s direction as the next year or two pass.

joec said:

Yes. Agreed. Lucid was always destined to win over former Tesla customers. And you are right that at least in the 3-row EV space, there are bound to be a lot more Model X owners who have had their cars long enough to be considering something new than other brands. Other brands’ models are likely still too new for their owners to be ready to get something else.

I think we’ll see more people moving in Lucid’s direction as the next year or two pass.

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I'm coming from an ICE SUV. I may not be a typical customer, in that Lucid won't just be my first SUV, but it'll also be my first real "luxury" vehicle, costing roughly double the next most expensive vehicle I've ever purchased. To a degree, me stepping up to a much higher price tier is due to feeling like lower priced EVs may represent more of a compromise for my road trip experience than I'd like. But I'm well aware that range anxiety and charging speed worries tend to be something ICE owners fear, and prove to be not such a big deal once you actually have an EV.

We have an X but wife wants to keep it so I am giving up my R1S quad. Happy to do so. I like Rivian, but feel like Gravity has same/more cargo, more space for kids and more refined. I rarely need the off-roading of the R1S. And I need more range.

I think folks who shop Cadillac are more brand loyal. Not sure why I think that, but feel the same way about Mercedes. Feels like folks are drawn to those brands.

I was considering the Vistiq until I realized the steering wheel does almost 2 full revolutions to each side. That's just pathetic, like driving an old bus. Also, the whole Android Auto / Carplay move by GM is a deal breaker. They want money every month for you to use a shittier version of their blessed Google Maps. No thanks.