Totaled the Royvian, What's Next?

[Yellow Buddy]

I wish this was under better conditions but I have freed myself from my 2022 R1T. Just under 47,000 miles and the only miles it has left on it is a flatbed to Copart to become an organ donor. I've been quite vocal about my love hate for this truck. I first took notice during Covid on Long Way Up as a prototype support vehicle for Ewan and Charlie's 4th adventure, but a first on EV motorcycles. Rivian caught my attention with it's awesomeness of no gas, +800 hp, a bed for all my manly to-dos, and Tank Turn (LOL) in case I go down a road that just doesn't go anywhere. Back in 22 Toyota and all the other legacy Dealers were tacking on thousands of dollars to MSRP for whatever vehicle they could get on the lot. Then there was this start up full of promises of a quirky looking, game changing pickup at a very reasonable (pre-hike) price. I threw my deposit down, fast forward 3+ years, and here we are.

It’s been a dream to drive, but anytime it needed service the dream turned into a nightmare. It’s never left me stranded, and I have always been given a loaner or rental, but it doesn’t seem service really listens, diagnoses, or is capable of fixing some of the lingering issues I’ve had since day one. Some of the updates help, but then the next one will break it again. The biggest for me is getting into the vehicle. I’ll stand at the door with phone and key fob on my person, and it may NEVER open unless I physically intervene. It's like Showdown at the OK Corral. After I take the phone out of my pocket and just before I touch the screen to open the Rivian App, it unlocks! And of course service claims it's working as intended. Other than that, some infotainment bugs, and interior lighting issues, she’s been a real trooper. I’ve had the 12V batteries replaced twice under warranty and they usually reach out to me about that. The heater malfunctioned early on and they towed it the the SC and resolved that. That repair created a few new noises but I’ve learned to live with the creaks and rattles. Maybe because I was in the industry, I’m critical, but as nice is everyone in service is, they are equally incompetent. I’ve had multiple return trips for simple things, mobile service has made multiple trips for simple, things, and it seems they attempt to repair from my description rather than diagnosing the issues themselves. My last service visit they cracked my windshield and didn’t tell me, notified me via app it was ready but was closed upon arrival even though their web site claims otherwise, then multiple people gave me the run around for a few weeks promising to get back to me and of course didn’t. I’m not sure I’m prepared to go through it all again. So as I’ve said in many posts, I LOVE DRIVING my Rivian, but the (lack of) service and plethora of bugs are dealbreakers (or are they)?

This brings to the reason for this post. Now that I’m in a position where I have to replace the Royvian, I told my self stop the madness and get something from an established brand that knows how to take care of customers and their vehicles. After a week or so of shopping I’m not sure how attainable that really is in the EV space, or just living in 2026 Idiocracy. Here’s my short list, if anyone has experience with these ‘competitors’, let me know your thoughts. I understand most of these are apples to oranges, but I’m sold on EV life after two Teslas and a Rivian, not sure I can go back to an ICE vehicle under 835 HP

I’d like to keep it around $50k and still have a year or two of warranty.

2022/2023 Audi E-Tron GT, RS if I get lucky - I’d prefer the Taycan, but there’s just so much more value with the Audi and I prefer a sleeper, and it's cheaper.

2022/2023 Rivian R1T - maybe this time I’ll find one with a powered tonneau so I can throw away my PVC fence slat cover. Also, I’m going in knowing (lack of) service and bugs are just part of living with a Rivian (and perhaps all EVs?)


Those are the top contenders, but I'm open to other pre-owned...

Kia EV6 GT / Hyundai Ionic 5 N - good performance and charging speeds

Blazer EV / Silverado EV - I hear good things about SuperCruise and they have buttons

Lucid - cheap and great range but buggier than Rivian?

BMW i4 - subscription happy?

Mach-E / Lighting - IT'S NOT A MUSTANG!!! I grew up with a couple 60's and Fox bodies, and I refuse to accept a 4 door SUV being called a Mustang



If I get some honest input and not just blasted for expressing my discontent for Riv, I’ll share some photos of what happened to the Royvian when I zigged but I should have zagged.

As a Kia EV9 owner, and a F150 Lightning owner, there's a couple of things I think you should consider.

Kia - We loved ours for 2 years, then the squeaks. So many squeaks. We're not even sure why it's squeaking but it drives me absolutely insane. Outside of that, it's super comfortable, charging speeds are great and we were recommending it to everyone who would listen. But the squeaking is driving me nuts right now.

Lightning - I LOVE this truck. So much so that I missed my 1st lightning and sold my first R1T to buy my 2nd Lightning. The one thing is, be considerate of the safety ratings if you have children. I won't put my children in the truck based on the most recent IIHS crash tests that showed the rear seat belt does not stay in place in the event of a crash and ends up moving up and choking the child. It was the only reason I sold my 2nd Lightning and came back to a R1T, otherwise I absolutely love that truck.

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[Shoeshear]

Sorry about your Rivian, but glad that you came away unharmed!

My parents have a Lucid Air and an etron Gt that I’ve driven a few times.

Lucid:
The cabin/interior space in the lucid is really awesome. Feels more like being in an S class or something. It rides quite comfortably and is quiet, but the large wheels do allow some harsh noises into the cabin over rough roads. They drive really nicely when driven aggressively as well. The camera system is not as crisp as the Gen 2 rivian and I find the Lucid harder to park than the Rivian, especially nose first. The corners of the car are a little hard to pinpoint, as is the very front, making it hard to gauge distance in tight spaces. The parking sensors help a lot, but sometimes you need to park even closer. I find their ADAS/cruise control button scheme annoying, but it works. Autonomous driving is pretty weak, but really all I care about is very competent highway and congested traffic ADAS. I prefer to drive myself on surface streets. The soft close doors are great and the headlights are good (I prefer the rivian matrix lights). Much faster charging than the Rivian and much better range and efficiency

Other annoying things about the lucid are the door handles can be buggy sometimes and don’t always present to open. My parents had to get the radar replaced within a couple weeks of delivery, but it’s been largely reliable since then. Software issues are present, making driver profile switching a bit annoying, but it does work.


eTron GT:
I think it looks awesome. Both the eTron and the Taycan have great proportions. It doesn’t have one pedal driving, which is annoying to me. The interior is very VW/AG - nice seats and steering wheel, nice feeling touch points, but a ton of buttons. Too many buttons I think. Interior feels much more compact/cramped compared to the Lucid which is the same overall size, but for that trade off it feels sportier sitting in it. Easier to park than the Lucid, but steering feels less sharp when driving a bit harder. I generally think Audi over-weights their steering. The eTron has had a couple service appointments, including typical 12v failure, which took 3 service visits to Audi for them to fix finally.

iMO, I prefer the Rivian, but Lucid is very close. But I do worry about Lucid’s future and I think they have similar QC issues to Rivian, perhaps worse if Jason Fenske’s video on engineering explained is even partially representative of what people can expect from the Air. I probably would have gotten a used Air if I didn’t need to tow my track car and I didn’t do any wood working/lumber projects. The Air in matte black, fully murdered out on wide tires looks evil (in the best way).

If time is on your side, the R2 is coming out soon as is the new (Neue Klasse) BMW Ix3 which are both around your budget. The iX3 seems to be very well regarded by journalists and seems very compelling on paper. It would also satisfy your desire to get something from a more established mfg.

Edit: Never driven the Kia/hyundai stuff, but i seem to read about the ICCU failures a lot. The frequency of that seems a bit unknown, but they’ve been replacing them under warranty AFAIK.

 

[boosted20v]

I too am in the same boat as I expect to hear this week that my 22 Quad will be totaled. That said I will be getting another one, aiming for Limestone/Ocean Coast but the pickings are pretty slim.

You mentioned Audi a few times, have you considered the Q6/SQ6? It's built on Audi's newest PPE architecture shared with the Macan EV (also worth considering). My wife has an SQ6 and it's plenty quick, great on the highway and sporty enough in dynamic mode, and has the option to one pedal drive (The Macan does not).

 

[bagsofcole]

Bummer about your R1. Hope everyone is safe from the collision (?).

I also traded a ’23 Lightning Lariat LR for my current Gen2 R1T. Everything works as advertised, including the digital key and proximity lock/unlock. It’s interesting reading the forum and seeing the wide range of experiences with this feature—why the variability, I don’t know. I’m really enjoying the R1T, and I’m also glad I “waited” and got a Gen2 (“waited” meaning I bought the Lightning thinking local service would be better and, well, Ford has been around a long time—they won’t give up on EVs…).

We also owned a Mach-E, which we traded for a Kia EV9 GT-Line. On the software front, I think you may be frustrated moving to Ford, Kia, or most other vehicles (perhaps except Tesla). I haven’t owned VW/Audi or Porsche and have only seen GM products from afar, but Rivian clearly has Ford and Kia/Hyundai beat by a long way. Buttons aside, the ease of use, screen layout, and frequent updates are all better on the Rivian. I haven’t missed CarPlay at all, which surprised me. What I do miss is a true satellite connection or SiriusXM—the glitches with Rivian’s current approach are unfortunate and annoying.

Driving-wise, the Lightning did rattle a lot, like Druidspirit mentioned. It was a nice truck—and huge—but I don’t miss it. The Mach-E was rock solid and a lot of fun to drive. We honestly would have kept it, but we wanted a three-row vehicle again for our family, and the EV9 fit the bill. It’s my wife’s daily driver, so I’m not in it much—but I drove most of a 1,200-mile trip to the UP (Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, for our non-Upper Midwest friends) last summer. Even with our rooftop Thule box it performed great, and we had no issues. One tip: always bring your 110V charger—it’s helpful even for 50 miles overnight at a site without 220V access.

Service experience—well, I also agree with Druidspirit. So far my experience with Rivian has been top notch. Service teams relying on a customer’s description rather than forming their own diagnosis isn’t unique to Rivian—I’ve had that experience with Ford, Kia, BMW, and Mazda. (I won’t list the other brands we’ve owned—it might reveal too much about my car problem, which I’m sure many of you share!)

No one was hurt, thanks for checking. Also thanks for the feedback. Think I have it whittled down to another R1T or an E-Tron GT.

I too am in the same boat as I expect to hear this week that my 22 Quad will be totaled. That said I will be getting another one, aiming for Limestone/Ocean Coast but the pickings are pretty slim.

You mentioned Audi a few times, have you considered the Q6/SQ6? It's built on Audi's newest PPE architecture shared with the Macan EV (also worth considering). My wife has an SQ6 and it's plenty quick, great on the highway and sporty enough in dynamic mode, and has the option to one pedal drive (The Macan does not).

The local Mitsubishi dealer has a 22 Limestone/OC with V2 PTC!!! I test drove it and it’s nice. A little rough around the edges, been in an accident and has over 60k miles, but priced at $44k. They seem willing to negotiate too but I hear that dealer is known to buy junk and hide it.
I’d be fine with almost any color, preferably Limestone, Canyon Red, Riv blue, either green. Just not a fan of black on these. I liked the OC on my El Cap but it was work keeping it clean. I’d like to find one with the Forrest interior.
As far as Audi, my better half is in love with the E-Tron GT RS. It’s a poor man’s Taycan, which is what I’d prefer but not 100% sold on it. I guess they’re having issues with the batteries and motors. We already have 2 SUVs so not really interested in a third. It would be our weekend warrior so might as well go big (or small in this case). Also I’m reading the latest Audi’s are subscription happy… not thrilled with that either.

 

[bagsofcole]

My local kia dealer is also the local Mazda and Chevy dealer. They are terrible.

Ha, exactly the same here, all three in a row but I don’t have experience with them except they don’t sell wiper refills. Wesley Chapel?

 

[CrazyOne]

Ha, exactly the same here, all three in a row but I don’t have experience with them except they don’t sell wiper refills. Wesley Chapel?

Nope, Kirkland, WA.

They are a big part of the reason why I bought a Rivian. I didn't want to deal with dealers.

 

[bagsofcole]

Nope, Kirkland, WA.

They are a big part of the reason why I bought a Rivian. I didn't want to deal with dealers.

I’m right there with you. I’m looking at used rivs at dealers since the insurance payout wasn’t enough to buy a new one (obviously) and damn what a PITA! Considering a preowned via Rivian but I’m still mad at them for their lackluster service so I have them in a timeout.

 

[CrazyOne]

I’m right there with you. I’m looking at used rivs at dealers since the insurance payout wasn’t enough to buy a new one (obviously) and damn what a PITA! Considering a preowned via Rivian but I’m still mad at them for their lackluster service so I have them in a timeout.

Yeah, service is an ongoing issue. I am considering maintaining our ICE car myself. I have done so with my motorcycle. I don't know which one is worse.

With Rivian, it's not an option. The experience is great so far, but they charge 2x stealership prices.

 

[bagsofcole]

Yeah, service is an ongoing issue. I am considering maintaining our ICE car myself. I have done so with my motorcycle. I don't know which one is worse.

With Rivian, it's not an option. The experience is great so far, but they charge 2x stealership prices.

Yeah, I was a mechanic in my younger years and still do as much maintenance as possible to our fleet. I like how Tesla allows access to their parts and service database, albeit for a fee. And I don’t like how even under warranty Rivian likes to give me a stroke with every visit. $2000 taillights, $2200 windshields. Seems like xcare will be a must.

 

[forestwalker]

Other than the range limitations, and having to fall/crawl into and out of it, I loved my i4 (2023 e35). It handled like a dream at high speed, made the driving experience very very enjoyable. I would definitely own one again if I were looking for a coupe.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

My wife has an i4M50, and she really likes it. It's a nice car, although it could use a little stronger regen braking.

 

[bagsofcole]

My wife has an i4M50, and she really likes it. It's a nice car, although it could use a little stronger regen braking.

It seems the Audi has none (automatically). But as I understand it the brake pedal modulates the regen and friction brakes depending on the progression of the press

 

[Donald Stanfield]

It seems the Audi has none (automatically). But as I understand it the brake pedal modulates the regen and friction brakes depending on the progression of the press

That would make it a no for me. One pedal driving is the best thing about an EV.

 

[TollKeeper]

Those are the top contenders, but I'm open to other pre-owned...

Kia EV6 GT / Hyundai Ionic 5 N - good performance and charging speeds

Blazer EV / Silverado EV - I hear good things about SuperCruise and they have buttons

Lucid - cheap and great range but buggier than Rivian?

BMW i4 - subscription happy?

Mach-E / Lighting - IT'S NOT A MUSTANG!!! I grew up with a couple 60's and Fox bodies, and I refuse to accept a 4 door SUV being called a Mustang



If I get some honest input and not just blasted for expressing my discontent for Riv, I’ll share some photos of what happened to the Royvian when I zigged but I should have zagged.

I am actually shopping for a replacement for my R1S.

Heres what I can tell you about a couple of the vehicles you have listed.

Blazer EV does not come with SuperCruise unless you get the SS trim. This is the #3 vehicle on my list.

On the Silverado, I think the Sierra looks better personally, but dont forget about the GMC Hummer, which can usually be had used for about $5-20k less than the Silverado/Sierra. These are the #2 vehicles on my list. I hate the glass roof. But I do like the seating position, the HUD, the range on the MaxPack (440). Dealer would not let me play with the radio to much, so no idea how the 8 speaker Bose system compares.

I looked at the Ioniq5 and EV6. And although I did like them, my back did not like getting in and out of them. The Mach-E was the same thing for me, could not get in and out without back issues.

The Ford F150 Lightning is the one that peaks my interest, especially the 2022 Lightning Platinum. The 2022's in the Platinum trim has the better interior, and to include massaging seats (if equipped). They dropped the massaging seats 3/4 way thru 2022, and completely for 2023, but brought it back half way thru 2024. in 2024 they also changed from the 18 speaker B&O Unleashed system, to the 14 B&O system. If you can find one at a FoMoCo dealer, and get it CPO'ed... That would be the way to go as they can be found for less than 50k. And it also comes with a standard Opening/Closing, with a built in cover, MoonRoof! (Rivian/GM, take notes!)!

I wont speak to the German vehicles... I wont buy anything German.

 

[9527]

I totaled my R1S last year. Switched to a Lucid Air lease. The car drives super nice and it’s mostly quiet but that’s it. I can’t live with its software. It’s years behind Tesla and Rivian. I miss the seamlessness. Lane centering is still an option. So is a heated steering wheel. One year in, no UI updates of any kind. No major updates. I can’t wait for my lease to end this fall.

Though the Lucid never leave me stranded. It visited the SC a few times for minor problems and some service bulletins. Their practice is like Rivian. Available appointments can sometimes be scarce. When they have the car, they will let it sit for a week before looking at it. I always got a Lucid loaner though.

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