Donald Stanfield
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #1
My gen 1 quad has been traded in for a gen 2 tri motor Ascend. I have driven it a bit now, enough to put some thoughts together on the differences and whether or not I feel the upgrade is worth it for existing owners.
Interior quality
The interior has received some minor changes for the Ascend models: different trim and wood and, in my case, a different color scheme with the slate sky and walnut wood. Rivian has also added stitching on the steering wheel and several other places. The seats are also different. Rivian is attempting to differentiate the Ascend models and build them of higher quality. While the changes seem small, they do a great job of creating a more premium experience. The interior of my previous quad was decent, but I felt it was lacking in the price point they were asking for. The Ascend interior I purchased has those little details in execution that make it seem like the 112K dollar car it is.
Mechanicals
I had great luck with my Gen 1's reliability. That said, the suspension was loud, with clicks and pops being common. My Gen 2 has none of these and also less wind noise. Compared to my gen 1 the two is much more refined in the mechanical department, even compared to an excellent example of a gen 1. I only have a couple of hundred miles on the gen 2 so hopefully this experience continues.
Driving Dynamics
I switched to an S from a T so I'm not sure how well I can compare these two. I also never had street tires before. I ordered my R1T gen 1 with the 21" range wheels; when I bought 22, I put the Michelin 119s on it. So some of this might be because I switched to an SUV or because of the wheels but it is clear Rivian put some work in the gen 2 suspension. The car handles the winding roads better than the gen 1 and the tires hook up an go better than my gen 1 did.
The tri feels faster as well; the torque makes it snappier. The Gen 2 feels much closer to my wife's i4M50 than my Gen 1 did. I am 100% satisfied with the performance and driving feel, which is good because I was considering waiting for the quad. Plus, the accelerating feeling is more aggressive because of the rear power bias, having two motors back there and one up front. I don't need the quad; the tri gives me the same feeling as my BMW. That's the feeling that the truck has way more to give than the road and traffic allow. Any more speed at this point would add to that frustration.
Sound quality
The Gen 2 premium audio is good with the latest software update. However, this is the only area worse than my Gen 1 quad. The Meridian system in my Gen 1 was hands down the best system I've ever had in a car after the updates. Gen 2 is a step down, but it is still pretty good. I wish I could carry over the Meridian, as that would make this the perfect SUV.
Technology
The tech is better in Gen 2, which is a welcome change. This is my first car with hands-free lane changes, and I didn't think it would be as nice as it is. I am more impressed with the auto bright lights. That is a very nice feature. I live in a rural area, and the extra illumination is welcome on these country roads. The cameras are also a substantial difference. You can see much better on occasions when the cameras are needed. The roof is a neat little trick as is the hazard light thing.
Overall impressions
I am impressed with the Gen 2; it is better than my Gen 1 in almost every way. I only did the trade because I needed an SUV as our son is getting bigger, and we have two big dogs. They didn't all fit in the truck. The upgrade would have been a more difficult choice if I had not had this problem. If you're wondering whether you should upgrade, I would say upgrade if interior styling and refinement are important. Upgrade if tech is important. If you're looking for an increase in speed, it is there, but it's pretty close to the Gen 1 quad. Overall if you have the money to burn I think you would be happy with the new gen 2.
Interior quality
The interior has received some minor changes for the Ascend models: different trim and wood and, in my case, a different color scheme with the slate sky and walnut wood. Rivian has also added stitching on the steering wheel and several other places. The seats are also different. Rivian is attempting to differentiate the Ascend models and build them of higher quality. While the changes seem small, they do a great job of creating a more premium experience. The interior of my previous quad was decent, but I felt it was lacking in the price point they were asking for. The Ascend interior I purchased has those little details in execution that make it seem like the 112K dollar car it is.
Mechanicals
I had great luck with my Gen 1's reliability. That said, the suspension was loud, with clicks and pops being common. My Gen 2 has none of these and also less wind noise. Compared to my gen 1 the two is much more refined in the mechanical department, even compared to an excellent example of a gen 1. I only have a couple of hundred miles on the gen 2 so hopefully this experience continues.
Driving Dynamics
I switched to an S from a T so I'm not sure how well I can compare these two. I also never had street tires before. I ordered my R1T gen 1 with the 21" range wheels; when I bought 22, I put the Michelin 119s on it. So some of this might be because I switched to an SUV or because of the wheels but it is clear Rivian put some work in the gen 2 suspension. The car handles the winding roads better than the gen 1 and the tires hook up an go better than my gen 1 did.
The tri feels faster as well; the torque makes it snappier. The Gen 2 feels much closer to my wife's i4M50 than my Gen 1 did. I am 100% satisfied with the performance and driving feel, which is good because I was considering waiting for the quad. Plus, the accelerating feeling is more aggressive because of the rear power bias, having two motors back there and one up front. I don't need the quad; the tri gives me the same feeling as my BMW. That's the feeling that the truck has way more to give than the road and traffic allow. Any more speed at this point would add to that frustration.
Sound quality
The Gen 2 premium audio is good with the latest software update. However, this is the only area worse than my Gen 1 quad. The Meridian system in my Gen 1 was hands down the best system I've ever had in a car after the updates. Gen 2 is a step down, but it is still pretty good. I wish I could carry over the Meridian, as that would make this the perfect SUV.
Technology
The tech is better in Gen 2, which is a welcome change. This is my first car with hands-free lane changes, and I didn't think it would be as nice as it is. I am more impressed with the auto bright lights. That is a very nice feature. I live in a rural area, and the extra illumination is welcome on these country roads. The cameras are also a substantial difference. You can see much better on occasions when the cameras are needed. The roof is a neat little trick as is the hazard light thing.
Overall impressions
I am impressed with the Gen 2; it is better than my Gen 1 in almost every way. I only did the trade because I needed an SUV as our son is getting bigger, and we have two big dogs. They didn't all fit in the truck. The upgrade would have been a more difficult choice if I had not had this problem. If you're wondering whether you should upgrade, I would say upgrade if interior styling and refinement are important. Upgrade if tech is important. If you're looking for an increase in speed, it is there, but it's pretty close to the Gen 1 quad. Overall if you have the money to burn I think you would be happy with the new gen 2.
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