Intro
Hi guys, and welcome back to Petrolhead Podcasts. The updated 2026 Tesla Model S has generated a lot of headlines recently, mostly because of how little it has changed compared to the previous model. But was a subtle evolution all the Model S needed to stay competitive? Join me as I go through an in-depth comparison to give you the answer. Today, we will be comparing the new 2026 Model S All-Wheel Drive (MSRP: $86,630) to three other executive-sized electric sport sedans under the 90K price point, namely the 2025 Lucid Air Touring (MSRP: $80,400), the 2025 BMW i5 M60 (MSRP: $85,275) and the 2025 Audi S6 Sportback e-tron (MSRP: $79,995).
Exterior Styling
The most attractive to me is the Lucid. It looks awesome in person, with the wide and low stance, the fullwidth lightbars front and rear and the clean and uncluttered lines. In second for me is the BMW. The BMW’s proportions are not the best, with a rather bloated and tall side profile and fussy elements such as the painted black section below the kidney grill and on the rear bumper, but overall it looks modern and has a substantial feel to the design. The Tesla is third, which feels dated compared to the Lucid and BMW as the general design has not changed that much since the original Model S’s launch back in 2012 and the side profile also looks like a large Model 3, but the general proportions are good and there is nothing offensive about the design. In last is the Audi, which has a busy front end with split headlights that look generic, a side profile that feels extremely bloated and almost SUV-like, and weird lines in the rear bumper.
2025 Lucid Air
2025 BMW i5 M60
2026 Tesla Model S
2025 Audi S6 Sportback e-tron
Interiors
The best here is the BMW. Despite cost-cutting compared to the previous generation 5-series, the i5 remains the most solid feeling of the four in terms of build quality and has an expensive feeling inside. The materials used throughout feel mostly expensive, except for some cheaper plastics used for the window controls and stalks that feel a little out of place. The general design feels modern, with the extensive ambient lighting and the BMW curved display with a 14.9 inch infotainment screen and a 12.3 inch instrument cluster. The BMW runs iDrive 8.5 system and is fast and feature rich with great graphics, although it cannot match the Tesla for entertainment options. In second is the Tesla. The Model S’s interior design still feels modern and minimalist and it has great interior materials with soft touch finishes and stitching on almost all surfaces you can see and touch. The large 17.4 inch touchscreen also still feels modern, with great software and is supplemented by a sizable 12.3 inch gauge cluster. In third is the Lucid. The Air has an extremely practical and spacious cabin with class-leading rear seat legroom and trunk space. However, while the design is minimalist, material quality, especially with the standard leatherette interior, is lacking, with a lot of cheap feeling fabrics used on the doors and dashboard, fake metal trim pieces that don’t feel the most premium and build quality that cannot match the BMW and Audi. Surprisingly, the infotainment also feels dated, with the steeply curved center screen making the usable display area for things such as Apply CarPlay very small, and the software also cannot match the Tesla for features. In last is the Audi. The latest generation Audi interior impresses at first glance with solid build quality, the impressive looking ambient lighting and the new curved display and available passenger screen running much improved software compared to previous Audis. However, the extensive use of cheap-feeling piano black trim on the center console, the cheap and bulky capacitive touch controls on the driver side door, the abundance of hard touch plastics throughout the cabin and the massive bezels on the screens make it hard to love the Audi’s interior.
The BMW has the most solid-feeling interior
The Tesla has great interior technology and materials
The Lucid’s standard interior can feel a little cheap
The Audi’s interior materials are disappointing for the price
Drivetrains
The best here is the Tesla. The Model S has the most power, the quickest 0-60 time and the longest range but sadly lacks support for the 800-volt architecture. In second is the Lucid, has similar range as the Tesla and is only slightly less powerful. However, the Lucid lacks air suspension. In third is the Audi which is the least powerful and slowest to accelerate but has support for the highest peak charge rate and a decent range. In last is the BMW which is the only vehicle here with rear-wheel steering but has by far the lowest range and also lacks air suspension.
The Tesla has best-in-class power, range and acceleration
The Lucid is nearly as powerful and fast as the Tesla
The Audi has support for the 800V architecture but range and power fall behind the Tesla and Lucid
The BMW has by far the least range, however, it is the only vehicle with rear-wheel steering
Driving Experience
The Lucid is the best, with precise steering and the most athletic and planted feeling through corners. However, given the size and weight of the vehicle, it still is no sports car. Sadly, the Lucid’s ride comfort and refinement are not as good as the BMW or Audi, with more harshness and a less isolated feel from the road. The BMW, despite the M60 badging, is very comfort-oriented, with a substantial feel, an extremely refined driving experience and the best ride quality of the four cars. The M60 uses rear-wheel steering and the optional active roll stabilization to help it corner reasonably flat, but it still feels heavy and not as agile as the Lucid or Tesla. The Audi has a similar feel to the BMW. The S6 also has great ride quality, although in terms of overall ride and refinement is not quite as good as the BMW. In terms of handling, just like the BMW, the Audi feels reasonably athletic but being a big car there are limits to its capability and it is not the most engaging. The Tesla finishes last. Despite using air suspension, the Model S does not ride as well as the BMW or Audi with more harshness and a more unsettled feeling over bumps and it is not as quiet either. Handling is good, with a lack of body roll through corners and a more agile feeling than the BMW and Audi but it does not feel as engaging to drive as the Lucid.
The Lucid is the most driver-focused car of the four
Despite the M60 badging, the BMW is comfort-oriented
The Audi feels similar to the BMW but is less sophisticated overall
The Model S is neither as comfortable as the BMW and Audi nor as sporty as the Lucid
Conclusion
It is hard to pick a winner as all four cars have notable deficiencies that would deter me from buying them. With that being said, the Lucid is the winner here. The Air looks great, has a spacious cabin, excellent range, and feels sporty behind the wheel for such a large sedan. Unfortunately, the interior technology and materials are a letdown, and the ride quality is not good enough for a near 100k car. In second is the BMW. The i5 has a reasonably attractive design, a good interior with the best build quality of the four cars and excellent ride quality. Unfortunately, the low range is a potential deal breaker and it doesn’t feel the most sporty or agile. In third is the Tesla. The updated Model S has class-leading power, range and acceleration, good levels of interior technology and materials and a reasonably sporty feel. However, the ride quality is average and it looks and feels very dated overall. In last is the Audi, which has a lackluster interior, questionable styling, range that cannot match the Tesla or Lucid and driving dynamics that are good but not outstanding.