IS THE HYPE REAL? 2026 Lucid Air Touring Review

TL;DR

The 2026 Lucid Air Touring lives up to most of its hype with exceptional range and refinement, but door handle glitches and regen inconsistencies hold it back.

Key Points

• 1.The hype is mostly justified. The Lucid Air Touring delivers on its core promises — best-in-class frunk, 694 km / 431 mi range from a 92 kWh battery, and a serene, Porsche Taycan-level driving experience.
• 2.620 hp and 885 lb-ft of torque make it genuinely quick. Two electric motors on 900V architecture enable up to 350 kW charging speeds, and the reviewer confirmed it's fast even on winter tires during launch control.
• 3.Range efficiency is best-in-class. At roughly 50% battery in 3°C weather, the car showed ~300 km remaining — far outperforming the Polestar 4's 100 kWh pack in a larger, roomier vehicle.
• 4.Door handles and key fob reliability are the biggest frustrations. Handles frequently failed to present automatically, and the buttonless key fob requires memorized sequences — simple daily-use failures that undercut the premium experience.
• 5.Regen braking is the worst driving characteristic. The 'off' mode still has hidden regen, 'standard' is too aggressive and non-linear, and settings don't reliably save to profiles — the reviewer wanted a mode between off and standard.
• 6.Wireless CarPlay broke mid-review week. Initially flawless, it stopped connecting entirely after filming; the reviewer resorted to wired CarPlay and called it a cautionary tale for new-brand software reliability.
• 7.Build quality shows early-company growing pains. Issues noted include unglued frunk panel trim, misaligned charge port door, seat creasing at under 10,000 km, and a cup holder grip so tight it risks spilling drinks every use.
• 8.Pricing and Chinese EV competition raise long-term questions. This tester is equipped at ~$144,000 CAD (base $112,800); used examples sit in the $80–90K range, and the reviewer questions how Lucid differentiates as capable Chinese EVs enter the market.