Why Did You Choose Rivian Over Competitors?

[pnwben]

I had a reservation for the cybertruck and if it had delivered what was promised it would have been perfect for my needs… it missed the waterproof vault (maybe they are fixing that) and a retractable rear window, the solar too but that wasn’t a deal breaker. And of course 50k. If that would have been delivered I would have bought and then run into the problem I found out when looking at the Chevy and ford. But it would have had an environmentally controlled vault for the dogs and plenty of room for the family plus gear and still a usual truck bed when I needed to move things or do a dump run… it didn’t deliver so when I went to look this year I looked at three vehicles:

Used Silverado EV wt (42k to 55 k ish)
Used ford lariat extended range (38 to 60k ish)
Used Rivian (46 to 55k ish)

The Silverado was missing many creature comforts like heated seats but the range was amazing and actually really really nice.

the ford had everything and a usable range.

the Rivian I loved the look and size and gear tunnel and pretty much everything… it didn’t initially win because of the 240v outlet, the front trunk not having AC power and not having straight in access, I was also worried about air ride suppression replacement cost in the future.

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[sfvR1S]

R1S was, and still is, the only EV SUV with enough room in the back to haul the stuff I need and also have off road capabilities. There might be 3 row EV SUVs and EV SUVs that are off road capable, but only the R1S has both.

The irony is I have yet to take the R1S for an off road shakedown run because I haven't been able to find sliders that won't be turned away by SC's. And before anyone chimes in with "I have sliders/steps and I haven't had any issues with SC's." Yes, some SC's are okay while others have been refused appointments.

I think someone made some smaller sliders that don't stick out as far, but it's missing a kickout. And it still might be an issue with SC's.

 

[Dark-Fx]

R1S was, and still is, the only EV SUV with enough room in the back to haul the stuff I need and also have off road capabilities. There might be 3 row EV SUVs and EV SUVs that are off road capable, but only the R1S has both.

The irony is I have yet to take the R1S for an off road shakedown run because I haven't been able to find sliders that won't be turned away by SC's. And before anyone chimes in with "I have sliders/steps and I haven't had any issues with SC's." Yes, some SC's are okay while others have been refused appointments.

I think someone made some smaller sliders that don't stick out as far, but it's missing a kickout. And it still might be an issue with SC's.

GOAT has these minimalist rail sliders that still offer a lot of protection offroading, depending on the type of environments you are driving in. I personally don't see a lot of value in the kickout that some have, anything I'd hit the sliders on edge like that would just end up digging in, and not accomplishing anything. Much more concerned about coming off ledges and rocks.

https://goatfabrication.com/collections/rivian-r1s/products/goat-rivian-r1s-rocker-sliders

There's a ton of room between them and the OEM lifting points. They're just wide enough to use as a step to get into the vehicle, or to reach gear on the roof with the door open.

And they're a lot more subtle.

 

[bh_collectives]

It does everything so well and as a woodworker, it fits a full plywood sheet in the back (sticking out some but not a big deal). Not many competitors (model X, ionic, etc.) can do that.

 

[Oldsmobile_Mike]

This is an easy one.

Four years and some change ago, I knew I needed a new truck. The truck I owned at the time was approaching 270,000 miles and was needing an average of $1000 worth of repairs every month. Every day was a constant stress of "what's going to break next?" coupled with gas prices in my region rising towards $4 per gallon (as they are again today).

I knew I needed a new truck and was leaning heavily towards EV. It also helped that my house was previously owned by a Tesla mechanic so already had a dedicated subpanel, 14-50 outlet, etc., in the detached garage. Any way of looking at it I'd be saving money (monthly repairs + gas for old truck was higher than any new truck payment) and less stress.

It was peak-Covid and lots of supply chain uncertainty going around. I put down deposits / reservations on virtually everything available: Rivian, Silverado EV, a regular gas Silverado, Cybertruck, I even put down a reservation for Canoo (R.I.P.). Ford dealerships were too difficult to deal with or they'd have gotten a Lightning reservation, as well.

Out of all of them, Rivian was able to put a truck in my driveway the fastest. And I will be forever thankful to have not wound up with that Cybertruck. Cancelling my reservation for that was one of the happiest days of my life.

 

[skyguyscott]

Short answer, wanted an EV, preferably a Truck or SUV. Was initially impressed with the Cybertruck at reveal, but disappointing specs and many issues eventually made that choice much harder -- Elon's turn towards Bond villainy killed Tesla's chances of earning any of my money.

Rivian was the one viable choice left, as I did not trust any of the ICE OEMs commitment to doing BEV, whereas Rivian was all in. The expiration of the incentive moved my purchase up a year, and today I have an R1T.

I should also say that going full EV was something of a gamble, as this is my one and only vehicle. I am somewhat amazed to say that so far, Rivian has not disappointed or failed me yet.

 

[BlueberryQuadzilla]

Well, I always wanted an EV, but really wanted a truck. November 27, 2018 I found it and also knew I couldn’t afford it on my teacher salary. So I started saving and putting crazy miles on my RAV4 . The R1T specs had everything. Mind blowing supercar acceleration, unheard of ground clearance for off roading, enough torque to tow anything I would desire, frunk storage w/ 12v power, gear tunnel, covered lockable bed, killer sound system (meridian), sweet interior, quad motor, good range, OTA software updates, optimal size for being a daily driver & RJ. Can’t stress the importance of RJ’s vision and beliefs establishing the ethos of Rivian. That’s the company I want to support. There wasn’t ever anything else comparable. Things I didn’t know then but I do know now: Random people will want to talk to you. You will forget the correct order to initiate gas purchases for your lawn mower. Rivian actually listens to and cares about their owners. They are willing to investigate and fix issues owners have encountered (even when purchased used) vs my experiences with legacy auto always trying to avoid warranty issues. I was going to get a service center 30 mins from me (Shout out to everyone at the Knightdale NC service center. Dealing with the public isn’t easy and you do an exemplary job.).

 

[bholliday5150]

I chose Rivian for a few reasons:

1). I am a lifelong Illinois resident. I liked that was built here.
2) I enjoyed the outdoorsy, naturalist vide of Rivian and its CEO.
3). Tesla makes great vehicles…but Elon….well he’s changed and I don’t like it.
4). I had an early preorder…and basically stole my R1T…such an amazing vehicle.

We are ready and waiting for the Launch Edition R2. Day one preorder…it’s gonna be the wife’s vehicle. R1T has 71000 amazing miles…I’ll drive it till wheels fall off....

With R2…we will be all electric household in nowhere southern Illinois. im so impressed with how much the level3 charging has increased across the country (thanks to the previous federal administration) no reason to own a ICE vehicle.

Go Rivian!

 

[tragicmonkey049]

Rivian's R1S was the first across the finish line with a 7-seat electric SUV available for me to buy in 2023. I had a reservation on the Volvo EX90, and I was also waiting for the Kia EV9. Those didn't arrive in time. Now there's several but I am very happy with my R1S Gen 1.

I have a reservation on a Scout Terra because it appears to offer two key advantages over Rivian: (1) a front bench and so 6 seats in a pickup truck; and (2) a few important physical controls (who thought it was a good idea to use a touch screen to aim the dashboard vents???). But the towing capability and range need to be better than the R1S and those are still uncertain.

 

[SolidTHX1138]

I saved and budget to replace my 17 year old Honda Civic commuter car in Spring of 2024 with a Tesla model 3, until the R2, R3, and R3X was unveiled. I decided to just wait and save for the R2 and my reasons are:

1) Driver instrument console, lack of the driver instrument console in the Tesla M3 and MY was something I was not a big fan of
2) Interior looks premium compared to Tesla
3) Where I live, at least 9 out of 10 EV are Tesla at home and at work, I didn't want to be another tesla and I willing to try something different
4) Not a legacy auto maker. Legacy automakers EVs seem like just a derivative of their ICE products, meaning slow to innovation and the vehicle is what is the day you drive it off the lot. All of the Acuras and Hondas I've own had software issues, mostly related to infotainment, that would never get fixed
5) I'm an Illinoisan and Rivian is an American company

Also, I plan on replacing my Honda S2000 with the R3X and maybe our Odyssey with an used R1S.

 

[kanundrum]

It's the best do-everything vehicle I could imagine. And it does the vast majority of them extremely well. No other vehicle, EV nor ICE, does so many things with such greatness. A few examples:

-0-60 as fast as many exotic sports cars? Check.
-A spot that perfectly fits my golf clubs year round without taking up any normal storage spots? Check.
-Massive off-road clearance? Check.
-Suspension that handles corners like a Mclaren? Check.
-Comfortable, near-luxury interior? Check.
-Secure truck bed? check.
-Fits in my garage? Barely, but check.
-Designed and built in America? Check
-Never needing to stop for gas? Icing on the cake.

This but 3+ years ago while others are still playing catch-up is wild. It's a jack of all trades hands down

 

[Kaiju]

The Lightning *COULD* have been a reasonable option. But Ford screwed up. They made it so that individuals couldn't buy the PRO Extended Range, only the Standard Range. Then the XLT could only be upgraded to the Extended Range battery (for $10,000) if you also added a $10,000 option package - making the Extended battery cost $20,000 more than the base XLT. At that point, the Lariat was only a little more. Then they screwed over customers by raising the price and *NOT* grandfathering in existing order holders. On top of that, the Inflation Reduction Act's rules kicked in by the time Ford was going to let me actually place an order. Which meant that no Extended Range could be ordered for under the $80,000 price cap of the Inflation Reduction Act.

That meant the cheapest 300-mile Lightning would cost me more than $10,000 out-of-pocket more than I paid for my Rivian. For a vehicle that wasn't nearly as nice. That was just out of the question.

Ironically I arrived at my Rivian for exactly the same reason. I cross-shopped the Lightning pretty hard but was also turned off by the package pricing options and the Rivian was nicer for the same money I would have spent. I never bought into any of the adventure branding, just looking for a truck. When numbers were finally published and I realized the upcoming Silverado EV and Ramcharger (F) would be too big for my garage I decided the time was right, saying appropriately nothing about the Cybertruck. I think the Hummer EV was starting at $120k at the time and it was even more hilariously huge...despite the fact I think it's actually a lot shorter than either of the actual pickups.

I had been looking at an EV for years to succeed my much beloved pickup though I despise crossover 'SUVs'. Waited quite a while for something to appear. I could have been a day one Rivian reservation holder but elected to wait until they were actually producing and I could lay hands on something first. Probably lost out there given the way the gen 1 pricing went but y'know. I had basically zero interest in any of the newer traditional offerings from the legacy makers. A newer full sized ICE truck offered essentially nothing improved and a number of actual downgrades. They were just...bigger for no reason, not any better on gas because of it. The extended cab option I loved so dearly was extinct and I'd have to suffer a shorter bed. If I wanted something more efficient I could only get a diesel by trading up to a 3/4 ton truck that was even bigger. Old truck could still fit in the garage with some careful handling. Electric was the only option that offered something potentially radically better.

And it was. Regardless of what happens from here forward the Rubicon has been crossed. I most likely already have the last ICE vehicle I will ever buy.

 

[cgm9999]

I chose Rivian because the R1S starts where most of its competitors stop: with real off-road capability.

That, to me, is the whole point of the vehicle. It’s not just a three-row EV. There are other three-row EVs now, and more are coming. The Kia EV9, Hyundai Ioniq 9, Mercedes EQS SUV, and plenty of others can all move people around in comfort, quiet, and relative style, and that’s perfectly fine. But at the end of the day, most of them are variations on the same basic theme: family crossovers with batteries. Nice ones, expensive ones, fast ones, value-focused ones, badge-engineered luxury statements, sure. But still fundamentally the same idea.

And that is exactly why the R1S stands out. The SUV market, gas and electric alike, is absolutely flooded with vehicles that feel increasingly redundant. Some lean harder into luxury and price. Some pitch themselves as smart value plays. Some try to sell you on on-road performance, giant screens, ambient lighting, or a slightly sleeker roofline. But very few are meaningfully different in purpose. They all more or less do the same suburban family-hauler job, just with different branding and different levels of polish. What almost none of them offer is real off-road capability. Not the aesthetic of capability, not a drive mode menu with dirt-themed graphics, not some black plastic cladding and an adventurous brochure shoot in Moab. Actual capability.

I’m a lifelong car guy, but I’ve also long had a thing for vehicles with genuine off-road ability. Living in Colorado only reinforced that. A truly capable off-roader opens up the state in a completely different way. It gets you farther out, farther up, and farther away from the crowds.

The R1S isn’t compelling because it’s electric and has 3 rows of seats. It’s compelling because it has real off-road chops first, and then piles on everything else. Ground clearance, packaging, off-road geometry, torque delivery, body control, usable size, and actual thought put into what this thing is supposed to do when the pavement ends. That’s the magic of it.

And the EV powertrain makes that capability even more convincing, not less. Instant torque, precise throttle response, no gear hunting, no turbo lag, no drama. When you’re driving something off-road, that kind of immediate, clean power delivery is a huge advantage. On-road, it feels fast and refined.

To me, Rivian did something most automakers either can’t do or won’t do: it built a vehicle with real capability and then refused to make it feel like a compromise the rest of the time. It can go into the mountains, deal with rough terrain, and do the things a legitimate SUV should do, while still being refined, fast, comfortable, and easy to drive around town.

 

[Rod]

Storage space, adventurous vibe & it was the only one that fit in my garage.

 

[rinconryder]

- I needed a truck and wanted an EV as I am a big fan even before the recent spike in gas prices (I have had Two Tesla Model S (2017 and 2023) and still have my 2023 Model S)
- Having owned an F150 and Silverado I did not want a full size truck as they are a pain in the ass to live with on a daily basis in Santa Barbara, CA.
- My dog is always with me so I needed a reliable dog mode and not some sketchy work around which limited me to Tesla and Rivian
- I had a loaner cybertruck and while it drove really well for what it is, I just can't get past the polarizing design of it as well as how big it is

One thing that isn't really talked about enough is KwH efficiency. Yes, the Silverados have a lot of range but damn the battery is huge and they would take forever to charge on a road trip. I think Rivian has mostly hit the sweet spot there and things will only get better as battery technology improves in regards to charging speeds. Of course more range is always better but the range on the max pack is fine for me, Large would even be okay if charging speeds increased.

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