Consumer Reports Reliabilty Rankings

[Lucken]

Consumer Reports just did a 'best & worst' car reliability article and, unfortunately, Lucid wound up with the worst rating for the EVs reviewed. We can argue that much of this might be due to earlier cars that were more problematic than the newer ones, but most readers won't be familiar with that mitigating factor. I've had my 23 Pure AWD for 1 1/2 years and had only a leather repair done to the seat back, no mechanical issues at all. Of course software issues are factored into the CR report, so there's that.

The unfortunate thing is, whether or not the average forum reader uses CR for car purchases, many others do. This does not bode well for Lucid sales with those who use CR as their car buying bible.

 

[petergottlieb]

I saw that rating just after I bought, and I have to admit, it might have changed my mind. The hopeful side of me chalked it up to various software gremlins more than ongoing hardware problems, and a small sample size, but time will tell. At the very least, it's not the sort of publicity Lucid needs at the moment.

 

[Lucken]

I saw that rating just after I bought, and I have to admit, it might have changed my mind. The hopeful side of me chalked it up to various software gremlins more than ongoing hardware problems, and a small sample size, but time will tell. At the very least, it's not the sort of publicity Lucid needs at the moment.

Peter, hopefully potential buyers, even those who use CR for their purchasing decisions, will be as thoughtful & discerning as you.

 

[Buffalo Bob]

Of course software issues are factored into the CR report, so there's that.

Software issues are not even mentioned in their list of trouble spots. This is really strange. I could imagine some of those dings if they were testing one of the first cars off the line way back when, but now???

 

[Lucken]

Software issues are not even mentioned in their list of trouble spots. This is really strange. I could imagine some of those dings if they were testing one of the first cars off the line way back when, but now???

Bob, it is odd, but keep in mind that these ratings & trouble spots are gathered from actual owner, multi-page questionnaires, that CR sends out to their subs. I assume they still do it that way. I've filled out many of those over the years, but got tired of doing it. I don't recall getting one this past year.

I should have mentioned (it shows in the ratings) that Rivian also got dinged big time. Not quite as bad as Lucid, but still pretty bad.

 

[kort6776]

I must be an outlier, in the year that I've had my '23 air GT I have had zero issues that required any service calls and only a few minor software glitches, which are just minor annoyances that usually self correct. like most software issues a reboot can solve a lot of issues. any survey that ranks a nissan as being good is sus to me.

 

[koflo]

I can’t really expect much less. Look how many key issues the car has. that alone will stagger the numbers pretty high.

 

[MGRMLN]

Thankfully, I don't believe Lucid Air buyers are in the strike zone of CR but maybe. Getting better results in mainstream media will be much more important for Gravity and the midsize since it will appeal to more of that demo

 

[fisheral]

Overall mine has been a mixed bag regarding reliability in the 6 months I've owned it (but nothing powertrain-related):

• Two subwoofer replacements
• One steering wheel replacement
• One steering wheel adjustment
• Broken frunk x2

While nothing has stopped my ability to drive, it has definitely needed more service than my last several leases combined.

 

[jbawden]

People still read CR? I drank the kool-aid for a spell, but the data they collect includes some subjective elements which is where their bias comes in. CR might be OK for a dishwasher, and if you want to drive an appliance then CR might steer you right. Honestly I think CR did Lucid a favor because consumers that make car buying decisions largely based on CR probably aren't the demo for this brand. They should stick with buying beige Camry hybrids.

 

[momo3605]

People still read CR? I drank the kool-aid for a spell, but the data they collect includes some subjective elements which is where their bias comes in. CR might be OK for a dishwasher, and if you want to drive an appliance then CR might steer you right. Honestly I think CR did Lucid a favor because consumers that make car buying decisions largely based on CR probably aren't the demo for this brand. They should stick with buying beige Camry hybrids.

I agree, I don’t think many people read CR anymore. It’s a paid subscription and I don’t know anyone who pays for it.

I also find it a little suspect that they even rated the Lucid. Most low volume unreliable brands are excluded due to not having enough data.

Of course if you’ve seen my posts I’ve been very vocal about the state of the software, but hardware has been good for me. My car has only been in for a misaligned windshield wiper and a clicky steering wheel. If they are combining software woes in reliability, then I can definitely see where the low score is coming from, but I don’t think it’s necessarily fair

 

[WildRide47]

People still read CR? I drank the kool-aid for a spell, but the data they collect includes some subjective elements which is where their bias comes in. CR might be OK for a dishwasher, and if you want to drive an appliance then CR might steer you right. Honestly I think CR did Lucid a favor because consumers that make car buying decisions largely based on CR probably aren't the demo for this brand. They should stick with buying beige Camry hybrids.

First off, my wife reads consumer reports from cover to cover and it does affect her decision making. Secondly, the results were right on mark with her BMW i4 as we've had it now for 2+ years and never once brought it in for anything because everything works perfectly. I've been fairly lucky as my AGT has had minimal problems, but I hardly think CR did Lucid a favor as you stated above. Bad publicity is bad publicity and Lucid needs to up their game a bit as far as quality control before the cars leave the factory.

 

[Blue Lectroid]

I would imagine that their survey size was small and that much of the feedback was based on earlier model cars. Interestingly, I am in a 2022 AGT with glass canopy (built in 3/2022 with 24,000 miles on it) as a loaner (out of KOP) at the moment as there were two minor trim issues that needed to be fixed when I picked up my car 12/15/24 (2025 AGT, WITHOUT glass canopy). As I have mentioned in many posts since I picked up my car, I have been exceptionally happy with the car, the service, range...basically everything about the experience. That said, being in a 2022 for a couple of days now has big time increased my understanding of some of the issues that have been so commonly reported here. BTW, just today did the car get the notice to update to software 2.50! So, unbeknownst to me, yesterday and the first 1/2 of today I was on the software version prior to 2.5.

While the ride is every bit as sublime as the ride in my 2025, I noticed the following differences 2025 vs. 2022 version of the car:

• Quieter -- both less exterior noise and less front motor whine
• Car feels slightly more rigid (I am assuming that's from the solid roof)
• Cabin stays noticeably warmer / less drafty
• Range is substantially better (I will eventually do a separate post on this, but early on the 2025 seems to be 15%+ more efficient)
• Panel gaps now much more uniform and overall tighter
• Rerouting in navigation is MUCH faster
• Almost no software glitches in the 2025, many of the little annoyances reported elsewhere here in the 2022 Loaner -- door handles are very slow to present (I have had to resort to the card 4 out of 5 times entering the car thus far), backup cameras did a couple of weird things, passenger reading light comes on and off on its own, etc., etc.,

To be clear, if I never drove my 2025 AGT, I would still be absolutely blown away by the ride, interior and overall quality of the 2022 and it would still be the best driving car I have ever driven. That said, there IS a lot more glitchy software behavior to the 2022 that does somewhat diminish the overall "presence" of the car. In a couple of OOS review's, Kyle comments on how the 2025 is noticeably more refined than earlier versions -- owing in large part to a host of mid-cycle refresh hardware changes that were made. I agree with him. The 2025 just feels all around more well put together.

HOWEVER, and this is really key -- at least IMHO -- for a new company to have produced a first vehicle coming right out of the Pandemic at the level of the 2022 is nothing short of amazing. A score of "7" from Consumer Reports -- NOT! I have driven every one of the electric cars they listed above the Lucid (all 6 of them) multiple times (except for the Ioniq 6 that I only test drove twice...but my wife has an Ioniq 5) and granted, they are rating "reliability," but I would not want to be driving ANY of the other cars on the list even close to as much as an AGT...they are all in a totally different league.

I am looking forward to driving the 2022 again for the 100 mile roundtrip I have coming this afternoon / evening now that the 2.5 software should have been installed. If any of the little glitchy things I've been observing in the 2022 have cleaned themselves up, I will report back.

 

[Blue Lectroid]

First off, my wife reads consumer reports from cover to cover and it does affect her decision making. Secondly, the results were right on mark with her BMW i4 as we've had it now for 2+ years and never once brought it in for anything because everything works perfectly. I've been fairly lucky as my AGT has had minimal problems, but I hardly think CR did Lucid a favor as you stated above. Bad publicity is bad publicity and Lucid needs to up their game a bit as far as quality control before the cars leave the factory.

Question...given the experience in your household, which do you prefer, the i4 or the Air?

 

[WildRide47]

Question...given the experience in your household, which do you prefer, the i4 or the Air?

Split decision in my family.

I of course prefer my AGT. but my wife prefers the i4 because it's a smaller car and more maneuverable for parking spaces. She also likes the fact that she's had absolutely zero problems with her car since she bought it, and that the intermittent wipers on her car actually work as light rain is very common here in Oregon.. Two different cars for two different types of people.

 

[Blue Lectroid]

Split decision in my family.

I of course prefer my AGT. but my wife prefers the i4 because it's a smaller car and more maneuverable for parking spaces. She also likes the fact that she's had absolutely zero problems with her car since she bought it, and that the intermittent wipers on her car actually work as light rain is very common here in Oregon.. Two different cars for two different types of people.

Well put! I kind of figured that would be the answer. Thanks for sharing!

 

[WildRide47]

Split decision in my family.

I of course prefer my AGT. but my wife prefers the i4 because it's a smaller car and more maneuverable for parking spaces. She also likes the fact that she's had absolutely zero problems with her car since she bought it, and that the intermittent wipers on her car actually work as light rain is very common here in Oregon.. Two different cars for two different types of people.

Since I've had only minimal problems, the virtues of my AGT outweigh some of its liabilities such as the intermittent wiper and the lip at the dash interfering with the directional flow of the air conditioning . However, if I had some more significant problems like some others have had on this board , my opinion would change and I probably would consider some other brand. I would not want to be spending time at this stage of my life dealing with quality issues in a car which I feel should be taken care before it leaves the factory. As I said, I've been lucky and I appreciate my AGT fully. But quality issues can really sour the mood and can have an impact on future sales as people talk to their friends and neighbors about their experiences . To deny this, I think is to deny some reality here. I hope that Lucid pays attention to this and catches these imperfections before they leave the factory so we do not have poor ratings as shown in the consumer reports. You may downgrade that magazine, but bad publicity is not good for the brand.

 

[MacBain00]

I would imagine that their survey size was small and that much of the feedback was based on earlier model cars. Interestingly, I am in a 2022 AGT with glass canopy (built in 3/2022 with 24,000 miles on it) as a loaner (out of KOP) at the moment as there were two minor trim issues that needed to be fixed when I picked up my car 12/15/24 (2025 AGT, WITHOUT glass canopy). As I have mentioned in many posts since I picked up my car, I have been exceptionally happy with the car, the service, range...basically everything about the experience. That said, being in a 2022 for a couple of days now has big time increased my understanding of some of the issues that have been so commonly reported here. BTW, just today did the car get the notice to update to software 2.50! So, unbeknownst to me, yesterday and the first 1/2 of today I was on the software version prior to 2.5.

While the ride is every bit as sublime as the ride in my 2025, I noticed the following differences 2025 vs. 2022 version of the car:

• Quieter -- both less exterior noise and less front motor whine
• Car feels slightly more rigid (I am assuming that's from the solid roof)
• Cabin stays noticeably warmer / less drafty
• Range is substantially better (I will eventually do a separate post on this, but early on the 2025 seems to be 15%+ more efficient)
• Panel gaps now much more uniform and overall tighter
• Rerouting in navigation is MUCH faster
• Almost no software glitches in the 2025, many of the little annoyances reported elsewhere here in the 2022 Loaner -- door handles are very slow to present (I have had to resort to the card 4 out of 5 times entering the car thus far), backup cameras did a couple of weird things, passenger reading light comes on and off on its own, etc., etc.,

To be clear, if I never drove my 2025 AGT, I would still be absolutely blown away by the ride, interior and overall quality of the 2022 and it would still be the best driving car I have ever driven. That said, there IS a lot more glitchy software behavior to the 2022 that does somewhat diminish the overall "presence" of the car. In a couple of OOS review's, Kyle comments on how the 2025 is noticeably more refined than earlier versions -- owing in large part to a host of mid-cycle refresh hardware changes that were made. I agree with him. The 2025 just feels all around more well put together.

HOWEVER, and this is really key -- at least IMHO -- for a new company to have produced a first vehicle coming right out of the Pandemic at the level of the 2022 is nothing short of amazing. A score of "7" from Consumer Reports -- NOT! I have driven every one of the electric cars they listed above the Lucid (all 6 of them) multiple times (except for the Ioniq 6 that I only test drove twice...but my wife has an Ioniq 5) and granted, they are rating "reliability," but I would not want to be driving ANY of the other cars on the list even close to as much as an AGT...they are all in a totally different league.

I am looking forward to driving the 2022 again for the 100 mile roundtrip I have coming this afternoon / evening now that the 2.5 software should have been installed. If any of the little glitchy things I've been observing in the 2022 have cleaned themselves up, I will report back.

100% this. My loaner was a 2023 AGT and it was noticeably different than my 2025 AT. I personally didn't like the feel of the 2023 after having it for 2 weeks compared to the 2025. The 2025 including a better processor and the AT having the heat pump made a world of difference. 2023 UI/UX felt so sluggish.

 

[momo3605]

100% this. My loaner was a 2023 AGT and it was noticeably different than my 2025 AT. I personally didn't like the feel of the 2023 after having it for 2 weeks compared to the 2025. The 2025 including a better processor and the AT having the heat pump made a world of difference. 2023 UI/UX felt so sluggish.

Tell me about it! Using my 2023 UI/UX feels like using a 2015 Tesla MCU1 Would be nice if they offer an upgrade path for 2022/2023 cars. I would probably pay $1000 to get the 2025 CPU if it was offered

 

[Lucken]

Split decision in my family.

I of course prefer my AGT. but my wife prefers the i4 because it's a smaller car and more maneuverable for parking spaces. She also likes the fact that she's had absolutely zero problems with her car since she bought it, and that the intermittent wipers on her car actually work as light rain is very common here in Oregon.. Two different cars for two different types of people.

We've had absolutely identical experiences with the i4. My wife loved that car and like you we had zero problems during our ownership. We've moved on to the i5 and thus far it exhibits many of the same qualities as the i4, with just more luxury and room. Although the software on the i4 & i5 are more stable than my Lucid, I've still had no mechanical issues with the Air. To be fair, the software issues I've experienced with the Air have always been easily resolved with a reset if it didn't self-resolve.

It's interesting that some describe pre-25 Airs as having a 'sluggish' UI. I've never felt that and I've certainly never found it to be a distraction.