Wow.
Of the thousands of cars, trucks and pickups I have reviewed in 28 years, there are few that have elicited that short, simple declaration. But it aptly sums up the week I spent with the Lucid Air Grand Touring.
Designed in California and built in Arizona, the Air Grand Touring throws down the gauntlet against the industry’s finest electric vehicles, including the Audi E-Tron GT, BMW i7, Mercedes-Benz EQS and Tesla Model S.
Ah, yes, the Model S; it’s the Air’s main competitor, one that figures prominently in the car's creation. Lucid’s founder, CEO and Chief Technical Officer Peter Rawlinson previously served as the chief engineer on the Model S. Now helming his own company, he has developed a far better luxury sedan.
The Lucid Air lineup starts with the Air Pure at $87,400. Its single electric motor generates 480 horsepower and 410 miles of range to the rear wheels, although dual motors and all-wheel drive are available for an additional $5,500. Then comes the Air Touring, priced from $107,400, with dual motors and all-wheel drive, 620 horsepower and 425 miles of range. Next comes the Touring at $138,000, with 819 horsepower and 516 miles of range. Its brawnier brother, the Grand Touring Performance, ups the ante to 1,050 horsepower and 446 miles of range. At the top of the range is the Air Sapphire, which, as its name suggests, is a gem of an EV, with more than 1,200 horsepower and a price of $249,000. All-wheel drive is standard on all but the base Pure model, which comes with a single electric motor and rear-wheel drive.
Sound good? Wait, it gets better. The Lucid Air boasts some of the fastest recharge times of any EV, with 300 miles in as little as 21 minutes available via a 350-kilowatt public quick charger. Even with slower chargers, it didn’t take long for the Lucid Air Grand Touring to return to a full state of charge. Even a Level 2 charger provides the Air with 75 miles in an hour.
And it’s all for a good cause, as the Lucid Air Grand Touring delivers the sort of incredibly quick acceleration you’d expect from the world’s premiere sports cars. But refreshingly, it’s a low-slung sedan, not an SUV, so drivers can take advantage of its responsive driveline in any of the Air’s three driving modes: Smooth, Swift and Sprint. Of the three, Smooth best suits the Air, as it still delivers quick acceleration but has a character that enhances the utter quiet and vibration-free comfort that battery-electric EVs offer.
Yes, Swift mode is noticeably livelier, and Sprint turns off the advanced driving assistance features while providing maximum performance. Both provide the instant rush of torque that proves so beguiling, with the test car reaching 60 mph in a scant three seconds. Opting for the pricier Grand Touring Performance improves this to 1,050 horsepower, a 168-mph top speed, and a 2.6-second 0-60 mph time.
Being in a hurry is rarely so satisfying.
The solid aluminum body structure provides a superb foundation for fast, fuss-free travel. It’s quiet is amazing, its handling is astounding for a car weighing in at 5,236 pounds, with steering that’s precise and seamless, delivering a true luxury sedan driving experience. Bump absorption is impressively luxurious without excess body motion. Road and tire noise are nonexistent.
For those used to SUVs, the driving position will feel low. But there’s plenty of stretch out space both front and rear — particularly in the rear. At nearly 200 inches long, this is a large car. But its glass roof makes a cavernous cabin feel even more so. And the cabin feels rich and well-dressed, eschewing the Tesla’s stark and bleak demeanor or Mercedes-Benz EQS’s third-world casino garishness. It strikes the perfect sophisticated, modern tone.
The driver faces a 34-inch instrument cluster with 5k resolution. The speedometer is just where you'd expect it, visible though the steering wheel, not placed off-center somewhere. A large, angled vertical screen in the center console controls the Air’s functions and lifts to reveal storage space beneath it. There’s also a pair of wireless chargers, which work as long as your phone’s not too large. While the 21-speaker Surround Sound audio system proved immersive, the audio quality of the smartphone connection was incredibly muffled, as if you were speaking through a blanket.
The only other faux pas was the turn signal stalk, which has a wiper button on its end. This makes it too easy to activate the wiper when merely signaling your turn. That said, since so many motorists lack the intelligence and courtesy to use turn signals, this may not be a problem.
But these quibbles mean little, as the Air is wrapped in a visual package that hardly looks like an American car. Its slim front lighting, delicately curved surfaces and dual-arched rear window give it a unique appearance that’s both striking and alluring.
The 2023 Lucid Air is truly a Tesla Model S killer, a car that indulges you in a way few cars can. It’s a superb grand touring car, with enough comfort and athleticism to deliver a driving experience of the first order. It’s a remarkable achievement, and far more satisfying than the myriad of battery electric SUVs prowling about.
And the best part? You don’t have to give support Elon Musk and Tesla with your money.
2023 Lucid Air Grand Touring
Base price: $138,000
Powertrain: Dual electric motors
Horsepower/Torque: 819/885 pound-feet
Range: Up to 516 miles
Recharge time: Up to 200 miles in approximately 12 minutes
Length/Width/Height: 195.9/76.3/55.5 inches
Cargo capacity: 16.1 cubic feet (rear trunk); 7.1 cubic feet (front trunk)
