Why is the R1S so cramped?

[Owner]

Gosh, I wouldn't have bought the R1S if it was as long as the R1T. It wouldn't fit in my garage and many parking spaces! A lot of buyers will almost never use the 3rd row but like a decent length for transporting stuff. I think the R1S is the perfect length!

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[Greg Chick]

I find that the third row legroom is fine if you move up the second row seats.

My biggest complaint is that the mechanism to get into the third row is heavy and awkward and when you put the second row seat back, the angle is upright so you have to readjust the angle.

In terms of actual measurable legroom its only beaten by the lucid gravity that I can find:

Lucid Gravity - 33.9 inches
Rivian R1S - 32.8 inches
Cadillac Escalade IQ -32.3 inches
Tesla Model X - 32.2
Mercedes - Benz EQS SUV - 32.0 inches
Kia EV9 - 32.0 inches

Source: i see cars

Thank you for the facts. In my opinion, all "complaints" or statements need to include the facts. The validity of the statement can be measured and the value clear to see. We are discussing less than 1 inch, or what? Are we discussing a zero to 60mph in 3.0, or 3.8 seconds, (why so slow)? I could belabor the point into other areas, but I will rest my point.

 

[savethemanual]

I think the R1S is the perfect length!

 

[lefkonj]

I read the title and was just laughing, cramped? The R1S has plenty of room for the second row. My 6'5" father in law sits in the passenger seat with it really far back and my 5'9" wife can sit behind him now problems at all. The car feels big to me inside. Yes the 3rd row isn't 'huge' but it is big enough for normal sized people to use. Getting in and out of most 3rd rows sucks, unless you have a convertible SUV. If the R1S was as long as the T i would not have bought it. Has more internior room than a Q7/X7/etc. I didn't want a suburban .

 

[skyguyscott]

Now that the R2 is available, I think a pretty easy path forward for Rivian is to offer the R1 S on the same platform as the R1 T so as to offer both expanded legroom and cargo space, especially for those people that need a viable third row to haul adult sized passengers.

For those that never use the third row seats, the R2 should fill that market slot nicely. Further differentiating between the R1S and the R2 would be a good thing I think.

Do I think this will really happen? Probably not, unless there is a ground swell of market demand, but Rivian currently is struggling to gain mindshare, let alone market share, and I doubt they have the budget to expand the R1S

 

[lefkonj]

Now that the R2 is available, I think a pretty easy path forward for Rivian is to offer the R1 S on the same platform as the R1 T so as to offer both expanded legroom and cargo space, especially for those people that need a viable third row to haul adult sized passengers.

For those that never use the third row seats, the R2 should fill that market slot nicely. Further differentiating between the R1S and the R2 would be a good thing I think.

Do I think this will really happen? Probably not, unless there is a ground swell of market demand, but Rivian currently is struggling to gain mindshare, let alone market share, and I doubt they have the budget to expand the R1S

The question really is do people agree the R1S is too small. Third row could be removed to save cost and increase back storage space but a market survey would show if the R1S is too small or not. It sells well enough right now considering the market.

 

[Jccoryell]

As a 6 foot tall person, I feel the leg room in the 2nd and 3rd row is adequate but the higher floor (i guess the battery pack is what raises the floor) makes it very uncomfortable for me to sit back there. Raising my legs off the seat puts pressure on my tailbone and thus discomfort. I also find the cargo area floor to be much higher than my previous 3 row vehicle (Enclave) to the point where many larger objects won't even fit back there. Im seeing this with many newer vehicles that seem large on the outside but cramped inside. Many vehicles from the 70s and 80s looked small but had plenty of room inside. Where did the space go?

 

[Hillbilly]

Captains chairs would have solved everything. Easy ingress and egress, plus extra room to extend feet from the rear.

 

[iansriv]

I just folded the 3rd row down when I picked the car up almost 3 years ago and have left it that way. I'm coming from small sports cars where I was grateful for enough space to put my sunglasses. So, the R1S is like a football stadium of space for me. I also buy cars knowing what I'm getting into. I still dont like the glass roof and headlights but that's how the car came. C'est la vie.

 

[mkhuffman]

Imagine

I have had my R1T in the shop a few times lately, and two of the times I got a R1S. The first time it was exactly like my T: same color and it was a Tri. The second time it was a Gen1 Dual with the Large battery and AT wheels.

The ride quality of the S is noticeably worse. It bounces more, both with the 22s and the 20 ATs.

The room behind the third row is less than what we have in our Grand Cherokee L.

I agree with you that the S would be a much better vehicle if it was on the same platform as the T.

I keep trying to convince my wife to replace her GC with a R!S, but she never will if it is smaller. And she still wants us to have at least one gas powered vehicle, which is reasonable. But still. If the S had the same or more room than her GC, I might have a chance to move her over. Maybe.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

I dunno? Why are you so big and why did you buy a car that doesn't fit?

The mysteries of life...

 

[rodhx]

The R1S has significantly more legroom in the 2nd row than the R1T rear seat. The only way it would seem cramped is if the 2nd row is slid forward. Most importantly the rear doors are much longer than the T which makes ingress/egress easier. We have one of each and there’s no comparison in second row comfort. I am 6’2” and my sons are both 6’6” btw.

Yes, the third row is tight but these are mid-sized vehicles and tight third rows are the best you can hope for in this class. Unless you want zero cargo space behind the third row of course.

One of the other replies has it right though…it is unbelievable how difficult it is to use the second & third row folding mechanisms. It’s like Rivian intentionally ignored decades of industry experience and tried to make it almost impossible to use.

 

[skyguyscott]

Yes, I think you are exactly right, the R1 S does have better legroom in the second row overall than the R1T, if the third row is unoccupied. But if there are adults in the third row, that necessitates the second row sliding forward a bit and you basically have the same legroom as the R1T, maybe a hair worse if there are some really big people in the third row.

And ingress in egress for the second row is easier in the R1S than the R1T, on average, but the third row is going to be a bit cumbersome for anyone over 50 years old, tall and/or large

This is what led to my main question about why they simply didn’t use the same chassis for the R1S — they could’ve had it all, especially if they tweaked the seat mechanisms.

i’ve never had a problem, fitting my R1T into my garage, but evidently more people like the dimensions of the smaller R1S.

 

[Jccoryell]

My issue with the 2nd row is the high floor. The height of the seat off the floor is low keeping my legs off the seat and putting pressure on my tailbone. I realize the extra height is due to the thick battery pack below the floor boards but it makes the 2nd row unusable to me. My previous vehicle was an Enclave, which had captain chairs in the 2nd row. It was so comfortable that I preferred the 2nd row to the 1st

 

[ttwaiter]

My R1S is 6 inches shorter than my 100 year old concrete and Brick garage. I pull three inches from the back wall and have three inch's behind it to close the garage door, absolutely the perfect length. We are not tall people so leg room is perfect for us. If you need a suburban buy one.......

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