The Rivian R1T and R1S you see above may look just about the identical as earlier than, however don’t be fooled. Say howdy to the “second technology” of Rivian’s electrical truck and SUV, a mid-cycle replace on the styling entrance however a complete overhaul of just about every thing below the pores and skin. After driving the entire “Gen 2” lineup on the roads round Seattle, off-road at DirtFish rally faculty, and on the drag strip at Pacific Raceways, it’s clear Rivian’s designers and engineers had been centered on making the R1 higher to drive and nicer to stay with on each macro and micro ranges.
Updates embody extra highly effective motors, new battery packs, up to date security programs, vastly simplified and extra highly effective electrical and pc programs, new suspension setups, fancier interiors, redesigned infotainment and even drag strip–prepared efficiency tires. It’s lots — Rivian says greater than 600 elements have been modified, and the manufacturing course of has been vastly streamlined, too. To study the entire new bits, from specs and technical updates to new options and styling tweaks, you may learn my full deep dive right here. If you wish to hear about simply how rattling enjoyable the Gen 2 R1T and R1S are to drive, hold studying this evaluation.
Full disclosure: Rivian flew me to Seattle to drive the up to date R1T and R1S on the beautiful roads across the metropolis, off-road at Dirtfish rally faculty and on the drag strip at Pacific Raceways. I obtained to talk with engineers and designers at Rivian’s showroom, was fed properly and put up in a cool lodge in a cool faculty neighborhood. Rivian gave me a blanket that my cats will love.
All of my on-road driving is in R1S SUVs with the Twin-Motor Efficiency powertrain and the Massive battery pack, which implies 665 horsepower and 823 pound-feet of torque, a 0-to-60 time of three.4 seconds and a max vary of 330 miles. It’s greater than fast sufficient for zipping across the metropolis or passing semis on the freeway, and going for the Efficiency model provides a Sport mode that the bottom Twin-Motor doesn’t get. Supplanting the discontinued 21s, the vary chief is now the 22-inch wheel choice, which wears newly developed Pirelli all-season tires that Rivian says additionally present extra grip than earlier than. You possibly can spec a brand new 22-inch wheel design with superior aero disc covers that I feel are vital.
The most important replace by way of dynamics is the overhauled suspension setup that goals to repair the outgoing R1S’s uneven trip. Its air suspension has new springs with totally different spring charges, new dampers and a hydraulic anti-roll system, and relying on spec, you now get three suspension stiffness settings as a substitute of two. The brand new R1S is extra composed and comfy over tough surfaces and issues like growth joints and manhole covers, and physique roll is saved extra in examine. Within the softest setting, it may be a bit too bouncy and floaty, particularly for passengers within the third row, however the stiffest setting offers a properly agency trip with out being too punishing and the center setting is good for day by day driving.
Tweaks to the aerodynamics, drive items and sound deadening have made the cabin lots quieter, most noticeably in lowered wind noise across the A-pillars and mirrors at freeway speeds. The brand new R1 fashions have an overhauled suite of driver-assist sensors, with a vastly extra highly effective pc, 11 tremendous high-def cameras and 5 radar sensors that may see additional and higher than earlier than in more difficult conditions. The cameras have eight occasions extra megapixels than the crappy outdated items, which is very useful for the blind-spot shows that pop up within the gauge cluster. Rivian’s Freeway Help system acts extra pure, responds higher to site visitors round us and doesn’t require me to take again management as a lot because it used to, however it does are likely to wander round a bit within the lane — although that might be chalked as much as Seattle’s twisty highways and messy lane markings.
A few of my favourite updates are to the infotainment system, which is extra highly effective than earlier than and has completely new graphics impressed by cel-shaded animation. What seem like 2D illustrations are literally real-time 3D fashions powered by Epic Video games’ Unreal Engine, with seamless animations when switching between drive modes. The system additionally has a brand new font, redesigned menus and helpful info pages, and I feel all of it appears to be like incredible. Rivian lowered the variety of ECUs from 17 to seven and took out 1.6 miles of wiring, decreasing complexity whereas growing computing energy and making the vehicles lots simpler to service.
As soon as we attain DirtFish rally faculty there are three actions for us to deal with, the primary of which is an off-road course with sections for rock crawling and muddy water fording. I first undergo the course in a Twin-Motor R1T with the Normal battery, which is now a brand new lithium-ion phosphate unit providing 270 miles of vary and higher effectivity, and the bottom wheel setup consisting of 20-inch wheels with 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler all-season tires. The course is a cinch; even with out the fancier off-road drive modes of the higher-end variations the R1T’s capabilities are up to now past what most individuals will encounter on a path, and it’s each simple and fulfilling to wheel. Rivian’s linear one-pedal regenerative braking takes a whole lot of the stress out of off-roading, there’s a ton of wheel articulation and the motors all the time present the perfect quantity of torque and grip to every wheel. I’m going for a second loop in an R1S sporting the optionally available 34-inch Pirelli Scorpion all-terrains, which do appear to make the truck barely extra sure-footed on a few of the trickier sections.
Subsequent up is a W-shaped grime observe the place we’re inspired to hoon round a Tri-Motor R1S and expertise the Rally and Drift modes. The Tri-Motor configuration is a brand new setup for the Gen 2 fashions, with one motor on the entrance axle and a big dual-motor housing on the rear. It places out 850 hp and 1,103 lb-ft, a rise of 15 hp and 195 lb-ft over the outdated Quad-Motor fashions, and the Tri-Motor comes commonplace with the Max battery pack that gives as much as 420 miles of vary within the R1T or 410 miles within the R1S. (The Max pack can be commonplace on the brand new Quad-Motor now; beforehand the Quad-Motor solely obtained the Massive pack.) Rivian says the Tri-Motor will hit 60 mph in 2.9 seconds, and it presents faster acceleration when at velocity, too.
I begin off in Rally mode, which is supposed for, effectively, quick rally-style driving. On this mode, the soundness management defaults to a “lowered” setting that permits me to have a whole lot of enjoyable whereas nonetheless being completely secure and controllable. Small slides are simple to provoke and maintain, with a reasonably excessive ceiling earlier than the soundness kicks in, and I like having the ability to really feel the rear-axle torque vectoring working as I energy out of corners. Switching into Drift mode defaults the soundness management to off, although you may put it again into the lowered setting in order for you. Drift mode offers extra rear torque bias than in Rally mode, permitting for higher slip angle and longer, lairier slides. Although I don’t have the soundness management security web to catch me, it’s far more enjoyable than it ever is horrifying or traumatic, and chaining drifts collectively by means of the corners feels easy.
Lastly, I hop within the passenger seat of a Tri-Motor R1S with Max Koff, Director of New Applied sciences, on the wheel for a high-speed rally course. As he drifts the R1S round tight corners one-handed he tells me how the Gen 2 fashions are simpler to maintain on the restrict than earlier than, permitting for extra playful dealing with and even higher speeds. It’s frankly absurd how briskly the R1S is ready to go, and it actually looks like a rally automotive, not a tall SUV. Only one ridealong wasn’t sufficient, so on the very finish of the day when the course is at its muddiest and slipperiest I soar again within the R1S with Max, however this time I sit within the SUV’s third row. Whereas most likely not fulfilling for these taller than my 5-foot-9 self or anybody who will get even a bit movement sick, I feel sitting in the best way again is much more enjoyable. There’s nothing like being within the third row as you slide by means of a muddy hairpin at excessive velocity, and I spend all the trip laughing my ass off.
The next day we drive out to Pacific Raceways to do Launch mode runs within the up to date Quad-Motor R1T and R1S, which now use Rivian’s in-house motors to supply 1,025 hp and 1,198 lb-ft, making them simply probably the most highly effective truck and SUV in the marketplace. Choosing the brand new Extremely Excessive-Efficiency tire bundle provides staggered-width 22-inch wheels sporting Rivian-specific Michelin Pilot Sport S5 tires sized 275/50 up entrance and 305/45 on the rear, and thusly outfitted Rivian says the R1T can hit 60 mph in lower than 2.5 seconds and dash by means of the quarter-mile in 10.5 seconds. To expertise that for ourselves, Rivian has taken over Pacific Raceways’ NHRA drag strip, with the observe’s staff prepping it the identical means they’d for every other kind of efficiency automotive. In a single lane is a black R1S, within the different a blue R1T; each have the Michelins outfitted, and Rivian’s engineers have them wrapped in tire heaters between stints.
I’m the primary one out on the strip, hopping into the R1T. Utilizing the Launch mode just isn’t solely simple however charming. When in Sport mode a checkered flag button seems subsequent to the opposite chassis controls; press it and a vertical swipe seems that’s comparable in type to the way you unlock an iPhone, solely you’re swiping up on Rivian’s Gear Guard cartoon sasquatch mascot, who leaps into the air. The gauge cluster then goes black, displaying three circles — one for the brake, one for the accelerator and one for the steering wheel. Put your left foot on the brake, your proper foot on the accelerator and hold the wheel straight and inexperienced rings encompass every circle, then turning fully inexperienced when the automotive is able to launch.
I let off the brake and the R1T spins its tires, rear finish shimmying a bit because it finds grip after which rockets forward. The acceleration is unquestionably extra violent than the outdated Quad-Motor truck, however it’s nonetheless composed and simple to maintain in a straight line. On the gauge cluster my 0-to-60 time pops up: 2.89 seconds. The display screen additionally exhibits the max velocity I reached earlier than letting off (80 mph) and the height G-force (1.12 g), in addition to the space I coated. It’ll additionally show your 0-to-100 time and quarter-mile time, in case you attain these milestones.
On the subsequent spherical I get within the R1S, which Rivian says is barely slower to speed up and more durable to launch — blame the R1T’s longer wheelbase and extra supreme weight distribution for its higher efficiency. It hops a bit extra on launch and has a extra pronounced squat, and this time my response time isn’t pretty much as good, so I hit 60 mph in 3.21 seconds. Nonetheless, that’s fast as hell for a giant, heavy SUV, and it’s giggle-inducing.
After all of us get to do a 0-to-60 run in each autos, we break for lunch whereas the tires get warmed once more and the observe will get prepped for our quarter-mile runs. Rivian’s PR asks if we’d love to do them head-to-head type, and clearly, all of us say sure. I’m decided to beat my earlier time, so I get again into the superior R1T. The velocity with which we raise our left foot off the brake is a giant think about attaining the absolute best launch, so I attempt to transfer my foot as rapidly as I can.
This time my launch feels good, the warmed-up tires discovering grip with out drama. The acceleration hits much more intensely, giving me a little bit of tunnel imaginative and prescient because the truck rockets previous 60, and it continues to drag onerous previous 100 mph as I method the top of the strip. Extraordinarily annoyingly I raise a smidge too quickly on the end line, masking solely 0.24 mile earlier than letting off, so the truck’s show doesn’t give me my quarter-mile time. However I reached 60 mph in 2.79 seconds and 100 mph in a scant 6.19 seconds, hitting a prime velocity of 129 mph and 1.18 peak G-force. Not dangerous in any respect, however not the perfect — the quickest 0-to-60 time of the occasion was achieved by Luke Lynch, Rivian’s Director of Automobile Dynamics, who clocked a blistering 2.43 seconds at 1.23 g.
There’s much more to love than simply the improved efficiency. New headlights have adaptive matrix excessive beams and a redesigned cost indicator, and prospects can now spec darkish exterior trim. Tri- and Quad-Motor fashions have a way more premium inside with Mondrian-esque stitching and plaid flooring mats, and there’s a brand new slate blue shade scheme to go together with the brand new Storm Blue exterior paint shade. An electrochromic roof is now optionally available, there’s configurable ambient lighting, and an improved Premium Audio system has Dolby Atmos functionality. A warmth pump improves thermal efficiency, and charging occasions are barely higher.
The Gen 2 variations of the R1T and R1S can be found to order now, with deliveries of Twin-Motor vehicles already beginning this week (the Tri-Motor will comply with this summer time with the Quad-Motor coming nearer to the top of the 12 months). Together with $1,800 for vacation spot, the Twin-Motor R1T with the Normal pack prices $71,700, the identical as earlier than, whereas the same-configuration R1S is $1,000 extra. The Tri-Motor is a little more costly than the outdated Twin-Motor Efficiency with the Max pack, beginning at $101,700 for the R1T and $107,700 for the R1S, which looks as if the perfect worth out of the bunch up to now. Rivian has but to announce pricing for the Quad-Motor; anticipate it to hold a price ticket of at the very least $120,000.
Are a whole lot of Rivian homeowners going to take their vehicles to the drag strip? Most likely not. They’re undoubtedly extra more likely to hoon round within the grime or snow, however most homeowners nonetheless received’t get near the R1’s limits or capabilities whether or not they be on a highway or off of 1. However it’s the promise of that efficiency being current that makes the Rivians so interesting, the truth that you can take it to the drag strip or to a rally course in order for you, understanding you’ll have a blast on the journey and on the vacation spot. Rivian’s complete updates for 2025 have made the R1T and R1S an excellent simpler promote to all types of consumers. Whether or not you’re wanting on the whole base mannequin or a totally loaded Quad-Motor, it’s onerous for me to think about a brand new car that’s extra definitely worth the cash than the Gen 2 Rivian R1 lineup.
