Potential new Lucid Air Owner

[E-Man]

Hi - I've been lurking and reading obsessively over the past few weeks. What a great site and I appreciate everyone that has shared their experience, enthusiasm, and regrets. I've always owned Subarus (LOVE 4WD sedans) and a few years ago I traded my Legacy sedan for a 2019 Volvo S60. It is quite a step up in quality, features, and fun with nearly double the power and still 4WD. But it's got its quirks as well - the most annoying of which is the persistent highway vibration at 75mph that seems to be baked into the car's design. It's also got a bit of a harsher ride than I'd like, even after changing from 20" to 19" wheels for some extra sidewall. And the transmission is sometimes not as graceful as I'd like when you really get on the skinny pedal.

Lately, I've been looking at battery cars (Lucid Air, Tycan, Polestar 2 - though I'm a little less interested in Polestar after they've been kicked to the curb by the govt) and I'm growing increasingly interested in picking up a gently used Lucid Air Touring. My 55 year old butt is looking for a softer and smoother ride. Of course I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested in the 0-60 fun factor of the AT, too... At the present time, I'm thinking of picking up a 2025 (primarily for the battery heat pump) Air Touring (prolly early next year, let one more year of depreciation take effect) with 19" wheels, upgraded sound system, and a metal roof. Other things that look interesting include DreamDrive Pro (Volvo's Pilot Assist is "OK" but not awesome - it constantly corrects when correction is not really necessary, resulting in a somewhat jerky ride) and massage seats (just sounds fun), but those aren't hard requirements just yet. I live in central PA (hence the desire for 4WD) and recently discovered someone in my town that has a '23 AT. After strking up a conversation, he graciously volunteered to let me drive it, but we haven't yet connected on a time to do so. A number of friends at work have various battery cars, so I figure I can talk a few of them into letting me drive theirs for some comparisons.

The AT looks like an interesting car. I have read lots of praise and lots of complaints, so it's interesting to try to sort tings out from the sidelines. I'm not super into maximizing every single software feature - carplay is of zero interest to me, and phone connectivity isn't a priority requirement, either, so I'm wondering if I'll never actually encounter some of the things that others are complaining about. I drive about 10mins each way to work (mostly on rainy days) and ride my bike most of the time. I plan to charge at home and figure a full charge would likely last me about 5-6 weeks worth of driving to work. I just figured the AT would be a fun car to drive and give me a smoother ride.

I look forward to interacting with everyone here!
Eric

 

[martinjlm]

Hi - I've been lurking and reading obsessively over the past few weeks. What a great site and I appreciate everyone that has shared their experience, enthusiasm, and regrets. I've always owned Subarus (LOVE 4WD sedans) and a few years ago I traded my Legacy sedan for a 2019 Volvo S60. It is quite a step up in quality, features, and fun with nearly double the power and still 4WD. But it's got its quirks as well - the most annoying of which is the persistent highway vibration at 75mph that seems to be baked into the car's design. It's also got a bit of a harsher ride than I'd like, even after changing from 20" to 19" wheels for some extra sidewall. And the transmission is sometimes not as graceful as I'd like when you really get on the skinny pedal.

Lately, I've been looking at battery cars (Lucid Air, Tycan, Polestar 2 - though I'm a little less interested in Polestar after they've been kicked to the curb by the govt) and I'm growing increasingly interested in picking up a gently used Lucid Air Touring. My 55 year old butt is looking for a softer and smoother ride. Of course I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested in the 0-60 fun factor of the AT, too... At the present time, I'm thinking of picking up a 2025 (primarily for the battery heat pump) Air Touring (prolly early next year, let one more year of depreciation take effect) with 19" wheels, upgraded sound system, and a metal roof. Other things that look interesting include DreamDrive Pro (Volvo's Pilot Assist is "OK" but not awesome - it constantly corrects when correction is not really necessary, resulting in a somewhat jerky ride) and massage seats (just sounds fun), but those aren't hard requirements just yet. I live in central PA (hence the desire for 4WD) and recently discovered someone in my town that has a '23 AT. After strking up a conversation, he graciously volunteered to let me drive it, but we haven't yet connected on a time to do so. A number of friends at work have various battery cars, so I figure I can talk a few of them into letting me drive theirs for some comparisons.

The AT looks like an interesting car. I have read lots of praise and lots of complaints, so it's interesting to try to sort tings out from the sidelines. I'm not super into maximizing every single software feature - carplay is of zero interest to me, and phone connectivity isn't a priority requirement, either, so I'm wondering if I'll never actually encounter some of the things that others are complaining about. I drive about 10mins each way to work (mostly on rainy days) and ride my bike most of the time. I plan to charge at home and figure a full charge would likely last me about 5-6 weeks worth of driving to work. I just figured the AT would be a fun car to drive and give me a smoother ride.

I look forward to interacting with everyone here!
Eric

Welcome to the forum.

Charge last 5-6 weeks? Naw...trust me, you will invent excuses to drive the car. My wife is now taking advantage of the fact that I LOVE running errands for her in my Lucid. Just to get out and drive it. I am certain I am not alone in that.

 

[Northpointe]

Hi - I've been lurking and reading obsessively over the past few weeks. What a great site and I appreciate everyone that has shared their experience, enthusiasm, and regrets. I've always owned Subarus (LOVE 4WD sedans) and a few years ago I traded my Legacy sedan for a 2019 Volvo S60. It is quite a step up in quality, features, and fun with nearly double the power and still 4WD. But it's got its quirks as well - the most annoying of which is the persistent highway vibration at 75mph that seems to be baked into the car's design. It's also got a bit of a harsher ride than I'd like, even after changing from 20" to 19" wheels for some extra sidewall. And the transmission is sometimes not as graceful as I'd like when you really get on the skinny pedal.

Lately, I've been looking at battery cars (Lucid Air, Tycan, Polestar 2 - though I'm a little less interested in Polestar after they've been kicked to the curb by the govt) and I'm growing increasingly interested in picking up a gently used Lucid Air Touring. My 55 year old butt is looking for a softer and smoother ride. Of course I'd be lying if I said I wasn't interested in the 0-60 fun factor of the AT, too... At the present time, I'm thinking of picking up a 2025 (primarily for the battery heat pump) Air Touring (prolly early next year, let one more year of depreciation take effect) with 19" wheels, upgraded sound system, and a metal roof. Other things that look interesting include DreamDrive Pro (Volvo's Pilot Assist is "OK" but not awesome - it constantly corrects when correction is not really necessary, resulting in a somewhat jerky ride) and massage seats (just sounds fun), but those aren't hard requirements just yet. I live in central PA (hence the desire for 4WD) and recently discovered someone in my town that has a '23 AT. After strking up a conversation, he graciously volunteered to let me drive it, but we haven't yet connected on a time to do so. A number of friends at work have various battery cars, so I figure I can talk a few of them into letting me drive theirs for some comparisons.

The AT looks like an interesting car. I have read lots of praise and lots of complaints, so it's interesting to try to sort tings out from the sidelines. I'm not super into maximizing every single software feature - carplay is of zero interest to me, and phone connectivity isn't a priority requirement, either, so I'm wondering if I'll never actually encounter some of the things that others are complaining about. I drive about 10mins each way to work (mostly on rainy days) and ride my bike most of the time. I plan to charge at home and figure a full charge would likely last me about 5-6 weeks worth of driving to work. I just figured the AT would be a fun car to drive and give me a smoother ride.

I look forward to interacting with everyone here!
Eric

A charge every 5-6 weeks would equate to driving around 50 miles a week. That suggests very few highway miles. Given your parameters I’m not sure that DD Pro would be of much benefit as you don’t seem to be on the highway much. I do highly recommend it for longer road trips as it’s quite good in those instances. Not sure about your climate but with so few miles a heat pump might not be super critical. You’ll lose range in the winter but I’m not sure if that’s much of an issue given the driving scenarios you’ve provided. A 2024 AT with low miles can be found at bargain prices right now. Given some of the options you’re looking at you might want to consider a GT. It’s hard to find Touring models with DD Pro, Surreal Sound Pro, and massaging seats as it’s close to the GT spec. You’ll also get the benefit of increased range with a GT which minimizes the benefits of a heat pump.

 

[socktucker]

As far as EVs go, it’s a true driver’s car. As far as software goes, it feels old and basic. However, if you don’t care about software perks, the Air doesn’t really have any drawbacks. DDPro is okay, worse than Tesla but better than the Germans. Completely usable. The massaging seats are nice! I do wish I had gotten SS Pro and metal roof, good choices.

S60 is a great car and if you liked it you will LOVE an Air. And if you’ve never driven a high power EV you’ll never want anything else.

 

[E-Man]

Naw...trust me, you will invent excuses to drive the car.

Ha, that's entirely likely!

A charge every 5-6 weeks would equate to driving around 50 miles a week. That suggests very few highway miles.

Yep, mileage is accurate, but our last kid will be starting college in the fall and will be 270 miles away, so there will be plenty of highway travel as well. I figure the heat pump is just good insurance for battery longevity. I suppose you are correct about AT vs AGT... Still sorting the "must have" vs "nice to have" list.

 

[knewman]

Above all else, it is fun to drive. The '25 is a good model year to target; in addition to the heat pump, the '25 also comes with the upgraded CPU for more responsive UI and supposedly additional features in the future. I see you're in PA, those 19" wheels are a must when dealing with PennDOT's idea of road maintenance

I lived with the Polestar 2 for 3 years, their software just got worse and worse with each update. I also really didn't appreciate how dangerous the safety features were, specifically the collision avoidance system that cannot be turned off, which tried to steer me into the oncoming lane on multiple occasions. Everything else aside, I'd recommend steering clear of the P2.

PS - I just took a road trip out your way to cruise route 144, highly recommend taking a day to enjoy it!

 

[E-Man]

As far as EVs go, it’s a true driver’s car.

This seems to be the clear consensus here. I'm not sure that DDP is a "must have" - I sometimes use the Pilot Assist on the S60, but I'm not fond of it in heavy traffic (any interstate highway in Jersey).

S60 is a great car and if you liked it you will LOVE an Air. And if you’ve never driven a high power EV you’ll never want anything else.

The 300+ horses in the S60 are fun, I already leave everyone behind as the traffic lights turn green. I'm sure I'll be a completely sedate driver with 600+ horses available

 

[E-Man]

Above all else, it is fun to drive. The '25 is a good model year to target;

The S60 was a big step up in fun over the Subaru Legacy. I suspect an Air Touring will be an even larger leap in fun. The '25 looks more interesting over the previous years for exactly the reasons you list. After having a car with 40-profile tires, I'll not do that again. This is why I moved to 19" wheels with 45-profile tires - this made a big difference in ride comfort and only introduced minimal body roll in corners compared to larger wheels. I'm also not a fan of PenDOT - one day they actually called me (random fun) to take a survey about my satisfaction with their work. Growing up in Jersey, that didn't go so well for them.

I lived with the Polestar 2 for 3 years, their software just got worse and worse with each update.

Interesting insights on the P2 - a friend of mine just picked one up last year and he seems to enjoy it a great deal. I was going to ask if he'd let me drive it around one day - it's basically the closest thing to an electric S60. Given the shared heritage between Volvo and Polestar, it's not a surprise that safety systems can't be disabled. This limitation curtailed some of the fun I had with my daughter when I took her out to make donuts in the snow, err... uhm... I mean practice snow driving in our XC60. Had to turn off what we could (much of it can't be disabled) to make things more "educational."

I also wanted to drive the P2 before I drive the Air Touring. I'm expecting these two cars to drive very differently. Bummer to hear about their software. To be honest, the Lucid software is creating a bit of hesitation for me. Optimistically, I'm thinking that software can improve over time.

 

[borski]

Welcome!

 

[socktucker]

The 300+ horses in the S60 are fun, I already leave everyone behind as the traffic lights turn green. I'm sure I'll be a completely sedate driver with 600+ horses available

EV horses are different too, they are sudden. I have had 4 EV's and I think Lucid tunes theirs as the most usable. Tesla (model Y performance) is roughly the same HP/times as Lucid AT, but the Lucid feels much better getting there.

The 880lb-ft of torque helps a lot too. That's like...extreme

 

[E-Man]

Welcome

Thank you! I’m always interested in learning from others!

EV horses are different too, they are sudden.

I am aware of the instant full torque of EVs vs max torque only as you approach the redline RPM range for ICE vehicles, but I don’t have much personal experience (yet). This should also be fun to learn more about!

 

[ke2]

Thank you! I’m always interested in learning from others!


I am aware of the instant full torque of EVs vs max torque only as you approach the redline RPM range for ICE vehicles, but I don’t have much personal experience (yet). This should also be fun to learn more about!

Take a test drive in a Lucid and floor it from a stop sign/stop light. You don't have to get up that high in MPH but you will immediately notice a difference between the Lucid and an ICE powered car. Also if they let you go on the freeway/highway you can accelerate from say 45 to 75 which in the Lucid is quite incredible (the cars seemed to be tuned for the acceleration of an already moving car as opposed to from a complete stop)

 

[Saksak]

[…] My wife is now taking advantage of the fact that I LOVE running errands for her in my Lucid. Just to get out and drive it. I am certain I am not alone in that.

I thought I was a bit crazy to look for excuses to drive my Lucid and get extra wife points for running errands! Glad I have company .

 

[chazglenn3]

I'm coming up on 3 years with my Polestar 2 Performance. It has been an excellent car. I have absolutely zero issues with the software. I wanted a Lucid Air back when I leased my Polestar but the cost was too high. Now that used ones are affordable for me, I'm looking forward to an Air as my next car

 

[Ktw13]

Welcome to the forum.

Charge last 5-6 weeks? Naw...trust me, you will invent excuses to drive the car. My wife is now taking advantage of the fact that I LOVE running errands for her in my Lucid. Just to get out and drive it. I am certain I am not alone in that.

We used to order delivery food, now only order pick up. The frunk is perfect for sealing the flavour and smell in.

 

[BrianBigNFun]

NIce, I've owned 11 Subies before I went EV- welcome and do know that @socktucker may bark but he doesn't bite

 

[jlshriver]

I am a new Lucid Air Touring as of June. Love it and now think how could I ever want and internal combustion car after driving this thing around for almost a month.

 

[E-Man]

Take a test drive in a Lucid and floor it from a stop sign/stop light.

For sure, this is part of the plan. I might have to visit the King of Prussia studio to compare the AT to the AGT.

I'm coming up on 3 years with my Polestar 2 Performance. It has been an excellent car. I have absolutely zero issues with the software.

Good to know! I've been looking at them primarily because the used prices are pretty attractive and it's so similar to my S60.

NIce, I've owned 11 Subies before I went EV

The one that I traded for my S60 was my 5th Subaru. I had my 4th one for more than 20 years before someone crashed into me. Was sad to see that one go - when I went back for another, they were all CVT instead of manual transmission. What a bummer...

welcome and do know that @socktucker may bark but he doesn't bite

Thank you! Ha - I've already been paying attention

I am a new Lucid Air Touring as of June. Love it and now think how could I ever want and internal combustion car after driving this thing around for almost a month.

I'm thinking my reaction is likely to parallel yours. That sounds like fun!

 

[Normd1954]

Potential Owner here. I have a 2023 Tesla MSLR and I am annoyed with Tesla taking away auto-steer from basic new car offerings, the idiotic Speed Profiles in FSD and the lack of substantial improvement in basic AutoPilot. I'm looking at the Air Touring with DDPro and the SSP audio.. The Lucid show room is 2.5 hours away and I'm wondering if there is anyone in the Staunton, Charlottesville, Harrisonburg VA area that would be willing to met and show off their car.