2026 Lucid Air Touring Evaluation: A Favorable Contrast to the Model S Experience

Every time I drive an electric vehicle, I find myself in a bit of an internal struggle regarding that throttle pedal. Should I fully indulge in this experience and utilize one-pedal driving, even though it contradicts the instincts I’ve formed over 16 years of driving, or should I revert to my usual habits, even if it diminishes the car’s efficiency slightly? More often than not, I choose to revert. However, the Lucid Air is a car that motivates me to change.

I believe this stems from its strong character and excellent features. Its appearance is stunning. It provides an incredible amount of interior space and comes with a cleverly crafted trunk that simplifies cargo loading. It houses my favorite screen encountered in a vehicle this year. You enter this car and are not immediately put off by its differences; rather, you are inclined to give it a chance due to its powerful first impression. Thankfully, for the most part, it continues to improve from that point.

The Basics

What you are looking at is a Lucid Air Touring, positioned as the second model in the lineup from the rear-wheel-drive $72,400 Pure to the, shall we say, extravagant $250,500 Sapphire. Compared to the Pure, the Touring introduces an additional motor for all-wheel drive, boasting a total of 620 horsepower and 885 lb-ft of torque, a powered frunk, and a 700-volt electrical system for quicker charging.

The Touring starts at $81,400, though this version included various options. Its Mojave PurLuxe “leather alternative” interior mirrors the upholstery found in every Pure, yet includes 20-way adjustable front seats equipped with heating, cooling, and massage features; Lucid’s 21-speaker Surreal Sound Pro audio system; a comfort and convenience package that includes a rear touchscreen for passengers and soft-close doors; and the supposedly future-proof DreamDrive Pro ADAS hardware.

The full MSRP was $102,000, which is undeniably a large sum. Personally, I would forgo the DreamDrive (priced at $6,750) while keeping the sound system and seats. I would also opt for a different interior color; despite the quality and materials being top-notch in this Mojave-trimmed model, gray on gray lacks excitement.

The Touring is rated by the EPA to travel up to 431 miles on its 92-kWh battery with 19-inch wheels, as my loaner had. This is a 25-mile improvement over the 2025 model. It can charge at rates of up to 250 kW, although I couldn’t test this thoroughly; the charger I used was theoretically capable of 240 kW peak throughput, but managed only about half that, allowing me to regain roughly 80 percent of the charge in one hour. Lucid also kindly supplied me with a CCS-to-NACS adapter, though I didn’t use it for reasons I will explain later. While the Gravity SUV has already launched with NACS, the 2026 Air continues to utilize a CCS port.

The Highs and Lows

What I’m about to say regarding the Lucid Air’s design is not novel, but I will express it anyway: This may be the most aesthetically pleasing car currently available. The sedan’s exterior hasn’t undergone any changes for 2026, and I have no issues with that; it’s difficult to enhance perfection.

I consistently admire how the rear window integrates with the C pillar and aligns with the trunk shut line. I appreciate how the sedan’s sides and front bumper subtly curve inward, devoid of unnecessary creases or vents. Every aspect of the Air’s design is exquisite and well-considered. My only minor complaint about the particular model I tested was that it was equipped with the Stealth package, substituting the Air’s usual refined chrome and aluminum accents with unremarkable black.

This sentiment carried over into the interior, which, despite its somewhat muted colors, was delightful to experience. I thoroughly enjoy the dash’s fabric trim, and how the heather gray contrasts with the wood accents on the lower shelf. There are, of course, not many physical controls available. Nonetheless, Lucid recognizes the importance of substantial knurled scroll wheels, having included two on the steering wheel and one beneath the upper infotainment display for volume control. Temperature and fan-speed settings also retain toggle switches, so neither you nor your passenger need to interact with the lower screen if you prefer not to.

About that lower screen: I’m not its biggest fan, but it’s better than many alternatives. I do find it somewhat frustrating that vital functions like the drive mode selector can only be accessed through that display. If I need to look at a screen for long periods, I would much prefer it to be located higher and closer to my line of sight. However, Lucid’s interface is fairly well-organized, so as you become familiar with its layout, any friction diminishes. When you wish to retract the lower screen from view, you can easily swipe up to hide it in the dash—a clever feature.

The spacious interior facilitates focus on driving, and I’m pleased to note that I enjoyed this aspect significantly. According to Lucid, this vehicle weighs 5,000 pounds, but it doesn’t feel as heavy as that suggests. The tight, precise steering and expansive glass area, along with the short nose, likely contribute to this feeling—not to mention the abundant silent torque at your command. I had the opportunity to ride along in a Sapphire, and while the Touring can’t match its prowess with half the power, it still achieves 60 mph in under 3.5 seconds, and once you enter that range, additional benefits diminish quite rapidly.

The Air Touring feels stable and assured on twisty roads, providing a commendable blend between comfort on its default Smooth setting and a slightly sportier ride on the Swift mode. The coil suspension does not absorb potholes like Porsche Active Ride can, but it’s solid.

What I particularly appreciated was the impact of drive modes on regenerative braking. Even if you leave regeneration at its standard operation, as I did the majority of the time, the braking effect is automatically lessened off-throttle when driving in Swift versus Smooth, which is perfect for when you want a more engaging experience. (Naturally, you can also choose to disable it completely.) That’s logical.

And this brings us back to the essence of this vehicle. Honestly, if it were my choice, I’d reinstate manual controls for door mirrors and a conventional handle for the glovebox. It would be nice to interact with something other than a touchscreen more frequently in here. Additionally, the Lucid Air might have the most problematic key fob in the entire industry; if the car is off, it generally only functions when you are standing nearby, and it feels quite flimsy as well. However, that’s about the only change I would suggest.

The legroom in the back seat is remarkable; both the trunk and frunk are intelligently designed with dividers for deeper cargo spaces, and it genuinely feels as though every feature of this vehicle was thoughtfully considered. Perhaps Lucid didn’t always opt for the best choices: for instance, the phone holder/wireless charger can be either too tight or unusable based on your device. Nonetheless, there’s no denying they took the time to evaluate options and addressed these challenges innovatively, which is what makes the Air so refreshing.

Competition and Verdict

We’ve reached this point without acknowledging the Air’s extraordinary efficiency, which left a lasting impression during the eight days I spent with this car. It was simply too cold in Pennsylvania in late November to aim for the 430-mile estimate, and even under optimal conditions, I didn’t exactly drive in a manner conducive to achieving such figures. Regardless, this EV should alleviate any range anxieties.

The main drawback is its charging situation. Lucid offers a $220 CCS-to-NACS adapter for access to Tesla’s network, but there’s a significant caveat: While the Air can charge at rates of up to 250 kW with a compatible charger, it is limited to just 50 kW at Superchargers, as they aren’t designed for 700-volt vehicles like the Air. Thus, you will still need to search for CCS-compatible DC fast chargers, which are often not the most reliable.

However, in terms of raw specifications, the Air excels in range. The Porsche Taycan is arguably a more complete package, but it starts at a higher price point and does not match the Air’s staggering range. In fact, no electric sedan really compares, except for the Tesla Model S, but that vehicle is outdated and struggles to compete against the host of new contenders that have entered the market since its introduction.

There is so much to appreciate about the Lucid Air, from its design philosophy to practical aspects like space and range, to its driving experience, making it difficult not to endorse, as long as you can meet the entry price. I’m genuinely curious about what Lucid may achieve with a $50K EV; fortuitously, that’s exactly what we’re expected to preview by the end of 2026. Unfortunately, it will be an SUV, but that’s what Lucid must produce to thrive. All I can express is that as I walk around the Air, I completely lose track of why people are not opting for sedans, especially when they are as stunning as this one.

Lucid provided The Drive with an eight-day loan of this vehicle for the purpose of writing this review.