The 2 things that will keep me from upgrading from OG Gen 1

[mczouav]

My Gen 1 was an absolute nightmare trying to get into it. My Gen 2 has proximity unlock off at home… and unlocks when I walk up to it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Similarly, I had issues unlocking with the phone to the point i used the fob for 2 years. Recently i decided to reset all my wifi-bluetooth settings on my phone and now lock /unlock works like a charm without the fob! (Together with selecting the right user settings)
Cheers.

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[Oldsmobile_Mike]

Bring back Forest Edge interior if they want me to upgrade.

 

[mpshizzle]

Yes but.
Moving the turn signal away from the stadium headlight halo is, in my opinion, a miss.
Plus I prefer having actual fog lights (for inclement weather and seeing critters along the side of the road).

This is one of my bigger gripes, despite it being a relatively 'minor' thing. Price aside, that's probably my silly reason I continue to prefer the Gen1

I would probably prefer a Gen 2 with some type of ascent trim if, in fact, they've actually improved the drivetrain (purportedly, as per service: with thicker half shafts, better toleranced splines, and ultimately no real concern about creating the backlash and clunking we get with gen1 that'll inevitably create half-shaft replacement a thing we want to do almost like a service item...)

It's really just hard to convey how much better the lights are without seeing it in person.

For me personally I actually kind of like the turn signal down network below for a couple of reasons
1- it leaves the iconic lighting signature uninterrupted (and it doesn't pulse on and off)
2- the sweep animation is kind of cool

 

[R1Thor]

It's really just hard to convey how much better the lights are without seeing it in person.

For me personally I actually kind of like the turn signal down network below for a couple of reasons
1- it leaves the iconic lighting signature uninterrupted (and it doesn't pulse on and off)
2- the sweep animation is kind of cool

The functional beams of the lights might be cool.
However
Objectively
1- the lights I currently have are the best vehicle lights I've ever had, and while improvement is always awesome, it's not moving the needle enough.

2- subjectively, I verily disagree with you. And that's cool. We don't have to have the same design aesthetic I think the turn signal surrounding the stadium headlight is more "Rivian" brand ethos even insofar as people have suggested (and occasionally do) use the blink of the light as a 'wave.' It absolutely doesn't convey the same to fellow Rivian drivers to see a nondescript lower horizontal turn signal flash that quite a few other vehicles on the road also employ.

 

[Dark-Fx]

The functional beams of the lights might be cool.
However
Objectively
1- the lights I currently have are the best vehicle lights I've ever had, and while improvement is always awesome, it's not moving the needle enough.

2- subjectively, I verily disagree with you. And that's cool. We don't have to have the same design aesthetic I think the turn signal surrounding the stadium headlight is more "Rivian" brand ethos even insofar as people have suggested (and occasionally do) use the blink of the light as a 'wave.' It absolutely doesn't convey the same to fellow Rivian drivers to see a nondescript lower horizontal turn signal flash that quite a few other vehicles on the road also employ.

I somewhat expect NHTSA was involved in the change here. FMVSS has regulations with visibility requirements for lights that serve multiple purposes, they might've decided the stadium turn signals weren't compliant with it being around the headlamp. And with the new auto-brights, it might've caused compliance concerns.

 

[CrazyOne]

The functional beams of the lights might be cool.
However
Objectively
1- the lights I currently have are the best vehicle lights I've ever had, and while improvement is always awesome, it's not moving the needle enough.

2- subjectively, I verily disagree with you. And that's cool. We don't have to have the same design aesthetic I think the turn signal surrounding the stadium headlight is more "Rivian" brand ethos even insofar as people have suggested (and occasionally do) use the blink of the light as a 'wave.' It absolutely doesn't convey the same to fellow Rivian drivers to see a nondescript lower horizontal turn signal flash that quite a few other vehicles on the road also employ.

I don't usually travel on two lane roads at night. However I did recently and the high beams were amazing. But using low beams when there is oncoming reduced the visibility significantly.

This is a corner case for me and I don't care about it enough. For some others who drive on 2 lane roads, it may be an important feature.

The fog lights are great though, to see everything on the sides. I don't know if G2 lights work well as fog lights. I use fog lights frequently, when it's raining around town.

If I had to choose and we have to in this case, I would choose fog lights over the G2 lighting.

 

[darren1f]

Chiming in here late. I recently received a G2 loaner for my G1 R1S that was in for service. First, I will say that the new Long Island City service center was top notch. It's easy to get to from midtown Manhattan, and the team was pleasant and professional every step of the way. I waited to post this to make sure the suspension work held up. It's been two weeks since the service, and the tapping noise has not returned.

As for my loaner, here are a few things that stuck out to me...

It did not include front tow hooks, which makes the front appear less substantial. Otherwise. Still a beautiful design. Even with the base model, the design holds up and doesn't look lo-rent.

I do not like the front exterior turn signals on the new R1's. From the outside, they are less vivid and more ordinary looking than the oval turn lamps. The sequential animation is lame. The lack of front fog lamps is a massive downgrade. Is the omission of front fogs on all G2 R1's, or was it just on my poverty-spec car?

The G2 was a much slower dual motor version, which is still unnecessarily quick, and quicker than most cars on the road. Over the course of 200 miles of 60%/40% highway and local driving, I didn't notice any measurable efficiency improvement of the Dual Motor compared to my Quad Motor. I typically run on Conserve mode on the highway, which is engaged automatically on the G2 Dual Motors. I've always been impressed with the ability for Rivians to achieve the range estimate. Especially for such a large, tall, powerful, block-shaped SUV.

It had a terrible dash rattle, just like my '23 did when I took delivery. But it was much worse with the G2. Unbearable. This must be a design flaw that has been carried over and not addressed properly. I'm sure this dumb, easy-to-correct defect contributes to the service backlog.

The sound system was not good. It was the base car with a base system, and it was obvious. This sound sysmte is akin to those blank switch panels you get on German cars... intended to punish you and make you feel bad that you didn't give them more money. I've driven several R1S's, and IMHO the best system is the non-Meridian premium system that was produced briefly prior to the launch of the G2's. The various Rivian sound system combinations have been very hit-or-miss, though Rivian definitely has the skillset in-house to create a good system.

The door panels were squeaky and were noticeably cheaper than the G1's. The plastic interior door button, with that horrendous rubberized coating that should be expunged from the entire automotive industry, is definitely a massive step down. Especially when compared to the superior metal handle on the G1's that feel weighty and sturdy like they will last forever. The mechanical emergency release handle feels flimsy, is unfinished where your fingers touch, and belies the cost and rugged image of this vehicle. More than once, passengers overlooked the button, and mistakenly used the emergency release. The revised door panel is amateurishly designed and executed, and was the biggest letdown for me. So much so, that it would prevent me from purchasing a G2 R1 after experiencing the G1. The button should be cold-to-the-touch metal, and the emergency handle needs to be redesigned completely by someone who gives a damn about the Rivian brand and the owner experience.

Sorry to be so blunt about this. Haven't had enough coffee.

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