2025 LUCID AIR

LUCID SEDAN EASES FEARS OF RANGE ANXIETY AMONG ELECTRIC VEHICLES

If the fear of running out of juice with no charging outlet nearby — a concern commonly known as range anxiety — has been holding you back from considering an electric vehicle your next automotive purchase, a California-based automaker may have an answer cure for you.

Lucid Group offers both a sedan and SUV that provides between 400 and just over 500 miles between charges, depending on the trim.

But bring your wallet. Starting price for the least expensive sedan, the Lucid Air Pure trim, is just over $70,000, while the base SUV, the Gravity Touring trim, flirts with the $80,000 mark.

The top trim in the sedan line, the Lucid Air Sapphire, approaches Super Luxury territory with a starting price of $249,000. 

The Grand Touring trim also is in six figures ($112,400), but this review is based on my experience of a a week in the 2025 Lucid Air Touring model that starts at $78,900 (not including the $,1,500 delivery fee).

The Lucid Gravity SUV is new this year, but the Lucid Air sedan was introduced for the 2022 model year. The initial offering received mixed reviews, earning praise for its design and performance and criticism for software issues and build quality. Driving range, of course, also earned plaudits.

The company took those negatives head on and more recent models have  raised the bar for the luxury EV segment. The 2025 Lucid Air even earns the No. 1 spot in the analysis of 13 luxury EVs by US News & World Report over competitors like Tesla, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche.

My view, however, is a little less enthusiastic. 

Oh, I appreciate the roomy, premium interior and the exhilarating driving experience, and there are plenty of infotainment features to make techies happy.

But in an apparent desire to be for “futuristic” in its appeal, designers have confined operation of basically every function, tech or otherwise, to a 14-inch display touchscreen on the center console. Want to adjust the tilt-and-telescoping steering or side mirrors? Go to the touchscreen and make your way through a screenful of icons.

Yes, the longer you have the vehicle likely are to become familiar with all the proper places to touch, but there were times in my week with the car that sunlight reflection made seeing exactly where to tap difficult.

What usually would be called “normal or comfort, sport, or eco, or sport-plus” when it comes to driving modes in most vehicles the Lucid Air is marked “smooth (optional range), swift (balancing power and efficiency), and sprint (maximum power).”

Fortunately, those buttons are plainly marked on the main screen but early on in the week I had to call for help to find out how to turn the radio on. (The proper button was behind a link to my cell phone.)

Getting back to what to like about the vehicle, the Lucid Air is a kick to drive, The dual electric motors on the Touring trim produce 620 horsepower and 885 pound-feet of torque that result in a zero-to-60 mph sprint of 3.4 seconds.

All-wheel drive is standard and estimated driving range with standard 19-inch wheel is 406 miles. You can adjust regenerative braking from coasting to max for one-pedal driving.

The touring trim of the 2025 Lucid Air comes with standard features like a power open/close trunk in the rear and a spacious frunk in front,  LED lights, 12-way power heated front seats with massage functions, Bluetooth technology, wireless phone charging, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Standard safety features include adaptive cruise control, a -view camera, blind spot warning, lane-departure protection, park distance warning, automatic emergency braking, distracted driving alert, and front and rear cross-traffic assist.

In addition to the $80,400 starting MSRP, my test 2025 Lucid Air Touring model also included extras like Lucid’s DreamDrive Pro (hands-free driving), a 21-speaker Surreal Sound audio system, a glass canopy roof, 20-inch wheels and other items that ran the final bottom line to $102,600.

What I liked about the 2025 Lucid Air Sedan: Acceleration is brisk and smooth. The interior is spacious and comfortable. Excellent range alleviates fears of running out of juice, though EPA estimates may be as generous as some major league umpires’ strike zones. The spacious cargo capacity is divided between the frunk (10.0 cubic feet) and rear trunk (22.1).

What I didn’t like about the 2025 Lucid Air Sedan: Having pretty much every function operating off the big touchscreen sounds practical but there is a fairly steep learning curve and with so many operations it can be distractive to try to use it while driving. I would prefer pushing a button to start or turn off the vehicle (the car is ready to go when the driver settles in behind the wheel). Even smaller riders may bump their head getting in or out because of the low roof line. Rain-sensing windshield wipers operated sporadically on our test vehicle.

Would I buy the 2025 Lucid Air Sedan? No way. Designers simply have taken their desire to incorporate so many functions in the touchscreen too far. It detracts from what is a well designed, high-performing luxury sedan.  

2026 GMC TERRAIN

GMC BRINGS BACK DENALI TRIM 

FOR THIRD-GENERATION TERRAIN SUV

After offering only one trim level for 2025, GMC reunited both the upgraded AT4 and Denali models with the base Elevation to the 2026 Terrain lineup.

Both add new content that take aim at specific buyer pools. The AT4 is targeted at those seeking a bit more in off-roading capability from their vehicle while the Denali leans toward those seeking more in the way of creature comforts in a more premium environment.

Neither trim level was offered on the 2025 GMC Terrrain, which perhaps accounts for its dip in sales for the first two quarters of this year despite a redesign that moved it into its third generation.

This review is based on the Denali trim of the 2026 GMC Terrain.

Like the Chevrolet Equinox it shares a platform and other features with, the 2026 GMC Terrain Denali comes with a 1.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine in all trims and is rated at 175 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque.

It’s not a dragster, but is satisfactory for real-life driving around town and on expressways.

That engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission in the Denali. All-wheel drive also is standard on the Denali, but requires activating via a small button to the left of the steering wheel. Fuel-mileage numbers are a so-so 24 miles-per-gallon city, 26 highway, and 25 combined which the government estimates will cost you an extra $1,500 in fuel costs over a 5-year period.

Classed as a compact SUV, the 2026 GMC Terrain seats only five in two rows but seems larger. Cargo space also is generous with nearly30 cubic feet behind the second-row. Fold the back row and the area expands to just just 64 cubic feet.

As expected with the top trim, the 2026 GMC Terrain Denali comes with a long list of creature comforts. They include dual-zone climate control, heated and ventilated front bucket seats featuring perforated leather surfaces, an 8-way power adjustable driver’s seat, heated outboard second-row seats, and a heated steering wheel.

Most standard tech functions operate off a 15-inch tablet touchscreen that dominates the dash, but a row of buttons at  the bottom of that screen offer a simpler way of manual operation for climate control like the blower and defrost functions. 

Wireless charging and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto also are included as is keyless entry and push-button start. A power liftgate, rain sensitive windshield wipers, and LED head and taillights are standard.

Among standard safety features are enhanced emergency braking, front pedestrian and cyclist braking, rear pedestrian alert, enhanced lane-keepog assist and lane-departure warning, blind-spot alert, adaptive cruise control, and HD surround view monitor. 

All that is covered in a starting MSRP of $42,495 (including the $1,395 destination charge). My test 2026 GMC Terrain Denali features options like a panoramic sunroof, special aluminum wheels, a distinctive roof, and a floor liner package that ran the final total to $45,310.

The base Elevation starts at $30.395 for front-wheel drive models and $33,295 for those with all-wheel drive. Starting MSRP for the new AT4 trim starts at $39,995.

What I liked about the 2026 GMC Terrain Denali: The exterior has a classy look. The interior has a premium feel about it with lots of tech features. Cargo space is competitive with other compact SUVs.

What I didn’t like about the 2026 GMC Terrain Denali:  The large touchscreen can be overwhelming in dominating the front dash, but at least the learning curve isn’t steep. Fuel economy ranks in the lower environs of the segment. There also was a significant clunk as it traversed speed bumps in my neighborhood, even at a low speed.

Would I buy the 2026 GMC Terrain Denali? No. The compact SUV field is very competitive and though the Terrain has a lot going for it, it’s not enough to stand out among the segment leaders. Going for the Equinox will save you up front.

2025 HYUNDAI ELANTRA HYBRID

HYUNDAI ADDS NEW TRIM TO ELANTRA, PACKS LIMITED WITH TECH FEATURES 

After getting new front and rear ends and adding new safety and technological features in a mid-cycle refreshing for 2024, the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid is largely unchanged for 2025.

The exception to that would be the addition of a new SELSport trim and what was the SEL now becoming the SEL Convenience model. This review, however, is based on the top-of-the-portfolio Limited trim for the 2025 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid.

A 1.6-liter inline 4-cylinder engine working with an electric motor gives the 2025 Hyundai Elantra hybrid a torque level of 195 pound-feet which matches what the Elantra N Line gets from its 1.6-liter turbo-4.

Both the hybrid and the N Line are much torquier than the standard Elantra and its 2.0L engine (132 pound-feet). Neither matches the top-performing Elantra N and the power (289 lb.-ft.) it gets from its turbo-4.

But the Hybrid has the bonus of delivering fuel consumption at the rate of 50 miles-per-gallon. That dwarfs the much thirstier performance models that rank in the 20-mpg range and also take premium fuel.

Another bonus with the 2025 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid: Hyundai has bucked the trend of outfitting hybrid drivetrains with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The 2025 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid Limited gets a 6-speed dual clutch automatic transmission with manual gear selection via steering wheel mounted paddles. It comes with Normal (or), Sport, and Smart drive modes.

The South Korean automaker didn’t skimp when it comes to standard features on the 2025 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid Limited. 

Tech functions work off a 10.25-inch touchscreen that is just the right size. It doesn’t overwhelm the front with an oversize monitor but is big enough that systems like the navigation map and radio can be seen at a quick glance.

Audio sound is adjusted by a convenient knob, and knobs also work to adjust climate control temperatures. Clearly marked buttons raise or lower A/C blower speed.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included among tech services along with Hyundai Blue Link. Bose Premium audio. and wireless charging. 

The 2025 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid Limited rides on 17-inc h alloy wheels and features LED headlights and taillights.A power sunroof also is included.

Standard safety features include blind-spot collision warning, forward collision prevention assist, highway drive assist, lane- keeping and lane-following assist, and Smart (adaptable) cruise control with Stop-and-go technology.

The 2025 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid Limited carries a starting MSRP of $30,600 including the destination fee of $1,150. My test

2025 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid Limited came with only one extra. Carpeted floor mats added $250 for a final bottom line of 430,810.

Other Elantra trims run from $22,125 for the base Elantra SE to around $33,000 for the Elantra N.

What I liked about the 2025 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid Limited: Exterior styling is very appealing; The interior features a long list of user-friendly tech functions. Among them is an alert that lets you know when an intersection with a red light camera is coming up. The Auto Hold function (engaged via a push of a button) prevents creeping at intersections. A 6-speed automatic transmission replaces the CVT found in non-hybrid lower-trim Elantras.

What I didn’t like about the 2025 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid Limited: No manual transmission is offered on the Elantra Hybird. There is a dial for adjusting audio sound level but not for surfing the radio dial.

Would I buy the 2025 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid Limited? Definitely. The Elantra now offers an N version for those looking for performance and the fuel-sipping hybrid is a solid option for those looking for economy.