This I like...Things I don't...Things I miss as a former Tesla M3 owner

[Bayern]

Hello to everyone. Two weeks into my Air Touring '25 and wanted to share some thoughts and receive feedback.

What I like
1. Build quality and comfort reminds me of our 2004 Jaguar XJ8. The sound of the door closing is very pleasant very much not my 2019 Tesla M3 LR AWD.
2. Power is pretty amazing and I haven't even pushed it. I often find Im over the speed limit at any posted speed because the car doesnt feel like its moving at speed.
3. Suspension in all modes. In fact I have one now. M3 - did it have one?
4. Software UI is not bad. Not a Tesla but superior to other EV's that I've driven like BMW or Jaguar.
5. Seats are comfortable although I have to say the M3 front seats were excellent too.
5. I hate key fobs but if I must I like the flat Lucid fob.
6 Apple Car Play works well.
7. Very quiet ride. My M3 ah no.
8. Auto Park - when it works it is astonishing to watch. I used a measuring tape to see if the distance between cars was close and it was almost perfect.
9. Switch back camera to wide angle.
10. It's been two weeks and I only charged the car once.

What I dont
1. How can you sell an $80K car with a trunk that's only 15" tall? My M3 was 20". We could stick a seven foot Xmas tree in the car with the back seat down. Why would you design a car to travel 400+miles on one charge when you cant even get luggage stored?
2. Steering wheel to outboard camera screens is an accident waiting to happen. After owning an M3 for five years I have come to rely on multiple blindspot detection: side mirror, surround radar and outboard cameras. The displays on my M3 were easy to see and unobstructed. I cant understand how you could cram camera screens in between a steering wheel. In order for me to see them with hands at 10 and 2, I need to have the wheel higher than Im comfortable driving. It feels like Im driving a bus. But the worst part is you're turning and as your arms turn the car you lose sight of the screen and the space you are watching is clear. I live in DC Metro area and the idiots on the road live in my blindspots.
3. About 50% of the time the car wont recognize my iPhone. When it does it works fine. When it doesn't I have to pull it out of my pocket and hit the on button to bring it out of standby. Why? I don't like fobs and prefer just using my phone.
4. The phone app - if Lucid is competing with Tesla's app why did they create one that feels like it is a work in progress? I mean it's an expensive car. Why cant I schedule my car to charge? Why cant I lie in bed and remember I left my window open and shut it? My wife drives a MB E450 and their app is pure s___. At least I can take comfort that the Lucid app is better.
5. It is hard to get comfortable with the "space craft like" engine noise which reminds me of any plug in hybrid. If it is part of Lucid's secret sauce for the engine performance than ok. But otherwise, it doesn't sound like an $80K car. I liked the M3 sound. There wasn't any.
6. Car Play... before the recent update. Was constantly telling me that my TuneIn stations had "no media." Same with Bluetooth to Apple Music. But now it seems fixed )
7. I've only charged the car at home once. The app said it took 7 hours to charge to 100%? My M3 could fully charge to 300mi in four hours. Does anyone else experience this?
8. Tire rash warning doesn't seem to work therefore I am not getting close to objects or curbs which I guess I'll get the hang of as I get comfortable with the car.
9. The native nav seems to be from a company called Here. Haven't developed confidence in its directions to maximize time versus traffic delays. So Im still using Apple nav.


What I miss (M3)
1. You could plug a USB drive to collect video clips of all four camera positions which has seriously come in handy for insurance purposes and reporting reckless drivers in our neighborhood.
2. The 12v DC plug was inside the arm rest in the cockpit so I could use my portable air compressor to inflate my tires (Lucid's is in the trunk).
3. Trunk offers more room including the very deep subfloor cargo area.
4. Voice attendant is intuitive and has a long list of commands.
5. No side forward blindspots.
Lots more but it's still my favorite car so far.

I'm leasing for now so I can decide to buy. I'd prefer the Gravity, but I'd rather observe how the first year production goes and then pick up a '26.

Appreciate any feedback from those of you with more ownership experience.

 

[HC_79]

1. How can you sell an $80K car with a trunk that's only 15" tall? My M3 was 20". We could stick a seven foot Xmas tree in the car with the back seat down. Why would you design a car to travel 400+miles on one charge when you cant even get luggage stored?

This is definitely annoying but assuming it’s got to do with the cars aerodynamics to achieve the high range. I don’t think you can even get a medium sized Home Depot box in the trunk.

2. Steering wheel to outboard camera screens is an accident waiting to happen. After owning an M3 for five years I have come to rely on multiple blindspot detection: side mirror, surround radar and outboard cameras. The displays on my M3 were easy to see and unobstructed. I cant understand how you could cram camera screens in between a steering wheel. In order for me to see them with hands at 10 and 2, I need to have the wheel higher than Im comfortable driving. It feels like Im driving a bus. But the worst part is you're turning and as your arms turn the car you lose sight of the screen and the space you are watching is clear. I live in DC Metro area and the idiots on the road live in my blindspots.

I don’t mind where they’re placed and can see them quite well. It’s also a common spot not just specific to Lucid. Funnily enough, I don’t like Tesla’s implementation because it requires you to take your eyes off the road more.

3. About 50% of the time the car wont recognize my iPhone. When it does it works fine. When it doesn't I have to pull it out of my pocket and hit the on button to bring it out of standby. Why? I don't like fobs and prefer just using my phone.

Probably tie Bluetooth radio on the phone has gone into preservation mode to save battery. Taking the phone out turns it back on and the car responds

4. The phone app - if Lucid is competing with Tesla's app why did they create one that feels like it is a work in progress? I mean it's an expensive car. Why cant I schedule my car to charge? Why cant I lie in bed and remember I left my window open and shut it? My wife drives a MB E450 and their app is pure s___. At least I can take comfort that the Lucid app is better.

The App has gone through multiple iterations as I’m sure Teslas has over the years. Keep in mind, Lucid has only been delivering cars for 3 years compared to Teslas 13+ years. One thing I do know is the Lucid App in its infancy is certainly more responsive than my previous MyAudi App. My response to Audi about it was “why bother”

7. I've only charged the car at home once. The app said it took 7 hours to charge to 100%? My M3 could fully charge to 300mi in four hours. Does anyone else experience this?

The battery is double the size. Bigger battery, longer charging time.

9. The native nav seems to be from a company called Here. Haven't developed confidence in its directions to maximize time versus traffic delays. So Im still using Apple nav.

Haven’t had an issue with Here in LA area and has been pretty spot on with traffic as with Google and Apple. Even when I thought it was doing something wrong I’ve checked on Google and Apple and it’s done the same routing due to traffic. It’s also continuing to be fine tuned with more details being added to the maps etc.

Also, what you get for $80K varies across many different models. What Lucid may deliver in its car may not be in another brand or vice versa so let’s refrain from the “for an $80K I expect……” comments. A Q8 eTron is $80K+ car and goes 300 miles, Lucid goes 400 minimum so they all have pros and cons.

 

[dwfallin]

Pretty fair observations. I also don’t trust the here maps but I think one of the recent updates actually improved it quite a bit. 15” of trunk space - did u pull out the inserts? I’ve taken 4 people on a weeks beach trip with all luggage fitting nicely in trunk and frunk! Far as bulky box - yeah, I could see that being a problem but luggage - it handles pretty well for me. I only use mobile key and it generally works well - I think the phone having to wake up to activate the app might be a phone thing.
Ur m3 would charge to 300 miles in 4 hrs!?! Were u going from 250 miles!? I don’t drive a whole lot so I just leave it plugged in… usually at 80% when I go anywhere

 

[Blue Lectroid]

A Tesla M3P or LR takes WAY longer than 4 hours to fully charge. IIRC, my 310 mile range M3P took over 7 hours from 0 to 100%.

Max charge rate on L2 is 48 amps for the M3’s, so there is no way to do that in a roughly 74 kWh pack in 4 hours. I had an M3P and the charge rate per kWh has been identical on my ‘25AGT. Of course if I need to charge from 0-100% charge, the Lucid will take a lot longer because the battery is roughly 60% larger. That said, the charge rate per mile is better because the Lucid is more efficient!

 

[thyname]

2. Steering wheel to outboard camera screens is an accident waiting to happen. After owning an M3 for five years I have come to rely on multiple blindspot detection: side mirror, surround radar and outboard cameras.

360 degrees view in your pilot screen, and the blind spot light in the side mirrors should help. Your Touring did not come with those? I come from two Teslas (in succession), so I am pretty familiar with Teslas, and blindspot detection is not an issue for me. On the contrary...