From an EV9 to an R1S – My Experience & Opinions

[ksujeff99]

I also own both. I own a 2024 GT Line EV9 and a 2022 R1T.

We bought the EV9 in November 2025, used from a local (non Kia) dealer for about $40k. It was a branded title (buyback) with 17k miles. Before deciding on the EV9, we were also looking at a used 2023 R1S for $60k that had about 5k miles. Yep, seriously only five thousand miles on the odometer. It was being sold by Rivian.

Ride quality - EV9 is plusher, rides less like a truck. However, the R1T feels so much more confident to drive. It’s impossible to quantify, but I vastly prefer the driving experience of the Rivian to the Kia. Yes, I know that the R1S drives a bit different than the R1T so it’s not a perfect apples to apples comparison.

Software quality - Rivian wins hands down. It’s not even close. Yeah, the EV9 has CarPlay, which is nice, especially for my partner as she prefers the “it just works” aspect of it. But there are so many infuriating little things with the Kia. It’s like their software architects have never actually driven a car. It reminds me of the early days of the Android-Apple battle where Samsung, Motorola, HTC, etc. were adding all sorts of features to their phones that were mostly just features on a spec sheet and didn’t work all that well in real life. And Kia’s mobile app is a mess.

Traditional car manufacturer things - The EV9 has many little creature comforts already listed in this thread like a heads-up display, massaging driver’s seat, captains chairs in the 2nd row, opening sunroof with motorized sunshades, and a glovebox

Unique Rivian things - I never thought I’d hate the on/off switch so much in the EV9. Due to Rivian (like Tesla) being EV-only they can do some things that Kia cannot as their software stack is brand new and doesn’t have to adhere to the conventional ICE standards. Given you’re with me here on the Rivian forum, I don’t need to tell you about all the genuinely useful things our Rivians do.

Build quality/Design - tie? Both are fine. Are the panel gaps better on the Kia? Maybe. Does the EV9 GT Line look cool, especially now that we replaced the wheels? Yep. Do I still love the design of my Rivian? Yep. Does the frunk in the Kia suck so bad. Absolutely.

For us, we both slightly preferred the R1S. So did our kids, which surprised me as I thought they’d much prefer the captains chairs and the more open feeling of the 3rd row. There were two reasons that swayed us to the EV9.
1) Price. $40k v $60k is a big difference.
2) Reliability and price to repair. The thought of having two G1 Rivians in the garage, both out of warranty, was a bit concerning and I didn’t want to pay $6k each for two extended warranties. As it is, we bought the extended warranty (I cannot believe I did it either…) at the dealership for $2,500 for bumper to bumper coverage on the EV9 through 175,000 miles.

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[SANZC02]

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.

Did you try running boards? I put them on my R1S a couple of years ago and it was a game changer for ingress and egress.

 

[RickRivian]

I appreciate the comparison as we're doing that. But the charging speed is clearly misstated.

Charging SPEED is the RATE at which a vehicle charges. On a level 2 charger, most EVs max out at 48amps, a few like the 2022 and 2023 Ford Lightning can do 80amps. RARELY is that necessary.

Charging SPEED on a fast charger matters as it impacts your trip. What matters is the speed you actually achieve in the real world. So, having a 800v vehicle is great, except there are so few chargers TODAY that can provide that. Yet some vehicles that are 800v are actually negatively impacted at slower fast chargers more than you'd think.

Charging TIME is determined by the rate of charge, the size of the battery, and the amount of charge needed (i.e. depletion to charge level). So many people state how a vehicle charges faster (usually Tesla owners) without understanding they have a small battery (and maybe a lower range).

We have a Mach-E with a 91kWh battery and a Lightning with a 131kWh battery. Charging SPEED on the Lightning is faster on a DC fast charger, and on level 2, but we only have a 48amp charger at home anyway, and have come across I think one level 2 charger in 4.5 years that was faster than 48amps.

On a DC fast charger, the Lightning is faster by a decent margin, hits higher levels and has a better charging curve. And, with a bigger heater, it heats up a cold battery faster also yielding faster charging in the dead of winter.

My initial review of the R1S is that I'll get middle of the two I have now in efficiency, more range due to a bigger (Max) battery, and faster charging RATE due to a higher speed and better curve. I haven't gotten into whether a R1S with a max battery can charge from 20 to 80% at comparable length of time as a Lightning, but I also expect that I will be charging starting from a higher initial level due to the capacity of the battery most times.

For me, 30 minutes is magical. 45 is too long.

 

[Great Gatsby]

Had an EV9 for 3 months. Great ride, incredibly comfortable seats and very quiet interior. The software was fine but bland and the app was terrible. If I wanted a gas car, I would have bought a Telluride. The EV9 felt more like a traditional ICE vehicle than an EV.

Traded it in for a used Gen 1 Quad and never looked back. On the spec sheets, the EV9 sounds better, but in the real world, the Rivian is a clear winner worth its higher price tag. App that works, software with a personality and a more traditional SUV feel just makes it more enjoyable to drive, if you enjoy driving that is.

As a transportation device, the EV9 is the way to go. As something worth spending your hard earned money on that you enjoy to get behind the wheel on, it’s the R1S and it’s not even close. It just feels way more special.

 

[attilars]

I've had an EV9 for almost 2 years now and picked up our Gen2 R1S a few months ago.

I agree with a lot of the comments the OP mentioned.

Seats in the EV9 do feel more comfortable and supportive, but R1S isn't that much worse.

Efficiency on the EV9 is way better. I also averaged 2.7-2.8 in the EV9 and same exact driving is 2.2-2.3 in the R1S. Despite the larger battery we charge more often. This isn't really a surprise given the R1S huge weight penalty and aero.

I mostly charge at home, but the few trips we did do where we used a fast charger, the EV9 charges super fast and will sustain 350kw for quite a while. The R1S is much slower in comparison. Finding working, available chargers that can go that high can be an issue at this point. This would perhaps only be a deal breaker if I was constantly fast charging.

Tech is fine in the EV9, but feels more traditional at this point. They do occasional updates, but Rivian does far more.

On the EV9 being able to still enable creep mode similar to a gas automatic car is nice as it just makes it easier for some people to get used to an EV. I prefer 1 peddle driving but my wife doesn't. Having the option for both is nice.

Carplay seems to be a touchy subject here for whatever reason. I've never had issues with it and prefer the deeper integration it provides with my apps and consistency across vehicles. That combined with constant bugs in rivian's native implementation is a bit of a double whammy. You'd think supporting carplay would have given Rivian some free integrations and allow them to focus on other areas, but I understand their point of view as well. Unfortunately for my use the car is worse without it and it was nice to have in the EV9.

Regarding captains chairs, this one is a no brainer if you have really young kids that need car seats and have kids getting in and out of the 3rd row. Once kids are old enough where you don't need that and they can deal with moving seats to get in and out it is less of an issue. At least it becomes their issue and not yours. The convenience of having them just go between the seats is nice. There is also more leg room in the 3rd row in the EV9 and adults can fit there more easily if needed.

A few things not mentioned that have been the biggest differences I have noticed is the ride and steering as well as general quality.

The EV9 rides like an old Cadillac. Extremely comfortable and just floats along like on a cloud, but especially the rear suspension will get unsettled going over uneven pavement at higher speeds (such as on some highway interchanges). The suspension is under damped and can't handle the weight of the car under those circumstances to the point that it is almost dangerous. EV9 steering is also more vague.

In comparison the R1S, rides very harsh. You feel every little bump and crack in the pavement. Worse then I feel in many sports cars I've had, and closest to the wrangler I had in the past or other big trucks. My R1S is also on 22" wheels which definitely makes it worse. Switching to a 20" would help. The few R1T loaners I've had road better, but that is pretty well documented at this point. That said the steering is more precise and suspension handles the cars weight much better than the EV9. The same interchanges that unsettle the EV9 at 65mph I can take confidently in the R1S at higher speeds. The Rivian is also feels like a much larger car. It is generally harder to park and maneuver around tight areas vs the EV9 .

The biggest difference by far though has been the none stop quality issues with the Rivian. Things that just work in other cars that you haven't thought about in years and years often don't work in the Rivian. Something as simple as unlocking the car that you will likely never have an issue with in the EV9 can be very inconsistent in the R1S. I do wish Rivian would put more focus into quality on some of these basic things even if it means shipping features at a slower rate.

At this point my wife never wants to get another Rivian again and avoids driving it if she can due to all the issues that are just part of daily life with it. Rivian service isn't much help and I don't really blame them. These mostly appear to be software issues and not anything service can do anything about. They try to apologize and at this point are just used to the constant complaints.

Rivian has the potential for a great product and really hope they continue to improve, but no way I would recommend it to anyone that isn't prepared to deal with all the issues. Just not worth it for most that aren't enthusiasts and are just looking for a car as an appliance.

 

[RandomMcRandomFace]

I feel like I drive a different Rivian than some of you folks. I have no software issues. I’ve never had an issue locking or unlocking doors. Phone as key works 100% of the time. The app is amongst the best I’ve used. The car software is far better than any other car I’ve ever sat in other than perhaps my old Tesla. I don’t find the ride harsh in the slightest and I have 22 inch wheels. Plush? No. “Every bump” not even close. Perhaps my expectations are different, but I just don’t understand some of these comments.

 

[Eric_partman]

Maybe I’m a snob but 80k for a Kia seems insane to me

 

[DuoRivians]

Both are good cars. Driven an EV9. It’s great for traveling in. Great charging over 350kw chargers. I don’t see the reason to say one is better than the other.

I have an R1S and I wouldn’t recommend it to people who aren’t willing to deal with service centers, rattles, etc. I found the Kia EV9 to have a lot less hassle overall—and has mechanical door handles

 

[All Rived Up]

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

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.

On my Level 2 Home Charger, the EV9 would charge in about 6 to 7 hours overnight when at around 20% SOC. The R1S takes 9 to 10 hours.

 

[All Rived Up]

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

"Looking" at the EV9 and driving it for a Year is completely different. The EV9's Interior is way more plush and definitely more comfortable seats.

 

[DuoRivians]

On my Level 2 Home Charger, the EV9 would charge in about 6 to 7 hours overnight when at around 20% SOC. The R1S takes 9 to 10 hours.

This has more to do with the battery pack size, than speed of charge. Eg. 48amps over 240v is the same

 

[HaveBlue]

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.

People with two young kids or more want captains chairs. Once you put two car seats or booster seats in the second row there's no way into the third row.

For me the ev9 wasn't on the radar any more than shopping a 4Runner against a Highlander. Two different missions.

 

[Time2Roll]

This has more to do with the battery pack size, than speed of charge. Eg. 48amps over 240v is the same

Yes and due to the lower driving efficiency of the Rivian it takes longer to get the same miles restored.
Yes Rivian is slower to charge due to lower efficiency.

 

[KRIV_ian]

Don't the captain's chairs make the EV9 a 6 seater or is there some removable middle seat for the second row like the Honda Odysseys had (have)?

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