2024 Quad Motor vs. 2026 Dual

[RMSko]

Unless hands free driving and Apple Key are a must, my vote is for used quad all the way.

Hands free driving was important to me and that was one of the reasons I just got a ‘26 dual. I also went for the dual bc of the range - it was the only option that allowed for the maximum battery and the 400+ range. I also adde, the performance upgrade and it was basically free bc once you add it you get a $5,000 credit.

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[Golfer04]

Having owned both a Quad Gen1 and now a Tri Gen2 I would go for the Gen2. Noticeably different vehicle and better in many many ways. Sure the Quad is powerful but that piece you only get to enjoy randomly. The improvements are noticeable 100% of the time.

This is my experience & opinion also. Don't underestimate the better efficiency (range) with a new dual compared to a gen 1 quad. Don't let anybody tell you efficiency is the same in conserve; they're not. Overall fit & finish (less wind noise, few rattles, fewer trips to a service center) is much superior. I've owned two gen 1 and now two gen 2 vehicles and would never buy a gen 1 again. Plus the better technology suite the gen 2 offers going forward. Gen 1 is getting left behind. But financial limitations always are a factor. Online the gen 1s are getting pretty cheap. If the mentioned items don't matter go that route.

 

[CaptTrev]

I had a 23 Gen 1 R1T quad in rivian blue as a loaner for about 1 week. coming from a 25 R1T dual - i loved the gen 1 quad.
on rod driving dynamics and handling were great.
the camera resolution on gen 1 is pretty bad - but everything else i really liked about it

 

[meshugy]

I got 2023 quad with 350mi on it for $73K (limestone, AT20s, underbodyshield.) Absolutley love it! Demo’d a 2025 Dual and it was a total shit show: terrible audio, wind noise, HVAC deafeningly loud, no high Regen, shorter warranty, none of the extras included (camp speaker, air compressor, etc all costly options.) no real difference in ride quality as later Gen 1s have many of the suspension updates. cameras better on the Gen 2 but not a big deal and personally I don’t care about self driving so the simpler Gen 1 ADAS is fine.

 

[ENVErider]

Hard to say which is better without knowing the specs and how you plan to use it. Financially getting used and avoiding leases almost always pencils out for a vehicle you love and would want to keep. I weighed the same things in early 2025 and chose the used quad path; I have zero regrets, and it was right for me. If you are going to do real off-roading, the quad will outperform, not because you need more HP, but it's just more capable; unless you're getting a large/max dual with the adventure package, you might not get the underbody protection, front tow hooks, spare tire, etc. that come with launch editions and many early quad builds. Quads also come with at least 8 drive modes; while not necessary, many are fun on occasions.
If you are a strictly streets and easy dirt driver who will probably run 22" wheels anyway, you might like a newer dual for the cameras, better ride, hands-free driving, and low commitment in a lease. I was originally worried about the NACS feature, but it's really not an issue or an inconvenience. I charge worry-free at all brands of stations, including v3 Teslas. For duals, I do have a recommendation on batteries: either go for the LFP dual standard or go big and get the NMC dual max; the dual large configuration is the worst. Lots of videos on why, Out Of Spec probably covered it best.
One preferred alternative, did you consider a used 2025 dual? They started to show up this summer on cars.com and Autotrader; 1+ year there should be a lot as we begin to see the earlier 2025 model leases come back into the market.

 

[2kwik4u]

Quad Gen 1......all day and twice on Sunday......I have a Gen 1 Dual.

The duals aren't slow, but they aren't fast either. About the same as my tuned Q7 was. Rivian rips to 60 and then falls on it's face. Q7 was a slug off the line and then ripped from 60-120. The Quad motor is absolutely absurdly fast. Like I can't even describe the difference. While not "needed" for daily driving, it sure is fun.

The dual motor engagement clunk is super agitating. I wouldn't buy another dual for that reason alone. Such a terrible design IMO. The quad and tri motor trucks don't have this rear disengage clunk that is constantly happening in traffic. The experience is significantly smoother with the Quad motor setup. The duals don't gain enough range over the quads to be worth it. Kills the smooth EV driveline experience.

The NACS port on the Gen 2 isn't that big of a deal. I have a CCS to NACS adapter and charge everywhere. It's such a tiny change it's not worth it. I've yet to find a really good, logical reason to change to NACS port. It's FAR FAR more sizzle than steak.

The Gen 2 trucks don't have door handles on the interior in the rear, and they're cheap plastic on the front doors. This is a safety concern IMO, and gives me great pause in buying a Gen 2 truck. Sure there are emergency releases, but I can't reasonably expect my 8yr old to pull a trim piece off and yank a plastic handle if I've crashed the truck.

Get a Gen1 with the Meridian sound system. It's worth it. I have the "premium sound" in my 1st gen, and it's great. The Meridian is better. The gen 2 have hit or miss quality on that front from what I've read.

The 1st gen cameras aren't as great as the 2nd gen, but they are completely livable and still higher res than most other vehicles "potato" quality cameras. Again, more sizzle than steak.

Personally, I think the ADAS on the gen1 is the "sweet spot" I don't need or want full self driving. Adaptive cruise with strong lane keep assist is plenty for me. This, IMO, is already a case of not shedding a ton of workload because you spend your energy managing the system instead of actively driving. I can't help but think FSD would just be more of the same without a ton of added benefit. Maybe I don't know what I don't know, but it doesn't feel like a worthwhile endeavor for me.

I think owning any Rivian outside of warranty is a risk, and honestly, the only reason to consider new. Mine's been in the shop 10 times in 13mo and 25k miles of use. It feels well put together in general, but continues to have component failures. I've leased mine, and while I might consider another lease, I will likely pay the mileage overage and move along to another brand. Customer service has been great, but I shouldn't have to use it this often.

Good luck!

 

[2kwik4u]

the dual large configuration is the worst.

I have this, and am curious why. Charging curves even with the latest update are similar to the max. I get about 305mi of range, and while not as much as the 400-ish claimed by the dual max, I don't think AT's would get you that range anyway.

What's wrong with the large pack?

 

[ENVErider]

I will start by clarifying that you, or anyone with the dual standard, is still driving an incredible vehicle. Reviewers on YouTube and others have prepared lengthy comparisons that I can't easily summarize in few sentences, but it comes down to a few factors. The LFP chemistry in general has better charge curves, better cold weather performance, and can take more abuse or bad charging behavior like going to 100% or above 80% frequently. As reported, for long road trips, the LFP results in slightly better/quicker travel times than the dual large; this is counterintuitive, given that the large has more total range. Of course, dual large will give you more single charge range when both start at 100%, but it's the recharge cycle where the NMC throttles down a lot above 80% and LFPs go through 80-100% faster, getting you on the road faster. The thinking on the max is that you just buy enough total capacity that even when using 80% of it, you still have gobs of range.
BTW, I have the large (NMC) battery too, and I love my R1T like no other vehicle, but I'd take a max battery if given the choice of the three on a quad. Buying new today, I'd probably get the dual standard because it's the best deal/value and has plenty of HP/range for most of us.

 

[narmstrong79]

I have a Gen 1 (2024) dual and love it. It's all you really need.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Did not mean a thing by it--just offering a different take. Sorry to offend.

People get touchy about their fetishes.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

This is my experience & opinion also. Don't underestimate the better efficiency (range) with a new dual compared to a gen 1 quad. Don't let anybody tell you efficiency is the same in conserve; they're not. Overall fit & finish (less wind noise, few rattles, fewer trips to a service center) is much superior. I've owned two gen 1 and now two gen 2 vehicles and would never buy a gen 1 again. Plus the better technology suite the gen 2 offers going forward. Gen 1 is getting left behind. But financial limitations always are a factor. Online the gen 1s are getting pretty cheap. If the mentioned items don't matter go that route.

The efficiency of the Gen 1 quad is worse in conserve than the dual but the efficiency of the gen 2 tri is very close as in conserve it's the same single enduro motor up front. There is only a couple miles difference between the tri and dual maxes.

 

[jrmbadger]

While I don't think you can go wrong with either choice, you also need to remember that while the GEN 2 has some improvements, they also redesigned it to be cheaper to manufacture. That means that some things are worse in the Gen 2.

For example, the Gen 1 still has mechanical door latches on the interior. Gen 2 has electronic latches (tesla like buttons) and emergency mechanical releases. In an accident, if the 12V power is disrupted, the electronic latches DO NOT WORK. On the front doors, the emergency releases are easy to find, but on the rear doors you have to remove part of the door panel. I love Rivian, but that's just a dangerous design.

This is not a theoretical issue. Tesla has a similar system and is being sued because five people were burned alive and the plaintiff is alleging that it was because they couldn't escape: Elektrek A woman reportedly heard the victims screaming up to 5 minutes after the accident. Yikes! There have been other reports of other lawsuits as well because of this.

Another example of a negative change: the 12V battery in Gen 2 is located under the passenger seat so you have to remove the passenger seat to change the 12V battery. Again, love Rivian, but a crap design.

That being said, the 12V system in Gen 2 is better than Gen 1 and the lifetime of the 12V should be better in Gen 2. Also, vampire drain is better in Gen 2 than Gen 1 (e.g., I lose ~1% charge a day just sitting whereas a Gen 2 loses less).

I wouldn't make my decision entirely on these points, but it's one example that sometimes newer does not mean better in every aspect.

I decided ultimately to go with Gen 1 for three reasons: 1.) cost - I don't lease, so I was able to afford a Quad, and while I could have bought a basic dual motor with the smallest battery, I wanted the bigger battery with more range. 2.) Having four wheel independent control in winter here in Minnesota was important to me and my family. The Quad theoretically should have better traction than a dual. 3.) The car I bought had a whole bunch of add ons - matte PPF, rock sliders, frunk and trunk matts, off road package, etc... that would have cost thousands more.

 

[bigsky]

If a dual is your first Rivian, you perhaps might find it the greatest thing since the Model T.
Got a dual loaner and drove it plenty. Compared to my Gen 1 R1S Quad, I found it woefully sluggish with not much get-up-and-go. It was a very nice truck, though. Akin to my Quad beast driving in Conserve mode, i.e., rear motors shut off.

It also had a constant motor droning or whining noise regardless of speed or acceleration. Not loud by any means, but very noticeable still.

As for my Gen 1 Quad having a CCS instead of a Tesla charging port, in the grand scheme of things and usage, for me this is largely a potato-potahto, tomato-tomahto subject, a distinction without a difference.

 

[Scoiatael]

I had a 2022 Quad R1T and currently have a 2025 Dual Performance R1S. I'd pick the Gen 2 over Gen 1 any day. The camera quality alone is enough to make me want to switch. Gen 1 had potato cameras.

I honestly don't notice much of a difference in terms of performance. The only thing I really prefer the Gen 1 over Gen 2 is the mechanical doors.

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