Specs on paper aside, I am curious about the actual day to day experience. From what I gathered, Lucid's software is clunky.
How are people's user experience with the app?
Do people generally prefer Tesla over Lucid? Anyone who has much better experience owning Lucid over Tesla?
We owned a 2015 Tesla Model S P90D and now have a Model S Plaid parked next to our Lucid Air Dream Edition in the garage.
As for software comparisons:
Our 2015 Tesla had very quirky software, with frequent drop-outs of various features, periodic screen freezes, and the eventual need to replace the MCU. Voice activation was never completely reliable, and music USB sticks seldom worked for more than a few minutes without seizing up. The software in the Plaid is considerably better, but still prone to the occasional burp.
Our Lucid software was very problematic at delivery of our early car (#154) but has improved with recent OTA updates. However, until (and unless) the coming 2.0 update addresses fundamental problems with the platform, the Lucid software remains many steps behind Tesla's in terms of reliability and response speed.
The current Lucid software disadvantage is somewhat offset by the presence of manual controls for A/C, audio volume, and air vents, and dedicated haptic buttons for wipers, lights, and defrosters that don't require you to dive into submenus. In short, the basic functions are much easier to access and operate in the Lucid despite Tesla's currently superior software.
As for everything else:
The Lucid is easily the superior car to the Model S, aside from inconsequential differences in straight-line acceleration at which the Plaid wins out (although its front end goes lighter in such conditions than the Air's).
The Lucid handles better, having both a more compliant and a more precise suspension. It is quieter and, with both cars at around 11,000 miles on the odometer, the Lucid remains free of the squeaks and groans the Tesla body has developed, with noticeably more torsional stiffness over pavement disruptions.
The Lucid is also considerably more spacious feeling in the front and amazingly more roomy in the rear. (With the driver seats of both cars set to my preferred driving position, there is 9.5 more inches of fore-aft legroom in the Air's rear seat. Both cars, though, jack the legs up a bit in the rear due to the battery modules under the floorboard.)
The Lucid has useful luxury/convenience features that the Tesla doesn't: power frunk lid, seat massagers, motorized rear sunshades, much more front seat adjustability (including wonderful thigh support extensions), and more interior storage. The only interior features in which the Tesla prevails is a better-sorted front center console, and more usable wireless phone charging. And -- now that I've followed the advice of other posters to set Tidal HiFi as my default streaming source -- the Surreal Sound system in the Lucid trounces the Plaid's sound system.
Finally, although it's a matter of personal taste, I just find the whole interior vibe of the Lucid to be an order of magnitude beyond the Tesla in airiness, material quality, fit & finish, and design sophistication.
