Just got so lucky with my order

[Goblyhoo]

Hi everyone,

I’m new to the forum so this is my first post. I wanted to give an account of my experience and ask a couple questions.

So, I drive a lot, 3x a week, 50+ miles to work and back. My 2017 chevy volt started to slow down, and I decided to go and get a new car. The lucid caught my eye. I am a professor and I felt that something like a taycan would be very flash, and turn too many heads for my taste. The lucid is luxurious, but not in your face. Has a certain subtlety which I value in a car. As a younger man, I had a couple of sports cars (Nissan 200sx) but recently I have been driving economy cars. I felt the lucid might bring back some of my lost love for cars and would be practical for me and my family.

So I go to test drive a lucid, liked the car very much. So much room, feels like a fighter jet. More like a cockpit than any plane I have ever been on. It’s also very zippy, which is have missed in the past 10 years. My 16 year old son who just got his license was also very impressed. Now because I drive so often, I was especially interested in dream drive pro and the glass canopy. I was very impressed, with the luxury and driving dynamics.

I was in the car with my son, speaking to my now sales advisor about possibly doing a lease. I was very sad to find that there were no air touring cars available with the dream drive pro package. As she says this my son bursts out that he found one, A grey air touring with every option I wanted. I immediately placed my pre-order and decided to lease the car. We are picking it up next weekend from San Francisco, and driving it home to LA.

Sorry for the long rant, now for some questions I have.

1. Does the touring drive like a sports sedan, or does it feel far heavier? I have driven my friends BMW M3 Competition and I really like that sporty stiffness, handling and acceleration which it offers. I obviously don’t think it will be he same but in sprint, is it similar?

2. Is it an easy to drive car. I have a 16 year old (previously mentioned) who would probably also drive the car occasionally (and get his head taken off if he scratches it). I was wondering if I should let him drive it, or if it’s a bit too much car for a new driver?

Any help would be greatly appreciated, and I look forward to joining the community!

 

[alee]

I am new around here as well but just picked up my ‘25 Touring yesterday. There are plenty of others with vastly more experience than me to share feedback. But if you do some exploring here, you’ll hear a recurring theme - For your use case, the Air is one of the best all around driving vehicles you can buy today. In just under 75 miles I can confidently say it’s the best that I’ve had and that includes two AMGs, an M5 and a few other BMWs and Saabs. Very smooth, very confident, very comfortable.

Like any new vehicle you need to be aware of growing pains but the beauty of having a strong mechanical foundation with this car is that the software and vehicle features will evolve and get even better over time. Just be mindful of that. I didn’t get Dream Drive Pro, so I only have adaptive cruise control with dream drive premium. That’s good enough for me. Keep in mind, to get the benefit of active lane centering, I believe you must be on a road that is mapped and “known” to the Air. It doesn’t just work everywhere today.

I’m sure you will get a great feel for the car by spending some time researching here. This forum was instrumental in helping me move ahead with a purchase.

 

[Amster]

I'll just comment on questions #2. This question has come up on the forum before. This is not a car for a teenager to learn to drive in. It has way too much power and is way too fast for someone who isn't already comfortable with driving. Honestly, I've never had the accelerator on the floor in my GT. Someday I'll find an empty road and do that, but even pushing it halfway down, I'm doing 90 in what feels like a second. I guess it's two or three, but it is faster than a new driver will probably know how to control safely.

 

[lucidtouringman]

I've had my Touring for over 2 years and 25k miles now...it's feels very light and nimble in Sprint mode...the acceleration hits you in the face yes, but the driving dynamics certainly keep up in order to be able to handle and direct that brute yet somehow tame acceleration. I remember test driving a model S and it didn't quite put down power on the ground the same way that Lucid manages to do. I find that it grows smaller around me as I switch to the spring mode. I feel you're going to have a wonderful time with the vehicle as even after 2 years I still look forward to driving that car and throwing it around a little bit.

Regarding your second point, it is one of the easiest and simplest cars to drive. I don't think that's going to be an issue for you there at all.
Congratulations on getting the car and I know you will enjoy it!

 

[doubletwist]

Not a professor, but I too had a 200sx in my youth. Man I loved that car. I finally traded it in with 180k miles on it. It was quick enough to be fun on mountain roads, but not so fast to get in too much trouble, and I could drive the piss out of it and it a would still get 33mpg.


Anyway, I'd say the AT is pretty easy to drive, but because I remember how I was at 16, I'd be REALLY hesitant to let a 16 year old drive ANY car that can do 0-60 in 3.5 seconds.

 

[Goblyhoo]

Not a professor, but I too had a 200sx in my youth. Man I loved that car. I finally traded it in with 180k miles on it. It was quick enough to be fun on mountain roads, but not so fast to get in too much trouble, and I could drive the piss out of it and it a would still get 33mpg.


Anyway, I'd say the AT is pretty easy to drive, but because I remember how I was at 16, I'd be REALLY hesitant to let a 16 year old drive ANY car that can do 0-60 in 3.5 seconds.

Yes True, I might have to keep him away from the car for a bit. I know at 16 I would of wrapped a 600hp car around a tree.

 

[Goblyhoo]

I'll just comment on questions #2. This question has come up on the forum before. This is not a car for a teenager to learn to drive in. It has way too much power and is way too fast for someone who isn't already comfortable with driving. Honestly, I've never had the accelerator on the floor in my GT. Someday I'll find an empty road and do that, but even pushing it halfway down, I'm doing 90 in what feels like a second. I guess it's two or three, but it is faster than a new driver will probably know how to control safely.

He already drives, but would any of us at 16 drive a car that can do 0-60 in 3ish seconds responsibly? Probably not.

 

[borski]

He already drives, but would any of us at 16 drive a car that can do 0-60 in 3ish seconds responsibly? Probably not.

Haha fair point, but I raise you…
1) set up home assistant with the lucid integration
2) set up a notification for whenever the car goes above 80
3) call your son and tell him you know he’s speeding

I guarantee if you do that a couple times, he’ll quickly either stop speeding in your Air or stop driving it entirely

 

[EVCar]

I have to pass by a high school on the way to work, and I've regularly seen students driving unsafely and aggressively. Fortunately, most are decent drivers, but some shouldn't be in the driver's seat for any car, period.
And I also do know a college freshman in Orlando given a Lucid by his parents for his daily drive.

 

[borski]

I have to pass by a high school on the way to work, and I've regularly seen students driving unsafely and aggressively. Fortunately, most are decent drivers, but some shouldn't be in the driver's seat for any car, period.
And I also do know a college freshman in Orlando given a Lucid by his parents for his daily drive.

You’re not wrong, but I would also suggest that I’ve regularly seen plenty of adults at any age, driving aggressively and in an unsafe manner.

Near a high school, of course you’re more likely to see high school kids being idiots. You wouldn’t see adults being idiots there, because it’s a high school.

But everywhere else in the world, adults are idiots all the time.

 

[californiaboy935]

I'll just comment on questions #2. This question has come up on the forum before. This is not a car for a teenager to learn to drive in. It has way too much power and is way too fast for someone who isn't already comfortable with driving. Honestly, I've never had the accelerator on the floor in my GT. Someday I'll find an empty road and do that, but even pushing it halfway down, I'm doing 90 in what feels like a second. I guess it's two or three, but it is faster than a new driver will probably know how to control safely.

I totally agree @Amster, I learned to drive in a fast car and think it deeply depends on who is teaching the driver. My dad is a personal injury attorney (but comes from a defense background with Volkswagen AG) and he showed me my whole life the terrible wrecks people get in who give their sons/daughters a fast car to learn ti drive in. I think if your child respects the fact that these machines do kill people, then maybe it’ll be a fine car to learn in. But if you in any way feel that they could be driven to utilize the accelerator then I would think about buying a Prius or speed limiting the vehicle (which lucid does allow).

Sorry to be a downer, but my dad before getting me my first car sat me down and showed me pictures of the people he’s represented, even posthumously, and that scared me… and yes I still drive fast, but I understand that I’m going to kill either myself or others if I mess up. And I deeply respect these vehicles for the raw power they bring to the table.

 

[EVCar]

You’re not wrong, but I would also suggest that I’ve regularly seen plenty of adults at any age, driving aggressively and in an unsafe manner.

Near a high school, of course you’re more likely to see high school kids being idiots. You wouldn’t see adults being idiots there, because it’s a high school.

But everywhere else in the world, adults are idiots all the time.

I concur.
Wisdom usually comes with experience, which is part of growing up, otherwise known as aging.
But the lack of wisdom can manifest itself independent of chronological age, or any other known parameters.
.

 

[Amster]

I totally agree @Amster, I learned to drive in a fast car and think it deeply depends on who is teaching the driver. My dad is a personal injury attorney (but comes from a defense background with Volkswagen AG) and he showed me my whole life the terrible wrecks people get in who give their sons/daughters a fast car to learn ti drive in. I think if your child respects the fact that these machines do kill people, then maybe it’ll be a fine car to learn in. But if you in any way feel that they could be driven to utilize the accelerator then I would think about buying a Prius or speed limiting the vehicle (which lucid does allow).

My son learned to drive in my Hyundai Elantra. I'm not sure what the top speed is, but it whines loudly if you try to go over 75 in it. I didn't have the Lucid yet when he learned to drive, but if I had, he still would have been driving the Hyundai.

 

[borski]

I concur.
Wisdom usually comes with experience, which is part of growing up, otherwise known as aging.
But the lack of wisdom can manifest itself independent of chronological age, or any other known parameters.
.

Totally agreed.

To be clear, if I have kids they’re learning on a used civic lol.

My dad had one paramount rule when teaching me to drive: do not surprise other drivers.

 

[lucidtouringman]

Totally agreed.

To be clear, if I have kids they’re learning on a used civic lol.

My dad had one paramount rule when teaching me to drive: do not surprise other drivers.

Yup. My son doesn't know it yet but he's getting a brand new to him Toyota or Civic that when you press down hard on will produce no more than 150hp. My dad's no. 1 lesson to me was that the road is a shared space...I must share the privilege. Eventually I learned that the number 1 piece of advice is that .the guy in the rear view doesn't matter...lol..I kid

 

[TahoeMichael]

...

2. Is it an easy to drive car. I have a 16 year old (previously mentioned) who would probably also drive the car occasionally (and get his head taken off if he scratches it). I was wondering if I should let him drive it, or if it’s a bit too much car for a new driver?

...

I don't think the problem with a Lucid is that the driver is new. Rather, I think the problem is poor judgment/impulse control. If your son was 40 and learning to drive, I'd think it could be fine. But I recall the idiotic things I did when I was a teenager, and it was all about judgement (or lack thereof) more than skill. One episode that comes to mind is a night where we decided that if donuts were fun, reverse donuts would surely be even more so. Turns out to be challenging to see and avoid curbs and light poles when doing donuts in reverse. Luckily it's harder to travel fast enough in reverse to kill anyone. Although an Air might go a lot faster in reverse than an old 100 HP Mazda 626 did back in the day.

I personally would never give a teenager the key to a multi-hundred horsepower vehicle. I've seen too many tragic announcements of kids from the local high school getting in fatal accidents.

 

[Steveinarizona]

I see two issues with giving the keys to a new driver. This thread has been addressing the issue of whether the new driver can be trusted with all that HP and torque. But I don't see anyone addressing what I see as the second issue: what happens when another car hits his car?

I remember when my son was a relatively new driver and was driving down my street. Another student blew through a stop sign on an intersecting street and hit my son's car which then hit and tossed a jeep on its head. The at fault driver broke her arm but my son's car was totaled but he was perfectly fine. My son was absolutely not at fault. But as we get more experience we naturally, without even thinking about it, scan side streets. Could anyone have seen her in time...probably not but maybe.

My point is all other things being equal, I would prefer not to give a new driver such a powerful instrument. But if the alternative is a car that is not safe from others, then I would change my tune, especially if I can follow @Boski's notification system.

 

[hmp10]

Almost everyone here learned to drive on cars that had only friction braking. Some made the adjustment to regenerative braking easily, and some did not.

I wonder what the transition will feel like in reverse, when people who first learned to drive with regenerative braking have to master the techniques of smooth friction braking?

I have a feeling it will not go well for many drivers -- and their cars and the cars around them. It's one thing to get used to a car that slows sooner and more aggressively than you're used to. It's another thing to get used to a car that doesn't start slowing until you get your foot on the brake. Think about the scary experiences some of us seasoned drivers here on the forum have reported when they forgot (or didn't know) they would hove no regen braking on a full battery charge.

@Goblyhoo's son has already been driving, apparently. But if it was on the Chevy Volt, which also uses regen, it might be wise to give the kid some supervised experience with friction braking.

 

[Cosmo Cruz]

two things:

1. There is no such a thing as a self-driving car. DDP seems to be default and will take the first exit it sees and fight you for control.
I wish I could rip it right out of the car. The cameras are nice. The steering wheel blocks the display so you never know what mode you are in.
This happens while you are driving ... so you have to juke and jibe with eyes off the road to find out what's wrong. The Adaptive Cruse is very nice , but hard to implement. You know you are in DDP mode when it tries to jerk the steering from your control. It's channeling Elon.

2. Any16-year-old with a car is dangerous to himself and others. Also, anyone wearing a hat, or that has more than two stickers on the vehicle.

The week I got my Lucid I was pulling out of the neighborhood onto a busy road. There was a gap in traffic so I moved out in a bit of haste, making a 90 degree turn onto the road...over the crown and a bit of sand/dirt on the edges, and the car completely lost it and started to fish-tail. I was shocked at the instant torque... (but the car recovered instantly = brilliant stability software!)

Shocked at the instant torque. I sold a Mercedes E63s AMG that makes about 600 torques .... but it takes a while to get there.

This is instant.

I am in mid-seventies: learned to drive on a 63 VW Beatle with about 25 torques. I was able to flip the beatle onto it's roof at 3AM on the way back from having sex with my girlfriend. It doesn't take much hp or torque to amplify a teenagers hormones.

Maybe a driving school? I always wished I had learned how to pilot a car...


I have had my GT 2.5 years. Never been in Sprint...only a few moments in Swift. 600 instant torques is more than enough to thrill me.
(also, I only have the 21" summer tires on 6 months of the year -- "Swifting" with all-season tires is dangerous and not recommended by Lucid.

 

[hmp10]

I have had my GT 2.5 years. Never been in Sprint...only a few moments in Swift.

I live between Swift and Sprint at the corner of Thrill and Terror in our Dream Performance.

I never have, and probably never will, put the pedal to the metal in this car.

My time on Earth has been pleasant enough thus far that I want to prolong it as much as possible.