Two years after driving away with the Motor Authority Greatest Automotive To Purchase 2022 award, the Rivian R1T nonetheless leaves me awestruck.

The most versatile automobile on sale at the moment has gotten higher over time, with up to date software program, and easy-to-use information-filled interfaces, whereas persevering with to supply loads of energy and essentially the most progressive packaging of any automobile cash can purchase. And Rivian has added extra decisions in further battery pack sizes and motor configurations.

However there’s room for enchancment in smartphone integration; there’s no locking differentials on Twin-Motor fashions; and a handful of usability annoyances in on a regular basis conditions may very well be rectified.

Listed below are the professionals and cons of the 2024 Rivian R1T Twin-Motor Efficiency Max pack after spending per week revisiting our award winner in its present kind.

2024 Rivian R1T

Professional: Rivian R1T Twin-Motor Efficiency packs loads of punch

The quad-motor R1T the automaker launched with is unnecessarily fast with 835 hp and skill to tear 0-60 mph in 3.0 seconds flat. I decide nobody for eager to pay at the moment’s $8,000 upcharge for the four-motor setup supplied by Bosch, however the brand new in-house designed and constructed Rivian dual-motor setup is greater than sufficient. With its 533 hp, Rivian claims a 0-60 mph dash of 4.5 seconds. My tester was the Efficiency Twin-Motor mannequin, which prices $5,000 extra for software program tweaks to the dual-motor powertrain, with 665 hp and 0-60 mph dash of three.5 seconds. That’s half a second off the quad-motor mannequin, and it’s extra environment friendly besides. In the true world 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds is rattling fast in a automobile that weighs about 7,000 kilos. It’s nonetheless rated to tow 11,000 kilos and saves money. It additionally might be optioned with my tester’s bigger 141 kwh (usable) battery pack, whereas quad-motor vans can solely be had with the Massive 131-kwh pack. 

2024 Rivian R1T

Con: Rivian R1T Efficiency Twin-Motor lacks locking differentials

In an odd packaging choice Rivian didn’t decide to bundle mechanical locking differentials entrance or rear on the dual-motor R1T. Quad-motor fashions don’t want lockers as a result of every wheel will get its personal electrical motor, however dual-motor fashions depend on a lackluster brake-based setup. This technique depends on software program to use the brakes to manage energy distribution and proceed ahead momentum in slippery and off-road conditions. For hardcore off-roading this makes the Quad-Motor mannequin extra interesting than the Twin-Motor fashions. The Tesla Cybertruck options locking differentials, however presently the unfinished truck being bought to clients has the {hardware} however not the software program to really interact the lockers.   

2024 Rivian R1T

Professional and Con: R1T configurations add vary, {dollars}, and confusion

Rivian has expanded the R1T’s choices to incorporate three drive programs and now 4 battery pack sizes together with base Commonplace at 106 kwh, $3,100 Commonplace+ at 121 kwh, $9,100 Massive at 131 kwh, and my tester’s $19,100 Max pack at 141 kwh. With all packs that includes the identical battery chemistry and beforehand introduced LFP batteries not arriving but, the construct choices have turn out to be difficult and complicated. The battery pack sizes are beginning to really feel like splitting hairs. 

The Efficiency Twin-Motor powertrain examined can’t be optioned with the Commonplace pack, however might be optioned with the opposite three for a respective vary of 315 miles, 352 miles, and 410 miles. It appears as if it ought to simply be the usual powertrain given it’s simply software program and brings with it Sport mode. 

It’s nice that Rivian’s giving patrons as much as 410 miles of EPA estimated vary, however the worth is questionable for the Max pack for anybody not dwelling in excessive chilly, taking lengthy highway journeys, or towing. Bigger packs imply heavier vans that lug round further batteries on a regular basis. The most effective recommendation right here is purchase what you want, and perceive the wheel and tire configurations. Whereas 21-inch wheels with road tires come commonplace, the accessible 22-inch road tires or 20-inch all-terrain tires will reduce the vary down. My tester was optioned with the $3,850 All-Terrain bundle that added the 20-inch wheels, Pirelli All-Terrain tires, underbody safety, and an identical spare tire, which was lacking from my tester; it carried an EPA estimated vary of 355 miles. The Rivian averaged 1.9 kwh/mi (in response to the truck) in chilly temps that dipped into the low 20s at night time and virtually broke 40 levels through the day. 

2024 Rivian R1T

Professional: Rivian R1T up to date with information-filled interfaces

Since Rivian launched the R1T it’s overhauled a couple of pages of the truck’s 15.6-inch touchscreen that dominates the dashboard. The drive mode display can now be swiped left and the display turns into full of information together with particular motor temperatures, battery pack temp, particular person tire temp, steering angle, elevation, compass, journey laptop, and trailer settings. It does all this whereas retaining fast and instantaneous entry to local weather management settings, and it may well go split-screen with no matter data is being proven whereas displaying audio data and key automobile controls. Practically each automaker exterior of Tesla must be taking notes and copying Rivian’s homework right here. It pays to design your personal software program in-house. 

2024 Rivian R1T

2024 Rivian R1T

Con: Rivian R1T might use higher smartphone integration

The R1T doesn’t have Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, and to be trustworthy I didn’t actually miss the one which utilized to me, CarPlay. The infotainment system is that good. Rivian’s made it so you’ll be able to click on the share button inside Apple Maps on an iPhone and share a vacation spot with the automobile. Slick. However not all elements really feel fairly as built-in as they may very well be. The automobile downloaded my cellphone’s contacts together with addresses, and whereas I might pull up a contact in my phonebook on the Rivian’s touchscreen and faucet the deal with for navigation functions, I could not use voice instructions to do the identical factor. That’s as a result of that a part of the system depends completely on Alexa, which didn’t have my contacts. It stated I might individually add my contacts to Alexa, however who needs to do this? Tesla built-in a local Apple Music app, and Rivian ought to too. Rivian already stated it’s engaged on an answer to allow responding to and sending textual content messages through voice instructions with an iPhone, however hasn’t elaborated how, but. Maybe Siri integration is coming, and would resolve a number of these points.

2024 Rivian R1T

2024 Rivian R1T

2024 Rivian R1T

2024 Rivian R1T

Professional: Rivian R1T shocks and awes with its packaging

Two years after hitting the market and six years after being unveiled, no different manufacturing pickup on the planet options packaging as progressive because the R1T. The 11.0 cubic foot frunk has a false ground and might be expanded or cover stuff in two layers. The 4.5-foot mattress has underbed storage that’s sealed with a gasket. That storage is giant sufficient to carry a full-size spare, one thing that the Cybertruck can’t do. There’s tons of open area contained in the cab, together with a spot up entrance on the middle ground for a backpack, purse, or laptop bag the place a conventional middle console would possibly sit, and there’s storage below the entrance and rear seats. However essentially the most progressive bit is the water-tight 11.6-cubic foot gear tunnel, which may securely cover stuff from prying eyes. It’s rated to hold as much as 300 kilos. Bonus: The doorways for the gear tunnel can be utilized as a seat, to lace up or click on in, or as a step, to achieve the roof. These panels themselves even have built-in storage cubbies.

2024 Rivian R1T

Con: Rivian R1T has random, largely fixable, usability annoyances

When the truck is put in park—even momentarily, as whereas ready in a carpool line—the inside LED lights all come on. They need to come on both when the doorways open like each different automobile or simply have extra granular settings. There’s no rear seat seatbelt indicator lights wherever to alert the driving force if rear seat occupants have been buckled in. The 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster is damaged up into three sections with the center of the display displaying the truck’s velocity and the correct aspect displaying whether or not its powertrain is utilizing energy or regenerating it into the battery pack. It’s the left aspect that’s considerably wasted as it may well present one among three shows: the truck’s tire pressures, the map no matter whether or not navigation is engaged, and the truck’s present effectivity during the last quarter-hour. From infotainment to a few of that real-time information within the new touchscreen truck data web page, there’s extra that may very well be proven on the left aspect of the digital gauge cluster than these present three choices. Additionally, I nonetheless miss having an actual quantity knob you’ll be able to simply twist, though it’s onerous to see how Riivan would combine it with its present inside design, and the steering-wheel curler knob labored…wonderful.

After dwelling with the Rivian R1T I can’t shake the sensation it’s one of many best-thought-out automobiles in the marketplace. It’s nonetheless not good, however two years on, no different automobile has come near the R1T’s breadth of functionality and efficiency, or steady software program enchancment. Nearly all of folks received’t know the distinction between the Quad Motor’s 3.0- and Efficiency Twin-Motor’s 3.5-second 0-60 mph dash, however their checking account will really feel the distinction of $8,000 or $3,000.  

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2024 Rivian R1T Efficiency Twin-Motor Max pack

Base value: $71,700, together with $1,800 vacation spot

Worth as examined: $101,400

Powertrain: 665-hp Efficiency Twin-Motor

EPA gasoline economic system: As much as 410 miles of vary

The professionals: Efficiency Twin-Motor satisfies, Max pack vary, nice infotainment system, progressive packaging

The cons: Lacks lockers, Max pack isn’t low-cost, advanced construct matrix, smartphone integration, minor every day software program annoyances and/or missed alternatives