Pros
- 394 miles of range
- Even this base model is quick
- Entertaining to drive
Cons
- No ventilated seats
- Subpar standard sound system
- Lane keeping assist needs a retune
Don't look now, Lucid, but they're coming.
With the arrival of the BMW i5 and Mercedes EQE sedans, the Lucid Air must now contend with rivals from the luxury-car establishment—not just Tesla's aging Model S. These midsize four-doors are priced underneath the 2024 Air Pure, but that base-trim Lucid has something neither of these newbies has so far earned: a Car of the Year award. That baked-in excellence gives the single-motor Air Pure we've just tested a head start, but this industry doesn't stand still. The 2024 Lucid Air Pure needs to earn its place among a growing set of electric luxury cars.
Just Drive It
Fun fact: Tesla lowered the price of the Model S to undercut the Air Pure after Lucid announced price cuts across the Air range. Whether coincidental or not, the competition underscores the challenge Lucid faces with the 2024 Air Pure: Convince luxury buyers from BMW, Tesla, and beyond that the still-new-to-the-scene Air is worth their money even at its sub-$80,000 MSRP.
The Air starts strong, with excellent performance. We don't just mean 0-60-mph acceleration from the 430-hp, rear-drive, single-motor version tested here, but the full package. Lucid has done what others (including Mercedes with that EQE) haven't yet figured out: create a luxurious electric sedan that feels fun to drive and lighter than it really is. We have tested literally every trim of the Lucid Air, so you can trust us: This thing's fun to drive.
Normally, we'd have talked numbers by this point, but we want to underscore just how solid the 2024 Lucid Air is to drive, including the Pure RWD base model. On the track and on the street, the Air builds confidence in the way it steers and handles, letting some but not all road imperfections into the cabin. A couple of editors feel the steering weight is too heavy, but for the most part, we only have positive things to say about the driving experience.
0-60 MPH Acceleration
Acceleration from 0 to 60 comes in only 4.2 seconds, and it'll feel plenty quick when you stab the pedal and go. What's wild is just how well the Air Pure RWD keeps up with the dual-motor Pure AWD model (3.6 seconds), though it's further behind the Touring model (3.1 seconds). The Mercedes EQE350 4Matic, a dual-motor competitor at about the same price, gets to 60 in 5.2 seconds. We haven't yet tested the BMW i5, but the larger i7 xDrive60 sprints to 60 in 4.3 seconds.
These are exciting times when a 5.2-second 0-60 time is the slowest in a competitive group of large, heavy vehicles.
Braking is also a high point for the 2024 Air Pure RWD, and not just because of its 116-foot 60-0-mph distance. That's 1 foot shorter than the Air Pure AWD and EQE350, and a few feet longer than the i7 (109 feet). On the track, the test crew comments there is "no hop, slop, or wander; the car stops when you tell it to."
Luxurious? Yes!
Inside, the 2024 Air Pure RWD delivers the same mixture of superlatives and frustrations we've now come to expect from the brand. The cabin is full of a mix of different textures and, in this case, shades of gray and black. It all works well, but unfortunately, that's the only option on this trim, so it feels dark in there.
The rear seat has plenty of legroom and is more comfortable than higher-trim Airs because the floor is a few inches lower; not selecting the fancier trims works in your favor here. No matter the model, however, the unmistakable Lucid is low to the ground: Watch your head on the way in.
To us, the biggest luxury is time, and an EPA-rated range of 394 miles is the best you'll get on a sedan other than a Model S or another Lucid. If you stick with the 19-inch wheels instead of the 20s on our test car, the EPA range bumps up to 419 miles. Compared to any BMW i5 or Mercedes EQE, Lucid owners simply won't have to think about—or stop for—charging as often.
Even the Air Pure's MotorTrend Road-Trip Range, our test of normal highway driving at 70 mph, rings in at a decent 330 miles. For comparison, the more powerful Air Touring AWD model has an EPA-rated range of 384 miles but only manages 279 miles in the MT Road-Trip Range test.
Also, No
Otherwise, the Air struggles with luxury-car basics—like a functional key fob that works every time you need to open or unlock a car. Or having a base sound system worthy of a car this good—trust us, please: If you're an audiophile, spend the $2,900 on Surreal Sound Pro upgrade. Ventilated seats at $80,000 would be nice, too, as would a much quieter auto-brake hold feature across the entire range. A quieter-opening trunk would also be on our list, as would auto-tilt-down side mirrors. The latter might be an over-the-air update in the future, one we look forward to on our one-year Air Grand Touring Performance test car.
Avoid getting lost in Lucid's to-do list, and you're left with a good base model that doesn't visually shame consumers for going Pure. Aside from the steel roof, which makes the interior more functional for taller drivers than the glass option, few other cues distinguish Pure from Touring and above.
We like that. And we like the Lucid's exclusive style—you simply won't see as many Airs as you will BMW, Mercedes, and Tesla cars. You really must embrace the Lucid's otherness to appreciate the Air Pure. Objectively and subjectively, the Air Pure RWD drives damn well. The long range is also a plus. But once you start considering the full experience (and the software issues we've noticed on other, non-prototype Airs), some buyers won't find enough of what they need here.
In a world of three-pointed stars and oversized dual-kidney grilles, Lucid deserves its place. The Air Pure RWD solidifies our view that there's a great foundation here in need of iteration. As the luxury-EV segment grows, we'll see how Lucid responds.
| 2024 Lucid Air Pure (RWD) Specifications | |
| Base Price | $78,900 |
| Price As Tested | $81,200 |
| Vehicle Layout | Rear-motor, RWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan |
| Motor Type | Permanent-magnet electric |
| Power (SAE NET) | 430 hp |
| Torque (SAE NET) | 406 lb-ft |
| Transmission | 1-speed automatic |
| Curb Weight (F/R DIST) | 4,528 lb (50/50%) |
| Wheelbase | 116.5 in |
| L x Wx H | 195.9 x 76.2 x 55.4 in |
| 0-60 MPH | 4.2 sec |
| Quarter Mile | 12.5 sec @ 115.5 mph |
| Braking, 60-0 MPH | 116 ft |
| Lateral Acceleration | 0.96 g (avg) |
| MT Figure Eight | 24.6 sec @ 0.79 g (avg) |
| EPA City/HWY/Comb Fuel ECON | 134/126/130 mpg-e |
| EPA Range, COMB | 394 miles |
| On Sale | September 2023 |
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