Recommending the Lucid Air Touring

[PJW]

I am writing this for those contemplating purchase of a new or used Lucid Air Touring.

Too many Air video reviews and posts here focus on criticisms. Yes, I would like the Air key fob replaced with something functional, I would like occasional software weirdness eliminated, and I would like the Adaptive Cruise Control logic improved. However, overall, I find Air Touring a magnificent car worthy of praise and ownership.

I come from five-year ownership of a Porsche Taycan 4S, which is a wonderful vehicle (no other EV can touch its handling characteristics). I also have experience with Mercedes S Class, have owned all manner of other high-end cars, and have test driven almost all luxury EVs including Cadillac Lyrix and Vistiq, BMW i7, Mercedes EQS, as well as the Tesla Model Y and S. I test drove a Lucid Air Touring in early 2025.

In January 2026 I purchased a certified 2023 Lucid Air Touring with 23,000 miles directly from Lucid Motors. Early issues included the need to have the Dream Drive Pro sensors calibrated to enable Highway Drive Assist, and service put some clips on the frames of the rear doors which eliminated almost all wind noise. Since then, all is great.

Coming from the Taycan, the biggest benefit of the Air is the incredible packaging and the comfort all that space affords in a package about the same size as a Taycan and a Mercedes E Class. The Taycan and Air are the same length, with both being about a foot shorter than the Mercedes S Class. The Air has about twice the storage space of both the Taycan and the S Class. Unlike the Taycan, the Air back seat is suitable for adults and road trips. The Air has almost as much passenger space as the S Class with the benefit of being nimbler and more fun to drive, while also being a great highway cruiser.

The second important benefit of the Air is its efficiency, getting 100 miles more range than the Taycan at an 85% charge, with virtually the same battery capacity (about 93 KWh).

I find the Air interior materials and build quality on par with both the Taycan and the S Class, but not quite as tight feeling.

Straight line performance of the Air Touring matches the Taycan 4S and blows away the S Class.

Whether new or used, I recommend Lucid Air Touring in the following configuration:

19 inch wheels for best range and NVH.
Dream Drive Pro
Surreal Sound Pro
Class Canopy (add XPEL 15 tint to cut the glare)

 

[Miami_Lucid_Man]

Fantastic comments. I have a 2025 Pure and am already heavily considering the upgrade to a Touring after my lease is up in just under 2 years. I love the Pure but I wouldn't mind a little more power and the AWD grip. But being a former owner of 2 Boxsters (2015 and 2017 so the flat 6 and turbo 4), I do miss Porsche and plan to see what the Taycan market is like in 2 years. A 4S would probably be in the price range I'm considering. I've previously driven a Turbo and a base when they were both respectively released and came away hugely impressed that they could distill the Porsche DNA so well into an EV. But, as you said, you sacrifice space (I have 2 young kids) and serious range, which is not a huge dealbreaker for me but not having to worry at all in a 400+ mile range vehicle counts for something. Also, people complaint about the state of Lucid Tech, but i think it's better than the Taycan's interface by a lot.

If you don't mind sharing, what were you paying on the Taycan 4S and what are you paying now on the Touring?

 

[Macrocosmcwh]

I am writing this for those contemplating purchase of a new or used Lucid Air Touring.

Too many Air video reviews and posts here focus on criticisms. Yes, I would like the Air key fob replaced with something functional, I would like occasional software weirdness eliminated, and I would like the Adaptive Cruise Control logic improved. However, overall, I find Air Touring a magnificent car worthy of praise and ownership.

I come from five-year ownership of a Porsche Taycan 4S, which is a wonderful vehicle (no other EV can touch its handling characteristics). I also have experience with Mercedes S Class, have owned all manner of other high-end cars, and have test driven almost all luxury EVs including Cadillac Lyrix and Vistiq, BMW i7, Mercedes EQS, as well as the Tesla Model Y and S. I test drove a Lucid Air Touring in early 2025.

In January 2026 I purchased a certified 2023 Lucid Air Touring with 23,000 miles directly from Lucid Motors. Early issues included the need to have the Dream Drive Pro sensors calibrated to enable Highway Drive Assist, and service put some clips on the frames of the rear doors which eliminated almost all wind noise. Since then, all is great.

Coming from the Taycan, the biggest benefit of the Air is the incredible packaging and the comfort all that space affords in a package about the same size as a Taycan and a Mercedes E Class. The Taycan and Air are the same length, with both being about a foot shorter than the Mercedes S Class. The Air has about twice the storage space of both the Taycan and the S Class. Unlike the Taycan, the Air back seat is suitable for adults and road trips. The Air has almost as much passenger space as the S Class with the benefit of being nimbler and more fun to drive, while also being a great highway cruiser.

The second important benefit of the Air is its efficiency, getting 100 miles more range than the Taycan at an 85% charge, with virtually the same battery capacity (about 93 KWh).

I find the Air interior materials and build quality on par with both the Taycan and the S Class, but not quite as tight feeling.

Straight line performance of the Air Touring matches the Taycan 4S and blows away the S Class.

Whether new or used, I recommend Lucid Air Touring in the following configuration:

19 inch wheels for best range and NVH.
Dream Drive Pro
Surreal Sound Pro
Class Canopy (add XPEL 15 tint to cut the glare)

So I am just ahead of you. I just did this. Here is my .02....

This is THE BEST DRIVING CAR I HAVE OWNED IN A LONG TIME. The interior of my Air GT is truly one of the best I have ever been in. The smell of the high end leather is amazing. Aside from the minor rattles and squeeks (which are all being addressed) I am so happy I did this.

Now for the fun part. I work for Porsche and formerly worked for Mercedes Benz.... So I know your garage.... You will be VERY happy... The Air is like the Taycan and an S class had a baby. The inside of your new car will feel like your Mercedes but the car will drive "better" than your Taycan ((Now by better I mean it does NOT feel like a sports car... But for its size it is a beast)).

Now on my purchase I was very close to buying an Touring. I was looking at a 2024 Touring and a 2022 Grand Touring.... I opted for the GT after driving both.

BOTTOM LINE.... BUY IT.... You only live once.

If Lucid goes belly up YOU AND I WILL GO DOWN TOGETHER! =)

 

[Spaceship]

I am writing this for those contemplating purchase of a new or used Lucid Air Touring.

Too many Air video reviews and posts here focus on criticisms. Yes, I would like the Air key fob replaced with something functional, I would like occasional software weirdness eliminated, and I would like the Adaptive Cruise Control logic improved. However, overall, I find Air Touring a magnificent car worthy of praise and ownership.

I come from five-year ownership of a Porsche Taycan 4S, which is a wonderful vehicle (no other EV can touch its handling characteristics). I also have experience with Mercedes S Class, have owned all manner of other high-end cars, and have test driven almost all luxury EVs including Cadillac Lyrix and Vistiq, BMW i7, Mercedes EQS, as well as the Tesla Model Y and S. I test drove a Lucid Air Touring in early 2025.

In January 2026 I purchased a certified 2023 Lucid Air Touring with 23,000 miles directly from Lucid Motors. Early issues included the need to have the Dream Drive Pro sensors calibrated to enable Highway Drive Assist, and service put some clips on the frames of the rear doors which eliminated almost all wind noise. Since then, all is great.

Coming from the Taycan, the biggest benefit of the Air is the incredible packaging and the comfort all that space affords in a package about the same size as a Taycan and a Mercedes E Class. The Taycan and Air are the same length, with both being about a foot shorter than the Mercedes S Class. The Air has about twice the storage space of both the Taycan and the S Class. Unlike the Taycan, the Air back seat is suitable for adults and road trips. The Air has almost as much passenger space as the S Class with the benefit of being nimbler and more fun to drive, while also being a great highway cruiser.

The second important benefit of the Air is its efficiency, getting 100 miles more range than the Taycan at an 85% charge, with virtually the same battery capacity (about 93 KWh).

I find the Air interior materials and build quality on par with both the Taycan and the S Class, but not quite as tight feeling.

Straight line performance of the Air Touring matches the Taycan 4S and blows away the S Class.

Whether new or used, I recommend Lucid Air Touring in the following configuration:

19 inch wheels for best range and NVH.
Dream Drive Pro
Surreal Sound Pro
Class Canopy (add XPEL 15 tint to cut the glare)

Thank you for the input. Specially as someone considering buying a used Air myself. The huge range is immensely appealing as someone who road trips a fair amount.

Do you use phone as key, and if so, how has it been? And any opinion on the sound system compared to the competition? How does the AC, specially on the warmer months, handle the glass roof?

I'm trying to find downsides but it does sound like a good amount of Air owners really love their vehicles.

 

[PJW]

Fantastic comments. I have a 2025 Pure and am already heavily considering the upgrade to a Touring after my lease is up in just under 2 years. I love the Pure but I wouldn't mind a little more power and the AWD grip. But being a former owner of 2 Boxsters (2015 and 2017 so the flat 6 and turbo 4), I do miss Porsche and plan to see what the Taycan market is like in 2 years. A 4S would probably be in the price range I'm considering. I've previously driven a Turbo and a base when they were both respectively released and came away hugely impressed that they could distill the Porsche DNA so well into an EV. But, as you said, you sacrifice space (I have 2 young kids) and serious range, which is not a huge dealbreaker for me but not having to worry at all in a 400+ mile range vehicle counts for something. Also, people complaint about the state of Lucid Tech, but i think it's better than the Taycan's interface by a lot.

If you don't mind sharing, what were you paying on the Taycan 4S and what are you paying now on the Touring?

I'm a cash guy. I bought the loaded Taycan 4S new in 2021 net of a 5% discount plus the former $7,500 tax credit. Depreciation was about $15,000 a year (painful but I knew the risk going in). You can check lucidmotors.com for their used Air Touring inventory, they quote both cash and lease prices. A used Air Touring is a steal in my view.

 

[PJW]

Thank you for the input. Specially as someone considering buying a used Air myself. The huge range is immensely appealing as someone who road trips a fair amount.

Do you use phone as key, and if so, how has it been? And any opinion on the sound system compared to the competition? How does the AC, specially on the warmer months, handle the glass roof?

I'm trying to find downsides but it does sound like a good amount of Air owners really love their vehicles.

I use phone as key routinely (the key fob is in my closet and the key card is in my wallet). Phone as key works quickly most of the time. Occasionally, there is a delay when I walk up to the car. Once I got impatient and opened the car from the app. Locking when walking away has been 100% reliable.

I'm a serious audio guy. Surreal Sound Pro is better than the Bose system in my Taycan and the S Class Burmester system. However, I was more impressed with the sound system in the updated Tesla Model Y Premium. The Surreal Sound Pro is very good. I use it with Apple Music through CarPlay. Thinking of trying the Tidal 30 day trial to test the built in Dolby Atmos functionality.

The downsides of buying a Lucid include convenience of service (depends where you live) and the risk of the Saudi's stopping their financial support. I bit anyway.

 

[Miami_Lucid_Man]

I'm a cash guy. I bought the loaded Taycan 4S new in 2021 net of a 5% discount plus the former $7,500 tax credit. Depreciation was about $15,000 a year (painful but I knew the risk going in). You can check lucidmotors.com for their used Air Touring inventory, they quote both cash and lease prices. A used Air Touring is a steal in my view.

Agreed.

Pre-owned Taycans are getting there too. Will be interesting to see in 2 years.

 

[tarator]

While more space is nice, it is not something that I would choose a car for.

And I have no idea why people dislike the fob so much, I think the Air fob is awesome.

 

[Spaceship]

I use phone as key routinely (the key fob is in my closet and the key card is in my wallet). Phone as key works quickly most of the time. Occasionally, there is a delay when I walk up to the car. Once I got impatient and opened the car from the app. Locking when walking away has been 100% reliable.

I'm a serious audio guy. Surreal Sound Pro is better than the Bose system in my Taycan and the S Class Burmester system. However, I was more impressed with the sound system in the updated Tesla Model Y Premium. The Surreal Sound Pro is very good. I use it with Apple Music through CarPlay. Thinking of trying the Tidal 30 day trial to test the built in Dolby Atmos functionality.

The downsides of buying a Lucid include convenience of service (depends where you live) and the risk of the Saudi's stopping their financial support. I bit anyway.

Glad to hear about PAAK. Huge deal for me so as long as it works at least 90% of the time, I'll live.

Same here. SSP is a must for me if going Lucid. And my wife drives the new Model Y and that is my current benchmark for a sound system. As long as the Air is better than most and not trash would work for me as I've had some questionable audio in my last few vehicles and just want something that is at least very good. That review makes me feel better.

At MSRP, those concerns would worry me. I originally wanted the Gravity but can't justify that much money for all the concerns around the company. But a used GT from Lucid at half price? I can live if they go under (which I doubt). I work less than a mile from the service center here and drive by it all the time. The Air is in the current lead for my next vehicle but I always research things to death before making the move. Wouldn't surprise me if I end up ordering one in the next month or so though. Really like everything I'm hearing. Thanks again for your original post and for answering my questions. It has moved me a few inches closer to buying.

Also been eyeing this gem here but can't get myself to justify it, as cool as it would be: https://lucidmotors.com/inventory-v...3319&shortCode=1XOHGK&id=9100001919&zip=30301

 

[knewman]

While more space is nice, it is not something that I would choose a car for.

And I have no idea why people dislike the fob so much, I think the Air fob is awesome.

Does your FOB work consistently? When you walk up to the vehicle does it consistently unlock for you? I dislike the FOB because mine does not.

I like the physical design of the FOB. The lack of distinct buttons isn't my cup of tea but I'm fine with it. What I'm not fine with is a scenario where I walk up to the car, press the handle, and nothing happens. Especially when my hands are full, or when it's raining, or when I'm with a group of friends and have to explain why we have to wait while I fumble around to get the doors open. The physical FOB is fine, the communication protocol Lucid is using for it is not.

 

[Pragmatic]

My fob works 95% of the time BUT I have passive lock/unlock turned off. I press the door handle and the handles present themselves, open the door and go.

There are also times I leave it unlocked. Press the handle wait for them to present, open the door, enter the PIN and drive no FOB required.

 

[tarator]

Does your FOB work consistently? When you walk up to the vehicle does it consistently unlock for you? I dislike the FOB because mine does not.

I like the physical design of the FOB. The lack of distinct buttons isn't my cup of tea but I'm fine with it. What I'm not fine with is a scenario where I walk up to the car, press the handle, and nothing happens. Especially when my hands are full, or when it's raining, or when I'm with a group of friends and have to explain why we have to wait while I fumble around to get the doors open. The physical FOB is fine, the communication protocol Lucid is using for it is not.

I mostly use my phone as a key, but when I use the fob, it always auto locks/unlocks the car with minimum delay. You can try double clicking if it doesn't work.

 

[knewman]

My fob works 95% of the time BUT I have passive lock/unlock turned off. I press the door handle and the handles present themselves, open the door and go.

There are also times I leave it unlocked. Press the handle wait for them to present, open the door, enter the PIN and drive no FOB required.

I've not kept a record, I may even have a 95% success rate. Even still, the 5% isn't acceptable to me. Auto manufacturers perfected keyless entry 30 years ago, I can't fathom why Lucid thought it prudent to try and reinvent the wheel. The millions they saved in patent licensing or whatever wasn't worth it.

 

[Miami_Lucid_Man]

If you’re using your phone you have to wake your phone as you approach for maximum effectiveness.

 

[PJW]

Does your FOB work consistently? When you walk up to the vehicle does it consistently unlock for you? I dislike the FOB because mine does not.

I like the physical design of the FOB. The lack of distinct buttons isn't my cup of tea but I'm fine with it. What I'm not fine with is a scenario where I walk up to the car, press the handle, and nothing happens. Especially when my hands are full, or when it's raining, or when I'm with a group of friends and have to explain why we have to wait while I fumble around to get the doors open. The physical FOB is fine, the communication protocol Lucid is using for it is not.

Try phone as key. (I never use the Key fob.)

 

[JGard18]

If you’re using your phone you have to wake your phone as you approach for maximum effectiveness.

That hasn’t often worked for me. And let’s be real, legally every other manufacturer has figured this out. Why can’t Lucid?

 

[Macrocosmcwh]

That hasn’t often worked for me. And let’s be real, legally every other manufacturer has figured this out. Why can’t Lucid?

I watched a youtube video on this.... Lucid uses Far field Bluetooth.... other manufactures use a bluetooth that works near field. something like that. Not sure they can fix it now.

 

[knewman]

Try phone as key. (I never use the Key fob.)

I appreciate all the suggestions but this isn't a usage pattern issue, it's a design flaw. Lucid is using the wrong wireless communication technology for the job.

Most people who don't experience issues probably use proximity unlock, or are just not as sensitive to the problem. Proximity unlock is a workaround presented as a feature. I don't use it as I'd rather not have my car locking/unlocking randomly.

 

[tmichael]

I watched a youtube video on this.... Lucid uses Far field Bluetooth.... other manufactures use a bluetooth that works near field. something like that. Not sure they can fix it now.

That’s not what I found when doing a rudimentary search about Bluetooth. Can you give more details or point me toward what you found?

 

[drb3333]

...
I come from five-year ownership of a Porsche Taycan 4S, which is a wonderful vehicle (no other EV can touch its handling characteristics). I also have experience with Mercedes S Class, have owned all manner of other high-end cars, and have test driven almost all luxury EVs including Cadillac Lyrix and Vistiq, BMW i7, Mercedes EQS, as well as the Tesla Model Y and S. I test drove a Lucid Air Touring in early 2025.
...

Thank you for this specific input. I am very interested in your personal comparisons and appreciate you sharing.