Is Lucid styling the problem?

[legacy]

We all know that Lucid styled the gravity for "maximum efficiency".. I dont mind it, its a decent looking vehicle imo if not a bit restrained, it can fly under the radar especially in the greyscale color pallete they offer..

However, there is a decent demographic in the $100k and up price bracket that would prefer something more unique and/or edgier. IMO the GT could use a bit more sportiness or aggression to let you know it has 800+hp, and differentiate it from the Touring. People that shop for G-wagons, range rovers, etc, most likely arent going to consider a gravity...if the product is going to be truly successful, it needs to go after that segment and the Gravity screams family-hauler, which may not be a good thing for those buyers (eg, single). Its possible they need to make a short-wheelbase version..

Same thing with the Air, it can be considered a good looking vehicle, classically-speaking, but its not really going to excite any younger buyers.

 

[Coyote]

I don't think there is a issue with the design. However, I think some brighter colors would help tremendously. Except for the white, they all seem a bit drab to me. Brighter colors should add to the excitement you refer to.

 

[socktucker]

no, it looks great. People love it, both of them.

You compare Lucid's tech features like HUD, Ambient Lighting, convenience features, and Audio to Mercedes and BMW and you quickly realize Lucid is not even in the conversation with the big guys. Same with build quality and some choices like the wonky 3rd row, bad keyfobs, etc. Lucid is still a company sorting their bugs out and it shows.

Not to mention the software is still really buggy and their cars can be a hassle to own and service is spotty at best. I think Lucid will still appeal to wealthy gearheads that don't mind if the owner experience is a bit cumbersome because the car rips. But for a buyer who expects a luxury experience for the money like a G Class or a Range Rover, 7 series, S class....Lucid isn't it. There is also a severe lack of refinement, which is no acceptable at that price point. For example, the random "ZEN" word that is on the screen in the gravity, for some mode that doesn't exist/isn't active, and it just there because its a year old software error that has never been fixed. That simply wouldn't happen in a legacy manufacturer's luxury offerings.

But the design is great, they look good.

 

[borski]

no, it looks great. People love it, both of them.

You compare Lucid's tech features like HUD, Ambient Lighting, convenience features, and Audio to Mercedes and BMW and you quickly realize Lucid is not even in the conversation with the big guys. Same with build quality and some choices like the wonky 3rd row, bad keyfobs, etc. Lucid is still a company sorting their bugs out and it shows.

Not to mention the software is still really buggy and their cars can be a hassle to own and service is spotty at best. I think Lucid will still appeal to wealthy gearheads that don't mind if the owner experience is a bit cumbersome because the car rips. But for a buyer who expects a luxury experience for the money like a G Class or a Range Rover, 7 series, S class....Lucid isn't it. There is also a severe lack of refinement, which is no acceptable at that price point. For example, the random "ZEN" word that is on the screen in the gravity, for some mode that doesn't exist/isn't active, and it just there because its a year old software error that has never been fixed. That simply wouldn't happen in a legacy manufacturer's luxury offerings.

But the design is great, they look good.

I disagree with most of what you wrote here, but I’ve heard you mention Zen a few times, and you seem to have missed the point.

The point of Zen on that screen is literally to be empty. That is Zen mode for that piece of the screen. It is empty. There’s nothing there. Stay calm and carry on.

“Nothing” *is* the mode.

 

[Miami_Lucid_Man]

I love the Air's design. I've said it before in other threads but I think this is the only car i prefer a non-stealth package on because it accentuates the front blade and similar unique design cues.

 

[socktucker]

The point of Zen on that screen is literally to be empty. That is Zen mode for that piece of the screen. It is empty. There’s nothing there. Stay calm and carry on.

I believe that you believe that

 

[socktucker]

I love the Air's design. I've said it before in other threads but I think this is the only car i prefer a non-stealth package on because it accentuates the front blade and similar unique design cues.

oh its one of the best looking cars on the road, constant head turned. The Gravity too, best looking SUV on the market hands down.

 

[HC_79]

no, it looks great. People love it, both of them.

You compare Lucid's tech features like HUD, Ambient Lighting, convenience features, and Audio to Mercedes and BMW and you quickly realize Lucid is not even in the conversation with the big guys. Same with build quality and some choices like the wonky 3rd row, bad keyfobs, etc. Lucid is still a company sorting their bugs out and it shows.

Not to mention the software is still really buggy and their cars can be a hassle to own and service is spotty at best. I think Lucid will still appeal to wealthy gearheads that don't mind if the owner experience is a bit cumbersome because the car rips. But for a buyer who expects a luxury experience for the money like a G Class or a Range Rover, 7 series, S class....Lucid isn't it. There is also a severe lack of refinement, which is no acceptable at that price point. For example, the random "ZEN" word that is on the screen in the gravity, for some mode that doesn't exist/isn't active, and it just there because its a year old software error that has never been fixed. That simply wouldn't happen in a legacy manufacturer's luxury offerings.

But the design is great, they look good.

I think some of the criticism is fair, especially around software maturity and service consistency. Lucid absolutely still has areas they need to improve, and at this price point people are justified expecting more polish.

But I also think people confuse “different design philosophy” with “not luxury.” Luxury doesn’t have to mean covering the cabin in ambient lighting strips and giant animated screens. Mercedes in particular has gone very heavy on the nightclub/disco aesthetic lately, which some people love and others find completely tacky (me included). Lucid took a much more minimalist, architectural approach with cleaner interiors, open space, softer materials, less visual clutter. That’s still luxury, just presented differently.

Honestly, for a company that’s only been building production vehicles for about five years, they compete with the Germans in more areas than people want to admit. Ride quality, cabin openness, efficiency, seating comfort, material choices, packaging, and overall design are genuinely top class in many respects.

Now does Lucid still have software bugs, odd UX quirks, and some questionable execution details? Absolutely. But let’s also not pretend BMW, Mercedes, Range Rover, and Audi are strangers to software problems, recalls or service nightmares either. Legacy brands just benefit from decades of manufacturing refinement and larger support networks.

Lucid’s biggest issue right now isn’t that the cars lack luxury, it’s that the ownership experience still doesn’t consistently match how great the underlying vehicles actually are.

 

[hmp10]

You compare Lucid's tech features like HUD, Ambient Lighting, convenience features, and Audio to Mercedes and BMW and you quickly realize Lucid is not even in the conversation with the big guys. Same with build quality and some choices like the wonky 3rd row, bad keyfobs, etc. Lucid is still a company sorting their bugs out and it shows.

I'm certainly having my issues with Gravity software, but I think it slays Mercedes and BMW on styling with its clean lines and muscular restraint. And the over-the-top ambient lighting in the German EVs looks like a casino on a Margaritaville cruise ship -- or somewhere the gents go for whoopee on a Saturday night in rural Texas. And there was a video a while back about the interior of the BMW i7 that highlighted its garish metal speaker covers with their punched-out decorative pattern than had not been filed down, and it actually took the skin off the reviewer's hand when he accidentally brushed it. Then there's the tufting of some of the seat upholstery. It looks like the velour interior of a 1970s Dodge rendered in leather.

It's been a while since I owned a Mercedes, but the 2004 SL55 AMG I had was one of the most problem-plagued vehicles I've ever owned. In fact, I've not been back to the brand since.

 

[socktucker]

Ride quality, cabin openness, efficiency, seating comfort, material choices, packaging,

agree on all of those for sure.

And the over-the-top ambient lighting in the German EVs looks like a casino on a Margaritaville cruise ship

I prefer the term "Pachinko Lux" which I just invented

my last Mercedes was a 2015 C400, no issues with it except cracking MB Lux seats. Their current S class though, WOOF. I didn't want one of those for any price. Ended up buying a BMW which I wrote that brand off 20 years ago.

I want the Air exterior with the BMW interior and features.

 

[hmp10]

I was followed by a BMW with a lighted grill the other night, and it felt like being stalked by a crazed lemur.

 

[exxxviii]

As a potential shopper, I think the styling is fine. It is not special, and to me resembles the Mercedes-Benz R-Class from the early twenty-teens. The current state in the luxury BEV SUV marketplace is a lot of weird and ugly, so the Gravity wins by its conservative default. (Actually, I think the Macan EV is the best looking BEV SUV, but there are other things I don't like about that car.) I really like the Gravity interior and I think it smokes the Air's interior.

@socktucker's comment above about comparative features is dead on. Like it or not, stuff like HUD, ambient lighting, audio systems, etc. are critical differentiators in the luxury class. And of course, when you need service, the luxury brands have luxury service to a science. (Personally, I would prefer no service, and the Gravity is struggling in that category too.

• HUD - The luxury competitors all just work. No glare. No blindness. Just quietly serves core data.
• Ambient Lighting - Like it or not ambient lighting is a feature people want and want to personalize. Some are subtle, some are garish, but this is a luxury table stakes item now.
• Audio System - This is Gravity's biggest gap. For $4K, the SSP should hang with B&W, Burmester, or AKG Studio Reference. It doesn't. Not even close. It is on the level of a mid-tier Harman Kardon system in the luxury cars that are either standard or bundled in cheap packages.
• Hands-free ADAS - It is coming, but again, this is table stakes in most of the luxury cars.
• PaaK - Ditto ADAS, it is coming, but this has been table stakes for a few years in luxury competitors.

The legacy luxury cars are not perfect for BEV - far from it. They suck at packaging. They are heavy. They are (mostly) inefficient. A lot of them are unattractive.

 

[Bdr100]

I spent 3 1/2 weeks in a loaner Mercedes GLS 450 that although solid and reliable, was boring. Drives like a truck, transmission was jerky, infotainment was a little hard to navigate. But it is solid and reliable, has excellent dealer and service network, and you will never worry about if my fob will work or if screens will boot up.

It is not about styling but rather reluctance to buy from a little known manufacture with sketchy reliability record. Surprisingly in OIL IS KING Houston where I live, I am seeing quite a few EV Cadillacs (big to small), so it is not as much about EV reluctance but rather reliability of the manufacturer.

But on the other hand, I also see quite a few Rivian’s which have a traditional SUV look but only seen one other Gravity on road besides mine.

 

[The_Don]

Yeah I don't think looks are the problem. If they were, then sales wouldn't be as strong as they are for the Air. For the Gravity, we still don't know what stabilized sales look like and, as other have mentioned, many are waiting on the sidelines for software to be fixed.

 

[prgarg]

Lucid’s biggest issue right now isn’t that the cars lack luxury, it’s that the ownership experience still doesn’t consistently match how great the underlying vehicles actually are.

that

 

[Bdr100]

As a potential shopper, I think the styling is fine. It is not special, and to me resembles the Mercedes-Benz R-Class from the early twenty-teens. The current state in the luxury BEV SUV marketplace is a lot of weird and ugly, so the Gravity wins by its conservative default. (Actually, I think the Macan EV is the best looking BEV SUV, but there are other things I don't like about that car.) I really like the Gravity interior and I think it smokes the Air's interior.

@socktucker's comment above about comparative features is dead on. Like it or not, stuff like HUD, ambient lighting, audio systems, etc. are critical differentiators in the luxury class. And of course, when you need service, the luxury brands have luxury service to a science. (Personally, I would prefer no service, and the Gravity is struggling in that category too.

• HUD - The luxury competitors all just work. No glare. No blindness. Just quietly serves core data.
• Ambient Lighting - Like it or not ambient lighting is a feature people want and want to personalize. Some are subtle, some are garish, but this is a luxury table stakes item now.
• Audio System - This is Gravity's biggest gap. For $4K, the SSP should hang with B&W, Burmester, or AKG Studio Reference. It doesn't. Not even close. It is on the level of a mid-tier Harman Kardon system in the luxury cars that are either standard or bundled in cheap packages.
• Hands-free ADAS - It is coming, but again, this is table stakes in most of the luxury cars.
• PaaK - Ditto ADAS, it is coming, but this has been table stakes for a few years in luxury competitors.

The legacy luxury cars are not perfect for BEV - far from it. They suck at packaging. They are heavy. They are (mostly) inefficient. A lot of them are unattractive.

I somewhat agree with most of your post except Audio System. I fine SSP better than the high option Burmester in my previous Mercedes. Traditional ICE luxury cars are still working to get Hands-free ADAS (BMW-Yes, Mercedes-No, Cadillac -Yes) as well as PAAK is not universally adopted yet.

I would bet that 80% of new BMW and Mercedes SUVs you see out on road do not have any ADAS other than blind spot warning.

 

[Need4Sleep]

Now does Lucid still have software bugs, odd UX quirks, and some questionable execution details? Absolutely. But let’s also not pretend BMW, Mercedes, Range Rover, and Audi are strangers to software problems, recalls or service nightmares either. Legacy brands just benefit from decades of manufacturing refinement and larger support networks.

yeah, a quick look around the Polestar 3 and Volvo EX90 forums reveals quite a number of software problems as well

 

[HC_79]

yeah, a quick look around the Polestar 3 and Volvo EX90 forums reveals quite a number of software problems as well

It's going to be par for the course with software defined vehicles moving forward. Really comes down to how quickly automakers can fix the problems before owners start coming at them with pitchforks.

 

[exxxviii]

I somewhat agree with most of your post except Audio System. I fine SSP better than the high option Burmester in my previous Mercedes. Traditional ICE luxury cars are still working to get Hands-free ADAS (BMW-Yes, Mercedes-No, Cadillac -Yes) as well as PAAK is not universally adopted yet.

My main point is that for $4K, SSP should be a crapton better. It is about the same as a BMW mid-tier Harman Kardon. And for hands-free ADAS, these are the luxury players there: Acura, BMW, Cadillac, Infiniti, Lexus, and Lincoln. Luxury automakers with PaaK: Audi, BMW, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Lincoln, Polestar, Porsche, Rivian, Volvo.

These (and the other) comparative features are not available yet on the Gravity, but they are commonly available from many other luxury automakers. The Gravity will eventually catch up on HUD, PaaK, and hands-free ADAS. But as of today, it is behind.

 

[socktucker]

• Ambient Lighting - Like it or not ambient lighting is a feature people want and want to personalize. Some are subtle, some are garish, but this is a luxury table stakes item now.

and to touch on this, legacy automakers allow you to turn it all off or down. you can make a BMW glow like the sun, or, have no light at all. I first got my opinion on lighting by reading gregarious car reviews that sell clicks by mocking it, but the truth is, its what people want. It is both too much, and not enough, at the same time. The Lucid version is just lame. I personally think they should get rid of some of the guided meditation stuff because its obviosly half baked and just kinda stupid. And have the "Lucid Vibes" actually, you know, create a vibe? DO something besides change a color and a wallpaper gradient. You change modes on a BMW or Mercedes and you KNOW you changed modes.

"McMindfulness" I've heard it called.

Also worth noting since I used the work "pachinko" on this tab, FB marketplace is now trying to sell me pachinko machines. What a time to be alive!