New R1S impressions from a Grand Cherokee owner (Long)

[Captain JB]

Thank you for the in depth feedback. I have had two different Grand Jeep Cherokees over a period of 30 years. I actually used them off road and not just for speed bumps in LA! )) I pick up my R1S on Dec 2nd and hope some of the QC issues have been resolved. I am still flummoxed on how Rivian could not have designed a place for a full size spare in a truly off road ADVENTURE vehicle. Instead of 3 rows of seats which will be used .0001 % of the time, they could have allowed no 3rd row (the option I signed up for which was eliminated) and had room for a full size spare. Thanks again. JB

Sponsored

 

[SolartoEV]

I came over from a 2011 WK2 Overland Summit and agree the Rivian is in a world of its own.

 

[BCondrey]

Can I get a TLDR for this?

 

[Tim-in-CA]

Is the TLDR summary : Rivian = Good? Was far too long of a write up!! LOL

 

[Nine_One_Six_R1S]

Like the writeup, one thing I thing its been pretty much decided by the 1000s of others that have struggled with the charging pad that it doesnt work, will never work and best to find some 3rd parties on here in the vendor area that have come up with some nice fairly cheap replacements. I went with a left vent mount and obd2 to usb setup.

which mount did you get? Most of the ones I see recommended are Mag safe but I have no iphone.

 

[Kenmecca]

Left Phone Ball Mount V2 – OpenSource EV Parts
You can put what ever mount you want, I took the magnet from this mount and used for my Samsung Flip5. I am not doing wireless charging, I plug in, just my preference Amazon.com: LISEN Tesla Phone Mount Holder, for MagSafe Car Mount [20 Strongest Magnets] Tesla Model 3/Y/X/S Accessories 2023, Adjustable Tesla Accessories Model 3/Y Fits for iPhone 15 Pro Max Plus 14 13 12 Mini : Cell Phones & Accessories

with this obd2 usb Amazon.com: Scosche Universal 5.ft USB Hard Wire Kit with 18W USB-A QC 3.0 Port and OBDII Connector OBD2QC3-SP : Electronics

 

[The_Frog]

Plus, it literally had the worst power delivery and laggiest throttle response I've ever experienced in a vehicle; it felt like the earliest turbocharged cars from the early 80s. I began to hate its lack of power, responsiveness, and quirks and when Rivian presented their concept, I truly felt they built a vehicle for me.

This made me laugh. We sound like (car) twins. Dumped my '14 Overland GC diesel for an R1S....put that puppy in sport mode and the GC is nothing but a distant memory!

 

[stynes]

To be fair, I only use my phone as a key. The only issue I have is when ending my drive and getting out. Only my driver door unlocks, so I’m fussing with the phone to get my son out of his car seat.

I could just remember to hit the unlock on the screen.

I have proximity lock on “all doors” so unlocking is not a problem.

All in all, not really a problem for me.

There's a separate option... on Access->Vehicle->Unlock all doors in park

 

[Cascadian]

Enjoyable read, though I admit I skipped a few sentences here and there.

I’m the bougie BMW owner mixed with an EV enthusiast and my wife is a Landcruiser girl who only wants to drives tanks twice as big of other cars on the road.

The R1S is our match made in heaven

I was disappointed in the new Rivian audio. After fiddling with the EQ, bringing down the bass a tad and upping a little of the upper mid and ensuring that the ridiculous 3D sound nonsense is off, I enjoy the sound.

And I’ve definitely had to mess with my phone to unlock the car too many times.

Pretty much agree with everything else. Loving the car and okay with some of the small issues.

Enjoy!

Had my R1S less than two weeks.
At first car would unlock and present handles reliably. Since a few days ago it seems random how far away I have to be.
I have discovered that if it does not unlock before I get to the driver’s door touching the front part of the handle will unlock. No need to get phone out.

 

[Cascadian]

Thank you for the in depth feedback. I have had two different Grand Jeep Cherokees over a period of 30 years. I actually used them off road and not just for speed bumps in LA! )) I pick up my R1S on Dec 2nd and hope some of the QC issues have been resolved. I am still flummoxed on how Rivian could not have designed a place for a full size spare in a truly off road ADVENTURE vehicle. Instead of 3 rows of seats which will be used .0001 % of the time, they could have allowed no 3rd row (the option I signed up for which was eliminated) and had room for a full size spare. Thanks again. JB

I too wonder how the 2 row option ( that I also ordered) was different in respect storage, etc.
I have folded the 3rd since delivery.

 

[Robin]

Hey all,

Prelude: This will be long. You have been warned.

I just took delivery of my R1S (Forest Green/Ocean Coast/Adventure/21"s) two weeks ago after 2 years of waiting and since I don't have many people around me I can geek out to, here is my stream of conscious rambling of my thoughts. Of course, I'm on cloud nine right now and feel like a kid whose just ingested a bunch of pixie sticks, so the few poor souls who've made the mistake of talking to me about my new purchase (mostly coworkers) have been the receipient of the giddy, manic ramblings of an obsessive car enthusiast - many glazed eyes, yawns, and furtive glances to non-existent watches have been made. Like a AA meeting, I feel this is likely the only forum where people will not eventually start looking for the exit when I begin to talk about my addiction, so here goes. This will be long, so I warned you.

Since lurking in this forum, I've noticed that there are many reasons why people have decided to go with a Rivian. Some are your predictable electric car fans that wanted a larger SUV to complement/replace their Prius/Bolt/Leaf/Tesla/etc. Others appear to be your typical bougie BMW X7 type-buyer that can't seem to function unless they have the newest, glitziest thing on the market. There are also those that are past Subaru or Jeep owners who enjoy jaunts to the outdoors and are aspirational in their vehicle purchases, having reached a point in their careers that they could afford the spiritual successor to their outdoorsy SUVs/wagons.

This observation has made me understand that depending on where you're coming from vehicle-wise, your impression of the Rivian is likely to be strongly influenced by expectations derived from past vehicle purchases. So, I think it's important to note the perspective from which I'm viewing my R1S.

I grew up loving cars and when someone asks me about my hobbies, the first thing I mention is that I'm a "car guy (Human? Carbon-based life form with bipedal characteristics?)". Generally, I've loved performance cars in the traditional sense (German sports sedans/coupes, muscle cars both classic and modern, and high revving Japanese sport coupes and the like) but that love began to extend to off-roaders when, in my twenties, I enlisted in the Army and did a bunch of deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. After driving my share of M11 series HMMWVs, ASVs, and MRAPs in combat, I quickly began to love and appreciate the different capabilities and engineering that went into building a capable off-roader, as well as the different set of skills required of a driver of such vehicles. Thus, I started to really desire similar vehicles when I was back in the rear. Being stationed in Colorado, an off-roader really "unlocks" the true beauty of this state, allowing one to go to the places that make this place really special. Plus, I wanted something that would allow me to target shoot in the mountains - the more capable the off-roader, the more isolated - and thus - better the spot one could shoot at.

I ended up purchasing a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit with the Ecodiesel engine in February 2015. I wanted something that was both very off-road capable and still great to drive on the pavement, with all the features I've come to expect in my past sports sedan/coupes. I didn't want a Wrangler/4Runner/etc. because this would be a daily driver and as great as those vehicles are for off-road, I consider them miserable to drive on pavement, especially as a guy used to being spoiled by numerous performance cars in the past. Land Rovers (Discos and Range Rovers) met the luxury and features requirements, but as we all know, poor reliability, sparse service centers and expensive parts are a very poor recipe for an off-roader. Land Cruisers are too expensive and thirsty (ditto old G-Wagons, but even more so), Subaru's to banal, unrefined, slow and without the capability I was looking for, so GC was the vehicle that best fit the bill. For me the GC had all the luxuries I was used to in a premium vehicle (with the Summit trim, specifically), but also with more than enough off-road chops. It had a true transfer case, Quadra-Drive II has a locking center diff and limited slip rear diff, and the air suspension provided tons of usability - low ride height for loading/unloading/highway efficiency, high ride height for off-roading.

For eight years, it became the vehicle that I owned the longest. It did everything from cross-country trips (Denver to Springfield, MO on one tank of diesel!), to camping and shooting expeditions in the mountains. It towed out-state purchased motorcycles with ease, had enough room to sleep in, and was quiet and refined at speed. But, the Ecodiesel engine had its fair share of problems and annoyances. While my engine was plenty reliable, I didn't trust it enough to own it far past its warranty period. Plus, it literally had the worst power delivery and laggiest throttle response I've ever experienced in a vehicle; it felt like the earliest turbocharged cars from the early 80s. I began to hate its lack of power, responsiveness, and quirks and when Rivian presented their concept, I truly felt they built a vehicle for me.

So, the R1S was the vehicle I've always wanted in a daily driver and capable off-roader, and then some. Until Rivian came on the scene, every brand that attempted to bring to market a luxurious, refined daily driver with serious off-roading capabilities always came with glaring compromises whether it be outrageous pricing, abysmal fuel efficiency, or whatever. To me, Rivian has done the impossible - build a car that can do two opposing things with little to no compromises. It can do serious off-roading and also go zero to 100mph in less than 10 seconds all without burning a drop of gasoline. Amazing.

So, what are my impressions? It's only been 2 weeks, but I'm ecstatic to report that the R1S is everything I wanted it to be. I absolutely love, love, love the electric powertrain. I love the instant response, the lack of a transmission and thus, corresponding delay in shifting that has to happen when making abrupt throttle inputs, outrageous passing power, and one-pedal driving. To me, the electric drivetrain is game-changing and is such a categorically beneficial strength that it instantly makes the R1S better than its competition from a drivers perspective. I love the complete and utter lack of NVH at a stop. No vibrations. No buzzing engine. No noise. In one fell swoop, an electric drivetrain accomplishes what every Cadillac Fleetwood and Rolls Royce chased for decades.

With the ocean coast interior, it's so airy and inviting in the cabin - it's truly spacious in the drivers seat and that's much appreciated as a big guy. I consider the visibility to be awesome as far as modern vehicles go with their towering belt-lines and modern crash standards. The front and side visibility is truly expansive and instantly imparts a feeling of confidence whilst driving on tight city streets. Even the rear visibility is quite good in a day and age where so many SUVs are now evolving into grotesque vehicular mutants with ham-fisted coupe-like design characteristics haphazardly slapped upon them. In a world of such Powell Motors Homer-mobiles, the traditional SUV design principles of the R1S are refreshing and worthy of respect.

I really dig the design and layout of the cabin. I have not tested the comfort of the seats during a long drive, but I find them both comfortable and supportive. They have the correct amount of side bolstering (they're there but not intrusive) and thigh cushion length. The driver's ergonomics are very dialed in - the height of the seat, width of the driver cockpit (distance between center armrest and door armrest), roominess of the foot box and placement of the dead pedal are all ideal and greatly contribute to the overall driver experience. Legacy manufacturers still get this wrong (looking at you GM with your off center steering wheels), and it's clear Rivian employed the proper people to ensure that these things were prioritized. I'm a big fan of being able to stow my standard Nalgene water bottle in the door pocket and toss my phone on the charging mat (which doesn't work...). I don't have kids, but my friends sat in the second row during my inaugural drive at home and reported having plenty of comfort and space.

The size of the R1S is ideal for a 3 row SUV. It's 10 inches longer than my GC, but doesn't feel like it. It's not remotely cumbersome or ungainly like a Suburban or Navigator. The maneuverability and camera suite make this vehicle easy enough to place in parking garages and parallel parking situations, which is important to me, because I frequent downtown Denver almost weekly, enjoying the dozens of microbreweries it has to offer on the reg (tell me your don't have kids without telling me you don't have kids...). This is also a reason why I've never owned a pickup, although I've been tempted, but could never justify owning such a huge vehicle. Furthermore, the R1S, despite having a relatively large wheelbase (as far a SUVs go, that is) has substantially better off-road geometry than any pickup, so that was a huge plus for me.

The ride and handling balance is quite good. This is a 7,000 lb. vehicle and I had no delusions that it wouldn't drive like one. It does. To me, that's both good and bad. I like the stability and confidence that comes with a heavy vehicle and the R1S delivers that. It's also a much better driver than any vehicle with its weight and dimensions has any right to be. The steering has the right amount of accuracy, heft, and responsiveness (i.e. ratio) to be just this side of sporty, without feeling nervous, twitchy or out-of-sync as a capable off-roader. I think the size of the steering wheel contributes to this too; it's smaller than you'd expect in a vehicle like this and you feel more like a conductor yielding a baton than what is normally typical in large SUVs, which can feel more like wrestling a ship's wheel in a dreadnaught. In steady state turns at speed, it has far less roll than anything that doesn't have sporting pretensions. In short, I find the tuning of the suspension quite nice and have not experienced any of the porpoising that early R1Ss prior to the update seemed to have.

So far, I find the infotainment experience just fine. Both me and the wife's phone sync up fast. The menus are pretty easy to navigate and look good. I find the camera resolution to be adequate and usable in the night. While I have Apple CarPlay in my Cadillac V and like it, I don't think its a must have in a vehicle as long as the UI isn't complete garbage, but that likely has a lot to do with the fact that my infotainment needs are quite small. I use Spotify, I don't talk or text while driving, and live pretty close to work, so the accurate traffic reporting of Google Maps/Waze is not needed on a daily basis. I could certainly understand that if my needs were different, I'd be underwhelmed and/or pissed, but for me, i rather like it. I find the driving gauges very clean and readable. I'm also a fan of the new gauges available in the driving mode screen that shows battery and motor temps as I always appreciated oil and coolant temp gauges front and center in my performance cars.

Dislikes? Not many. It's true that the sound system is underwhelming. It's not bad, but it's pretty average. As a guy that has home theater grade speakers, seperates and TV at home, I'd love to improve it in the future and it's one of the things that I'm waiting for more daring owners to take the lead on and report their findings.

The locking/unlocking process is absolutely and bafflingly stupid and dare I say, unacceptable. This is like fumbling on the 1 yard line. How does a car manufacturer basically revolutionize an entire vehicle segment and then simultaneously fail at implementing a functionality so tried and true as locking and unlocking a vehicle? I also don't like that the HVAC and sound system don't turn off the instant you open the door when the vehicle is in park. It just feels super off-putting closing the door and walking away from the R1S and you can still hear the muffled sounds of your podcast still playing as you walk away from the car.

I'd also like more refinement in the chassis department. Minor bumps transfer a bit too much shudder throughout the cabin than I'd like. On a related note, there are some areas in the cabin that could use a bit more engineering in terms of NVH. I've noticed that all of the seat belt loops/retractors have a lot of play in them and rattle around whenever driving over frost heaves and expansion joints. If it bothers me enough, I may pop the interior B-pllar panels off and see if I can't strategically place some felt tape in there.

Also, sometimes the comfort ingress/egress fails to work when getting in and out of the car. A minor annoyance, but still an annoyance.

As mentioned earlier, the wireless charging pad doesn't work, but it's not a big deal to me. I'll deal with that later if I have to make a service appointment later down the line.

Overall, the fit and finish of my R1S is quite good, but there are a few small misalignments here and there. Again, if I have anything that requires a service ticket, I may bring this up. However, I've learned over the years that some battles are not worth the fight when it comes to service issues, and this may be one of them. They don't change the function of the vehicle and honestly, don't bother me. Prior to being medicated by the VA, things like this drove me batty. I came to realize that sometimes when it came to stuff like this, the problem was me (and my OCD), and not the vehicle. Just a thought if this sounds like you, but that's another topic for another time.

To sum it up, I believe my R1S to be the best vehicle I've ever owned from a product development perspective. In terms of its concept, intended purpose of design, and final execution, I find it sensational. If the owning experience is only half as good as my past favorite cars, it will probably become one of, if not the best vehicle purchases I've ever made. It's the "have your cake and eat it too" type of vehicle of which I've always dreamt. The purchasing process was awesome, too. It was seamless, personalized and absolutely put to shame every purchasing experience I've ever had, BMW and Mercedes purchases included.

If you're a car enthusiast and have a good understanding of not just vehicles, but the vast resources (knowledge, experience, logistics, capital, etc.) it takes for manufacturers to run a successful car brand, you obviously know that bringing a brand new vehicle to market is an undertaking that requires almost miraculous talent and luck, likely in equal measure. That Rivian has done this, and managed to actually produce not just a vehicle, but one that that is so stellar right out of the gate is truly a moonshot.

Like most of you, I could go on (and on), but I'll end it here. If you read all of this, congrats - you have a lot of time on your hands!

 

[Zorg]

Nice write up. Rivian suspension is pretty magical. I drive my R1T like a car on the freeway, or just about. It is so well balanced and confidence inspiring. Yet, that same truck can go tackle gnarly trails. It's pretty unique.

Enjoy and keep spreading the good word.

 

[Yossarian]

Congrats @cgm9999 and best of luck with the new vehicle.

Your write-up is a great counterweight to what we too often see on forums, and I hope to pen something similar about the R1S in the not too distant future.

 

[MoreTrout]

As mentioned earlier, the wireless charging pad doesn't work, but it's not a big deal to me. I'll deal with that later if I have to make a service appointment later down the line.

[/QUOTE]

Like the writeup, one thing I thing its been pretty much decided by the 1000s of others that have struggled with the charging pad that it doesnt work, will never work and best to find some 3rd parties on here in the vendor area that have come up with some nice fairly cheap replacements. I went with a left vent mount and obd2 to usb setup.

I guess I'm among the 1000s of others that feel the wireless charging pad is fine.

I didn't think mine worked only because of the constant griping about it, but while riding a bumpy forest road a month after I got my truck I happened to glance down and noticed it was charging. It just needed me to find the right position for the phone to connect. Once found, on longer highway driving I never fail to reach my destination with a phone at 100% charge. I rarely really need the wireless charger, and have a USB-C cable for backup if I unexpectedly need something faster, but for adding whatever I get for whatever length of drive I have just by putting my phone down is completely satisfying for me.

The OP just might need to experiment a little to find the sweet spot for his phone. I have had a Galaxy Note 8 and now a Pixel 7A, and both work great with the wireless charger.

 

[voxel]

I still own a fully loaded 23 GC Limited (which may go to my brother soon) and a R1S. Everything is better in the R1S except the interior and maybe a few hard buttons/controls like heat + ventilated seats and wipers which are easier to use than in the Rivian.

The upper trim GCs now have real leather and it just feels more premium which is weird to say about a Jeep but Jeep has tried to move upmarket.

The ride quality is about the same lol.

An X5 would have a nicer interior to all of the above and better ride quality but apples to orange comparison because the X5 is strictly an pavement princess.

Sponsored