2022 Rivian R1T vs. F-150 Lightning : The Closest Finish in Motortrend History

[AxelR]

And come on, 4 cup holders is plenty. I don't get why people obsess over cupholders!

Maybe you don’t have a Starbucks addiction (or kids) ? Also, don’t forget to stay hydrated.

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[thibbitts]

Maybe you don’t have a Starbucks addiction (or kids) ? Also, don’t forget to stay hydrated.

I've got kids! They made a complete mess out of my wife's cupholders in the back of the 4runner. It is true that I don't have a starbucks addiction! If I did I wouldn't have had enough money to afford an R1T!

 

[MountainBikeDude]

Too funny!!! I do like them though. They got attitude.

Yeah, It's awesome seeing others on the highway.... 11 out of 10 Xterra drivers are women.

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[AxelR]

Yeah, It's awesome seeing others on the highway.... 11 out of 10 Xterra drivers are women.

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Tough rigs for tough people ?

 

[SASSquatch]

The R1T is really is a new category, and I don’t think that’s an accident. It‘s one of the most capable off-roaders available, with one of the nicer interiors of any vehicle - period. It can do 0-60 like a super car. It tows really well. And it has space out back to throw dirty stuff securely, and do the occasional Home Depot run just to round things out.

The Lightning is the closest comparison anyone can make right now, because nothing else like the R1T exists. Which means it’s getting reviewed, sometimes unfairly, against Full Size Pickups and then getting dinged because it’s not a Full Size Pickup. I think the R1S will have better comparisons to things like the Range Rover since they are more similarly aligned, class-wise.

Very much looking forward to backing all this up with real-world experience when mine arrives in a couple months. For now, I’ll enjoy the last days of excessive noise and fuel consumption in my (admittedly hilarious) Tundra TRD Pro and reading about all of you people’s adventures here on the forums.

Agree with you 100%. The R1T is not a traditional pickup truck and likely isn't attracting traditional pickup truck buyers. I think comparing it to a very traditional pickup truck like the F-150 is really not comparing apples to apples.

RIVIAN has created a luxury adventure vehicle that is closer to a Range Rover with a bed than a Ford Ranger with an electric motor.

 

[CharonPDX]

I'm definitely in the consensus.

The F-150 is a better "truck", and a steal at the lower-priced trims. But if you want the bigger battery, you either need to be buying a fleet (the rules are that you have to have a fleet of at least 15 vehicles already, and be buying at least 5 at once,) where the Pro Extended is a *STEAL* of an EV; or you have to choose a trim level that is so expensive that it's within spitting distance of the Rivian, price-wise.

The Rivian is a better "luxury performance off-road EV". And priced accordingly.

At the Rivian's price, comparing to the Lightning's trim lines, the Rivian is by far the better vehicle.

If I could get a Lightning Pro Extended Range for $50,000? That would be my next vehicle, hands down, no competition. It's equipped well enough to be "fine" at that price point. But the cheapest Ford will sell me an Extended Range is $74,269 - which is *MORE* than the cheapest R1T I see in the shop right now. (I see an LA Silver/Black Mountain/20" Launch Edition for $73,000.)

Although my R1T config is specced at $78,500 before accessories; but at the same time, a Lightning configured as I'd buy (Lariat Extended, add tow options) is $80,689. For that money, the Rivian wins.

 

[kizamybute']

Actually not a bad review. I struggled for most of the same reasons. Two different trucks for two different purposes. I owned both, kept the Rivian. But, I also was able to buy it at the early pricing. If had to pay today's pricing, I can agree, the Ford is probably the better value once you nickel and dime everything out one by one. The Ford wins big in some categories while the Rivian wins big in other categories. Other than both being EV "trucks", they're two entirely different vehicles. Ultimately, the Rivian being new and unique versus the Ford's very generic feel and look, combined with the air suspension, tonneau cover and air compressor were enough to tip the scales for me personally. However, I loved the space and functionality of the Ford's interior, especially the interior storage space. Personally through, I preferred driving a vehicle the size of the Rivian over the Ford. Had I wanted something bigger, the Ford would have been an easy decision. It is one heck of a functional truck. The Rivian is just cool. For $80,000+, I wanted something with a little personality to it and that didn't look like 1 million other vehicles that Ford produces every year.

I just read the "spec sheet" on them though. When you read that, it looks like the Rivian should win by a country mile. Aside from "size" (bed, dimensions, volume), the Rivian demolishes the Ford in just about every other category.

4 motors vs 2
835 hp vs 580
3.1 0-60 vs 3.8 0-60
11.6 vs 12.4 1/4 mile
0.77g vs 0.73 lateral acceleration
26.6 sec vs 27.2 sec Figure 8 course
Air suspension vs coil suspension
Better turning radius
Bigger wheels
Ground clearance not even a comparison
Departure angles not even a comparison
Better towing capacity
Better payload capacity
5 year 60,000 mile warranty vs 3 year, 36,000 mile warranty
Ford beats it by 6 miles in range.

When looking at these categories, if they were the same size, Rivian would dominate. Had I seen this layout of specs, might not have struggled with my initial decision so much. This is before adding in the Rivian's gear tunnel, air compressor and powered tonneau cover features.

 

[kurtlikevonnegut]

Agree with you 100%. The R1T is not a traditional pickup truck and likely isn't attracting traditional pickup truck buyers. I think comparing it to a very traditional pickup truck like the F-150 is really not comparing apples to apples.

RIVIAN has created a luxury adventure vehicle that is closer to a Range Rover with a bed than a Ford Ranger with an electric motor.

I'm a perfect example of this. Cars I've owned prior to buying the Rivian:

1998 Jeep XJ
2007 Audi A3 (6 spd)
2012 Audi Q5
2018 Mazda CX 5

The Rivian is my first truck, and it does everything that all of those other cars did, better than any of them.

 

[Zybane]

Anyone who asks me how I like my Rivian, I always reply "I love it, it's 5 cars in one", meaning it's a Truck; Rock Crawler, Sports Car, Luxury Car, EV all in one. One might call it a multi-purpose vehicle that is a master of none but can do many things better than others. I love what Rivian is doing with the segment they're trying to build. It will be interesting how other vehicles like the R1S go up against their competition, if they can find some! Maybe the Lucid "Gravity"?

I also like the direction Ford is going, I just wish they'd build more of their cars in the US (i.e. Mach-E). Given their size and labor force it's interesting to see how well they'll pivot to EVs. They currently have as many EV models in their stable as Rivian does!

Would not call a Rivian a "Rock Crawler". More of an Adventure/Overlander. Its weight, small tires and limited articulation will prevent it from doing anything serious. Videos out there of it struggling over some pretty mundane obstacles, and another video just came out of a guy that snapped a tie-rod on an easy trail.

 

[kizamybute']

Would not call a Rivian a "Rock Crawler". More of an Adventure/Overlander. Its weight, small tires and limited articulation will prevent it from doing anything serious. Videos out there of it struggling over some pretty mundane obstacles, and another video just came out of a guy that snapped a tie-rod on an easy trail.

I also don't agree that it's a "sports car". 0.77g on lateral tests is FAR from "sports car" territory. That's not knocking it. It is still a "truck", an off-road oriented truck at that. It handles better than most "trucks" and its air suspension is amazing, but it absolutely doesn't drive like a "sports car". Head into a right hand turn with a 25 mph speed suggestion at 70 mph. Which would you trust to make it out the other side alive, a Rivian TRUCK or a Corvette?

 

[SANZC02]

I also don't agree that it's a "sports car". 0.77g on lateral tests is FAR from "sports car" territory. That's not knocking it. It is still a "truck", an off-road oriented truck at that. It handles better than most "trucks" and its air suspension is amazing, but it absolutely doesn't drive like a "sports car". Head into a right hand turn with a 25 mph speed suggestion at 70 mph. Which would you trust to make it out the other side alive, a Rivian TRUCK or a Corvette?

Can we put the 34 inch ATs with 20 inch rims on the Vette for the test…?

Edit: seriously though I would like to see them test the lateral force with the 22’s on the R1T and R1S.

 

[shumdit]

The F-150 is the better truck for work purposes. The Rivian is the better vehicle for what 80-90% of all truck buyers cross shopping these two will actually use them for…

 

[SeaGeo]

MotorTrend tried to make the point, but I think it depends entirely on your definition of what makes a good truck. Which most people seem to agree on.

For me it's being able to do basically everything I want. The F150 is setup to do the following really well:

• Be big. It's just bigger. That personal preference. The size is a reason we don't want the F150. BUT the bigger interior, bigger frunk, and bigger bed are
• Towing. Interestingly, MT likes how the R1T tows better, but the lightning seems to handle it better for range, and has a better towing ecosystem.
• Be a better worksite.

But the Rivian has better driving over a wide variety of conditions dynamics, has more range*, chargers faster, is much better off-road.

They're both awesome.

One note- Motortrend said the Ford has more range than the R1T. Which, by the mixed EPA numbers it does, but not EPA highway range. And I have yet to see a highway range test where it beats the Rivian in similar conditions. Both Alex's and Kyle's range tests had the R1T going further. Kyle's was with the ATs and the two were within something like 20 miles of one another, meanwhile the R1T went significantly further on the all season's in Alex's testing.

 

[SeaGeo]

Can we put the 34 inch ATs with 20 inch rims on the Vette for the test…?

Edit: seriously though I would like to see them test the lateral force with the 22’s on the R1T and R1S.

DIdn't Edmunds do that?

 

[SeaGeo]

and another video just came out of a guy that snapped a tie-rod on an easy trail.

You've never seen or heard of a Wrangler or Bronco snapping something on an easy trail? Particularly when taking a bad line?

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