Gen 2 in the Shop - Loaner Gen 1 (Things I am Noticing)

[Gyrosntzatziki]

My gen 2 R1S is in the shop for the 2nd time (in 6 weeks of ownership) to try to solve the A/C issue many are having (as well as the driver side mirror not power-folding in or out) and wanted to share a list of things I am noticing that are better or worse between the two vehicles. This isn't to complain, just differences in the vehicles now spending time with both.

Pro's of the Gen 1:

• The key fob! Wow do I love a key fob. Car locks and unlocks when I want it to. I can open the frunk and the trunk easily and the carabineer novelty feels so on brand it gives me a sense of pride of the vehicle. The gen 2 does not have a key fob and relies on the phone as its key exclusively. I won't get into the known bugs of the proximity locking with the phone, etc as that has already been discussed. But the Key Fob is making my experience with the vehicle 10X better. It is amazing that something so simple can have such an impact. Here is to hoping that they do in fact come out with key Fobs for Gen 2 in the fall
• The A/C - it works much quieter than the Gen 2. Its amazing what a difference this makes. It's 95 degrees in the midwest today and the Gen 1 A/C is pumping and not nearly as loud on the exterior of the vehicle and no vibrations inside. I also cannot notice a difference in temperature as the Gen 1 A/C seems to be just as cold as my Gen 2.
• Buggy: The Gen 2 has been VERY buggy. I feel like I am constantly reseting the vehicle to cure all sorts of gremlins (sensors not working/offline, screen issues/etc) and praying/hoping for a software update to fix the bugs. I have noticed with the Gen 1 (being out much longer) just a more consistent and normal vehicle experience. This may seem small but has been so nice to not constantly be confronted with another weird error or buggy problem in the OS.

Cons of the Gen 1:

• The Steering Wheel Position: this may seem odd, but i've noticed the steering wheel on the Gen 1 does not go in as far as the steering wheel of the Gen 2. This has made it difficult for me to achieve the right driving position that I am used to. Curious if anyone else has noticed this?
• The Ride Quality Suspension: Wow is the gen 2 way better. It is like night and day between the two vehicles. I drive around in an urban environment and the Gen 2 takes the potholes and bumps like a champ (its no luxury sedan by any means, but still very good compared to Gen 1).
• Sound Quality: Others have noted this, but the new speaker system is a big upgrade from the old
• Interior Door Handles: I was curious to see if I would like these better (and expected to because I don't often preference a button over a handle) but these handles are in an odd place. I found the button to be much better positioned and a much easier/more comfortable experience opening and closing

Curious if anyone else has had this experience with both models - feel free to chime in as I feel like this could help a lot of people assess which model to go with/purchase.

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[Kelvn]

Cons of the Gen 1:

• The Steering Wheel Position: this may seem odd, but i've noticed the steering wheel on the Gen 1 does not go in as far as the steering wheel of the Gen 2. This has made it difficult for me to achieve the right driving position that I am used to. Curious if anyone else has noticed this?

Probably need to perform steering column calibration. Its in the settings menu somewhere (not hidden)

 

[Dark-Fx]

The key fob! Wow do I love a key fob. Car locks and unlocks when I want it to. I can open the frunk and the trunk easily and the carabineer novelty feels so on brand it gives me a sense of pride of the vehicle. The gen 2 does not have a key fob and relies on the phone as its key exclusively. I won't get into the known bugs of the proximity locking with the phone, etc as that has already been discussed. But the Key Fob is making my experience with the vehicle 10X better. It is amazing that something so simple can have such an impact. Here is to hoping that they do in fact come out with key Fobs for Gen 2 in the fall

Early Gen 1 owners had to live through the fob also being a shitshow before Rivian finally added proximity locking/unlocking to it. I've said before I suspect this is why Rivian hasn't shipped a gen2 key fob yet- They'd rather just avoid that whole time period this time around.

 

[jjswan33]

The key fob! Wow do I love a key fob. Car locks and unlocks when I want it to. I can open the frunk and the trunk easily and the carabineer novelty feels so on brand it gives me a sense of pride of the vehicle. The gen 2 does not have a key fob and relies on the phone as its key exclusively. I won't get into the known bugs of the proximity locking with the phone, etc as that has already been discussed. But the Key Fob is making my experience with the vehicle 10X better. It is amazing that something so simple can have such an impact. Here is to hoping that they do in fact come out with key Fobs for Gen 2 in the fall

exactly the reason I’m not rushing the upgrade to gen 2.

 

[Electron]

My gen 2 R1S is in the shop for the 2nd time (in 6 weeks of ownership) to try to solve the A/C issue many are having (as well as the driver side mirror not power-folding in or out) and wanted to share a list of things I am noticing that are better or worse between the two vehicles. This isn't to complain, just differences in the vehicles now spending time with both.

Pro's of the Gen 1:

• The key fob! Wow do I love a key fob. Car locks and unlocks when I want it to. I can open the frunk and the trunk easily and the carabineer novelty feels so on brand it gives me a sense of pride of the vehicle. The gen 2 does not have a key fob and relies on the phone as its key exclusively. I won't get into the known bugs of the proximity locking with the phone, etc as that has already been discussed. But the Key Fob is making my experience with the vehicle 10X better. It is amazing that something so simple can have such an impact. Here is to hoping that they do in fact come out with key Fobs for Gen 2 in the fall
• The A/C - it works much quieter than the Gen 2. Its amazing what a difference this makes. It's 95 degrees in the midwest today and the Gen 1 A/C is pumping and not nearly as loud on the exterior of the vehicle and no vibrations inside. I also cannot notice a difference in temperature as the Gen 1 A/C seems to be just as cold as my Gen 2.
• Buggy: The Gen 2 has been VERY buggy. I feel like I am constantly reseting the vehicle to cure all sorts of gremlins (sensors not working/offline, screen issues/etc) and praying/hoping for a software update to fix the bugs. I have noticed with the Gen 1 (being out much longer) just a more consistent and normal vehicle experience. This may seem small but has been so nice to not constantly be confronted with another weird error or buggy problem in the OS.

Cons of the Gen 1:

• The Steering Wheel Position: this may seem odd, but i've noticed the steering wheel on the Gen 1 does not go in as far as the steering wheel of the Gen 2. This has made it difficult for me to achieve the right driving position that I am used to. Curious if anyone else has noticed this?
• The Ride Quality Suspension: Wow is the gen 2 way better. It is like night and day between the two vehicles. I drive around in an urban environment and the Gen 2 takes the potholes and bumps like a champ (its no luxury sedan by any means, but still very good compared to Gen 1).
• Sound Quality: Others have noted this, but the new speaker system is a big upgrade from the old
• Interior Door Handles: I was curious to see if I would like these better (and expected to because I don't often preference a button over a handle) but these handles are in an odd place. I found the button to be much better positioned and a much easier/more comfortable experience opening and closing

Curious if anyone else has had this experience with both models - feel free to chime in as I feel like this could help a lot of people assess which model to go with/purchase.

Always nice to see the perspective from other fellow owners.

Regarding the sound quality, was the system in the Gen 2 the premium upgraded one or the stock base system as I still find the base system pretty bad compared to the industry average within this price point.

Speaking of Gen 2, I've been thinking of putting in an order, but still weary due to the first run teething issues of the changes. It's true, Rivian had ~3 years to work out the issues on the Gen 1 since its debut so it's much more mature in that sense, while the first model year Gen 2 is still a new born in many ways. I'm confident that the kinks will get worked out, but the fact remains that it is, well, a first model year respectively under the skin.

 

[SANZC02]

……The Ride Quality Suspension: Wow is the gen 2 way better. It is like night and day between the two vehicles. I drive around in an urban environment and the Gen 2 takes the potholes and bumps like a champ (its no luxury sedan by any means, but still very good compared to Gen 1).…..

And this is why I have no desire to drive a G2.

In my case ignorance is bliss, I am perfectly content with the ride quality in my R1S, I would hate to drive a G2 and find reasons not to like my G1…?

 

[mikeB]

My gen 2 R1S is in the shop for the 2nd time (in 6 weeks of ownership) to try to solve the A/C issue many are having (as well as the driver side mirror not power-folding in or out) and wanted to share a list of things I am noticing that are better or worse between the two vehicles. This isn't to complain, just differences in the vehicles now spending time with both.

Pro's of the Gen 1:

• The key fob! Wow do I love a key fob. Car locks and unlocks when I want it to. I can open the frunk and the trunk easily and the carabineer novelty feels so on brand it gives me a sense of pride of the vehicle. The gen 2 does not have a key fob and relies on the phone as its key exclusively. I won't get into the known bugs of the proximity locking with the phone, etc as that has already been discussed. But the Key Fob is making my experience with the vehicle 10X better. It is amazing that something so simple can have such an impact. Here is to hoping that they do in fact come out with key Fobs for Gen 2 in the fall
• The A/C - it works much quieter than the Gen 2. Its amazing what a difference this makes. It's 95 degrees in the midwest today and the Gen 1 A/C is pumping and not nearly as loud on the exterior of the vehicle and no vibrations inside. I also cannot notice a difference in temperature as the Gen 1 A/C seems to be just as cold as my Gen 2.
• Buggy: The Gen 2 has been VERY buggy. I feel like I am constantly reseting the vehicle to cure all sorts of gremlins (sensors not working/offline, screen issues/etc) and praying/hoping for a software update to fix the bugs. I have noticed with the Gen 1 (being out much longer) just a more consistent and normal vehicle experience. This may seem small but has been so nice to not constantly be confronted with another weird error or buggy problem in the OS.

Cons of the Gen 1:

• The Steering Wheel Position: this may seem odd, but i've noticed the steering wheel on the Gen 1 does not go in as far as the steering wheel of the Gen 2. This has made it difficult for me to achieve the right driving position that I am used to. Curious if anyone else has noticed this?
• The Ride Quality Suspension: Wow is the gen 2 way better. It is like night and day between the two vehicles. I drive around in an urban environment and the Gen 2 takes the potholes and bumps like a champ (its no luxury sedan by any means, but still very good compared to Gen 1).
• Sound Quality: Others have noted this, but the new speaker system is a big upgrade from the old
• Interior Door Handles: I was curious to see if I would like these better (and expected to because I don't often preference a button over a handle) but these handles are in an odd place. I found the button to be much better positioned and a much easier/more comfortable experience opening and closing

Curious if anyone else has had this experience with both models - feel free to chime in as I feel like this could help a lot of people assess which model to go with/purchase.

After having driven the Gen 2 R1S twice I'll add the following.

Con....Noticeable difference in the quality of the door, handle and mechanisms. The Gen 2 seems loose when pulling the door shut. The delay in unlock and opening is in need of improvement.

Pro??? More storage areas all around for those of you opting out of the camp speaker and compressor.

Con....Having a large phone Pixel Pro 9 XL I noticed that the separation slot or charging pad partition forced me to lay my phone backwards to get it to charge.

Pro...Cameras and overall processor speeds much improved

Pro....The ride. Much improved over Gen 1. But it will never make up for the 13.5 inch difference in the wheel base of the R1T.

Last but not least. Why buy a sunset model when the sunrise version will be produced by default!

 

[Electron]

I'm curious now, is there a database or spreadsheet somewhere that outlines the years with the most issues?

The 2022 for obvious reasons had teething issues as well, along with the front overlap (crash test) that they addressed sometime in 2023.

I've always held the opinion that the best year for Rivian are 2023 and 2024, then came the cost cutting. Of course there are many pros to the Gen 2, but overall the raw tank was in their poster boy build.

For any new company, you have to come out strong and give it your all. No short cuts. Guess what models those were in a brand that's still very young? 2022 was the first attempt (poster boy). 2023 was the improved version of that and the 2024 they ironed out additional kinks.

Now with the 2025, there's a lot of carry over for sure, but it's a new model year all over again with a brand new central nervous system so in that regard, it's starting over again with a heavy emphasis on the system, while cutting cost in other areas.

I'm most curious about if Rivian took any short cuts that will effect its crash test rating from the Top Safety Pick+ reward of the 2023/24?

 

[R1Tom]

I'm curious now, is there a database or spreadsheet somewhere that outlines the years with the most issues?

The 2022 for obvious reasons had teething issues as well, along with the front overlap (crash test) that they addressed sometime in 2023.

I suspect the issues pop up randomly sprinkled thru the years. My early '22 has been very solid. 45k miles.

 

[Gyrosntzatziki]

After having driven the Gen 2 R1S twice I'll add the following.

Con....Noticeable difference in the quality of the door, handle and mechanisms. The Gen 2 seems loose when pulling the door shut. The delay in unlock and opening is in need of improvement.

Pro??? More storage areas all around for those of you opting out of the camp speaker and compressor.

Con....Having a large phone Pixel Pro 9 XL I noticed that the separation slot or charging pad partition forced me to lay my phone backwards to get it to charge.

Pro...Cameras and overall processor speeds much improved

Pro....The ride. Much improved over Gen 1. But it will never make up for the 13.5 inch difference in the wheel base of the R1T.

Last but not least. Why buy a sunset model when the sunrise version will be produced by default!

The Cameras is a great one I left out... some of the best cameras i've ever seen on the Gen 2. Really really good!

 

[Jonger1150]

There are upgraded dampers for gen 1 that reduce noise, I do wonder if they improve ride quality.

Since I have never driven a gen 2 I have nothing to compare gen 1 with.

 

[kyunam]

Curious why gen2 rides better than gen1 ? suspension hardware is different?

 

[Kelvn]

Updated spring rates was one change that was quoted

 

[jpmc86]

Nice - overall great feedback. I had a gen2 for about 40 minutes.

Some notable things:
1. AC compressor vibrations moved from foot pedal to the steering wheel
2. Doors feel extremely cheap (like Corolla cheap)
3. Ride in my opinion isn’t considerable “better” per se, but different. I still don’t think neither are great.
4. Suspension is quiet (no adjustment ticking). Although, clatters and stuff like that are still there.
5. Cabin noise didn’t notice substantial difference to gen 1

 

[strykerwsu]

I'm curious now, is there a database or spreadsheet somewhere that outlines the years with the most issues?

The 2022 for obvious reasons had teething issues as well, along with the front overlap (crash test) that they addressed sometime in 2023.

I've always held the opinion that the best year for Rivian are 2023 and 2024, then came the cost cutting. Of course there are many pros to the Gen 2, but overall the raw tank was in their poster boy build.

For any new company, you have to come out strong and give it your all. No short cuts. Guess what models those were in a brand that's still very young? 2022 was the first attempt (poster boy). 2023 was the improved version of that and the 2024 they ironed out additional kinks.

Now with the 2025, there's a lot of carry over for sure, but it's a new model year all over again with a brand new central nervous system so in that regard, it's starting over again with a heavy emphasis on the system, while cutting cost in other areas.

I'm most curious about if Rivian took any short cuts that will effect its crash test rating from the Top Safety Pick+ reward of the 2023/24?

I disagree. 2022 has all of the outlets and better speakers before cost cutting came in. I wish I had found a 2022 R1S to match my 2022 R1T. Got too good of a deal on the 2023 R1S with 200 miles on it . Miss the front 12v and speaker difference is night and day for me. No issues with my 2022 so far. The 2023 still needs to have the window washers fixed, however glad that is all that has been an issue on it.

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