Anyone trade in R1T for R1S and regret it?

[Scoiatael]

My family has grown, and the backseat of the R1T is just not big enough right now to have a car seat, a booster seat, and an adult sitting comfortably in the back. I've put down a deposit for an R1S, but am also considering an F150 Lightning. I don't have much truck stuff to do in the winter, other than throwing a Christmas tree in the bed, but come spring I'm going to be hauling mulch, dirt, and probably some river rocks. I figured I can probably put a tarp down in the R1S and accomplish the same thing, but not having a truck bed might complicate things in other ways.

Just curious if anyone switched from R1T to R1S and discovered things that ended up being more difficult to do with the SUV.

Sponsored

 

[RayzorBEV]

I traded in my 2022 R1T in Glacier White that I had for about 10 months for a 2023 R1S in El Cap Granite and I instantly regretted it. I missed how versatile my R1T was in hauling things; the open truck bed where I can throw just about anything back there without worrying about scratching the surface, the gear tunnel to shield things from heat, rear under-seat storage for concealing things in-cabin, the small pass-thur to access my stash inside the gear tunnel...
So I ended up purchasing a 2023 R1T in Compass Yellow to compliment my R1S

 

[MidnightRivian]

I had the R1T as a loaner vehicle and even loaded up the bed to the maximum capacity.

I was extremely happy to get my R1S back from service and confirmed that for our family the SUV is the best option.

The main reason we picked the SUV is to have a climate controlled cabin where we can sleep or store goods without needing to throw a tarp on it or secure everything down with tie downs.

For large loads that will damage the cabin, I would pick up a trailer and use that for the move.

I love the way the R1S handles. It’s extremely nimble and fun to toss around. It reminds me more of my sports sedan than the truck does.

The truck is really refined compared to the SUV to the point I was bored driving it after a week.

100% I would stick with the SUV and I believe the resale values will also reflect the Rivian’s markets preference for SUV versus Truck

 

[SACDFJC]

I had an R1T for 12+ months. Traded it for an R1S 4 months ago. I do have an F250 that I use for truck stuff. My take on the two vehicles.

R1T

- Rides better on the highway at speed.
- Harder to park in tight parking lots because it's longer.
- Having a bed is nice to pickup small things at the hardware store, nursery, etc.
- Bed is too short for my needs
- Favorite feature was the gear tunnel, locking up a laptop or other gear was really nice
- Smallish interior can only fit 4 adults comfortably
- Dogs inside are a challenge

R1S

- Shorter and feels more sporty than the T
- Easier to park in tight parking lots
- I miss having a bed, putting stuff in the back I worry about scratching the plastic
- There is more noise than the T - it's giant open cabin and the noise bounces around
- Range is better than my T
- I miss the gear tunnel, no place to lock up valuables
- It take longer to cool down the cabin on hot days
- Plenty of room for people and dogs

At the end of the day they are both very nice and extremely similar. It's hard to say one is better than the other. My wife likes the S better than the T and she will actually drive the S. She would not drive the T. I have always driven trucks, so I gravitate to liking the T more. In my case the S was supposed to be my wife's car. After the test drive she wasn't willing to give up her current SUV for it. So I traded the T in for it. Knowing what I know now I should have kept the T. I doubt I will keep the S for very long.

 

[COdogman]

Can’t you just strap the booster and car seats in the bed of the T?

 

[mkhuffman]

My family has grown, and the backseat of the R1T is just not big enough right now to have a car seat, a booster seat, and an adult sitting comfortably in the back. I've put down a deposit for an R1S, but am also considering an F150 Lightning. I don't have much truck stuff to do in the winter, other than throwing a Christmas tree in the bed, but come spring I'm going to be hauling mulch, dirt, and probably some river rocks. I figured I can probably put a tarp down in the R1S and accomplish the same thing, but not having a truck bed might complicate things in other ways.

Just curious if anyone switched from R1T to R1S and discovered things that ended up being more difficult to do with the SUV.

I have been waffling between the T and the S, but I will probably end up with the S. I have a trailer that I can fold up and fit inside my garage when not in use. It has a 4 x 8 "bed" and I have used it to haul things I would never put inside a SUV.

I picked up 80 bags of mulch once. I guess I could do that with the bed in the T, but I would worry about damage when loading. The Home Depot used a forklift to load two pallets of mulch and I can just see them accidentally hitting the truck with a fork and messing up the bed.

The trailer can be abused without concern. Get a trailer even if you keep the T. Just my opinion.

 

[dgennetten]

R1S+Trailer all the way! (I would not let an R1T get anywhere near this 8' bale and the fork loader which damage the wood rail on the trailer!)

 

[SRO]

R1S+Trailer all the way! (I would not let an R1T get anywhere near this 8' bale and the fork loader which damage the wood rail on the trailer!)

My original plan was the T and a small trailer. So I use the bed of the T like the back of the S. I wish I would have got the S. But very happy with the T+ trailer.

 

[Scoiatael]

I have been waffling between the T and the S, but I will probably end up with the S. I have a trailer that I can fold up and fit inside my garage when not in use. It has a 4 x 8 "bed" and I have used it to haul things I would never put inside a SUV.

I picked up 80 bags of mulch once. I guess I could do that with the bed in the T, but I would worry about damage when loading. The Home Depot used a forklift to load two pallets of mulch and I can just see them accidentally hitting the truck with a fork and messing up the bed.

The trailer can be abused without concern. Get a trailer even if you keep the T. Just my opinion.

Unfortunately a trailer isn't really an option for me. I have no where to park it, and my county doesn't allow trailers to be parked on the street in residential areas. My garage is pretty much maxed out space wise with my R1T and wife's car.

 

[Dark-Fx]

If you aren't consistently doing truck stuff, could be reasonable just to rent one when you need it. I never had gone that route but know folks do.

 

[Quick]

I’ve had both. For my use case, the S didn’t make the cut. The T is more unique and does “truck stuff”. The S was nice, but when I compared it to traditional SUVs, I didn’t think it was worth the trade off. I also found the gear tunnel in the T made up for the extra cargo capacity in the S. I now own a T for my third vehicle and a Land Rover Defender for my family car (I am not willing to commit to charging for trips yet).

If you need three rows of seats, I don’t see how there are any other options other than a trailer (rent a U-Haul) and the S. It’s like $40/day to rent a utility trailer

 

[mkhuffman]

Unfortunately a trailer isn't really an option for me. I have no where to park it, and my county doesn't allow trailers to be parked on the street in residential areas. My garage is pretty much maxed out space wise with my R1T and wife's car.

Of course I don't know how much space you have in your garage. But just for your information, the folding trailer I have is 4.5' wide, 2' deep, and 6' tall when folded. There might be a way to make that fit in your garage. Mine is also very tight but I made it work.

Besides the mulch, tree and bush branches could scratch up the truck bed or paint on the outside. I just jam all that into the trailer without any concerns about damage.

 

[SRO]

R1S+Trailer all the way! (I would not let an R1T get anywhere near this 8' bale and the fork loader which damage the wood rail on the trailer!)

Way to get the most from your Rivian.

Sponsored