IMHO Rivian R1S is the overall winner of any EV ever made. It's Boxy profile maximizes cargo capacity, headroom, visibility, and aesthetics. Clean horizontal and vertical lines are visually appealing. Ground clearance is amazing! It so roomy and a departure from all the crampt EV's with a high price tag. The Rivian R1S and the Hummer EV SUV truly are the most enviable examples of American Engineering on the road.
I agree 💯 the R1S is the best 3 row SUV you can buy. I actually think it's the best vehicle on the market period. It's faster than a Lamborghini Urus, more luxurious than a Cadillac Escalade and is more roomy than Mercedes GLS. But than again I'm pretty biased. I just got mine 2 months ago and I love it. By far the best car I've ever owned and I've owned a lot or luxury cars and SUVs
I sure hope Rivian can have its breakthrough and become profitable eventually. The value is actually pretty impressive considering everything you’re getting
I like Rivian's style of their vehicles. I'm waiting for the R2 to come out before deciding to buy one because the R1S is too big for me! Great review Alex.
There is a lot of Range Rover design cues here, and the presence is also here too. The quad motor powertrain is insane, ditto the battery sizes for a car this size (bigger than Q8 e-tron, EQS SUV and iX).
Thanks for sharing. Rivian R1S is beautiful, it is definitely my next 7-seats family SUV, after I sell my Toyota mini-van. The large or max pack is what I'm planning to buy because it can do 350+ miles, so I don't have to worry about stopping half way for charging going from NC to DC.
Yes, you will love it. It is the biggest vehicle we have ever owned, but it fits all the grandkids and when not hauling people, we can literally haul doors and whatever we need by putting the seats down forward. Its like having a canopied truck. I bought it mainly because of its seating capacity though.There is definitely nothing like it right now.
My neighbor just bought a Model X and I had to force a smile as he waffled on about it. All I could think is it looks so so old and he should’ve bought a R1S for the same. AND got a real third row. R1S for the win 🥇
@@petezee6645Issue is that you can actually get Model X right now vs three year wait for R1S. I have reserved R1S but I am unsure if can wait for such long time.
BTW, there are storage bins under the front seats instead of a glove box. Also, it appears that Rivian is planning on offering an optional pull out drawer to replace the camp speaker for even more storage. Since the speaker gets power from the car it's possible to make a drawer that either has a light or make it into a small frig.
Yes and the update after that they enhanced and corrected the audio system and updated the main screen graphics and added a lot of functionality to it, including motor temperature and battery temp. First vehicle I have ever owned that they keep adding useful features to without charging you for it. If they will only add me a glovebox it would be perfect 🤣
Finally a vehicle that meets all my bacon microwaving needs; In that red it even looks like the love child of a microvave & a giant slice of bacon! Stunning!
Super job Alex. Your reviews are always super-packed with factual information. Great to watch. Thanks again! The Rivian is extremely impressive in both its current versions - but too long for my garage so I am waiting for the upcoming smaller Rivian SUV (early 2026?).
We just left ours for 5 days in the garage, and it only lost 1%. Seems to not be much of a problem anymore as long as Gear Guard isn't running constantly.
Great job, really appreciate all of the detail on dimensions and storage/cargo capacity. Would’ve been even more interesting to toss in a few ICE 3 row SUVs for the interior dimension comparisons.
Something else overlooked is that cargo measurement standards are not universal, Rivian doesn't measure all the way to the ceiling but Toyota did with the RAV4. Toyota actually tweaked their measurement process between 2017 and now so the current RAV is actually a little roomier according to the engineers than the old RAV even though it seems smaller on the spec sheet.
Honest question? What would your reservation be about buying Rivian? I want the R1S but worried if they dont survive that a lot of their services and features will just stop working and fear of warranty
Reports of phantom battery draining (which have been fixed?), accelerated tire wear from driving around a heavy vehicle. Sure electric is cheaper than gas now, but if you’re spending $2000 on tires every 10k it’s a wash
@@TobyCostaRicatires have more to do with 800HP and wear due to alignment settings at standard ride height (and consistently running it in low). You should set the alignment based on what drive height you are in the most. Also turn off auto height change!
@@TobyCostaRica i don’t drive a lot so 10k is like 2-3 years for us. I’m not concerned about basic wear and tear i can replace anywhere. I’m worried about the actual Rivian parts
Thanks as always Alex. I would have loved to hear your take on the different tire options. They have a big impact on range and it seems like pretty big trade offs in terms (20" great for off roading, terrible for range, 21" great for range but fairly proprietary so hard to swap, and the 22" etc.). Also, is the max battery worth it given the relatively little gain and the longer charging time.
Great video. Nice SUV, but the price is too high for me. One can buy an ICE vehicle around the same price with better features and more towing capacity and definitely less range and re-fueling anxiety and time. The problem I see is that a Rivian customer is one that wants “off-road” capability. I don’t think that’s a necessity for most consumers. Also, being a start-up company I am concerned that they will be here in 5 years. Hopefully, they can become profitable.
Why is it best suv when the hood makes it too big, it has the same legroom as a Toyota Highlander, and it’s so large that it requires more serious charging (expensive charging) and also how expensive it is, as well as unknown future reliability? I’m trying to find an upside here, but it seems like you’re getting Range Rover pricing and reliability with Toyota interior room.
The Rivian R1S is a good SUV EV compared to the competition like EQS suv and the Tesla model x, looks more practical and it can comfortably fit people and the price is within the competition.
I have an R1T and actually prefer the self-contained front trunk design. I thought I would like the F150 Lightning style initially, but its nice to have your stuff stay put when the frunc opens, especially if you cram it in there. Also that's a nice design choice with the R1S tailgate for sure.
So you prefer to make it always awkward and physically challenging to load and unload heavier things so that the one time a year you buy 6 watermelons they won't roll out when you open the frunk?
Too expensive for me too, but so is the Suburban/Yukon, Wagoneer, Expedition/Navigator, Sequoia, all of which are similarly priced and quite successful models.
@williamerazo3921 more can not than can though. By a wide margin. Its no wonder people arent racing towards bankruptcy to save the planet and why the companies touting ev's because they care about the planet dont price them so regular people can afford them. The only green they care about is cash. Car companies are loving this save the planet cry.
I feel that any BEV that has a 100kWh battery or larger, must have a 19/22kW on board AC charger. With the 180kWh battery option, that's going to be over 15hrs to charge at home with the 11.5kW charger. I live in AZ and we have a 6hr window of Super off Peak rates for EV charging. 80Amp vehicle capability is must for manufacturers to provide in the near future.
It's not just about vehicle capability but also household availability. How many houses in the US have 80 or more apps readily available for vehicle charging? -Travis
@@AAutoBuyersGuide Any home built from the early 1980's onwards usually has a 200Amp Mains circuit, so many millions of homes are capable of using an 80Amp wall connector and those that are not can likely be upgraded at least to 200Amp. I looked at getting a 400Amp upgrade and it's available from the street side, it's just a matter of upgrading my main board.
I have been watching you many years and i still dont know why it is when u get in a trunk it makes me giggle in a good happy way. Jus sayin!♥️ thanks for that laugh. serious
@@hurlentropy6866 op said the worry was profitability. The whole ev market has that problem. They're all operating at a loss with one of the highest cost of cash points in history.
@@scottleggejr If one is to worry, then they shouldn't invest in risky stocks and should just stick to safer options like big 7. Tesla is profitable so it's not the whole EV market that is not profitable but the whole EV market that is suffering due to high interest environment.
I’ve heard performance focused channels talk about how much worse this feels traveling at speed than the truck version. This has either a 3 second or 4 second 0-60 time. Either way this is clearly very fast. So, I feel like handling really matters. What is your take on how this feels when doing spirited driving in a vehicle with a 3 second 0-60 time?
Such an odd comment. It's a truck, or isn't it?😂 I don't hear people talking about an f150 like this. Payload, cargo, towing, 4wd/off-road are the typical comments. Why not just use a typical suspension and shocks?
@@scottleggejr this isn’t going to be used for off-roading. Not really. It’s going to be driven like a car. The reviews I’ve seen from people who drive vehicles pretty hard (channels like Throttle House where the host actually races cars for fun and they use a track for reviews) a common theme is that the truck version handles better than this version. That’s a key thing I’m looking to hear more about. It’s a thing Rivian will need to address at some point. This channel isn’t known for performance driving. I do like his “Everyman” approach. A vehicle enthusiast talking about cars. He’s doesn’t seem like he spends time going fast. So, I don’t really know if these are things he really recognizes (that’s not a slight).
How did you turn the battery percentage off and just show the range?? The percentage gives me range anxiety in mine and would love to know how you did it - I haven’t found it anywhere in settings!
A most extraordinary vehicle. I mean, I don’t know what problems there might be as you rack up the miles, but the overall quality and the amount of work that’s gone into the car, is considerable. I know what Tesla will say about that 180kWh battery though…if the vehicle was more efficient, it wouldn’t need to haul that huge thing around. But, nothing detracts from the overall appeal. I’ll never be able to buy one, not used, not ever, but this is a nice friendly-looking SUV that is at the beginning of its evolution, not even begun life on the road en masse yet. Looking forward to seeing how it does. Thanks for the review, some of the very best on the toob.
Yet they try to put a bigger battery to their weird Cybertruck. Maybe they have a contract with a movie producer to film a remake of some sci-fiction from the 1970s? And remember - Tesla is so far now from being the absolute leader. After SO MANY Elon lies I wouldn't trust Tesla in anything.
Good video but you are incorrect on the climate zones. There are only two temp zones, the second row left and right get their temp from the front rows the second row screen just shows you the temp setting for front seats. Second row passengers can control fan speed and seat heaters only. Third row just recirculated heated air but does seem able to blow cold air. I own an R1S.
Great review! Do people actually take $100K SUVs off road? Hope Rivian makes smaller, less capable, cheaper EVs. I'd buy Rivian because American made without Musk.
A small dent in the bumper will cost over $40,000 to fix as this vehicle is made in 1 body panel. Once they address this issue this will make for a very compelling vehicle.
There is no way you can tell me a vehicle you have to use the infotainment screen to adjust the air vents is the best. Don't know why just because it's electric engineers have to overthink and over engineer things that don't need it.
@@servicedriveadvocate8591quite often. Depends on if I want heat or AC, whether or not it's sunny out, and any number of things. Plus, it's another thing that I can't adjust if the screen doesn't work or the motor breaks. Not to sound like a boomer, but I have hands perfectly capable of adjusting air vents. Also, if they went through the trouble and complexity to do this just imagine how over engineered the rest of the vehicle is. Doesn't scream reliability to me.
We took delivery of our R1S on 9/22 and one word that describes it all in CAPABLE for every condition. I even found myself driving it more than our Model Y.
Lack of Carplay, even wired, is a crazy oversight for a car of this level. That will be a deal-breaker for many. Otherwise, a very good first effort, and I look forward to their smaller offerings to compete with the likes of the Volvo EX30, etc.
I don't think Carplay was an oversight and they aren't the only manufacturer not putting it in their vehicles. I'm looking forward to the R2 line as well. -Travis
@@AAutoBuyersGuide the other manufacturers like Cadillac who are not including it as well are not reading their market correctly. People want and expect CarPlay more and more, and the manufacturers who use their own system or say that whatever they have is better are simply ignoring what the customers really want. I’m sorry to say it. I look forward to their future cars but it is important that they try and make an attempt to gauge from potential buyers if that is some thing they are going to want on future models, since cars as cheap as Mitsubishi offer CarPlay in some form.
That 400 mile range might work for me, if it's real even in a cold, snowy winter. Is the two motor front and rear (still all wheel drive) or 2wd ? Has Rivian said anything about NACS? edit: yes, no timeline
You will loose some range in the winter. I see about 50 mile loss in MN with the Launch Edition R1S (quad motor middle pack). Yes, the 2 motor is all wheel drive. Yes, Rivian has signed up for NACS. I believe they will begging shipping built in 2025 built in to the vehicles (Although R2 will go with it right away). Current Rivian owners get access to the Superchargers and adaptors starting Spring 2024.
we bought a 40A 240V charger.. plug in version. I get just under 10KW and Rivian gets around 19 miles per hour. The Rivian charger is only 32A and you get about 14 miles per hour. The external 40A charger Shockflo was under $250 shipped.
For a vehicle that costs over $90k, call me lazy but the lack of power up and down third row, and rear lift gate is a miss (Range rovers have it). Also wish it had teslas charger and a f150 lightning styled frunk to reduce the lift over height. Oh and more third row legroom. Third row rear air vent direction cannot be adjusted.. like come on that’s like a 10 cent piece of plastic. Sorry too lazy to edit
@@AAutoBuyersGuide oddly I think that was the biggest miss. I wish they kept the same wheel base as the truck and gave the second row bigger doors. When I test drove the r1s my foot got stuck trying to shimmy into the third row.. and I’m only 5’9 size 10 shoes and quite nimble. It would also improve ride quality. I’m looking forward to try the Kia Ev 9. Kinda bummed the cybertruck isn’t make in a cybersuv shape. Thank you for all you do!
It seems like a stellar vehicle but they really should have the option to opt for a standard suspension b/c people who want to keep these for more than a few years are going to in a world of hurt fixing the air suspension esp if they off-road at all. That might be a deal breaker for some people this was aiming at.
Great review, interesting vehicle. Too bad Rivian will be gone within three years. They lose money on everything they sell. Their sales numbers preclude long term financial viability. I wish there was better news but the numbers just don’t add up.
The integration of so many functions into a couple buttons and a screen is not user friendly. Yesterday one of these pulled up next to me at a stop light. I checked out the panel gaps while waiting. Not good. You can't lose $33,000 per vehicle sold and stay in business forever. Unlike Tesla, I don't see this company surviving.
The new 2025 model will have a Tri-Motor level that is more powerful than this Quad Motor with 850 HP 0-60 in 2.9 seconds. Price: $105k. Available: Summer 2024
Why do all the reviewers get the rear climate controls WRONG? Rivian’s only have 2 zone climate control. Left and right side only! The rear touch panel does NOT allow for any temperature adjustments, it only displays the temperature set by people in front.
