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I'm exactly 1 year into my Rivian journey so I figured a thread and overly long post was due
Summary
The R1S is a fantastic 1st gen product for Rivian and I hope they make it as a company. Software updates happen regularly and the 2 main updates (UI overhaul and suspension retuning) have made the vehicle much better over my first year of ownership. Overall, the truck drives fantastically and while I haven't been able to get it on a proper trail yet, the light off-roading I have done with it has been pretty dang fun. Unless I'm driving somewhere where vehicle safety is a concern (looking at you Asian supermarket and Costco parking lots) I find as many excuses as I can to drive the Rivian.
I do have 4 complaints about the R1S - 1) The wireless charger is useless. 2) Getting in is tough for the kids because of the height and lack of handles 3) Suspension is pretty loud. 4) AC could run cooler and quieter
That said, overall a 9/10 for me and I have no regrets about hopping the line to get one earlier
Stats
R1S Launch Edition
20in A/T tires w/ All-Terrain upgrade
MSRP: $83K w/ early pre-order pricing
Miles driven: 11,707
Average mi/kWh: 2.38
Service Center Visits: 1 - to fix an alignment issue present at delivery and minor panel gap issues (free)
Mobile Service Visits: 1 - tire rotation ($60)
The Good
Performance: 0-60 in low 3s with the 20in tires and this thing hauls faster than it should for its size. I prefer the more aggressive pedal map in my old 3P, but given the heft of the vehicle and it was designed to be more of an off-roader I can see why more play in the pedal would be beneficial.
Suspension: It wasn't great to start, but after the suspension update, it is a dream. My morning commute is at the standard ride height on the softest setting and it just floats through the commute. Pre-update it was prone to porpoising whenever it hit a rough patch, but now it glides all day long. Go into sport mode and it handles its heft really well for its size. I will say though, it needs to be in a firmer suspension mode to send it because it's a bit unsettled in soft with more rocking then I'd like to see.
Technology: No CarPlay/Android Auto no problem. The satellite map views aren't as nice as premium subscription Tesla, but still solid visualization. Software is snappy and responsive and each iteration has felt better and better.
Overall build quality: I got really lucky with my R1S. Aside from an issue with the hood, my panel gaps are minimal, my trim has stayed where it was supposed to, and the truck is as solid as the day I picked it up.
Powered Frunk: I rarely used the frunk in my 3P because I hated pressing it down to lock. Having the frunk powered has made a huge difference in the usefulness of the frunk
Ventilated seats: They just work really well and I missed having them after moving to the 3P. I'm glad the new 3s added this feature in.
Built in air compressor: It's so nice to be able to just fill tires whenever they get low. I've also used it to pump my kids tires, a basketball, and other random needs when we're out playing.
Steering wheel stalks
The Okay
Audio system: I got my R1S post Meridian system so it's the in house Elevation system. I'm not an audiophile, but I thought my old 3P had a great system. That said, I listen to podcasts and audiobooks 100% of the time I'm driving by myself and the kids are yammering in the back when we're listening to music so its been good enough
3rd row access: No captain's chairs in the Rivian so we have to slide the middle row forward for access. We have boosters for both kids so even after sliding the seat forward it can be tough to get people in the third. Thankfully we haven't had to use it much since we default to the Ody when needing a spacious 3rd row.
Seat comfort: This one will vary depending on the person, but I'm built like a Lego figurine - wide and boxy - and the way the seat curves in around the shoulders doesn't fit me well. I've found a good spot to sit in, but it's definitely not as comfortable as my GS was over longer drives.
Interior storage space: Door pockets are on the smaller side and are difficult to get stuff into/out of. Cup holders work but could be better. Center console storage was a giant hole that has been remediated with some aftermarket trays. No glove boxes. I have space for everything I need, but I feel they could've done better in having more usable interior storage space
Gimmicks: I like having the flashlight in the door and the camp speaker in the center console, but I wouldn't replace them if they got lost.
Wind noise: The Rivian can be pretty bad with wind noise. It gets worse when I put the racks on the roof, but overall it's ignorable with some decent tunes (or podcasts). I'd rate it on par with the Model 3 I had which was built like a tank, but this vehicle costs a lot more so I was expecting more.
Phantom Drain: It's an issue, but I plug in every night so it doesn't bother me too much. When I leave it unplugged the drain seems to be minimized so it hasn't affected me on any longer trips
The Bad
Entry & Exit: I've got a 6 and 9 year old and they have trouble getting into and out of the Rivian. There are no OEM rock slider or side steps available and the aftermarket ones require drilling holes in the existing plastic covers or removing them altogether. Compound that with a total lack of grab handles around and I have to lower the suspension or help them get in whenever we take the R1S. I had an Expedition rental that was a similar height and the A and B pillars both had handles so people could grab them and slide in easily. It also had steps to make the whole thing easier to get into. They're getting taller so it's been getting easier but my mom is tiny and thankfully she hasn't visited since we got the R1S because I'd have to help her into the truck every time too
Initial Delivery Quality: I didn't have the same horror stories of drastically misaligned panels or parts coming off that others have had, but my alignment was significantly off and it took a month to get it back into service. I also had an issue where my hood was misaligned and opening/closing the frunk resulted in some light rubbing which took off some paint. They took care of it at the service appointment that I made, but had to repaint the part that came off.
Wireless Charger: stock one was useless. It was hard to get it at just the right position to charge and after getting it in position, any decent acceleration would knock it off. I swapped it with an aftermarket charger that used OEM magsafe pucks and it works like a dream. Looks cooler too
General noisiness (AC.& air suspension): The AC compressor is loud, there's no getting around that. Also, for all the noise it makes, I would've expected to cool better. On the 3P I could run the AC for 5 minutes before heading to the car and it would be comfortable. On the R1S I'll have to run it for 10 to get interior temps down. I heard that the refresh the factor underwent in April introduced a better compressor (and heat pump!) but nothing official has been announced yet. The air suspension also makes a decent amount of noise. Lots of ticks and creaks when it adjusts. I don't mind it that much, but it definitely takes away from the premium-ness of the vehicle when it sound like it's laboring at times.
That's about it. The pros definitely outweigh the cons in my eyes and once I got the alignment fixed the R1S has been super reliable and very well thought out. I think the designers at Rivian did a great job with the R1S and I can't wait for the R2 to be released. My wife's 3LR will be 8 years old at that point so it'll be time for an upgrade.
Ah forgot one bad - Service centers. Mobile service is great but F driving 2 hours to Brooklyn for service needs. The Mahwah NJ facility is supposed to be open soon so that will be a much better drive for me.
Great review 👍. Hopefully they continue to improve on the next generations
They're supposed to announce a small refresh of the R1s in the next few weeks. Changes to the line when they shut down for April to reduce cost per vehicle and improve buildability.
I've seen only one R1S so far in Ontario and it looks really good. I just couldn't get over how tall it looks though. The wheels just looked ginormous.
One very important part of any review of anything though are pictures! Where the heck are the pictures??? 🤔😀
The upright windshield on the R1S is a bug magnet. I'm not a big wiper fluid user but I've had to use it a bunch this spring with all the kamikaze bugs
The upright windshield on the R1S is a bug magnet. I'm not a big wiper fluid user but I've had to use it a bunch this spring with all the kamikaze bugs
Another annoying discovery. My Gen1 has Driver+ which apparently isn't getting anymore updates as they move to this new autonomy platform and Driver+ was and is bad. I should've added it to my bad list above, but it struggles even with lane keeping and is limited by premapped roads.
The OP review seems to be more positive than what I have seen from CR and auto press. Maybe they managed to get a good one out the door.
I hope Rivian makes it but won't consider one until they have a drastically updated computer, CarPlay and modern build process. However, it will take them awhile.
Tesla is about 12 years into it and still have lousy quality issues. It took Hyundai nearly 30 years tp become a high quality car company.
I suspect Rivian, Polestar, Fisker will go under or be acquired. I am rooting for Rivian as I want an R2. :smile:
Tesla is about 12 years into it and still have lousy quality issues.
I would have to totally disagree with that statement. I'm one year and 16k into my Model Y, absolutely no issues with quality. My brother in law has a Model 3 he bought in Nov 2022, and just recently took delivery of his Model Y, absolutely no quality issues whatsoever. Both of us are former Toyota/Lexus owners
My Model Y
Brother in laws Model 3 and Y
Personally I think people who think Tesla quality is bad are working off of old information, Tesla has fixed most of their quality issues
06-03-24, 05:05 PM
Rivian Ownership Experience Thread
