Let's talk about the Air's interior compared to competing luxury cars

[F1_watches]

There are some small "must haves" that the EQS doesn't offer... Some of these may not matter to other folks. And I realize these are not life-altering matters we're debating so please take these comments below all in the proper "these are just cars" intended context.

Examples include whether my left and especially my right elbow are comfortable when driving. MB uses the same right elbow rest design in their EQS and GLS. In particular, no matter how much I reasonably adjust my driver's seat (wife's GLS), my right elbow lands where the leather and the hard plastic upward-facing trim (to open/close the storage bins below) come together and it makes it very uncomfortable even on short drives. That's a deal breaker.

Tesla's (2021 refresh and later) right elbow arm rest is long and soft with no plastic trim to even rest on, and the left door arm rest sweep is fixed at just the proper height. Tesla nailed it, at least for me.

Another example is how simple it is to figure out where settings are on the primary screen and then what the setting / option even means or does. MBUX, I find, can be very frustrating and sometimes just not worth it, even for settings used more than infrequently. Tesla's interface is pretty intuitive to use and even has one of those little "'i" (for info) icons to tap on that explains many settings / icons. I've never had to look at an owner's manual to find Tesla settings or understand what it precisely does, unlike the MB MBUX.

I am hardly a big Tesla fan and its build quality and so-called "customer service" leave way too much to be desired but Tesla have definitely nailed some key things that MB misses.

Also, why MB (Porsche as well) don't enable true one-pedal driving is beyond me, and is now an EV must have for me; thankfully Lucid and Tesla both have one-pedal driving which took about one hour to get used to and it's a fantastic feature that once you have it, it's hard to be without.

The EQS exterior design is somewhat "EV generic" except for the rear end, which is very unpleasant to my eyes. The interior looks really nice; looks just like an MB "electric S-Class" should, though the screens' sheer size overall is a bit over the top but perhaps can be adjusted / toned down by driver. I haven't been in an EQS enough to really opine further on interior or drive experience.

The good thing is that we have more and more luxury EVs to choose from, whatever our wants and needs and preferences may be. If you love the EQS, then great! Same goes for Tesla or Lucid... or any EV or car for that matter!

 

[hydbob]

I've owned multiple MBs, BMWs, Audis and Porsches over the last 30 years and yes--compared to what I'm reading here-- they were bulletproof.

Our S55 AMG had the computer replaced twice and the transmission replaced twice. We had a 740 iL which shut off on me while I was driving in the carpool lane and had to have it's computer replaced. Our Cayenne S had the AC motor die, the coolant motor explode, and the window motor die. We went to test drive an A8 that died in the middle of the test drive and the salesperson had to call the dealership to have someone pick us up.

Maybe we are just lucky =)

 

[CLTGT]

MB, not my favorite. We have had no problem, might even say bulletproof. The service has not been the best, but really no complaints about the product for what it is, my wife’s SUV.

I have had mostly good experiences with BMW and love my M5, never any problems with the M5. I did have a B7 that turned out to be a lemon, but BMW bent over backwards to make it right. I have had a 5 series, a 7 series, the Alpina B7 and now my M5. The customer service I received in Atlanta, Las Vegas and Charlotte has had no equal In my experience, not MB, not Porsche. The closest has been Infiniti, curious enough.

 

[EVCar]

Our S55 AMG had the computer replaced twice and the transmission replaced twice. We had a 740 iL which shut off on me while I was driving in the carpool lane and had to have it's computer replaced. Our Cayenne S had the AC motor die, the coolant motor explode, and the window motor die. We went to test drive an A8 that died in the middle of the test drive and the salesperson had to call the dealership to have someone pick us up.

Maybe we are just lucky =)

Wow, you're such a lucky guy. With that track record, I think it's a great idea you got a spare tire and the tire kit.

 

[Drendino]

I totally agree, I received my GT with Tahoe interior, I must say my 2018 MB C250 feels more quality. My wife was appalled by the cheap textile feel, not just having textile but it also feels and looks cheap and not durable, if it was or felt quality the texture would not be a problem. For a 150k car, the interior is just not there, IMO.

Wait, what? Does anybody else here think the interior feels cheap? I’ve not heard that said before.

 

[HC_79]

Wait, what? Does anybody else here think the interior feels cheap? I’ve not heard that said before.

I don’t think the interior feels cheap but I question whether it’s $140K worth. I like the look and feel on the Lucid interior and kind of taking the less is more approach. I’m a tech guy and even the MB Hyperscreen is just too much. It’s a car, not a cinema / nightclub.

A simple thing I discovered tonight is no auto high beam, no automatic window down where you can’t just touch the down button and the window goes fully down you have to hold the button until it goes all the way down. This stuff shouldn’t be missing from a luxury car.

Lucid should’ve been upfront and said they were going after Tesla and not Mercedes’ because now everyone is comparing it to the S Class and it just seems like some simple things have been neglected. Comparing to a Tesla interior and it’s leagues ahead in terms of quality.

For the price though, I think we need to understand that we’re not just paying for the interior, we’re also paying for the technology. It’s one of the most aerodynamic and efficient EV’s in the world with a 900v charging architecture to allow very high fast charging. Even the non-performance GT is 800+ HP which leaves its competitors in the dust so this has to be paid for in some way or another.

 

[hydbob]

I don’t think the interior feels cheap but I question whether it’s $140K worth. I like the look and feel on the Lucid interior and kind of taking the less is more approach. I’m a tech guy and even the MB Hyperscreen is just too much. It’s a car, not a cinema / nightclub.

A simple thing I discovered tonight is no auto high beam, no automatic window down where you can’t just touch the down button and the window goes fully down you have to hold the button until it goes all the way down. This stuff shouldn’t be missing from a luxury car.

Lucid should’ve been upfront and said they were going after Tesla and not Mercedes’ because now everyone is comparing it to the S Class and it just seems like some simple things have been neglected. Comparing to a Tesla interior and it’s leagues ahead in terms of quality.

For the price though, I think we need to understand that we’re not just paying for the interior, we’re also paying for the technology. It’s one of the most aerodynamic and efficient EV’s in the world with a 900v charging architecture to allow very high fast charging. Even the non-performance GT is 800+ HP which leaves its competitors in the dust so this has to be paid for in some way or another.

All of my windows are auto-down/up. The back windows need the shade down though to be auto down. Push/pull fully and it'll do the full up/down

 

[Bunnylebowski]

That's disappointing because I vastly prefer this interior to previous MB interiors. Just everyone's own personal tastes!

I love MB interiors (aside from the idiotic use of piano black lacquer scratch magnets) but I don’t see anything in the Lucid I wouldn’t consider “luxury quality”. It’s just different, but VASTLY superior to Tesla interior. Tesla seats are good but the rest of it is vacuous and blank. Maybe people are thrown off by the alpaca wool combined with the Alcantara? I think it’s a cool idea, looks quality but not showy, which is the aesthetic people keep calling “Scandinavian” aka Volvo/Polestar. BMW and Audi of course have good interiors (Audi is nice but boring, BMW is very nice but also not relaxing, it’s kinda “stiff” or maybe too German feeling?). The Lucid interior fits my tastes exactly. Modern Scandinavian partial minimalistic two tone? My MB had a two tone interior too (black with Neva grey leather) so maybe I’m a sucker for two tone…

 

[digiboxer]

I don’t think the interior feels cheap but I question whether it’s $140K worth. I like the look and feel on the Lucid interior and kind of taking the less is more approach. I’m a tech guy and even the MB Hyperscreen is just too much. It’s a car, not a cinema / nightclub.

A simple thing I discovered tonight is no auto high beam, no automatic window down where you can’t just touch the down button and the window goes fully down you have to hold the button until it goes all the way down. This stuff shouldn’t be missing from a luxury car.

Lucid should’ve been upfront and said they were going after Tesla and not Mercedes’ because now everyone is comparing it to the S Class and it just seems like some simple things have been neglected. Comparing to a Tesla interior and it’s leagues ahead in terms of quality.

For the price though, I think we need to understand that we’re not just paying for the interior, we’re also paying for the technology. It’s one of the most aerodynamic and efficient EV’s in the world with a 900v charging architecture to allow very high fast charging. Even the non-performance GT is 800+ HP which leaves its competitors in the dust so this has to be paid for in some way or another.

"I don’t think the interior feels cheap but I question whether it’s $140K worth."

Exactly my point. The Lucid's interior is definitely attractive, but to me not befitting the price tag. My Cayenne S (barely $100k with premium leather option) is in a noticeably higher category of material and workmanship.

Now, I can't change radio stations from the steering wheel (dealer says P wants to "train" the customer to use voice control) which bugs me every time I drive the car....oh well....

 

[cabood]

After a week of driving my GT I’m not sure what word to use to describe the interior - or the car as a whole. It doesn’t feel cheap, I would probably say “half baked” if I had to sum it up most concisely.

I’m not sure why Lucid felt compelled to redesign so many aspects of regular car functionality and form in their first vehicle.

The turn signal stalk is a great example. It doesn’t have a natural feel to push all the way and 50% of uses I inadvertently activate the wiper button on the end. There had to be hundreds of fully vetted turn signal stalks from OEM vendors they could have bought from. Maybe mine is just a lemon?

Any time the sun is overhead I wish I had a hat on. This is practically unbearable. Please don’t suggest I should get the roof of my $140,000 car tinted to make it driveable. If the sun is lower in front there’s a spot the visor doesn’t block it either up or down.

The trim is loose in several areas on the exterior. The junction between the b pillar and the upper rear door is bizarre. The trim piece protrudes about two inches to wrap around the pillar. Can’t see how that will survive snow and ice in Michigan.

The software bugs and strange functionality makes me leery every time I get in it. Navigating home from an unfamiliar place Friday, phone rings and all navigation disappears for the duration of the call. Reappears about a minute after.

Yesterday I went out for various errands four times. I took the GT once then drove my model S the others. The Tesla is definitely not a luxurious car and I’m not a fan of the bumpy ride. But so far the Lucid isn’t inspiring me as a daily driver. The Lucid interior and build quality isn’t in the same realm my $120,00 S550. But that had a much less expensive ICE drivetrain so I guess more $ to spend elsewhere.

 

[hmp10]

Our S55 AMG had the computer replaced twice and the transmission replaced twice. We had a 740 iL which shut off on me while I was driving in the carpool lane and had to have it's computer replaced. Our Cayenne S had the AC motor die, the coolant motor explode, and the window motor die. We went to test drive an A8 that died in the middle of the test drive and the salesperson had to call the dealership to have someone pick us up.

Maybe we are just lucky =)

Yep. As I've posted before, next to a 1997 Corvette, my 2004 MB SL55 was the most problem-ridden car I've ever owned. I've never owned the brand since.

 

[Hcuellar77]

I guess I should have used a different word than “cheap” but I meant not 150k worth. My personal experience with several MB, Escalades and Lexus is that 50k dls less gets you something that looks better. I hope there is nothing cheap in it Lol

 

[hmp10]

After seeing the space in the Lucid, I understand the SUV appeal even less. Not to be a hater, people can drive whatever they want, but it bums me out cuz all SUVs are similar looking blobs with excess weight and chunk and don’t drive as well as sedans and they mess up road visibility and room and parking spaces for those of us who don’t have an SUV, like they’re just kinda rude vehicles even if the driver is the most polite cautious driver ever…. But that’s what’s popular, so popular in fact that if Lucid were to fail as a company I think it would only be because they didn’t introduce an SUV first because that’s all people want to buy these days.

I agree with your general point and much prefer driving sedans over SUV's (hence our Lucid Air Dream and Tesla Model S Plaid). However, some people need seating for more than five people on occasion, which is why we also have a Honda Odyssey minivan. In fact, we have loaned it out to friends when they have family visiting from out of town and need the passenger capacity. For people who want or can afford only one car, sometimes a 3-row vehicle -- i. e., an SUV or minivan -- is the only real option.

Right now we're debating whether to replace our Odyssey with a Rivian R1S (which we've had reserved since February 2019) or wait for the Lucid Gravity. The Gravity will probably be heavy, but the Rivian is almost off the scale with the weight of its four motors, huge battery pack, and off-roading capability, all of which are overkill for our needs.

I guess I'm old, but I wish for the return of the station wagon, which could be a great mix of handling, ride, passenger capacity, and cargo space for very little size and weight penalty.

 

[Maverick]

One thing I wouldn't lose site of is that your $110k cars of a year or two ago are now your $140k cars. I have no idea what Lucid will raise the GT price to, but with the additional batteries, the drive performance and everything else, if the interior luxury doesn't measure up to MB, I'm ok with that. It's pretty nice from where I sit.

Had this been a couple years ago, maybe not. And maybe not at whatever the new price is. But I went to the studio multiple times and fortunately had the option of knowing what I was getting. And I'm good with that.

I really think that when the supply chain and inflation dust settles $140k will wind up being a pretty good price.

 

[CraZ8]

I agree with your general point and much prefer driving sedans over SUV's (hence our Lucid Air Dream and Tesla Model S Plaid). However, some people need seating for more than five people on occasion, which is why we also have a Honda Odyssey minivan. In fact, we have loaned it out to friends when they have family visiting from out of town and need the passenger capacity. For people who want or can afford only one car, sometimes a 3-row vehicle -- i. e., an SUV or minivan -- is the only real option.

Right now we're debating whether to replace our Odyssey with a Rivian R1S (which we've had reserved since February 2019) or wait for the Lucid Gravity. The Gravity will probably be heavy, but the Rivian is almost off the scale with the weight of its four motors, huge battery pack, and off-roading capability, all of which are overkill for our needs.

I guess I'm old, but I wish for the return of the station wagon, which could be a great mix of handling, ride, passenger capacity, and cargo space for very little size and weight penalty.

The Mercedes E class wagon has a small rear facing third row. Good for kids. If you need 7 passengers capacity. Best of all you can get it in AMG specs.

 

[digiboxer]

One thing I wouldn't lose site of is that your $110k cars of a year or two ago are now your $140k cars. I have no idea what Lucid will raise the GT price to, but with the additional batteries, the drive performance and everything else, if the interior luxury doesn't measure up to MB, I'm ok with that. It's pretty nice from where I sit.

Had this been a couple years ago, maybe not. And maybe not at whatever the new price is. But I went to the studio multiple times and fortunately had the option of knowing what I was getting. And I'm good with that.

I really think that when the supply chain and inflation dust settles $140k will wind up being a pretty good price.

Car buying is a highly subjective process--hence scores of manufacturers offering hundreds of models. Different characteristics appeal to people differently. I personally put a high premium on speed/quickness and exterior styling (I once owned a '58 Jag XK-150 that I still think is one of the best-looking cars ever made; I'm sure lots of people disagree 60 years later).

But in the end--for me, anyway--there's always a "value" litmus test, value being just as subjective as all the other factors in the process. After a months-long flirtation with the Audi E-tron GT, Ive walked away. I think the car is beautiful (and appreciate that others don't), but to me it isn't worth $115K (not to mention any "market scarcity premium" I could never bring myself to pay). I'd be a buyer at $80-90k, tho.

As to Lucid, I'll continue to hang in the queue for a Touring--I appreciate the upgrades of the GT, but they aren't worth $45k to me. I would opt for the metal roof for the reasons some have expressed here, and save $4k too.

If my number were called today, I wouldn't close because of the software problems, which appear more endemic as more people take delivery. I want to love the car, not be aggravated by it.

I've found this forum to be very helpful and informative, with lots of smart, honest people sharing their impressions and experiences. And it seems mercifully free of Tesla trolls out to bash Lucid!

 

[Drendino]

I don’t think the interior feels cheap but I question whether it’s $140K worth. I like the look and feel on the Lucid interior and kind of taking the less is more approach. I’m a tech guy and even the MB Hyperscreen is just too much. It’s a car, not a cinema / nightclub.

A simple thing I discovered tonight is no auto high beam, no automatic window down where you can’t just touch the down button and the window goes fully down you have to hold the button until it goes all the way down. This stuff shouldn’t be missing from a luxury car.

Lucid should’ve been upfront and said they were going after Tesla and not Mercedes’ because now everyone is comparing it to the S Class and it just seems like some simple things have been neglected. Comparing to a Tesla interior and it’s leagues ahead in terms of quality.

For the price though, I think we need to understand that we’re not just paying for the interior, we’re also paying for the technology. It’s one of the most aerodynamic and efficient EV’s in the world with a 900v charging architecture to allow very high fast charging. Even the non-performance GT is 800+ HP which leaves its competitors in the dust so this has to be paid for in some way or another.

I knew about the software bugs (and am ok with it for now), but I’m starting to question my order with the kind of real world feedback I’m hearing.

 

[Hcuellar77]

I think the Touring with the aluminum top is a great option and more price adequate than the GT. I went w GT solely because of range anxiety, knowing that I want the 21” wheels and I would lose range, having said that I was expecting to get something on the 400mi range not 300, I hope I get there eventually otherwise I will be very frustrated w my purchase. For now jury still out, beautiful exterior design for sure.

 

[Drendino]

I think the Touring with the aluminum top is a great option and more price adequate than the GT. I went w GT solely because of range anxiety, knowing that I want the 21” wheels and I would lose range, having said that I was expecting to get something on the 400mi range not 300, I hope I get there eventually otherwise I will be very frustrated w my purchase. For now jury still out, beautiful exterior design for sure.

I’ve been reading about a break-in period, so maybe that is in play.

If you are consistently getting 300 miles with normal driving, you should contact Lucid.

 

[hmp10]

The Mercedes E class wagon has a small rear facing third row. Good for kids. If you need 7 passengers capacity. Best of all you can get it in AMG specs.

The last station wagon I owned was an Audi S6. Great car (although no third row). However, I won't be buying another ICE vehicle and would love to see a credible station wagon EV hit the market.