From an EV9 to an R1S – My Experience & Opinions

[All Rived Up]

I’ve read some Forums in here that people would not “Cross Shop” the R1S with the EV9, I would say that is completely False. There would only be 2 reason that would be the case; 1) You definitely need an “Off Road” Vehicle, then you wouldn’t shop the EV9. 2) You want a Legacy Dealer or live too far from a Rivian Service Center, then you wouldn’t shop an R1S. Otherwise, BOTH these Cars are definitely on your shopping list if you’re looking for a 3 row SUV. So, here are just a few of my Comparisons along with my Opinions.

PRICE: The EV9 GT Line was $72K & the R1S Gen 2 Dual was $87K so a $15K difference.

EXTERIOR: I find the R1S to be an overall better looking vehicle but a lot of that has to do with how ugly I think the wheels are on the EV9. The uniqueness of the R1S Headlights for me are also a plus for the exterior. The front grill lighting of the EV9 is also unique.

INTERIOR: In the R1S, the wood dashboard is very nice & premium looking. The color combo does give off a high quality vibe. In the EV9 the Two-Tone Interior is very nice & the Front Seats are way more comfortable, especially the Headrests & they also include a massage function for the Driver. However, the biggest difference & the one that actually means the most to me, is the availability of actual physical buttons. The EV9 has a lot the R1S has almost none. You cannot change the; exterior mirrors, steering column or the air vents without going through the R1S infotainment screen.

RANGE & RIDE: I was able to average 2.8 mi/kWh in the EV9 but just 2.2 in the R1S. Same commute, temps, etc. The ride in both is similar but because of the Seat Comfort, I liked the EV9 better. As for the Regen, I really liked the Paddle shifters on the Steering Wheel in the EV9 which allowed for “Interactive” Regen. But the One Pedal Driving in both is very similar.

R1S PROS: Updates – They are way more frequent than the EV9 & usually make the Ownership better
Tailgate – Not available in the EV9
Infotainment Screen – Is Larger in the R1S but both are nice
Frunk – Way Larger & Much More Useful
Car Wash Mode – Not available in the EV9
Towing – 7700lbs vs 5000lbs

EV9 PROS: Sirius XM – Actual Satellite Radio and NOT just an App
Heads Up Display – Not available in the R1S
Charge Speed – Way Faster in the EV9, both Level 2 & Level 3
Rear Window Shades – Not available in the R1S
Car Play & Android Auto - Not available in the R1S (not something I care about)
Key Fob – Included and NOT an extra cost item
2nd Row Captain’s Chairs – Way better than a Bench Seats & Not available in the R1S
Sun Roof – Actually Opens & has a Power Shade Cover. Neither is available in the R1S
Headliner – Much more Premium in the EV9

This isn’t everything but it’s most of what I deal or dealt with as my Daily Driver. Even if these SUV’s were exactly the same price, I would easily choose the EV9 over the R1S. But at $15K more, you would really have to have a need for the Off-Road or Towing capabilities of the R1S. As a Shareholder, I want Rivian to succeed & I really like them as a Company, but for me & my experience, the R1S falls way short vs the EV9 in way too many areas.

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[RandomMcRandomFace]

I am a bit confused - you changed cars to a car that cost more and you liked less?

The only Pro resonating with me for the EV9 is the charging speed (well and I think Rivian needs a captain chair option for sure even though I don’t really care) - can you give a bit more detail there? What was faster about level 2 and how much faster was level 3? Curious give the 800v system.

 

[Ecupip]

My view on 2 of the positive comments to the EV9.

I use Sirius all the time. I prefer Rivian’s implementation of it because I have access to way more stations than a satellite version. Yes, you can get to the others via the app and CarPlay, but CarPlay control Sirius sucks the most.

I don’t understand the allure of captain chairs, even with children. if the seats still move independently of one another for 3rd row access and there is a center console that comes down. Bench seats are preferred anyways if your a pet owner and use seat hammocks.

L2 charging speed is the same for both, 11kw. If you’re not getting 11kw from a home l2 charger, check your house wiring or get Rivian to look at your R1.

 

[bfilippo]

Thanks for the write up. I think there’s also just a different demographic culture between the two brands, in general. Sure, we looked at the EV9, but we had a Kia Soul for 8 years, and while it was problem free, it was also basically a golf cart. I couldn’t imagine spending $70k on a Kia. I personally think the legacy manufacturers will struggle mightily to keep up on software/tech updates compared to the ground up EV manufacturers.

I do wish we had massage seats and maybe more buttons, but these are just not things I really care about much.

I think if you live in a suburban/urban area, probably yes they’re very similar vehicles, but if not, I would much prefer the driving power and functionality of the Rivian any day. And again, I can’t psychologically get past spending $70k on a Kia, the hamster car brand…. But maybe that’s a me problem lol

 

[Donald Stanfield]

I looked at the EV9, and the interior's cheapness turned me off. Everything in there is barely acceptable and not comparable to my R1

 

[djinndjinn]

I’m confused. Did the OP own a Kia EV 9, or is this looking at specs alone?

We have some very practical experience with a similar EV – the Hyundai IONIQ 9. We leased it for eight months, and just broke the lease and turned it in early. While I realize the Hyundai is not exactly the same as the Kia, there are a lot of similarities.

Our biggest beefs with the Hyundai IONIQ 9 (that are infinitely better on the Rivian):
1. Terrible turning radius – large vehicle and very difficult to maneuver and park.
2. EV planning experience is very complicated and predictions are unreliable. In fact online, the range meter is referred to as the “guess-o-meter”. Tracking state of charge to destination (% left over or “buffer”) is opaque.
3. Very difficult to find chargers. If you try and search by name, you miss a whole bunch because the name convention varies by charger, and the search engine misses a bunch. And it’s almost impossible to try and find on the map using your fingers and pinching and scrolling because of the small screen and terrible response.
4. The entire operating system is very confusing and not intuitive. It is as if they took their old operating system (which was already complicated) and just layered a bunch of electric features in various places.
5. Lane centering feature is terrible and any sense of driving automation is basic and unreliable.
6. Too many buttons. e.g. It’s very easy to push the wrong button on the steering wheel while trying to do cruise control and all of a sudden the vehicle is doing auto steer… Very poorly.

The thing is, none of these things were obvious by reading the specs. Only by driving it for a while, did it become clear of the difference between a car manufacturer of gas powered vehicles, layering electric capabilities on top of a completely different system, versus a company that builds their EV’s from the ground up as a single ecosystem, like Tesla and Rivian.

For full disclosure, we have been driving Teslas since 2012. Next week, we pick up our Rivian R1S (dual, max, performance). we believe we have made the right decision for us. YMMV.

 

[Golfer04]

It is very much to each their own, but we just cross shopped a Palisade with a Lexus TX (not ready to go 100 percent EV in our rural area yet). Hyundai interiors are cheap & seats uncomfortable for both my wife & me. Palisade was 4500 cheaper, but wife said TX was worth 10,000 more. Some people love Hyundai & I've shopped them several times, but just can't pull the trigger in low quality interiors & non hybrid motors are thirsty.

 

[Gen(R3)Xer]

I’ve read some Forums in here that people would not “Cross Shop” the R1S with the EV9, I would say that is completely False. There would only be 2 reason that would be the case; 1) You definitely need an “Off Road” Vehicle, then you wouldn’t shop the EV9. 2) You want a Legacy Dealer or live too far from a Rivian Service Center, then you wouldn’t shop an R1S. Otherwise, BOTH these Cars are definitely on your shopping list if you’re looking for a 3 row SUV. So, here are just a few of my Comparisons along with my Opinions.

PRICE: The EV9 GT Line was $72K & the R1S Gen 2 Dual was $87K so a $15K difference.

EXTERIOR: I find the R1S to be an overall better looking vehicle but a lot of that has to do with how ugly I think the wheels are on the EV9. The uniqueness of the R1S Headlights for me are also a plus for the exterior. The front grill lighting of the EV9 is also unique.

INTERIOR: In the R1S, the wood dashboard is very nice & premium looking. The color combo does give off a high quality vibe. In the EV9 the Two-Tone Interior is very nice & the Front Seats are way more comfortable, especially the Headrests & they also include a massage function for the Driver. However, the biggest difference & the one that actually means the most to me, is the availability of actual physical buttons. The EV9 has a lot the R1S has almost none. You cannot change the; exterior mirrors, steering column or the air vents without going through the R1S infotainment screen.

RANGE & RIDE: I was able to average 2.8 mi/kWh in the EV9 but just 2.2 in the R1S. Same commute, temps, etc. The ride in both is similar but because of the Seat Comfort, I liked the EV9 better. As for the Regen, I really liked the Paddle shifters on the Steering Wheel in the EV9 which allowed for “Interactive” Regen. But the One Pedal Driving in both is very similar.

R1S PROS: Updates – They are way more frequent than the EV9 & usually make the Ownership better
Tailgate – Not available in the EV9
Infotainment Screen – Is Larger in the R1S but both are nice
Frunk – Way Larger & Much More Useful
Car Wash Mode – Not available in the EV9
Towing – 7700lbs vs 5000lbs

EV9 PROS: Sirius XM – Actual Satellite Radio and NOT just an App
Heads Up Display – Not available in the R1S
Charge Speed – Way Faster in the EV9, both Level 2 & Level 3
Rear Window Shades – Not available in the R1S
Car Play & Android Auto - Not available in the R1S (not something I care about)
Key Fob – Included and NOT an extra cost item
2nd Row Captain’s Chairs – Way better than a Bench Seats & Not available in the R1S
Sun Roof – Actually Opens & has a Power Shade Cover. Neither is available in the R1S
Headliner – Much more Premium in the EV9

This isn’t everything but it’s most of what I deal or dealt with as my Daily Driver. Even if these SUV’s were exactly the same price, I would easily choose the EV9 over the R1S. But at $15K more, you would really have to have a need for the Off-Road or Towing capabilities of the R1S. As a Shareholder, I want Rivian to succeed & I really like them as a Company, but for me & my experience, the R1S falls way short vs the EV9 in way too many areas.

I think Rivian will launch their Gen 3 R1 line AFTER they get the R2 AND the R3 to fully ramp in the US with exports to Europe. They’ve probably already started quietly redesigning the R1 line. Maybe an early 2030’s release.

 

[denverag03]

In the short term, isn’t the EV9 dc fast charge experience worse considering lack of uniform 800v superchargers? I expect that to keep changing. But right now maybe not.

although maybe they addressed this. https://www.kiaevforums.com/threads/2026-ev9-tesla-supercharger-speeds-increased.14376/

 

[All Rived Up]

I’m confused. Did the OP own a Kia EV 9, or is this looking at specs alone?

Yes, I owned the EV9 for just over a year and Sold it to get the R1S, which I've now had for just over a year. So, my post was about my real world experience with both. Again, these were MY experiences which in turn created MY Opinions. Obviously everyone will will have different experiences, but I wanted to share mine since I actually owned both for over a year.

 

[RandomMcRandomFace]

Yes, I owned the EV9 for just over a year and Sold it to get the R1S, which I've now had for just over a year. So, my post was about my real world experience with both. Again, these were MY experiences which in turn created MY Opinions. Obviously everyone will will have different experiences, but I wanted to share mine since I actually owned both for over a year.

any chance you could answer my question about charging above?

 

[Yossarian]

Thanks for taking the time to do the comparison and I agree with you that there is some overlap, perhaps even a substantial one, in the Venn diagram of R1S and EV9 buyers.

With respect to the interior controls, I really think Rivian should poach a couple of engineers from Kia. I have a Telluride, and one of it's best features is that nearly all functions may be accessed via physical buttons. Even better, the arrangement and operation of the controls is logical, well thought out and does not clutter the dash as in some cars. I love nearly everything about my R1T, but one of my few gripes is having to do nearly everything via the touch-screen.

One thing you didn't really mention in the comparison was service. I do a lot of my own, and again, appreciate the thoughtful design of the Kia that makes common maintenance, like swapping filters out, very easy. That's not so much the case with Rivian, but then again, the maintenance requirements are much less. While there can be a relatively long wait to access a Rivian SC, the overall experience - or at least mine - is far, far better than with Kia. I very much dislike the Kia dealer network, for myriad reasons, and it seems I'm far from alone in that. In fact, their dealer network is the reason I've vowed to never buy another Kia, despite the relatively high quality and good performance of our Telly. When the time comes, I'm highly likely to replace the Telluride with an R2, partly because I no longer need the space of a larger SUV, but much more because of my experiences with the Kia dealer network.

Best of luck with your R1S.

 

[mkg3]

This isn’t everything but it’s most of what I deal or dealt with as my Daily Driver. Even if these SUV’s were exactly the same price, I would easily choose the EV9 over the R1S. But at $15K more, you would really have to have a need for the Off-Road or Towing capabilities of the R1S. As a Shareholder, I want Rivian to succeed & I really like them as a Company, but for me & my experience, the R1S falls way short vs the EV9 in way too many areas.
---------
Yes, I owned the EV9 for just over a year and Sold it to get the R1S, which I've now had for just over a year....

The notion of $15k more for off road and towing capabilities assumes that everything else is equal. It obviously is not, given that you actually bought the EV9 then sold it to buy R1S. There must have been more emotional attachment to R1S over EV9.

In the end, taking the first year depreciation for the EV9 and buying R1S ended up costing probably more than the $15k difference that you originally mentioned.

Whenever the price is the primary reason to do something - a choice - its been my experience that if I could have afforded it, I should have simply got what I wanted to begin with.

 

[TollKeeper]

I agree about the rims on the EV9 being ugly.. But the HUD, Captains chairs, AA/CP, native XM, better seats, are all selling points for me.

I am considering selling my R1S today actually, I am considering a Honda Ridgeline (new), EV9 (used), ioniq 5 N (new), Lyriq (used).

No I am not dissing on the R1... My body physically cant get in and out of a Rivian anymore, which is making it so I have to sell it. I need something lower to the ground, with a short sill. I am being offered 67k on the Rivian, and all the options I am looking at are well below 50k.

If I could see/sit in a R2, that would make this so much easier for me.

 

[usulio]

Thanks for sharing your experience. Whenever a family asks me about R1S i tell them to look at EV9. If you decide the adventure features are worth it then go R1S and you will be thrilled, but if you want an electric minivan then it’s probably not the right car for you — too many inconveniences. The main quality of life thing R1S does better as you mentioned is storage space. People always underestimate how much extra you get in the R1S if you use the full frunk and sub trunk.

other comments on this thread: if one vehicle is more efficient then it charges “faster” in terms of miles at the same kW. Rivian will never add physical buttons no matter how much better they are, it goes against their dna.

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