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Pure vs Touring

donfenn

donfenn

Active Member

Verified Owner
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Location
L.A. CA
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Pure AWD, Fathom Blue.
My Air lease is up at the end of August. I currently have a 2023 Air Pure AWD, which, as I understand it, is fairly close in drivetrain feel to the current Air Touring. I’m debating whether to lease another Air as a Pure RWD or step up to the Touring AWD.

Has anyone moved from an AWD Pure or Touring into the current RWD Pure? Any regrets? I’m wondering whether the RWD Pure feels lighter and quieter on its feet, but I do love the torque, traction, and overall zest of the AWD drivetrain.

I’d be interested in real owner impressions, especially from anyone who has lived with both.
 
I have a 2025 Air Pure RWD and have had a couple of Touring AWDs as loners.

Never regretted getting the RWD, the driving dynamics are better, and I get distracted by the front motor noise - sounds like a mosquito in the dash to me.

Yes, the Touring AWD is impressive, however in the real twisties I found it liked to push, then drag itself back.
 
Curious to hear from others as well. I would consider a step up to a Touring when my Pure RWD lease is up.
 
I had an Air Touring and drove the Pure RWD for a week on a loaner and was obsessed with how it drove. The main noticeable are all at the front end, the steering is sharper, you notice it's lighter and there isn't the front motor noise and pulling feeling when accelerating and turning. The main differences are the option packages have changed quite a bit since the AWD pure so all the features can be stepped up in the Touring. I also notice that the Pure regen is much weaker by design with only one motor, but it's more efficient.
 
So this is really timely as my loaner vehicle for my half shaft bolt recall on my 2025 Pure arrived at my house this morning and lo and behold it was a Touring with 25 miles on it. I've given it a go around the neighborhood. My first impression is: this is a whole different level of power and performance. It reminds me much more of the Model 3 Performance I used to have in terms of neck-snapping acceleration. And...I'm realizing I kinda miss that. I do hear the louder motor whine from the front motor which I can image could become a bit annoying. But this thing feels so much more planted than my Pure. I can also understand that if you're looking for something a little more light on its feet you'd want a (RWD) Pure. Totally get that. But to me in terms of maximizing what the brand is trying to show, performance-wise, the Touring seems like an amazing sweet spot for the money.
 
Here’s the loaner. Would look amazing in stealth package.
IMG_4938.webp
 
Another interesting observation: the rear seats do not have a small screen near the rear center vents. Just a plastic rectangle cover. I suppose that's now part of an options package? My base 2025 Pure has the rear screen. As someone noted above, way more Regen as well in the Touring, much closer to Tesla in that regard. Als as noted above, no electric frunk in the Pure.
 
And apparently the electric Frunk is not standard on the touring now either. At least there is no electric Frunk on mine. This loaner appears to be a very stripped down touring.
 
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Yes, the power frunk and the rear touchscreen are both part of the $3000 comfort & convenience package, among other features (screenshot from lucidmotors.com):

1781043036108.webp
 
donfenn said:
My Air lease is up at the end of August. I currently have a 2023 Air Pure AWD, which, as I understand it, is fairly close in drivetrain feel to the current Air Touring. I’m debating whether to lease another Air as a Pure RWD or step up to the Touring AWD.

Has anyone moved from an AWD Pure or Touring into the current RWD Pure? Any regrets? I’m wondering whether the RWD Pure feels lighter and quieter on its feet, but I do love the torque, traction, and overall zest of the AWD drivetrain.

I’d be interested in real owner impressions, especially from anyone who has lived with both.
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Agree regarding drivetrain feel. The Pure AWD, Touring, GT and Dream drive similarly, with the differences being mainly due to torque and power levels, and weight (battery size). All of them give a feeling of unrelenting torque available at any time. The Pure RWD is quite different - less torque and power, but also lighter, and still incredibly precise and capable in part due to 1,000Hz in-house traction control. The RWD, while still VERY quick, gives more of that “driving a slow car, fast” fun - it makes you work at it more.

Handling-wise, the Pure RWD feels more nimble during everyday driving than the AWDs (taking ~75kg off the front axle makes a big difference!). The AWDs feel a touch less sprightly on initial turn in (still very good!), and have a more planted, unflappable feeling, but will reach similar maximum lateral acceleration as the RWD. All of them have beautiful cornering balance, which can easily be adjusted with steering, trail braking, or accelerator modulation.

All Airs will happily drift, if that’s your thing (on a closed course), but the RWD will do it most accessibly due to narrower rear tires and the rear-only torque delivery. Drifting an Air AWD can require a lot of commitment due to the limits, and speeds, being much higher.

From point to point, any of the AWDs will be significantly quicker than the RWD, on any road. The gap widens the worse the weather gets.

As illopp00 pointed out, the RWD regen is lower, so if you love high regen then the AWD might be better for you.

The RWD is the favourite of most of the Dynamics team, but we’re the kind of people who have a thing for Miatas, old BMWs, and Corvettes :)
I ran an Air GTP as my company car for a long time, and recently swapped it for an Air Touring, and I’ve absolutely loved both.

I’d say you can’t go wrong with any of the choices, and what’s right for you really comes down to your personal preferences, the roads you drive on, and the weather you encounter. Could you test drive a few to see which you prefer?
 
_DL_ said:
The RWD is the favourite of most of the Dynamics team, but we’re the kind of people who have a thing for Miatas, old BMWs, and Corvettes :)
I ran an Air GTP as my company car for a long time, and recently swapped it for an Air Touring, and I’ve absolutely loved both.
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@_DL_ Could you please tell me about your experience on the driving Dynamics you like from the GTP? Was there any changes to adaptive Dampers, rebound rate tuning, sway bars, spring rates, or throttle and torque curve tuning made specifically only for GTP? Did any of the hardware besides the battery carry over into 2024+ Air Grand Tourings or does the GTP remain a standalone vehicle in terms of overall driving dynamics? Do you feel like there is a difference to the newer air touring? From my experience the Air Touring 2025 + models even on 20 inch summer tires. If you put 19 inch wheels on the tourings, you essentially have Lexus ES levels of comfort over El Camino Real sewer holes.
 
I went from a leased 2023 Pure AWD to a Pure RWD about eight months ago. I have been missing the greater regen a bit, and the faster acceleration, but it sure is nice not to hear that annoying whine from the front of the car, which does feel springier and lighter on its feet in a different way. It's actually an almost perfect car if you just take it on its own terms and don't think about how it compares to the Touring. It still is very quick.
 
SRS229 said:
it sure is nice not to hear that annoying whine from the front of the car
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lol you’re excited about the removal of literally one of my favorite features 😂

It still reminds me of the Batmobile. But I know there are a lot in your camp. :p
 
I am really enjoying my Touring loaner. I might’ve tested the launch control today…

Wow…night and day over my Pure RWD. Don’t get me wrong, the Pure is more than a fine car. But the Touring is next level and feels more like a true expression of what this car, and brand, are capable of.
 
Does everyone live near the equator? Ignoring all the driving dynamics, AWD is a must have for me since I drive over the mountains a lot. Even if RWD cars are usually fine in the snow, I hate carrying/putting on chains and AWD are exempt.
 
This is really great information, and confirms much of what I assumed. I am accustomed to the brake regen on my current AWD Air, so worry that I might miss it. That said, I often wish the car felt a bit lighter and more responsive, and it sounds like RWD Pure provides some of that.....
 
noname said:
Does everyone live near the equator? Ignoring all the driving dynamics, AWD is a must have for me since I drive over the mountains a lot. Even if RWD cars are usually fine in the snow, I hate carrying/putting on chains and AWD are exempt.
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Same, I originally wanted a RWD pure, but my wife said that she wasn't into the idea in the midwest winters which is a real consideration....
 
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