Lucid air vs my m5

[Tqlucid]

I’ve had my lucid air now for 6.5 months. I’ve put over 7,000 miles on it already. At first I loved the car. Now I like it, but I don’t love it.

Why? My other cars all bmws. I have an f10 m5 with manual transmission. After not driving that car for a while, I took it out again. What I realized is that the lucid is boring. It’s fast, handles ok and is comfy. It’s more of a luxury cruiser. Compared to the m5, it’s just a totally different experience. The sound of the v8, the shifts, the noises it makes on downshifts with the manual, the stability at speeds over 100 and handling at that speed simply can’t be matched by the air. I don’t look forward to driving the air anymore. It’s become boring in just over 6 months. I’ve had the m5 for 12 years and every time I get it, I still can’t wait to start it up and drive it. I lost that feeling with the lucid after just 6 months.

I don’t think it’s an air thing, it’s more of an EV thing. The driving experience is more suited to luxury and comfort than raw sportiness. The air is a great car and for those wanting an efficient and economical EV, it’s hard to beat. I just realized I don’t enjoy driving EVs.

Handling wise, the air is ok at speeds above 100. But try to do a fast maneuver at those speeds, and the suspension becomes frizzled. It may be the skinny tires. Whatever the case, the m5 behaves way better at those speeds when you arw forced to do quick maneuvers or apply brakes hard at that speed. It’s really no comparison.

At this point, I’m actually looking forward to my lease expiring. I’ll be giving the car back for sure. I also won’t be buying another EV until I’m forced too!

Again, the air is a great car. I simply prefer ice cars with fantastic engines over EVs and now that I know just how much more I prefer ice cars with strong engines, I’m not going to EV until I absolutely must.

 

[translux]

I agree with you. For a daily driver the Air is great. But it’s not as fun. For me it’s the manual transmission. I know everything is faster but I just don’t feel like I’m driving unless I’m shifting. The main reason I’m passing on a Spyder RS. PDK is incredible for me on the track. On the street I want a clutch.

 

[SaratogaLefty]

Just curious; what size wheels/tires? I tracked a 911 on every track in CA so I know something about car handling. I had the pleasure of going around Laguna Seca (a track I ran my 911 on multiple times) in an Air GTP with 21" wheels and Pirelli PZero summer tires with a professional driver. We did multiple laps and hit speeds well in excess of 100 mph. I was extremely impressed with how well the car handled the track. I wasn't allowed to drive it myself but I know that track and the GTP did extremely well. The Sapphire is currently running the Nordschief at Nurburgring (12 mile track) and we are awaiting the results. Yes the Air doesn't have the sounds of an ICE engine and there is no shifting involved but moving that quickly around a track with only the tire sounds and some wind noise is exhilarating in its own way.

 

[Wilber]

I have had my Lucid Air Pure for a week now. From what I have heard, the Air is meant to replicate the Mercedes S Class experience. NOT the BMW experience. So the Air, for an EV, has quite slow and smooth acceleration and looks/handles more like a Mercedes than a Bimmer. Before you give up on EVs let me suggest to try driving the BMW i4 or i5. I used to own an i4 and it was much faster than an Air and handled better. I've been driving EVs for years now and find virtually all ICE cars too slow. Quick EV acceleration is fun for accelerating real fast, but is also quite handy in passing slower cars, and also bikes, on streets and highway. Makes passing a breeze. I also have a BMW iX and it is sportier than the Lucid Air and handles fairly good.

 

[SaratogaLefty]

I have had my Lucid Air Pure for a week now. From what I have heard, the Air is meant to replicate the Mercedes S Class experience. NOT the BMW experience. So the Air, for an EV, has quite slow and smooth acceleration and looks/handles more like a Mercedes than a Bimmer. Before you give up on EVs let me suggest to try driving the BMW i4 or i5. I used to own an i4 and it was much faster than an Air and handled better. I've been driving EVs for years now and find virtually all ICE cars too slow. Quick EV acceleration is fun for accelerating real fast, but is also quite handy in passing slower cars, and also bikes, on streets and highway. Makes passing a breeze. I also have a BMW iX and it is sportier than the Lucid Air and handles fairly good.

I drove my friend's i4 and my opinion it is a nice EV but no comparison in any way to my Lucid.

 

[Wilber]

I drove my friend's i4 and my opinion it is a nice EV but no comparison in any way to my Lucid.

I can't argue with ya. That is why i have a Lucid now and not an i4. BUT if you just focus on acceleration/torque and handling I think the i4 is superior. and of course the i5 and i7 are larger and a bit more luxurious than the i4. I have not test driven them tho. But I realize the Lucid beats them on storage areas and room for passengers and for software. And range. And the standard sound system in the Pure beats the standard sound system in the i4.

 

[Neurio]

From what I have heard, the Air is meant to replicate the Mercedes S Class experience. NOT the BMW experience. So the Air, for an EV, has quite slow and smooth acceleration and looks/handles more like a Mercedes than a Bimmer.

Lucid very much used the M5 as a benchmark, among others. You should try driving one of the dual motor Air variants and say that they're slow. 0-60 in 3 seconds in the GT is anything but slow. As @LucidDropkick said, keep your head back or the car will do it for you.

 

[Volund]

I drove my friend's i4 and my opinion it is a nice EV but no comparison in any way to my Lucid.

I agree here. No comparison for me either, I have raced up a Porsche GT3rs and 750cc motorcycles up the canyons pushing my air to the limits, I'm not handling better than them, but in no way did I feel that my car was lacking and in fact loved how well I did despite getting massaged and how good the ride was all the way up. We all stopped further up the canyon and they admired the car, and that says a lot too coming from a GT3RS owner.

Granted, none of us are professionals, so none of us were pushing as hard as a race track. But it was a ton of fun!

I love Utah roads with my air.

 

[Tym]

just to be clear, we are comparing "sporty manual ice" vs "luxury ev" ?

 

[SaratogaLefty]

I agree here. No comparison for me either, I have raced up a Porsche GT3rs and 750cc motorcycles up the canyons pushing my air to the limits, I'm not handling better than them, but in no way did I feel that my car was lacking and in fact loved how well I did despite getting massaged and how good the ride was all the way up. We all stopped further up the canyon and they admired the car, and that says a lot too coming from a GT3RS owner.

Granted, none of us are professionals, so none of us were pushing as hard as a race track. But it was a ton of fun!

I love Utah roads with my air.

I suspect the original poster on this thread was running something less than our 21" with Pirelli summer tires. If in fact he is running the 19" All Season then no doubt he is not making a fair comparison to the M5 or the Lucid with 21" tires. Big difference in handling especially on twisties. All season tires are great if you need them for your driving location/conditions but they really are inferior to the summer softer tires for handling and even acceleration. In addition to the four Porsches I have owned I also owned a BMW 540i with the sport package (not the M5 by any means). It was a sporty sedan but again no comparison to my Lucid.

 

[ccarroz]

I’ve had my lucid air now for 6.5 months. I’ve put over 7,000 miles on it already. At first I loved the car. Now I like it, but I don’t love it.

Why? My other cars all bmws. I have an f10 m5 with manual transmission. After not driving that car for a while, I took it out again. What I realized is that the lucid is boring. It’s fast, handles ok and is comfy. It’s more of a luxury cruiser. Compared to the m5, it’s just a totally different experience. The sound of the v8, the shifts, the noises it makes on downshifts with the manual, the stability at speeds over 100 and handling at that speed simply can’t be matched by the air. I don’t look forward to driving the air anymore. It’s become boring in just over 6 months. I’ve had the m5 for 12 years and every time I get it, I still can’t wait to start it up and drive it. I lost that feeling with the lucid after just 6 months.

I don’t think it’s an air thing, it’s more of an EV thing. The driving experience is more suited to luxury and comfort than raw sportiness. The air is a great car and for those wanting an efficient and economical EV, it’s hard to beat. I just realized I don’t enjoy driving EVs.

Handling wise, the air is ok at speeds above 100. But try to do a fast maneuver at those speeds, and the suspension becomes frizzled. It may be the skinny tires. Whatever the case, the m5 behaves way better at those speeds when you arw forced to do quick maneuvers or apply brakes hard at that speed. It’s really no comparison.

At this point, I’m actually looking forward to my lease expiring. I’ll be giving the car back for sure. I also won’t be buying another EV until I’m forced too!

Again, the air is a great car. I simply prefer ice cars with fantastic engines over EVs and now that I know just how much more I prefer ice cars with strong engines, I’m not going to EV until I absolutely must.

I can get behind on what you are feeling. Manuals are a blast to drive and gives you control in a way nothing else can. Providing you are not stuck in bumper to bumper for hours..... That drives me nuts and makes me want to have a Falling Down Moment(I know he is not driving a manual, but the whole I am done here and walking off). I also hate dealing with any sort of lines so maybe its a personal problem..... Its a whole different driving experience though. I love my air, but I'm coming from a MDX so the jump is a little different then yours.... Got my wife a little Integra a while back for all the reason you are stating, so I feel you. I also, feel that manuals are slowly diapering and the younger generation increasingly can't drive them. Can't remember the last time anyone told me they learned to drive in a manual.... Maybe I am dead wrong about this, but I say enjoy it while you can.

 

[Tqlucid]

I can get behind on what you are feeling. Manuals are a blast to drive and gives you control in a way nothing else can. Providing you are not stuck in bumper to bumper for hours..... That drives me nuts and makes me want to have a Falling Down Moment(I know he is not driving a manual, but the whole I am done here and walking off). I also hate dealing with any sort of lines so maybe its a personal problem..... Its a whole different driving experience though. I love my air, but I'm coming from a MDX so the jump is a little different then yours.... Got my wife a little Integra a while back for all the reason you are stating, so I feel you. I also, feel that manuals are slowly diapering and the younger generation increasingly can't drive them. Can't remember the last time anyone told me they learned to drive in a manual.... Maybe I am dead wrong about this, but I say enjoy it while you can.

Manuals are absolutely a dying breed. They are holding value when paired with a proper engine much better than automatics these days.

Yep, traffic sucks with a manual. But I mostly use the car on weekends. The air is the better commuter car, but for fun can’t beat a nice manual with a good engine.

 

[Tqlucid]

I suspect the original poster on this thread was running something less than our 21" with Pirelli summer tires. If in fact he is running the 19" All Season then no doubt he is not making a fair comparison to the M5 or the Lucid with 21" tires. Big difference in handling especially on twisties. All season tires are great if you need them for your driving location/conditions but they really are inferior to the summer softer tires for handling and even acceleration. In addition to the four Porsches I have owned I also owned a BMW 540i with the sport package (not the M5 by any means). It was a sporty sedan but again no comparison to my Lucid.

Nope. I’m running summer tires with the stealth option. Not all seasons and the bigger tires. They don’t grip well going side to side at highway speeds (compared to the m5 anyway). The suspension on two occasions has become “lose” if that makes sense. Car felt like it would spin out and have me a heart attack on 2 separate occasions. I drive the m5 harder and never had that happen.

Now that being said, the m5 has much wider tires which can make a world of difference. So it could just be the tires. But they are the larger wheels with the summer performance tires and I’m driving an 2024 air pure RWD.

 

[Tqlucid]

just to be clear, we are comparing "sporty manual ice" vs "luxury ev" ?

Fair, and yes I’m comparing a manual ice with an EV. What better way to compare how cars are changing? In my mind for the worse (if driving experience and engagement is what you are after anyway).

That being said, I also have an x5 4.0 and a 330 touring. The air is still going back and in keeping the others. It’s hard to explain, I just don’t love the air. I like it but not love. I do love the x5 and 330 touring though. The feel of an ice car with a nice engine is just more fun in my opinion.

 

[Tqlucid]

I agree with you. For a daily driver the Air is great. But it’s not as fun. For me it’s the manual transmission. I know everything is faster but I just don’t feel like I’m driving unless I’m shifting. The main reason I’m passing on a Spyder RS. PDK is incredible for me on the track. On the street I want a clutch.

Yes! PDK is a great transmission. I’ve driven them but don’t own one. The fun factor is just worlds above an EV

 

[Tqlucid]

Just curious; what size wheels/tires? I tracked a 911 on every track in CA so I know something about car handling. I had the pleasure of going around Laguna Seca (a track I ran my 911 on multiple times) in an Air GTP with 21" wheels and Pirelli PZero summer tires with a professional driver. We did multiple laps and hit speeds well in excess of 100 mph. I was extremely impressed with how well the car handled the track. I wasn't allowed to drive it myself but I know that track and the GTP did extremely well. The Sapphire is currently running the Nordschief at Nurburgring (12 mile track) and we are awaiting the results. Yes the Air doesn't have the sounds of an ICE engine and there is no shifting involved but moving that quickly around a track with only the tire sounds and some wind noise is exhilarating in its own way.

Yes, my car has the 21 in stealth wheels with summer p-zeros. Car felt a little frizzled on 2 occasions going fast and having to change lanes (yes I was driving like a monkey but not dangerous). The m5 never did this to me. I’m not doing speeds that high in the air again unless it’s wide open and straight. Never had that issue with the m5

 

[Tqlucid]

Last thing I’ll mention, to the poster who said why am I comparing an air to an m5…like someone else said, the air was benchmarked after the beloved e39 m5. Something to keep in mind.

 

[borski]

Handling wise, the air is ok at speeds above 100. But try to do a fast maneuver at those speeds, and the suspension becomes frizzled. It may be the skinny tires. Whatever the case, the m5 behaves way better at those speeds when you arw forced to do quick maneuvers or apply brakes hard at that speed. It’s really no comparison.

That is not the case in my DE. I can send that thing into turns, at speed, and it just plants. A bit of understeer at significant speed on a real curve, but not super significant. I can’t speak to other trims as I have not driven them nearly as hard.

The M5 is a great car, and I love a good manual ICE engine too. It may just be that EVs are not for you, or that you have to accept that they are a *different* appreciation. For example, I can absolutely do things with my DE I couldn’t do with an M5; select a spot on the highway and I can plant my car there in less than a breath. I can do that in an M5, but it makes sure everyone in the car *and* around me knows about it. That’s fine if I’m in the mood, but sometimes I just want to change lanes without the drama, you know?

In my perfect world, my garage has a few EVs and a few great fun ICE cars.

Just different. Not better or worse, imho. I wanna see Lucid built a two-motor *roadster* or midsize, and then play. The Air just ain’t meant for that as much as a different car.

That it can still rip it on a track *and* perform as a luxury sedan is kind of the point, but the thing will still never be a Lotus Elise, you know?

But compared to any sedan that size on the road? For my money there isn’t a single car that can match it; the Taycan arguably handles a little better, but at the expense of like half the cargo space. The Air was meant as, and is, sort of the best of both worlds, and it nearly accomplished making that *literally* true.

 

[Lucken]

I have had my Lucid Air Pure for a week now. From what I have heard, the Air is meant to replicate the Mercedes S Class experience. NOT the BMW experience. So the Air, for an EV, has quite slow and smooth acceleration and looks/handles more like a Mercedes than a Bimmer. Before you give up on EVs let me suggest to try driving the BMW i4 or i5. I used to own an i4 and it was much faster than an Air and handled better. I've been driving EVs for years now and find virtually all ICE cars too slow. Quick EV acceleration is fun for accelerating real fast, but is also quite handy in passing slower cars, and also bikes, on streets and highway. Makes passing a breeze. I also have a BMW iX and it is sportier than the Lucid Air and handles fairly good.

So a bit of a different point of view here. I have an AWD Pure as opposed to your RWD Pure. I also have an i4, but a RWD i4. So in my case my Pure is faster than my i4. Generalizations are hard when both the i4 and Pure have both AWD & RWD iterations.

Now, in terms of handling, yes, I’d agree the i4 handles better largely because it’s smaller, lighter and more nimble. None of this is particularly surprising. In terms of a quiet, luxurious ride, the Air wins. I can also see where some might find the i4 a bit more fun to drive. Both cars have their strengths and I really enjoy both of them.

 

[Rogue]

If I am tracking correctly, OP is driving a RWD Pure. The fortunate and unfortunate reality is that the RWD Pure drives different from the AWD Pure and Touring that also drives different than the GT that also drives different than the GT-P and Dream-P that also drives different than the Sapphire. Lucid has managed to cram several unique driving experiences in all the trims.

Sounds like OP should have been hopping on board with a GT-P or Dream-P. If there is money to spare, the Sapphire might be your real target car if those two trims are not sufficient/unavailable.