2025 Lucid Air Touring Sedan: The EV Brand’s Performance-Oriented Flagship

Highlight:  Depending on the trim, the Lucid Air is capable of effortlessly pumping out a seat-grabbing 1,200-horsepower from its dual powered motors.  

Test Vehicle’s MSRP: $102,600 (Base Pure Trim MSRP): $71,000

Seating Capacity: 5

Standard Safety Features: airbags; ABS; rear view monitoring; a front and rear cross traffic alert system; a 360-degree camera; blind spot warning; an adaptive front lighting system; and a tire pressure monitoring system

Standard Equipment (Touring): 19-inch wheels; power trunk open and close; heated dimming power folding out door mirrors; power charge point door; power illuminated door handles; 31-inch driver cluster and infotainment screen; retractable pilot; turn-by-turn online navigation; digital key; power side and rear sunshade; a three-zone automatic climate control system; smartphone wireless charging; streaming apps for Tunein, iHeart radio; podcasts, and tidal; a driver alert drowsiness system; an automatic park-in/park-out parallel system; adaptive radar cruise control; and a standard metal roof

Options: 20-inch wheels; a highway assist driving system; a 21 Surreal Sound Pro speaker system; glass canopy roof; a leather headliner; heated precision wipers, steering wheel and rear seats; 20-way power front seats with massage and ventilation; stealth appearance; and Fathom blue metallic exterior color

Other Trim Levels:

Grand Touring

Sapphire

Standard Audio On Test Vehicle: a 9-speak Surreal audio system with AM/FM/HD/SiriusXM

Android/Apple CarPlay: Yes

Bluetooth Connectivity: Standard

USB Connectivity: Standard

Bumper-to-Bumper Warranty: 4 years or 50,000 miles

Battery Warranty: 8 years or 100,000 miles

Standard Motor/Horsepower (Test Vehicle): Single speed gear/620-hp

Driving Range: 396

Standard Fuel Mileage: 124-city/119-hwy (test model)

What’s New:  For the 2025 model year, the Lucid Air is literally a carryover model. Lucid’s team has added more standard driving safety aids, while also improving its tech interface.

Why:

All-electric

Depending on trim ... horsepower ranges from 400 up 1,234

Near a 400-mile driving range (on test model);  one of the best in the industry

20 or 21-inch wheels available

Variety of trims

A variety of massaging seat selections

Easy close power doors like one would expect from a lux brand

Cargo storage for the power operated hood (frunk)

A high-quality optional concert sounding 21-speaker sound system

Programmable opening and closing doors locking and unlocking upon entry/exit

3.4 seconds from 0-to-60, according to Lucid engineers on our test model

An optional glass canopy panoramic roof that blocks heat and harmful x-rays

Optional power rear sunshade

Pass-through to trunk via backseat

Upwards of 500 miles of range and 1,234-horsepower on select trims

But:

Some of its competitors offer a longer new-car bumper-to-bumper and battery warranty

In order to operate the vehicle, literally everything has to be done through the computer screen… from adjusting the power operated tilt-telescopic steering wheel to changing the exterior mirrors to opening power operated glove box

The setup, layout and location of many of the features to operate the vehicle is different from most (eg. windshield wipers, radar activated cruise control, hazard light and the like)

No brake hold feature

No power operated sunroof

No hands-free highway steering system on the test vehicle

Took a moment to figure out how to use the co-pilot assist steering system

No rear-wheel drive model available on Touring trim

A very firm suspension …. doesn’t feel or ride like luxury makes from Mercedes or Genesis

No heads up display system (HUD)

Verdict:  Although the Lucid Air was introduced a few years ago, this is the first time we have had an opportunity to spend time behind the wheel of the California-based luxury electric vehicle. At a starting price of $71,000, Lucid’s flagship car is available in a rear wheel drive or an AWD configuration with either a single or dual motor.

The low-slung big body five-seater sedan, with its futuristic design language and signature strip fascia lighting, is available in a variety of trims. Based on appearance and size, one would expect a boulevard ride from this vehicle similar to the Cadillacs and Lincolns of the seventies.

However, we found the ride and handling to be quite the opposite. In fact, our Lucid Air Touring trim, with the optional 20-inch wheels and AWD configuration, handled more like a track-ready sports car. Unlike the suspension system in Mercedes-Benz's AMG EQS flagship performance electric sedan, which is also designed for performance, we found the Air Touring trim suspension system to be both firmer and quite unforgiving. We didn't have the option to adjust the driving mode or suspension. And being that we haven't reviewed Lucid's other trims without the optional wheels and the AWD configuration, we're not able to fairly evaluate the driving characteristics.

Outside of the ride and handling capabilities, the Lucid Air Touring trim excelled in both driving range and horsepower. Many electric car makers can take a page from the start-up company in these two critical areas. With this brand, range anxiety isn’t in its vernacular (or DNA). Lucid’s engineering team nailed it in both areas and can serve as an industry benchmark. In fact, our Lucid Air Touring nearly garnered 400 miles of range on a full charge. 

And, as it related to the interior layout, Lucid's engineering and design team pushed the envelope. Occupants in the front seats will immediately notice the vehicle's glass-to-glass open décor along with its free-floating front sun visors. Yet, we must note it took us several days to locate the emergency hazard switch on the Lucid. It was located between the sun visors as opposed to the steering wheel or dashboard. Go figure.

We also found the virtual owner's manual, which was embedded inside the infotainment system, to be a useful tool. With the exception of the power seat controls and window switches, we didn't know how to operate many of the basic features (eg. massaging seats). 

Furthermore, for those seeking space to store groceries or luggage, the Lucid Air Touring offered cargo space under the power operated hood, which is known as a frunk in the electric vehicle world. Ironically, in many of the legacy car makes who have embraced EVs, their frunks, still looks like a traditional hood upon opening.  We found that to be the case with both Genesis and Mercedes-Benz electric vehicles.

Added to that, while the high-tech vehicle included everything from a power operated frunk to an optional room temperature canopy top, which protected occupants from sun rays, the Air Touring lacked an available hands-free highway steering system. Yes, while the vehicle was outfitted with a radar-assist steering wheel, which was somewhat complicated to activate, it lacked the hands-free steering technology being offered on Lincon and Cadillac. 

Overall, in a sea of me-too vehicles on the road, the Lucid sedan, with its optional glass canopy roof, was reminiscent of cars from the past. The vehicle definitely stands out from the crowd in terms of design, horsepower and driving characteristics. 

Competition: BMW i7; Genesis G80 Electrified; and Mercedes-Benz EQS