My observations from Sonoma Rivian test drive event

[gnatale]

My partner Nick and my best friend Jess just wrapped up our test drive at the Sonoma Raceway and god damn... this truck is incredible. A couple of my quick observations:

• The sound is outrageously good. We bumped it to 4/5ths max volume and it was crazy good.
• Screen responsiveness was acceptable, and much better than I thought it was going to be. I'll upload a video.
• We hit 81 very quickly even though they only wanted me to go 60 ?
• Space is super good. Much more room than my 2016 4Runner - and in the back according to my copilots.
• They kinda very purposefully didn't have any of the tonneau covers working haha they were blocked by something in the bed on each truck.
• Seat heaters in the back left and right seats surprised my friend.
• The drive was sublime. Honestly. Jesus.

I'll answer questions if you have them! Sold my 4Runner yesterday so crossing my fingers really, really hard that my truck comes by end of November as promised!


Hi. Happy campers here

Thanks for posting photos and about your experience. ???

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[maxboxa]

I have to agree with @jffkm, the rear seating was smaller than i expected it to be. My wife is 5’ and my friend is a lean 5’8” and I couldn’t imagine sticking a 3rd adult in the rear for any long distance driving. Just seemed strange since the R1T is a few inches wider than the eTron that we’ve been driving. But i can live with that as we have only two kids and any long distance driving would be limited to our immediate family. We also noted that these preproduction models did have a few fit and finish issues. Front bumpers didn’t appear to align perfectly with the fenders on a few of the trucks I inspected. Also, I test drove the yellow R1T, and it felt like there was some heavy wear already in the suspension. Similar to the feel of a worn bushing on an ”A” arm. It still went like a devil over the terrain and didn’t seem to hamper us in any way. Overall I’m happy with my 1st mile, but wasn’t completely blown away. Perhaps my expectations were too high from reading all the rave reviews.

 

[SlaterGS]

Overall I’m happy with my 1st mile, but wasn’t completely blown away. Perhaps my expectations were too high from reading all the rave reviews.

I'd say based on the vehicles you have listed on your profile that I'm not too surprised that you weren't completely blown away

Someone who has never driven an EV will be blown away in the same way someone going from an HDD to SSD will be blown away. In this case you already have an "SSD" so your experience looks completely different and you won't experience quite the same extreme.

Great first comment!

 

[Whmorken]

I didn't have a chance to engage with any guides after the test drive as we had to leave pretty soon thereafter but the guide that was with me was also surprised. It was just like a boat, but that's not a good thing because you're looking up at the sky vs. at the road where obstacles may be. I think most folks weren't flooring it in conserve mode either. I was just curious what the acceleration differences would feel like between that vs. standard mode. It was still quite fast but they should definitely adjust rear dampers to avoid the front-end lift.

They should really find out why the video compression is so bad and finicky. If it were always bad that'd be a hardware-concern but it would go into much higher resolution periodically so I know it's not a camera limitation. This could also be a safety concern when driving backwards, for e.g., it was that low res/bad.

I think they'll be able to fix these minor things very quickly via software.

One thing I didn't mention is that I was really impressed with the off-road handling. It was almost too easy to ascend and descend without any feedback on the controls. I had an early test drive so it was wet/colder (very muddy) on the final descent and the traction control/wheel spin and dampers were going nuts. There was no change in acceleration/velocity at all so it felt like we floated down on an escalator without having to touch anything, despite the car being hard at work. Really neat and I'd admittedly almost never encounter something like that day to day.

Steering dynamics were also quite good/diverse. In off-road mode I tried some F1-style wheel warm ups and it absorbs all sudden wheel input nicely. Standard mode is like a large sedan/suv. Was hoping to test sport mode to see if the steering gets tighter (i prefer tighter steering ala M3/E90 3-series) but didn't get a chance. Hopefully it is similar.

Hoping that early recipients can share feedback and looking forward to seeing more vehicles out there! I'm a 11/18 LE R1S holder but not expecting delivery until Q2-3 of next year most likely after their ramp is figured out.

Details are so helpful. keep ‘em coming. Letting the facts speak.

 

[acacia1602]

I have to agree with @jffkm, the rear seating was smaller than i expected it to be. My wife is 5’ and my friend is a lean 5’8” and I couldn’t imagine sticking a 3rd adult in the rear for any long distance driving. Just seemed strange since the R1T is a few inches wider than the eTron that we’ve been driving. But i can live with that as we have only two kids and any long distance driving would be limited to our immediate family. We also noted that these preproduction models did have a few fit and finish issues. Front bumpers didn’t appear to align perfectly with the fenders on a few of the trucks I inspected. Also, I test drove the yellow R1T, and it felt like there was some heavy wear already in the suspension. Similar to the feel of a worn bushing on an ”A” arm. It still went like a devil over the terrain and didn’t seem to hamper us in any way. Overall I’m happy with my 1st mile, but wasn’t completely blown away. Perhaps my expectations were too high from reading all the rave reviews.

Did you get a chance to adjust AC controls? I’m mostly concerned about ease of adjustment and the ability to set fan speeds independently for passengers and driver. I’d love to have someone comment on these interfaces.

 

[electruck]

Has the Alexa integration been enabled yet? I don't recall hearing any feedback about that.

 

[Whmorken]

You didn't get the memo? There's acceptable dress code for Rivian events, vehicle delivery and subsequent operation. Be sure to pick up a puffy vest and beanie before your delivery, if you don't already own them. Jeans are acceptable if you meet the vest/beanie requirements and also hold a coffee tumbler or insulated water bottle.

FUN. It is tempting to dress Way-Up or Way-Down for a new Rivian, since it has a luxury interior that can be washed/cleaned with a garden hose. ?

 

[Coast2Coast]

Like @maxboxa, I wasn't blown away. If anything, I was underwhelmed.

But I have a new electric car albeit a very different sort of electric car, a 2021 Toyota Mirai, and I have a lifted Toyota Tacoma 4x4 with off-road tires and TRD supercharger. So, my cars are goods comparisons with a R1T. The R1T's on road handling was better than the Mirai, but not as much as you might think, given that a Mirai is essentially a Lexus in sheep's clothing, and the R1T's off road handling was better than a Tacoma's bouncy-bounce. But it wasn't night and day in either case.

So, my expectations were high, my comparison vehicles were worthy adversaries, and I assumed we were going to be able to let'her rip on the speedway which wasn't the case. The off-road course wasn't much of a challenge.

Nevertheless, the R1T pulls like a freight train and floats over ruts and washouts. The front seats are no bigger than my Tacoma's; the back seats are larger and more comfortable. Visibility was good all-around though I prefer taller windshields. I don't like the sitting-in-a-cockpit feeling with all of the cameras and other gear taking up window space. I prefer tall windshields (I'm 6' 1").

All in all, the Sonoma experience wasn't anywhere nearly as good as what the Chosen 10 experienced in Normal. Still, pre-IPO, I appreciate Rivian's efforts to reach out.

In sum, not blown away but not at all turned off. I'm a late November 2018 preorder holder, so it's been a 3 year wait and I'm itching to saddle up and go.

 

[Riventures]

@Coast2Coast thank you for a review that I can relate. I can certainly understand your comparison to the Tacoma, and in offroad situations, the R1T may not be the entire answer, or at least it is a mixed message for me. Mechanical capabilities vs. technology, I really am having a hard time convincing myself of the benefits R1T brings against what I have to give up.

 

[ohmman]

I also attended the First Mile event in Sonoma, but did it today and drove the R1T. It rained nearly 2 inches overnight so the track was wet and muddy, but I did get a chance to test the wipers on the vehicle!

My impressions can be summed up to say that the vehicle delivers on what is advertised. It's an EV pickup that handles and drives as well as you'd expect it to. It's well thought out and the features are precisely what they purport to be. But that's not very informative, so I'll mention a few things that stood out to me, especially in comparison to my Tesla experience.

First, the frunk is very high so as to be almost difficult to reach into for my 5'7" shorty self. They did have all vehicles raised to their max height which may have impacted this, but the truck has a flat hood, unliked the curved hood of the X, so it's naturally higher. Yes, it would fit an electric cooler. No, there's no way I'd be able to get one in there without stilts. It has a magnetically fixed divider/false floor that separates your charging cables (below) from your cargo (above). I liked that a lot. The size of the frunk is more in line with my RWD Model S, which has a ton of space. Accessing it is much easier because it's electronically controlled.

The gear tunnel seemed great. I stood on the flipped out door and it was solid. I disconnected and reconnected the Rivian rail system while standing on it, which is very easy and well thought out. My only concern with the gear tunnel is that some random stuff will get stuck in the middle and I'll need a broomstick or something to push it out to the other side. Or I'll just learn how to use it. You can access the gear tunnel from the inside of the vehicle, which definitely helps. I just imagine that turning into a total mess on a road trip.

Quality of the sound system absolutely blows away anything I've ever had in my three Teslas. It was outstanding. The infotainment setup, with an IC and a landscape center screen, was potentially preferable to my existing S and X setups. The screen quality and contrast were also better than in my Teslas. Responsiveness was slower than I'd like but not as slow as I've seen in some videos. I'm guessing that'll be a software fix over time. Voice controls seemed limited, or not working very well at this point. And I had a rep reboot the vehicle (left steering wheel scroll tab, hazard button hold), and it took over 5 minutes to complete. You cannot drive while doing this procedure. I mentioned how Tesla separates out these reboots and he was impressed. Also something Rivian will need to address as time goes on.

Since I am strongly considering this due to towing ability, I spent some time looking at the towing setup. The receiver is accessible via a removable cover in the back. Removing this cover consists of two plastic coin type screws and plastic hooks. The piece must be stowed in the vehicle somewhere, but leaving it off doesn't leave any open gaps like it does with the Model X, so it can be comfortably left at home if you tow frequently. Safety chain hooks are large and easy to use and the 7-pin connector is very accessible, mounted right next to the receiver. The vehicle auto-detects a load and automatically goes into towing mode, like the Tesla. That mode limits air suspension adjustments and some of the lane keeping features, which is comparable to what Tesla is doing.

Seeing the hood while I was driving was a bit of an adjustment. I'm not used to such a square vehicle, and it kind of bothered me. Visibility feels better with the more upright windshield and A pillars, but I felt like the hood was a reminder that I was in a boxy shaped truck simply for the purpose of the form. That reminded me of the inefficiency of the vehicle as well, which along with weight are probably my two biggest hangups.

In the end, I wasn't swayed away from the vehicle and I probably became a little more excited about it. There weren't any build issues that were concerning at all. So I continue to wait for my max pack, which will be a while. I've got time to change my mind if something else comes up. For now, I'll say they've done a good job and it's a promising vehicle.

 

[Whmorken]

I also attended the First Mile event in Sonoma, but did it today and drove the R1T. It rained nearly 2 inches overnight so the track was wet and muddy, but I did get a chance to test the wipers on the vehicle!

My impressions can be summed up to say that the vehicle delivers on what is advertised. It's an EV pickup that handles and drives as well as you'd expect it to. It's well thought out and the features are precisely what they purport to be. But that's not very informative, so I'll mention a few things that stood out to me, especially in comparison to my Tesla experience.

First, the frunk is very high so as to be almost difficult to reach into for my 5'7" shorty self. They did have all vehicles raised to their max height which may have impacted this, but the truck has a flat hood, unliked the curved hood of the X, so it's naturally higher. Yes, it would fit an electric cooler. No, there's no way I'd be able to get one in there without stilts. It has a magnetically fixed divider/false floor that separates your charging cables (below) from your cargo (above). I liked that a lot. The size of the frunk is more in line with my RWD Model S, which has a ton of space. Accessing it is much easier because it's electronically controlled.

The gear tunnel seemed great. I stood on the flipped out door and it was solid. I disconnected and reconnected the Rivian rail system while standing on it, which is very easy and well thought out. My only concern with the gear tunnel is that some random stuff will get stuck in the middle and I'll need a broomstick or something to push it out to the other side. Or I'll just learn how to use it. You can access the gear tunnel from the inside of the vehicle, which definitely helps. I just imagine that turning into a total mess on a road trip.

Quality of the sound system absolutely blows away anything I've ever had in my three Teslas. It was outstanding. The infotainment setup, with an IC and a landscape center screen, was potentially preferable to my existing S and X setups. The screen quality and contrast were also better than in my Teslas. Responsiveness was slower than I'd like but not as slow as I've seen in some videos. I'm guessing that'll be a software fix over time. Voice controls seemed limited, or not working very well at this point. And I had a rep reboot the vehicle (left steering wheel scroll tab, hazard button hold), and it took over 5 minutes to complete. You cannot drive while doing this procedure. I mentioned how Tesla separates out these reboots and he was impressed. Also something Rivian will need to address as time goes on.

Since I am strongly considering this due to towing ability, I spent some time looking at the towing setup. The receiver is accessible via a removable cover in the back. Removing this cover consists of two plastic coin type screws and plastic hooks. The piece must be stowed in the vehicle somewhere, but leaving it off doesn't leave any open gaps like it does with the Model X, so it can be comfortably left at home if you tow frequently. Safety chain hooks are large and easy to use and the 7-pin connector is very accessible, mounted right next to the receiver. The vehicle auto-detects a load and automatically goes into towing mode, like the Tesla. That mode limits air suspension adjustments and some of the lane keeping features, which is comparable to what Tesla is doing.

Seeing the hood while I was driving was a bit of an adjustment. I'm not used to such a square vehicle, and it kind of bothered me. Visibility feels better with the more upright windshield and A pillars, but I felt like the hood was a reminder that I was in a boxy shaped truck simply for the purpose of the form. That reminded me of the inefficiency of the vehicle as well, which along with weight are probably my two biggest hangups.

In the end, I wasn't swayed away from the vehicle and I probably became a little more excited about it. There weren't any build issues that were concerning at all. So I continue to wait for my max pack, which will be a while. I've got time to change my mind if something else comes up. For now, I'll say they've done a good job and it's a promising vehicle.

Thank you for the review! Driving multiple Tesla models in the last three years and a Land Cruiser, I can identify quickly with your comments. For forward and upward visibility you cannot beat an X. I will miss it. I noticed that the specifications of the R1S are two inches wider than a Sequoia, the same height, and five inches shorter. Any comments about the width of the R1T? It is wide, but the max height is adjustable as you point out.

 

[ohmman]

I noticed that the specifications of the R1S are two inches wider than a Sequoia, the same height, and five inches shorter. Any comments about the width of the R1T?

Your Model X is 78.7" with mirrors folded, and the R1T is 81.8" with mirrors folded. So it's about 3" wider than the X we drove to the event, and I didn't find it noticeable.

 

[Friscorays]

Bummer about March 1, 2022.

 

[ohmman]

You don't think the boxy shape adds significantly to frunk and interior passenger space?

It helps with frunk space, sure, but at the cost of accessibility. And with a gear tunnel and a bed, plus my experience using a frunk in my Model S and two Model Xs, that's of pretty limited value.

I don't think it helps with passenger space much, though as I mentioned, it does make visibility a bit more natural. My wife repeatedly said she felt it was more cramped than our Model X both in the front and the back. That may have been exacerbated by the 3" less rear legroom from our X.

 

[SeaGeo]

Seeing the hood while I was driving was a bit of an adjustment. I'm not used to such a square vehicle, and it kind of bothered me.

Funny, I have the opposite reaction. I get really thrown off by cars where I can't see the hood.

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