Test drove an R1S... (1 Viewer)

[Specialeyes]

As the title states I finally got to test drive my first EV yesterday, the Rivian R1S and thought I would share a with you a synopsis of my thoughts. The test drive was done at Rivian's service center in Dallas, Tx. I had to schedule this about a month out but it was such a nice, hassle free way to check out a vehicle compared to going to the dealership and rolling the dice on how they are going to treat you for just wanting to take a test drive.

I had pretty high expectations for these based on their price and reviews from various publications, youtubers, and personal anecdotes shared on reddit and other forums. Starting with the exterior I personally like the styling and while I am not the most eagle eyed person I do have a tendency to not be able to "un-see" something once a flaw is pointed out. In this case my tester appeared to be fine with regards to assembly but I immediately went looking for the orange peel in the paint based on someones recent comments about it that I had read elsewhere and sure enough it was there on pretty much every panel. This would drive me up the wall for a nearly 6 figure vehicle. Hope to see their paint quality improve over time.

Moving to the interior this was IMO the highlight of the car. Nice, comfortable leather seating. The mix of wood and modern/milmalist materials inside make for a aesthecially pleasing cabin. It all felt screwed together nice and tight as well. Lot's of storage space including the frunk, as well the rear. Seats fold mostly flat for the big loads, a mattress, kennel, etc. Bonus points for having a split tailgate!

As for actual driving impressions this is where things need improvement IMO. For as nice as the cabin looks and feels inside, I did not find it to be all that well insulated. There was quite a bit of road noise, on par with my moms Honda CRV I had recently been driving. I would expect this out of a $20k car, not a $100k one. Also the ride quality was not good. Dallas has it's fair share of bad roads which we got to showcase during the test drive and the R1S felt stiff as a board hitting pot holes, crossing train tracks, and other surface changes. Even when it was in the standard or "comfort" mode the ride quality again felt like something in a $20k bare bones car, not a 6 figure premium one. I think they really need to work on their suspension tuning for future models as it's just not up to par yet with anything else in it's class. Couple other notes... being my first time to actually drive and not ride along in a EV I did not have enough time to fully adjust to the throttle response and one pedal driving mechanics used in these so it felt very awkward at first. I'm sure this would just become normal after a few days behind the wheel but initially I did not like it. Also physical controls for climate, radio, steering wheel, etc are superior to having everything integrated in a touch screen and I will die on this hill. Last but not least, thumbs down for no CarPlay because Rivian thinks their OS and Nav is better (it's not).

Overall I think they have a good platform here but it definitely can and needs to be improved upon like any first generation of product, even moreso from a start up company. If you can score a deal on a used R1 model it may be worth it but I just don't think they are quite worth the full asking price in their current state. I will however continue following them and be interested in seeing what comes out with the R2 models rumored to be here starting in 2025.

 

[suprarx7nut]

As the title states I finally got to test drive my first EV yesterday, the Rivian R1S and thought I would share a with you a synopsis of my thoughts. The test drive was done at Rivian's service center in Dallas, Tx. I had to schedule this about a month out but it was such a nice, hassle free way to check out a vehicle compared to going to the dealership and rolling the dice on how they are going to treat you for just wanting to take a test drive.

I had pretty high expectations for these based on their price and reviews from various publications, youtubers, and personal anecdotes shared on reddit and other forums. Starting with the exterior I personally like the styling and while I am not the most eagle eyed person I do have a tendency to not be able to "un-see" something once a flaw is pointed out. In this case my tester appeared to be fine with regards to assembly but I immediately went looking for the orange peel in the paint based on someones recent comments about it that I had read elsewhere and sure enough it was there on pretty much every panel. This would drive me up the wall for a nearly 6 figure vehicle. Hope to see their paint quality improve over time.

Moving to the interior this was IMO the highlight of the car. Nice, comfortable leather seating. The mix of wood and modern/milmalist materials inside make for a aesthecially pleasing cabin. It all felt screwed together nice and tight as well. Lot's of storage space including the frunk, as well the rear. Seats fold mostly flat for the big loads, a mattress, kennel, etc. Bonus points for having a split tailgate!

As for actual driving impressions this is where things need improvement IMO. For as nice as the cabin looks and feels inside, I did not find it to be all that well insulated. There was quite a bit of road noise, on par with my moms Honda CRV I had recently been driving. I would expect this out of a $20k car, not a $100k one. Also the ride quality was not good. Dallas has it's fair share of bad roads which we got to showcase during the test drive and the R1S felt stiff as a board hitting pot holes, crossing train tracks, and other surface changes. Even when it was in the standard or "comfort" mode the ride quality again felt like something in a $20k bare bones car, not a 6 figure premium one. I think they really need to work on their suspension tuning for future models as it's just not up to par yet with anything else in it's class. Couple other notes... being my first time to actually drive and not ride along in a EV I did not have enough time to fully adjust to the throttle response and one pedal driving mechanics used in these so it felt very awkward at first. I'm sure this would just become normal after a few days behind the wheel but initially I did not like it. Also physical controls for climate, radio, steering wheel, etc are superior to having everything integrated in a touch screen and I will die on this hill. Last but not least, thumbs down for no CarPlay because Rivian thinks their OS and Nav is better (it's not).

Overall I think they have a good platform here but it definitely can and needs to be improved upon like any first generation of product, even moreso from a start up company. If you can score a deal on a used R1 model it may be worth it but I just don't think they are quite worth the full asking price in their current state. I will however continue following them and be interested in seeing what comes out with the R2 models rumored to be here starting in 2025.

The one pedal driving is amazing once you're familiar with it, IMO. I hear Rivian's is a little weaker than Tesla's so it shouldn't be too bad a learning curve - but it is absolutely a learning curve. You have to re-map some muscle memory, but the evolution is worth it.

Once you're brain and foot expect it, the immediate regen is like having an extra layer of control over the car. To slow down you just move one foot. That's it. It's like your toes have a more precise lever on the action of the car. Getting back into an ICE feels like something's broken for me. Want to slow down? Lift off one pedal - nothing happens - place foot on another pedal, find the friction point and now slowing begins. It's a small, nuanced thing, but once you're used to it, the one pedal driving is one of the biggest perks to a Tesla. I call out Tesla because apparently they're the only OEM willing to actually put meaningful regen in the car. Other EVs seem to be really timid when it comes to regen because people freak out over it on test drives. Once you own it, you get used to it in a week and it's never an issue. I wish my Model S had even more regen power. For test drives though, it's a common fuel for "I will never own an EV, I can't even slow down right."

The touchscreen problem is real. I completely agree. Real buttons are better.

Specific to the Rivian I thought the build quality was great. The paint was not something I picked up on.

When it comes to pricing I think you have to keep in mind most the price is in the battery and motors - which generally outperform anything else in the same price category from an ICE. A supercar-beating EV drivetrain costs only a little more than a mediocre EV drivetrain. For me, that means the lower tiered EVs have a tough hill to climb. The fast Rivians are wildly fast. Just unreal. You can't buy a Defender 110 or a Land Cruiser or a GX or any other normal SUV that's as fast as the *slowest* R1S model. To beat the upper trims of a performance EV, you're in supercar territory. That's where a lot of that $$ is going towards.

If you enjoy speed and are willing to pay for it, the EVs like the Rivian are enticing. If you couldn't care less, then you're facing an inflated cost for performance potential you don't care about it.

If you care more about suspension plushness, paint quality, wind noise, etc... you'll probably get more bang for your dollar out of a tried and true Lexus.

Thanks for posting your review!

 

[moridin2002]

As the title states I finally got to test drive my first EV yesterday, the Rivian R1S and thought I would share a with you a synopsis of my thoughts. The test drive was done at Rivian's service center in Dallas, Tx. I had to schedule this about a month out but it was such a nice, hassle free way to check out a vehicle compared to going to the dealership and rolling the dice on how they are going to treat you for just wanting to take a test drive.

I had pretty high expectations for these based on their price and reviews from various publications, youtubers, and personal anecdotes shared on reddit and other forums. Starting with the exterior I personally like the styling and while I am not the most eagle eyed person I do have a tendency to not be able to "un-see" something once a flaw is pointed out. In this case my tester appeared to be fine with regards to assembly but I immediately went looking for the orange peel in the paint based on someones recent comments about it that I had read elsewhere and sure enough it was there on pretty much every panel. This would drive me up the wall for a nearly 6 figure vehicle. Hope to see their paint quality improve over time.

Moving to the interior this was IMO the highlight of the car. Nice, comfortable leather seating. The mix of wood and modern/milmalist materials inside make for a aesthecially pleasing cabin. It all felt screwed together nice and tight as well. Lot's of storage space including the frunk, as well the rear. Seats fold mostly flat for the big loads, a mattress, kennel, etc. Bonus points for having a split tailgate!

As for actual driving impressions this is where things need improvement IMO. For as nice as the cabin looks and feels inside, I did not find it to be all that well insulated. There was quite a bit of road noise, on par with my moms Honda CRV I had recently been driving. I would expect this out of a $20k car, not a $100k one. Also the ride quality was not good. Dallas has it's fair share of bad roads which we got to showcase during the test drive and the R1S felt stiff as a board hitting pot holes, crossing train tracks, and other surface changes. Even when it was in the standard or "comfort" mode the ride quality again felt like something in a $20k bare bones car, not a 6 figure premium one. I think they really need to work on their suspension tuning for future models as it's just not up to par yet with anything else in it's class. Couple other notes... being my first time to actually drive and not ride along in a EV I did not have enough time to fully adjust to the throttle response and one pedal driving mechanics used in these so it felt very awkward at first. I'm sure this would just become normal after a few days behind the wheel but initially I did not like it. Also physical controls for climate, radio, steering wheel, etc are superior to having everything integrated in a touch screen and I will die on this hill. Last but not least, thumbs down for no CarPlay because Rivian thinks their OS and Nav is better (it's not).

Overall I think they have a good platform here but it definitely can and needs to be improved upon like any first generation of product, even moreso from a start up company. If you can score a deal on a used R1 model it may be worth it but I just don't think they are quite worth the full asking price in their current state. I will however continue following them and be interested in seeing what comes out with the R2 models rumored to be here starting in 2025.

Do you know what ride height setting, or settings, you were in when driving? And what wheel/tire combo was on the vehicle? Asking as someone that's very interested in adding a R1S to my fleet eventually.

 

[Specialeyes]

Do you know what ride height setting, or settings, you were in when driving? And what wheel/tire combo was on the vehicle? Asking as someone that's very interested in adding a R1S to my fleet eventually.

it was the 20” wheel/tire package. The rep that went on the drive with me cycled thru all the settings over the course of what was about a 20 minute test drive. I’ll probably go drive another one at some point this year to give it another shot but don’t anticipate buying one until they convert over to the NACS system in 2025.

 

[Jetboy]

Thanks for the first impressions. Haven't had a chance to drive a Rivian yet. I do love the styling on them.

I'm fine with the one pedal driving. It only took me about a day to get used to it in a Model Y. What I'd really like to see is true one pedal like a hydrostatic transmission food lever on one of our tractors. It's a rocker foot pedal that goes from full forward to full stop and then full reverse all with one pedal. That could offer a lot of utility for the same stuff you do with a tractor - namely going forward and back a lot like snow plowing use. Or maybe useful for rock crawling. But it would take a bit of a different pedal design to have it rocker back and forth vs just swing forward.

 

[chrisratz]

I've had the R1S since June, and the one pedal driving has really grown on me. In the high regen setting, the regen seems stronger than the Tesla S and Y's that I've briefly driven. There's definitely a small learning curve, but after getting comfortable with it I prefer it.

And i agree with you @Specialeyes the lack of physical buttons is a pain, I have to take me eyes off the road to adjust the thermostat or turn on the heated seats. In my 100 I can do it all by touch. And the infotainment is lame, going from CarPlay to the Rivian OS has been a downgrade for sure.

 

[jonheld]

FWIW, I love the one pedal drive in my 2021 Polestar2. I routinely go back and forth between the Polestar and my 97 LX450, and it's a non issue for me.
While some buttons are software driven through the touchscreen, almost everything (including the hard buttons) is accessible through voice commands, which is nice.

 

[josepih8]

Thanks for sharing your first-impression experience with the R1S, @Specialeyes! The test drive process does seem nicer than a traditional dealership. Unfortunately, some quality issues like paint imperfections can dampen the experience, but hopefully those get addressed over time. I'm curious to see how Rivian evolves their platform further based on customer feedback. Wishing them the best as they work towards excelling in both quality and innovation for future generations.

 

[Specialeyes]

I’m curious to see how Rivian evolves their platform further based on customer feedback. Wishing them the best as they work towards excelling in both quality and innovation for future generations.

I am to and feel the same way. Here and now I’m still in the Toyota camp but I am looking forward to the R2 and R3 launches in a couple of years.