Motor Trend Review: The 2022 Rivian R1T Is the Most Remarkable Pickup We’ve Ever Driven

[Blueassassin]

Remember when the Frunk actually looked like it belonged in an $80K vehicle and had lights and hooks and carpet? I do.

It's disappointing how exceptionally cheap certain aspects of the vehicle have become.

I agree with you the lack of the folding tail gate, dash interior lights, and the Electrochromic sun roof all gone but price is the same. But guess what the Ford Lightning platinum is like $90,000 and this even without those things is still a way better deal and a better truck. Prices have gone through the roof on trucks so I'm not surprised by my truck being $86,000 and will be more once I can add the winch.

Sponsored

 

[DaveA]

Remember when the Frunk actually looked like it belonged in an $80K vehicle and had lights and hooks and carpet? I do.

It's disappointing how exceptionally cheap certain aspects of the vehicle have become.

I'm sure they figured out that "hey, its just a storage space" and instead made it a bit cheaper and allocated the money somewhere else that needed it more.

 

[DocAdvocate]

Or maybe it could be that since these are pre-production vehicles, they decided to do some cost cutting on production because who cares what the inside materials of the frunk/gear tunnel looks like on a car that will never be sold or touched by a consumer?

 

[JaxNole]

I would be shocked if the version shown in these MT photos was the final frunk interior.

I wouldn't be. It looks pretty much like that in the "Sizing up the R1T" story on the Rivian site...

 

[svet-am]

Or maybe it could be that since these are pre-production vehicles, they decided to do some cost cutting on production because who cares what the inside materials of the frunk/gear tunnel looks like on a car that will never be sold or touched by a consumer?

That argument only goes so far when handing things off to the press. The press are going to review what they have in front of them, not the promise of something better in the future. I have always conceptualized the frunk as essentially the "mud room" of my truck. It's going to get scuffed and dirty so I don't care that they changed materials, personally. I'd rather them save money on this and put the money elsewhere. The only thing I really miss is that Rivian logo near the windshield. That looked awesome.

 

[cohall]

The only thing I really miss is that Rivian logo near the windshield. That looked awesome.

The lack of any apparent lighting is a real bummer. That's gonna be a huge pain when trying to find something at night. And agreed that the logo looked sweet.

EDIT: Looked at the photos again and there DOES appear to be some lights in the front corners of the Frunk. Still looks kinda cheap compared to the original vehicles, but at least it's functional.

 

[ATL_Canes]

The lack of any apparent lighting is a real bummer. That's gonna be a huge pain when trying to find something at night. And agreed that the logo looked sweet.

EDIT: Looked at the photos again and there DOES appear to be some lights in the front corners of the Frunk. Still looks kinda cheap compared to the original vehicles, but at least it's functional.

I did just notice the "accent lighting" option in the video which must refer to interior lighting. I could have sworn I saw folks about interior lighting and hadn't seen this screenshot yet. Doesn't help with the frunk question, though.

**EDIT** There's an entire thread on this, plus someone already took this same screenshot and posted it. Whoops. Too much happening around there to keep track!

 

[Rivuylkill]

Or maybe it could be that since these are pre-production vehicles, they decided to do some cost cutting on production because who cares what the inside materials of the frunk/gear tunnel looks like on a car that will never be sold or touched by a consumer?

Don't get me wrong, the info & media yesterday was great, but I wish the first blast of info like that had been a production vehicle just to start removing all uncertainty about this kind of stuff. Frunk, seats, legroom, UI, and whatever else has been mulled over as "well, it might still be updated". Just impatience talking.

 

[paariv]

I wouldn't be. It looks pretty much like that in the "Sizing up the R1T" story on the Rivian site...

The R1S storage/utility pics and videos, however, show the illuminated frunk with hooks.

Hoping the MT pics reflect a semi-finished preproduction vehicle, as the R1S and R1T at the 2020 Mill Valley event had nice chilewich finishes throughout. Or maybe the R1S will have a nicer frunk? That would be fine by me as an R1S reservation holder...

 

[Jamuso]

Center left (diagonal piece between front and side) - is that a light?

 

[cohall]

Center left (diagonal piece between front and side) - is that a light?

Yes, this is the photo that made me update my post above about no lights.

 

[Kmann1994]

Remember when the Frunk actually looked like it belonged in an $80K vehicle and had lights and hooks and carpet? I do.

It's disappointing how exceptionally cheap certain aspects of the vehicle have become.

You're being soooo dramatic. Think for a second about how impractical it'd be to have the frunk lined with plush carpet and polished metal. For an adventure vehicle where you're going to be loading things into it that might not always be grocery bags, it just makes sense to use more rugged materials. Imagine putting muddy boots into the frunk and getting that carpet dirty instantly.

The hooks and lights are fair features to still have, but keep in mind the MT article has a pre-prod unit and it probably doesn't have all features.

 

[paariv]

Just chatted with JR in CS, who said the pics on the website remain the best representation of fit and finish for the frunk. MT got preproduction vehicles. So he couldn't guarantee nothing had changed, but the message I took was not to read too much into the specific MT pics, especially when they conflict with what's on the site and what has been discussed.

 

[timf]

The R1S storage/utility pics and videos, however, show the illuminated frunk with hooks.

Hoping the MT pics reflect a semi-finished preproduction vehicle, as the R1S and R1T at the 2020 Mill Valley event had nice chilewich finishes throughout. Or maybe the R1S will have a nicer frunk? That would be fine by me as an R1S reservation holder...

This photo and the vehicles shown in 2020 are hand-built prototypes, and not representative of the production model.

 

[Diddy123]

You're being soooo dramatic. Think for a second about how impractical it'd be to have the frunk lined with plush carpet and polished metal. For an adventure vehicle where you're going to be loading things into it that might not always be grocery bags, it just makes sense to use more rugged materials. Imagine putting muddy boots into the frunk and getting that carpet dirty instantly.

The hooks and lights are fair features to still have, but keep in mind the MT article has a pre-prod unit and it probably doesn't have all features.

Your definition of being dramatic seems to differ from mine. I simply pointed out the differences and said I was disappointed with how cheap it looks. Seems rather undramatic to me, but whatever.

PS. Every car and SUV I've ever owned have had carpeted trunks, and somehow I managed to keep them clean and nice.

Sponsored