Car and Driver Review: 2022 Rivian R1S Has Appeal, but the R1T Pickup Drives Far Better

[Picard]

Didn't see this posted here.. https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/a40514350/2022-rivian-r1s-drive/

2022 Rivian R1S Has Appeal, but the R1T Pickup Drives Far Better

Startup automaker Rivian's electric SUV model is impressive, but not as impressive as the company's R1T pickup.

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[electruck]

@OutofSpecKyle Can you comment on this observation from the C&D review (here or in one of your videos)?

But, driven over a challenging road, the R1S's dynamics really turned us off. There's floatiness, front to rear porpoising, and probably the worst thing is that the steering response is out of line with the rest of the vehicle. Turn the wheel, and the chassis responds a beat later, like it’s set up to Scandi-flick sideways into corners. Perhaps the R1S feels so different from the T because Rivian optimized the tuning for the longer-wheelbase R1T and the S didn't get sufficiently retuned?

 

[EzMev]

Ahhh...

This sounds way off as well...Maybe something was wrong with their tester? The truck is 20% more efficient with the same tires? That would fly in the face of just about every other test, Rivian's numbers, and maybe even physics lol...

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In our real-world highway range test, the R1S Launch Edition managed to go 230 miles on a charge. That's farther than we went in an R1T equipped with all-terrain tires that hit 220 miles but significantly less than a later test of the pickup equipped with the same 22-inch wheels and all-season tires that achieved a result of 280 miles.
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[jclicky]

Wow that’s surprising. Interesting. Wonder why no other reviewers reported this difference in steering characteristics. @OutofSpecKyle has your experience with the R1S vs the R1T borne out this “floatiness” over-steering that Car & Driver experienced?​

 

[sevengroove]

Coincidentally I experienced the front to rear end porpoising for the very first time yesterday in my R1S. I think it had to do with being in Conserve mode at the lowest ride height. I typically have that selected for entry and exit, and forgot to change it back to All purpose.

I was traveling probably at 30 - 40mph and it occurred for just a few seconds, but was very noticeable. Did not happen again for the rest of that drive.

 

[jffkm]

I’ve noticed the porpoising in early videos of testers driving around and was surprised. Several forum members pointed out the same thing. This was at least 1.5 years ago so I’m surprised they haven’t tuned the suspension to deal with the shorter wheelbase this much later in production. Should be a software fix so hopefully they respond and revise the review.

 

[rivianguy]

I have about 2500 miles on the R1S and I haven't experienced this yet. That being said most of my driving has been city and highway with a limited amount of off road, and certainly nothing I would consider 'true' off-road (rock climbing etc.)

 

[Matty J]

Wow that’s surprising. Interesting. Wonder why no other reviewers reported this difference in steering characteristics. @OutofSpecKyle has your experience with the R1S vs the R1T borne out this “floatiness” over-steering that Car & Driver experienced?​

Agreed, it would be great to get @OutofSpecKyle to chime in on this.

I just dropped off my R1S with 20’s at the El Segundo service center for issues discovered at delivery. Road noise and harness being one of them. The loaner car I received is an R1T with 21’s.

It is a lot tighter in steering response and the suspension feels less jolting vertically when going over bumps. I’m wondering if it’s an R1S vs R1T suspension tuning thing, or the tires. The truck feels much more planted and agile too.

 

[Bee]

So every car reviewer loves it and says nothing like this but yet Car And Driver says it so now we're all concerned.

Also a little more "floaty" over the truck doesn't negate that it's still 0-60 in 3.0s and drives better than any other SUV on the planet of its size. An X5 isn't out-driving a Rivian any time soon nor can it follow it down the trail when it gets there.

 

[Kieran]

An X5 isn't out-driving a Rivian any time soon nor can it follow it down the trail when it gets there.

Have you driven both an R1S and an X5 recently? The X5 drives very well on the road, and in on-road snow. I've never driven one "off road" and I've never driven an R1S.

And yes, when a publication like C/D reviews a new vehicle, people take note, since they and only a few others, have the most experience reviewing vehicles. I'm not saying what they found is correct and true and not due to some unique circumstances; that all remains to be seen. But we should definitely take note and ask questions when C/D publishes findings like this. They would not risk publishing these findings if they weren't confident in them.

 

[COdogman]

Take THAT R1S owners! C&D says we are better!

 

[RWerksman]

FWIW - I seem to talk to a lot of Rivian owners and I've heard this same sentiment from a few people who have driven and/or own both. The R1T setup just feels better. I want to say I've heard words like, "occasionally unsettled" and, "not as planted or smooth".

One person said that it wasn't bad, per se, just not as good.

Another one told me that they somewhat regret getting the R1S and driving the R1T at an event as it was so much better.

YMMV, I guess.

 

[dleewla]

So every car reviewer loves it and says nothing like this but yet Car And Driver says it so now we're all concerned.

Also a little more "floaty" over the truck doesn't negate that it's still 0-60 in 3.0s and drives better than any other SUV on the planet of its size. An X5 isn't out-driving a Rivian any time soon nor can it follow it down the trail when it gets there.

no one, including C/D, is negating those things. they are simply pointing out what they observed. not sure why people get defensive when negative things are brought up. nothing really improves if you only paint a rosy picture.

Kyle from OOS has already indicated the driving dynamics are different in the R1S and probably does require some s/w tuning.

unfortunate thing is you would have thought they would have done that by now but i guess early orders are beta testers. is the R1S going to be the middle child that gets looked over? seems like it already but hopefully that changes.

 

[coshesey]

Coincidentally I experienced the front to rear end porpoising for the very first time yesterday in my R1S. I think it had to do with being in Conserve mode at the lowest ride height. I typically have that selected for entry and exit, and forgot to change it back to All purpose.

I was traveling probably at 30 - 40mph and it occurred for just a few seconds, but was very noticeable. Did not happen again for the rest of that drive.

Conserve mode and auto height suspension setting makes for exactly what they were talking about.

Until Rivian retunes the "Auto" height setting, I will stick to 'Normal'. The porposing is hideous.

 

[moosehead]

For every critic there seem to be 10 gushing reviews.

https://www.roadandtrack.com/reviews/a41843084/rivian-r1s-review/

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