The Lucid Gravity is the coolest three-row EV on the market

As people continue to move away from sedans to larger vehicles , the distinction between SUVs, crossovers and MPVs has become even blurrier. But make no mistake, if you're looking for a big car with tons of power, excellent handling and a true seven-person capacity, the Lucid Gravity might be the coolest three-row EV on sale today. Just don't call it a minivan.
Not that you would be incorrect. Between its extra-long dimensions (198 inches, three inches longer than a LWB VW ID. Buzz ), a smooth, sloping front end and an emphasis on aerodynamics, the Gravity certainly looks more like a Chrysler Pacifica than a brawny Rivian R1S . But as one Lucid representative told me, minivans have gotten a bad rap in recent times, due to their focus on basic practicality while eschewing anything in the way of engaging driving dynamics. This makes slapping the minivan tag on a car feel almost like a death sentence, even if the biggest difference between the Gravity and some of its cross-category rivals is the lack of sliding doors. Sam Rutherford for Engadget
With the Gravity's Grand Touring spec (which starts at $94,900) packing a whopping 828 horsepower along with fancy features like standard air suspension and optional rear-wheel steering, this thing is anything but pokey. And that's before you consider a 0 to 60 time of just 3.4 seconds, which puts most sports cars (especially gas-powered ones) to shame. So despite how it looks, there's no doubt the Gravity offers better performance than any minivan on the planet.
The speed continues when it's time to charge. Thanks to its 926 volt architecture, the Gravity can suck down up to 400 kW of juice, which makes this the fastest charging EV outside of China. Lucid's charging tech is also capable of adding 200 miles of driving distance in under 11 minutes. When combined with up to 450 miles of range, this vehicle is almost single-handedly upending the idea that electric cars are bad for long road trips. The sky was cloudy that day. (Sam Rutherford for Engadget)
Meanwhile, for those who want to travel in luxury, the Gravity has more creature comforts than minivans too, even for a class of vehicle that can often be judged by its number of cupholders. Not only are the front and second row seats heated, Lucid's glass panoramic roof runs nearly the entire length of the car. That means unlike most rivals where the driver is stuck without a view, all you see is sky when you look up from behind the wheel. There's even a screen for second row occupants to control music and climate (among other things).
Lucid also makes great use of the Gravity's length. While I wouldn't want to ride back there as an adult all the time, it has one of the most spacious third rows I've ever sat in. Alternatively, if you need extra cargo space, the rearmost seats fold into the floor, providing you with a flat load space featuring 56.2 cubic feet of room (and that's with the second row still up). And while it's not something you'll use all the time, I love the company's optional folding cushion that transforms the frunk into a loveseat — complete with cupholders on each side. It's a fun little feature that makes me sad that drive-in movie theaters are becoming extinct. Sam Rutherford for Engadget
The most enchanting contradiction about the Gravity is what it feels like to drive. After getting into the pilot's seat, you're greeted by a massive 34-inch 6K OLED display. And unlike some of its competitors, it's not two or three screens sandwiched together. It's all a single panel that's an absolute treat to look at. This expansiveness is only reinforced by Lucid's squircle-shaped wheel. It's a touch smaller than you might expect on a vehicle this size, but it also gives you increased visibility at its giant infotainment system.
The hard thing to wrap your head around though, is that for a long SUV with three rows of seats, it doesn't drive like a big car. The cabin is spacious and airy and it feels like you could fit a pickleball court between its mirrors. And yet, thanks to features like the optional rear-wheel steering on my demo vehicle, it almost felt petite during a quick drive around New York City.
Sometimes I wish Lucid would delete all the shiny metal or chrome accents on the Gravity.
Now, I will admit that my route down the West Side Highway wasn't the best place to really test out its driving dynamics. But there were a few spots where I got a sense of how good the Gravity will be on the open road. For example, I had to make a U-turn down near Battery Park and I thought there was no way I was going to make it without committing to a three-point maneuver. But to my delight, it just darted around the divider in a way that defies its dimensions.
Lucid's suspension is also a work of art. For a car that weighs around 6000 pounds (depending on spec), it doesn't lumber or bounce when it goes over bumps. It just kind of floats. You can still feel the road, but it's just more of a gentle reminder that its surface texture is constantly changing rather than a jolt up your backside. Granted, my test vehicle was equipped with Lucid's Dynamic Handling Package, which includes three-chamber air suspension instead of the standard two. But, honestly, that extra $2,900 feels well worth it, especially when that option also adds the rear-wheel steering. Sam Rutherford for Engadget
I also appreciate how the car automatically hunkers down when you set it to sport mode to improve performance. Even without room to get it up to top speed, it's impossible to escape the feeling of immense power the car gets from its dual motors (a single-motor RWD is slated to come out later). The Gravity might just have the best ride quality of any EV SUV currently on sale.
However, I do have some complaints. The most obvious one is that this thing ain't cheap at just shy of $95,000 for the initial Grand Touring version. And even when the base model eventually comes out at around $80,000, that's still a far cry from mainstream affordability. It really makes me wonder why Lucid didn't jump straight to making its rumored (and almost certainly more affordable) mid-size SUV . Sam Rutherford for Engadget
I don't love Lucid's current color options either, which seem aimed more at boomers than younger, more EV-friendly drivers. (Though I guess that's where the money is.) The most vibrant paint choice is either a brownish bronze or a faded olive green. I was hoping that the company had learned something from the stunning blue it uses on the Air Sapphire and carried over some of that styling to the Gravity. But here we are.
Finally, Lucid won't have its version of Dream Drive 2 Pro hands-free driving tech available at launch. Furthermore, the company is running into issues sourcing components for its HUD system, which means you'll have to wait a bit longer for that option. The good news is that when (or if) Lucid eventually figures out its hand-free tech, all the hardware needed to support it will already be in the Gravity, so all you'll need is an OTA update to turn it on.
Regardless, as Lucid continues ramping production throughout the year, the Gravity already feels like the coolest big EV SUV on sale today and an immediate top contender for anyone looking for a luxurious three-row people carrier.

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The 2025 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Is the Only 3-Row of its Kind: But Is It Good?

No minivan has ever made me feel as special as this one. The 2025 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid offers plug-in flexibility and luxury, but faces challenges with safety ratings and infotainment speed. It boasts a solid drive and competitive pricing with tax credits, but has higher insurance costs. Resale value lags behind Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey. This summary was generated by AI using content from this MotorTrend article Read Next Sure, it's just a minivan, but you must understand—this one has quilted leather throw pillows inside. Our 2025 Pacifica Pinnacle Hybrid represents the fanciest minivan Chrysler offers, so it was only fitting we got a red-carpet welcome during a recent family weekend getaway. The only other cars in the valet parking lot were other Pacificas; five of them awaited our arrival. The Pacifica is one of the oldest cars on the market, yet the plug-in still feels competitive years after its 2017 debut. 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Chrysler doesn't let you choose when to use your electric power the way some plug-ins do, but a drive to work will use very little gas unless you drive at a constant 90 mph with the defroster on. In which case, this 1,514-hp Pacifica might be more your speed. Thanks to the Pacifica's plug-in hybrid powertrain, we could quickly fill up with gas anywhere on the drive and benefit from quiet electric motoring at our destination thanks to our hotel's electric car chargers. Even if you don't charge up often, the Pacifica Hybrid still operates as a gas-electric hybrid—and is more efficient in everyday use than the gas-only Pacifica with its 3.6-liter gas V-6. Driving Experience The Pacifica Hybrid is a solid car to drive. We spent time in a 2025 Toyota Sienna minivan shortly beforehand, and it seems to us the Chrysler has more road noise, while the Toyota, a standard gas-electric hybrid you don't plug in, has a smaller four-cylinder engine that frequently whines. We'll take the six-cylinder Chrysler's trade-off here. We didn't have as much of an issue with the Chrysler's brake feel as we reported in the past, but we did think the suspension could be slightly cushier. Perhaps on the base model's smaller wheels, the ride improves a little. Value (Purchase Price) Value is a tricky subject with the 2025 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. With so much in flux in the auto industry right now, we strongly suggest buyers look beyond the loaded Pinnacle model's scary $62,275 price tag. As this is written, most 2025 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid trims are eligible for zero percent financing for 72 months as well as a $7,500 federal tax credit; some markets often have manufacturer incentives on the table, as well. Although the EV tax credit may disappear in the future, it's worth noting that it probably won't go away before the end of 2025 and this minivan is the only non-all-electric car to qualify. Pretty cool. Also, the tax credit can be handled by the dealer at the point of sale, meaning you can treat it like a cash incentive if your gross income isn't more than $225,000 as head of household or $300,000 for a married couple. Summed up, you have a plug-in hybrid minivan at the price of a loaded non-PHEV, with far better financing rates than you'll find on a Honda Odyssey or Toyota Sienna. Old Van, Old Tricks Convenient second-row captain's chairs are standard on the plug-in hybrid, which can't be optioned with the gas Pacifica's clever Stow 'n Go second-row seats that fold flat into the floor—but the hybrid's chairs (which are removable) are more thickly padded and therefore more comfortable. We appreciated the driver display and steering-wheel controls even more. These features haven't changed for years, yet they make a big impression. Chrysler puts volume and track-forward controls on the back of the steering wheel in a location that's out of the way yet never requires a huge stretch of the hand to reach. Good job. Then there's the 7.0-inch driver display, which is surrounded by old-style analog gauges. A fully digital driver display isn't available, but take it from someone who spent a year in a car with a cluttered 7.0-inch driver display, this one is clean and easy to customize. The Biggest Pacifica Pinnacle Surprise of All Picture it: There we were in a tourist-filled coastal town, desperately searching for a parking space on narrow streets in a 204.3-inch van. Our delight at finding an open spot was doubled when I used the parking assist system. Called ParkSense parallel/perpendicular park assist on the spec sheet, the system was intuitive—important when you're on a small busy street. I quickly activated the system, which found the space we wanted. As I adjusted from drive to reverse and controlled the throttle, the car controlled the steering angle. The end result was a decent parking job. On the hybrid, the feature is standard on Pinnacle and available on the other trims. What Needs Improvement Safety Test Results This is where the 2025 Pacifica shows its age most. The Chrysler simply can't compete with newer-engineered minivans in crash tests. With IIHS, the Chrysler's last safety award was a 2023 Top Safety Pick, but the awards get harder to earn every year. That's why we acknowledge the better performance of the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna; they earned a 2024 Top Safety Pick. With NHTSA testing, the Pacifica Hybrid earns five stars overall—which is good. The frontal crash test result is four stars to the non-hybrid model's five, however. What this all boils down to is that you are safe in the Pacifica, but the Toyota Sienna specifically does better with IIHS' tough crash tests. The Drifting Minivan We don't mean the fun kind of drifting, but the disconcerting variety that happens when your car rolls backward a little on hills. It happens occasionally with the 2025 Pacifica Hybrid, and we'd like it to not do that. Quicker Infotainment The 10.1-inch screen is a decent size, but its responses could be quicker. No Digital Rearview Mirror on Higher Trims As I enjoyed the beautiful rolling hills alongside the highway on our drive home, a passenger in the second-row captain's chair watched a movie via Amazon Fire TV on one of the two entertainment screens. I knew she wasn't looking at me, but every time I checked my rearview mirror, it awkwardly felt like she was. For hours. A digital rearview mirror can help in these situations, as your passengers disappear and you have an unobstructed view behind the car. The feature isn't offered on the Pacifica. Value: Higher Insurance Costs The average annual premium for a Chrysler Pacifica plug-in hybrid is higher than what you'll find with the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna, tells us. Yes, the Chrysler is pricier than those rivals, but the federal tax credit brings down the price considerably. The data in this table is based on 2024 models Predicted Resale Value Resale value is another key part of many new car purchases, so we asked the experts at Black Book for some help determining where the Pacifica Pinnacle Hybrid stands. What we found was that the 2025 Pacifica performs OK in resale value. That's not bad for a car that's sometimes sold with huge financing and cash incentives. In this case, the high-end Toyota Sienna trims have the best resale value of our threesome—we know, what a shock. The high-end Honda Odyssey trims also slip in ahead of the Pacifica Hybrid. The percentages below reflect Black Book data with a June 2025 effective date What Does It All Mean? We like the 2025 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, even though it's gone so long without a full redesign. With the awesome flexibility of the plug-in hybrid powertrain, it's clear why the van won a comparison in 2024. So, although we'd really love for the Chrysler brand to rank higher in J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability study, the Pacifica Hybrid remains an interesting option for anyone looking for a green-minded three-row family hauler and isn't ready to go fully electric and jump into, say, Volkswagen's new ID Buzz minivan.