Gravity vs. Ioniq 9 vs. Buzz

[Disco Marathon]

Quite the day - test drove a Gravity (KoP), Ioniq 9, and Buzz in that order. The Gravity was fantastic!! Loved the looks of the Green/Tahoe combo (which is what we ordered), and loved everything that everyone here has already crowed about - the way it handled, the cabin quiet, the turning radius, the squircle, the luxury, and the amount of cabin space that Lucid squeezed out of the relatively small footprint. It is amazing that there is so much interior space but the exterior does not give off “I’m a giant SUV" vibes. Definitely more like a crossover or station wagon, which to me is more appealing.

My complaints are the same as many have already pointed out - the A pillar is tricky. From where my seat was positioned there was a solid blind spot for cross-traffic coming from the passenger side. But I think could play around with seat position a bit more to fix that. With Creep off, there is a lurching/stickiness when slowly backing up that I don’t feel in the Tesla MS, even with the Gravity drive mode set to Smooth. Backing into the garage might be easier on Creep. Coming from an MS, the UX + so many screens is busy. It will take some getting used to, but I’m sure once we’re over the learning curve we will appreciate it.

I tried to hit as many potholes as I could find (which was hard for those who know KoP) and the ride was still smooth and quiet. My biggest compliant with the MS is that it handles potholes like a go kart, which makes driving in Philly likely to rattle out your teeth fillings. Switching directly from the MS to the Gravity and then back again was like night and day. There’s no way those two vehicles should be comparable in price - other than self-drive capabilities (which Lucid will fix in the future via OTA) and the fact that you can’t turn off mirror auto-fold on the Gravity (which I’m hoping Lucid fixes in the future via OTA <-- PLEASE LUCID!), the Gravity is so much better than the MS in every way.

Surprising quirk compared to the MS - the Gravity side view cameras are on the mirrors (vs. the body) so with the mirrors folded you don’t get side view cameras. No big deal, we will back into the garage as far as we can with the mirrors open, make sure everything is lined up, and then fold to get the last few feet.

Coming from the Gravity, the I9 and Buzz were huge let downs. The Buzz at least had personality and nostalgia. We ruled it out because it is too tall for our garage (its nearly 10” taller than the Gravity). The I9 sucked. It drove like a bathtub and was not nearly as spacious on the inside for its large footprint. And the exterior styling is *meh* which is a shame because I thought the I6 had some real nice lines. It feels like Hyundai rushed the I9 - we need something large and fast, let’s go!

But now we have a serious dilemma - we are getting really antsy for a 7 seater. What do we do? Just get the Gravity without the HUD? Test drive an EQB or EX90? Wait for the HUD and keep using a minivan via Zipcar every time we drive carpool? Throw two kids into the hatchback of the MS? Any other ideas?

 

[msaunders9430]

Quite the day - test drove a Gravity (KoP), Ioniq 9, and Buzz in that order. The Gravity was fantastic!! Loved the looks of the Green/Tahoe combo (which is what we ordered), and loved everything that everyone here has already crowed about - the way it handled, the cabin quiet, the turning radius, the squircle, the luxury, and the amount of cabin space that Lucid squeezed out of the relatively small footprint. It is amazing that there is so much interior space but the exterior does not give off “I’m a giant SUV" vibes. Definitely more like a crossover or station wagon, which to me is more appealing.

My complaints are the same as many have already pointed out - the A pillar is tricky. From where my seat was positioned there was a solid blind spot for cross-traffic coming from the passenger side. But I think could play around with seat position a bit more to fix that. With Creep off, there is a lurching/stickiness when slowly backing up that I don’t feel in the Tesla MS, even with the Gravity drive mode set to Smooth. Backing into the garage might be easier on Creep. Coming from an MS, the UX + so many screens is busy. It will take some getting used to, but I’m sure once we’re over the learning curve we will appreciate it.

I tried to hit as many potholes as I could find (which was hard for those who know KoP) and the ride was still smooth and quiet. My biggest compliant with the MS is that it handles potholes like a go kart, which makes driving in Philly likely to rattle out your teeth fillings. Switching directly from the MS to the Gravity and then back again was like night and day. There’s no way those two vehicles should be comparable in price - other than self-drive capabilities (which Lucid will fix in the future via OTA) and the fact that you can’t turn off mirror auto-fold on the Gravity (which I’m hoping Lucid fixes in the future via OTA <-- PLEASE LUCID!), the Gravity is so much better than the MS in every way.

Surprising quirk compared to the MS - the Gravity side view cameras are on the mirrors (vs. the body) so with the mirrors folded you don’t get side view cameras. No big deal, we will back into the garage as far as we can with the mirrors open, make sure everything is lined up, and then fold to get the last few feet.

Coming from the Gravity, the I9 and Buzz were huge let downs. The Buzz at least had personality and nostalgia. We ruled it out because it is too tall for our garage (its nearly 10” taller than the Gravity). The I9 sucked. It drove like a bathtub and was not nearly as spacious on the inside for its large footprint. And the exterior styling is *meh* which is a shame because I thought the I6 had some real nice lines. It feels like Hyundai rushed the I9 - we need something large and fast, let’s go!

But now we have a serious dilemma - we are getting really antsy for a 7 seater. What do we do? Just get the Gravity without the HUD? Test drive an EQB or EX90? Wait for the HUD and keep using a minivan via Zipcar every time we drive carpool? Throw two kids into the hatchback of the MS? Any other ideas?

I'd say go w/o the HUD.
Better than EQB or EX90.

 

[borski]

The HUD is cool, but not required.

 

[prgarg]

Quite the day - test drove a Gravity (KoP), Ioniq 9, and Buzz in that order. The Gravity was fantastic!! Loved the looks of the Green/Tahoe combo (which is what we ordered), and loved everything that everyone here has already crowed about - the way it handled, the cabin quiet, the turning radius, the squircle, the luxury, and the amount of cabin space that Lucid squeezed out of the relatively small footprint. It is amazing that there is so much interior space but the exterior does not give off “I’m a giant SUV" vibes. Definitely more like a crossover or station wagon, which to me is more appealing.

My complaints are the same as many have already pointed out - the A pillar is tricky. From where my seat was positioned there was a solid blind spot for cross-traffic coming from the passenger side. But I think could play around with seat position a bit more to fix that. With Creep off, there is a lurching/stickiness when slowly backing up that I don’t feel in the Tesla MS, even with the Gravity drive mode set to Smooth. Backing into the garage might be easier on Creep. Coming from an MS, the UX + so many screens is busy. It will take some getting used to, but I’m sure once we’re over the learning curve we will appreciate it.

I tried to hit as many potholes as I could find (which was hard for those who know KoP) and the ride was still smooth and quiet. My biggest compliant with the MS is that it handles potholes like a go kart, which makes driving in Philly likely to rattle out your teeth fillings. Switching directly from the MS to the Gravity and then back again was like night and day. There’s no way those two vehicles should be comparable in price - other than self-drive capabilities (which Lucid will fix in the future via OTA) and the fact that you can’t turn off mirror auto-fold on the Gravity (which I’m hoping Lucid fixes in the future via OTA <-- PLEASE LUCID!), the Gravity is so much better than the MS in every way.

Surprising quirk compared to the MS - the Gravity side view cameras are on the mirrors (vs. the body) so with the mirrors folded you don’t get side view cameras. No big deal, we will back into the garage as far as we can with the mirrors open, make sure everything is lined up, and then fold to get the last few feet.

Coming from the Gravity, the I9 and Buzz were huge let downs. The Buzz at least had personality and nostalgia. We ruled it out because it is too tall for our garage (its nearly 10” taller than the Gravity). The I9 sucked. It drove like a bathtub and was not nearly as spacious on the inside for its large footprint. And the exterior styling is *meh* which is a shame because I thought the I6 had some real nice lines. It feels like Hyundai rushed the I9 - we need something large and fast, let’s go!

But now we have a serious dilemma - we are getting really antsy for a 7 seater. What do we do? Just get the Gravity without the HUD? Test drive an EQB or EX90? Wait for the HUD and keep using a minivan via Zipcar every time we drive carpool? Throw two kids into the hatchback of the MS? Any other ideas?

Very good recap, thanks! I hadn't noticed the location of the side view cameras, good catch!

 

[borski]

Very good recap, thanks! I hadn't noticed the location of the side view cameras, good catch!

That’s the same on the Air, fwiw.

 

[HC_79]

Forgo the HUD. It’s not fully baked yet and who knows how long you’ll be waiting for it to be. Could be weeks, months or a year, etc.

 

[bikeriderbryan]

I say wait for the HUD if you go Gravity. Sure you can do without it but why if you want it. I would also test drive the Mercedes and Volvo before making a decision. You never know until you drive it.

 

[9point81]

In your case, I'd skip the HUD. I think you'd get much better use out of every other feature of the Gravity you really enjoyed.

 

[Batteryman]

Quite the day - test drove a Gravity (KoP), Ioniq 9, and Buzz in that order. The Gravity was fantastic!! Loved the looks of the Green/Tahoe combo (which is what we ordered), and loved everything that everyone here has already crowed about - the way it handled, the cabin quiet, the turning radius, the squircle, the luxury, and the amount of cabin space that Lucid squeezed out of the relatively small footprint. It is amazing that there is so much interior space but the exterior does not give off “I’m a giant SUV" vibes. Definitely more like a crossover or station wagon, which to me is more appealing.

My complaints are the same as many have already pointed out - the A pillar is tricky. From where my seat was positioned there was a solid blind spot for cross-traffic coming from the passenger side. But I think could play around with seat position a bit more to fix that. With Creep off, there is a lurching/stickiness when slowly backing up that I don’t feel in the Tesla MS, even with the Gravity drive mode set to Smooth. Backing into the garage might be easier on Creep. Coming from an MS, the UX + so many screens is busy. It will take some getting used to, but I’m sure once we’re over the learning curve we will appreciate it.

I tried to hit as many potholes as I could find (which was hard for those who know KoP) and the ride was still smooth and quiet. My biggest compliant with the MS is that it handles potholes like a go kart, which makes driving in Philly likely to rattle out your teeth fillings. Switching directly from the MS to the Gravity and then back again was like night and day. There’s no way those two vehicles should be comparable in price - other than self-drive capabilities (which Lucid will fix in the future via OTA) and the fact that you can’t turn off mirror auto-fold on the Gravity (which I’m hoping Lucid fixes in the future via OTA <-- PLEASE LUCID!), the Gravity is so much better than the MS in every way.

Surprising quirk compared to the MS - the Gravity side view cameras are on the mirrors (vs. the body) so with the mirrors folded you don’t get side view cameras. No big deal, we will back into the garage as far as we can with the mirrors open, make sure everything is lined up, and then fold to get the last few feet.

Coming from the Gravity, the I9 and Buzz were huge let downs. The Buzz at least had personality and nostalgia. We ruled it out because it is too tall for our garage (its nearly 10” taller than the Gravity). The I9 sucked. It drove like a bathtub and was not nearly as spacious on the inside for its large footprint. And the exterior styling is *meh* which is a shame because I thought the I6 had some real nice lines. It feels like Hyundai rushed the I9 - we need something large and fast, let’s go!

But now we have a serious dilemma - we are getting really antsy for a 7 seater. What do we do? Just get the Gravity without the HUD? Test drive an EQB or EX90? Wait for the HUD and keep using a minivan via Zipcar every time we drive carpool? Throw two kids into the hatchback of the MS? Any other ideas?

If you really want the HUD, wait. By looking at your review, not buying a Gravity will really haunt you!

 

[L-Dude]

I've had HUD on several cars, and now don't have it on my wife's car. It has marginal utility for me. YMMV.

 

[Quimby]

I suspect not everyone agrees with you. I have a 2023 AWD Pure & test drove the Ioniq 9. I'm clearly not a critical driver but for around $50,000 difference in price I thought the Ioniq 9 was an impressive SUV & has all the software features that work well while our Pure software is ever so troublesome.

 

[Pragmatic]

With Creep off, there is a lurching/stickiness when slowly backing up that I don’t feel in the Tesla MS, even with the Gravity drive mode set to Smooth. Backing into the garage might be easier on Creep.

Try creep=off, roll=on
I find that allows smoothest maneuvering at slow speeds. Of course the car will roll so there is a driving adjustment for that. But I think the trade-off is worth it.

 

[DeaneG]

I suspect not everyone agrees with you. I have a 2023 AWD Pure & test drove the Ioniq 9. I'm clearly not a critical driver but for around $50,000 difference in price I thought the Ioniq 9 was an impressive SUV & has all the software features that work well while our Pure software is ever so troublesome.

The Ioniq 9 is a great value. It's at a different price point, and different class from Gravity. Both will compete well within their respective segments.

 

[Batteryman]

Quite the day - test drove a Gravity (KoP), Ioniq 9, and Buzz in that order. The Gravity was fantastic!! Loved the looks of the Green/Tahoe combo (which is what we ordered), and loved everything that everyone here has already crowed about - the way it handled, the cabin quiet, the turning radius, the squircle, the luxury, and the amount of cabin space that Lucid squeezed out of the relatively small footprint. It is amazing that there is so much interior space but the exterior does not give off “I’m a giant SUV" vibes. Definitely more like a crossover or station wagon, which to me is more appealing.

My complaints are the same as many have already pointed out - the A pillar is tricky. From where my seat was positioned there was a solid blind spot for cross-traffic coming from the passenger side. But I think could play around with seat position a bit more to fix that. With Creep off, there is a lurching/stickiness when slowly backing up that I don’t feel in the Tesla MS, even with the Gravity drive mode set to Smooth. Backing into the garage might be easier on Creep. Coming from an MS, the UX + so many screens is busy. It will take some getting used to, but I’m sure once we’re over the learning curve we will appreciate it.

I tried to hit as many potholes as I could find (which was hard for those who know KoP) and the ride was still smooth and quiet. My biggest compliant with the MS is that it handles potholes like a go kart, which makes driving in Philly likely to rattle out your teeth fillings. Switching directly from the MS to the Gravity and then back again was like night and day. There’s no way those two vehicles should be comparable in price - other than self-drive capabilities (which Lucid will fix in the future via OTA) and the fact that you can’t turn off mirror auto-fold on the Gravity (which I’m hoping Lucid fixes in the future via OTA <-- PLEASE LUCID!), the Gravity is so much better than the MS in every way.

Surprising quirk compared to the MS - the Gravity side view cameras are on the mirrors (vs. the body) so with the mirrors folded you don’t get side view cameras. No big deal, we will back into the garage as far as we can with the mirrors open, make sure everything is lined up, and then fold to get the last few feet.

Coming from the Gravity, the I9 and Buzz were huge let downs. The Buzz at least had personality and nostalgia. We ruled it out because it is too tall for our garage (its nearly 10” taller than the Gravity). The I9 sucked. It drove like a bathtub and was not nearly as spacious on the inside for its large footprint. And the exterior styling is *meh* which is a shame because I thought the I6 had some real nice lines. It feels like Hyundai rushed the I9 - we need something large and fast, let’s go!

But now we have a serious dilemma - we are getting really antsy for a 7 seater. What do we do? Just get the Gravity without the HUD? Test drive an EQB or EX90? Wait for the HUD and keep using a minivan via Zipcar every time we drive carpool? Throw two kids into the hatchback of the MS? Any other ideas?

Checkout 14.30, explains why Hyundai suspension is so bad……

 

[tonybot]

Quite the day - test drove a Gravity (KoP), Ioniq 9, and Buzz in that order. The Gravity was fantastic!! Loved the looks of the Green/Tahoe combo (which is what we ordered), and loved everything that everyone here has already crowed about - the way it handled, the cabin quiet, the turning radius, the squircle, the luxury, and the amount of cabin space that Lucid squeezed out of the relatively small footprint. It is amazing that there is so much interior space but the exterior does not give off “I’m a giant SUV" vibes. Definitely more like a crossover or station wagon, which to me is more appealing.

My complaints are the same as many have already pointed out - the A pillar is tricky. From where my seat was positioned there was a solid blind spot for cross-traffic coming from the passenger side. But I think could play around with seat position a bit more to fix that. With Creep off, there is a lurching/stickiness when slowly backing up that I don’t feel in the Tesla MS, even with the Gravity drive mode set to Smooth. Backing into the garage might be easier on Creep. Coming from an MS, the UX + so many screens is busy. It will take some getting used to, but I’m sure once we’re over the learning curve we will appreciate it.

I tried to hit as many potholes as I could find (which was hard for those who know KoP) and the ride was still smooth and quiet. My biggest compliant with the MS is that it handles potholes like a go kart, which makes driving in Philly likely to rattle out your teeth fillings. Switching directly from the MS to the Gravity and then back again was like night and day. There’s no way those two vehicles should be comparable in price - other than self-drive capabilities (which Lucid will fix in the future via OTA) and the fact that you can’t turn off mirror auto-fold on the Gravity (which I’m hoping Lucid fixes in the future via OTA <-- PLEASE LUCID!), the Gravity is so much better than the MS in every way.

Surprising quirk compared to the MS - the Gravity side view cameras are on the mirrors (vs. the body) so with the mirrors folded you don’t get side view cameras. No big deal, we will back into the garage as far as we can with the mirrors open, make sure everything is lined up, and then fold to get the last few feet.

Coming from the Gravity, the I9 and Buzz were huge let downs. The Buzz at least had personality and nostalgia. We ruled it out because it is too tall for our garage (its nearly 10” taller than the Gravity). The I9 sucked. It drove like a bathtub and was not nearly as spacious on the inside for its large footprint. And the exterior styling is *meh* which is a shame because I thought the I6 had some real nice lines. It feels like Hyundai rushed the I9 - we need something large and fast, let’s go!

But now we have a serious dilemma - we are getting really antsy for a 7 seater. What do we do? Just get the Gravity without the HUD? Test drive an EQB or EX90? Wait for the HUD and keep using a minivan via Zipcar every time we drive carpool? Throw two kids into the hatchback of the MS? Any other ideas?

I was in a similar boat. Test drove Rivian R1S Gen 2, Volvo EX90, and Gravity. Also did BMW IX for the fun of it - even through it is 2 row vehicle. Everything else looked like a compromise. Gravity was night and day better than all of it with BMW being in the second position for me if you can overlook the ugly and compromise for 2-rows. I would say go for Gravity without the HUD if you can. I am a cheapo and the only reason I am waiting is due to the fact that there is no good lease deals on Gravity. I will keep looking and jump in once the deals get better (hopefully they do) in 1-2 years. In the meantime, my 2020 RXL with Comma.AI is my highway hands-free road tripper. I may look at IX as an interim option if I can workout a great lease deal but that may not be easy.

 

[64right1]

I'd say go w/o the HUD.
Better than EQB or EX90.

Please expound on the EQB and EX90 disappointment

 

[msaunders9430]

Please expound on the EQB and EX90 disappointment

Mainly don't like their look at all. Love the look of the Gravity.

EQB screen is overkill.
EX90 looks like a regular Volvo; nothing unique. Little frunk (EX90) to no frunk (EQB).
Both have lower range than Gravity.

Ride height adjustment, rear wheel steering, interior space of Gravity non-existent with EQB & EX90.

 

[Xminus6]

Please expound on the EQB and EX90 disappointment

I had a reservation on the EX90 from early on. I ended up cancelling it because it was so delayed and delivered missing a lot of features. But if you visit any EX90 forums since they’ve started delivering you’ll see a LOT of pretty awful complaints about the car. While the Gravity is having some issues on launch the EX90 is looking a bit like a full disaster at the moment.

 

[Bunnylebowski]

I believe @Neurio has an EX90. Seemed good for a Volvo EV 3 row SUV with good build quality, but yeah lower range lower power slower charging, can charge on Tesla with an adapter. Can do Dolby Atmos and sounds great. I’m not sure if it has the same software issues the EX30 has where the fob is unreliable etc. I have a Volvo PHEV Polestar V60, it’s a good car but space sucks, and my experience with service has been the typical annoying car dealer service, although it’s only needed non-scheduled service once . The built in Google maps is by far the best thing, they really nailed the ease of use and intelligent management of navigation in the car. The B&W sound system in my car is very good although I think the Lucid’s is better but the EX90 one is supposedly the top end of Volvo’s other B&W systems. Gravity is about $30k more when you add in everything but I think probably wins hugely on space, charging speed, speed, range, ADAS, maneuverability, drivability and looks. The EX90 looks pretty nice in person, especially the denim blue color (saw one when servicing my V60) but it looks like an SUV, whereas Gravity looks like the future.

 

[Neurio]

I believe @Neurio has an EX90. Seemed good for a Volvo EV 3 row SUV with good build quality, but yeah lower range lower power slower charging, can charge on Tesla with an adapter. Can do Dolby Atmos and sounds great. I’m not sure if it has the same software issues the EX30 has where the fob is unreliable etc. I have a Volvo PHEV Polestar V60, it’s a good car but space sucks, and my experience with service has been the typical annoying car dealer service, although it’s only needed non-scheduled service once . The built in Google maps is by far the best thing, they really nailed the ease of use and intelligent management of navigation in the car. The B&W sound system in my car is very good although I think the Lucid’s is better but the EX90 one is supposedly the top end of Volvo’s other B&W systems. Gravity is about $30k more when you add in everything but I think probably wins hugely on space, charging speed, speed, range, ADAS, maneuverability, drivability and looks. The EX90 looks pretty nice in person, especially the denim blue color (saw one when servicing my V60) but it looks like an SUV, whereas Gravity looks like the future.

Yeah, we got an EX90 for my wife. I've seen some of the posts on Reddit with owners having major issues with their EX90, but we've been lucky so far (knocking on wood) with only a couple very minor issues. It's a great, quiet, comfortable ride. The massage seats are possibly better than those in the Air. And the B&W sound system is really good (in the rare times I've driven it alone and can blast it). Having Android Automotive with a giant Google map is really helpful too. It definitely looks like a Volvo, but my wife liked that - she doesn't want to stand out and draw attention.

That being said, the Gravity should beat it in many categories as you mentioned. The 300 miles range for the EX90 is pretty legit and the charging speeds are nothing to write home about. The interior space is fine for a midsize 3 row SUV, but the Gravity has the space of a full size-plus. I'm looking forward to getting my Gravity whenever they start producing Bronze with HUD.