The 2025 Rivian R1T and R1S are massively improved under their skin (2024)

Rivian continues to hit key milestones in its quest to survive as a player in the automotive new vehicle market. The R1T pickup truck came to market a few years ago, followed by the R1S three-row SUV.

Now, Rivian has launched the second-generation of its key, core models ahead of expansion to produce its next two vehicles, R2 and R3.

Rivian has now been in business long enough to take everything they've learned and reinvest it into a product that is less complicated and costly to produce, and more user friendly, even though the sheetmetal looks nearly identical.

One of the only ways to tell a new R1T or R1S from the old versions are front lights. The light bar is wider and now can show colors while the new "stadium" lights have a deeper, more three-dimensional look. The adaptive driving beams, which will be fully functional by the end of this year, can stay in high beam mode and dim only the part of the beam that would be in the oncoming driver's eyes, continuing to light the rest of the road.

The brothers R1T and R1S, available to order now, have hundreds of changes underneath the skin offering more power and range, and easier-to-live-with technology that is constantly being updated over the air.

Under-the-skin changes include the reduction of the number of ECUs (electronic control units) from 17 to seven, enabling Rivian to eliminate 1.6 miles of wire with a weight of about 40 pounds.

A new battery pack frame is now stamped from a single piece of metal, making it easier to service.

All-electric driving range now varies from 258 miles to 420 miles when the Max Pack battery is equipped. The base models use a smaller, less expensive lithium-iron-phosphate battery.

Both the R1S and R1T offer the buyer's choice of four powertrains including Dual-Motor with standard all-wheel drive and 533 horsepower (hp), Performance Dual-Motor (665 hp), Tri-Motor (850 hp) and Quad Motor with 1,025 hp and a staggering zero-to-sixty time of just 2.5 seconds.

The Rivian R1T and R1S come with a CCS charger but can also use the NACS (Tesla) port with an adapter. The company says the vehicle can charge from 10 to 80 percent in 30 to 40 minutes. It can add 140 miles of range in 20 minutes.

Rivian changed some of the suspension hardware on the SUV to make it react more expectedly over bumps. Previously, it wore the same rear setup as the truck.

The 665-hp, 829 pound-foot (lb-ft) Rivian R1S Performance Dual-Motor SUV is blindingly, laughably quick in all modes, getting to expressway speeds in moments and passing speeds in an instant. There are three levels for regenerative braking, all of which bring the car to a complete stop while recharging the battery. The brakes have a medium firmness in the rare occasion they need to be used.

Like most EVs, the R1S handles well with a low center of gravity. It's quicker to react than a big SUV should, amazingly, including when on a muddy dirt track Rivian set up for testing. In Drift mode the Tri-Motor version stiffens the suspension, turns off the traction control and sends power to the rear wheels allowing for sliding, tail-out turns on closed courses.

On the road in its most comfortable drive mode, the R1S feels like a full-on luxury vehicle. There are settings for everything in the Rivian including ride height, steering, regenerative brakes and more. All-purpose drive mode is for daily driving and adapts to the style of the driver.

The R1T pickup felt extremely similar to the SUV from the driver's seat as it was tested on highways and city streets around Seattle. The cabin is quiet despite the 22-inch wheels. Changes of direction are stable without leaning like traditional pickup. However, it does squat on acceleration, an immutable law of physics.

Rivian's adaptive cruise control works well, and has also been upgraded for this latest generation. The lane centering technology was flawless in operation in traffic, and Rivian says all the hardware is there for hands-free driving, but it's not an option for customers yet. Like the adaptive headlights, it will be enhanced with over-the-air updates.

The interiors of the pickup and SUV are very similar, wearing understated and natural-looking luxury, without any chrome or shiny piano black. The firm seats are one color but have patterns stitched to add character. There are also splashes of color on the dash and armrest with matte-finished wood and brushed metal.

The second row is spacious in both the R1T and R1S. The SUV's third-row seats fit two, for short periods of time, and are easily accessible with the folding and sliding second row. Those back seats also have USB ports for charging devices.

Behind the second row there is 48.6 cubic feet of storage space. That's about 5 more cubic feet than the Kia EV9, but less than the three-row Mercedes EQS SUV with about 50 cubic feet.

The 15.6-inch central touchscreen infotainment system controls everything including the side mirrors, steering wheel position, climate control vent direction, which takes some getting used to. For most people with an R1S or R1T, vents are a set-it-and-forget-it part of daily operation.

On-screen graphics are more fun with cartoonish drive mode screens, and a new heat pump saves range and warms up the cabin faster.

The system has permanent icons on the bottom for navigation, music, mode settings and camera views, of which there are many, in full resolution.

The screen also features sliding panes that move in from the side for other common functions like lights and digital gauges. Volume too, is adjusted through an icon on the screen. All of these things take practice and memory, but many features only need to be set once.

The advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) cameras, including the blind spot display in the digital instrument cluster, have eight times better resolution while the around-view cameras are three times better than ones in the previous generation. Both look like modern high-definition TVs, and are better in low light conditions than the previous R1s.

The blind spot display is crystal clear in the digital gauge cluster, excellent when checking for cyclists while approaching a turn. The system uses 11 cameras and five radars, and features a digital display on the instrument cluster of the cars and vehicles around the SUV or truck.

The Rivian R1S starts at $75,900 before destination and handling, making it cheaper than the Mercedes EQS SUV ($104,400). The Mercedes almost the same size but has less range. The Kia EV9 is also a natural competitor at $54,900. It too has three rows, but isn't nearly as powerful or capable off-road as the Rivian.

One that might be as capable is the new electric Jeep Wagoneer S, which will come in at $71,995 in Launch Edition trim. It will be the quickest Jeep ever, with a 3.4-second sprint to 60 mph.

The R1T pickup is less expensive than the SUV at $69,900 before destination and handling, and EV tax credits, of which some variants qualify for $3,750. It's smaller and more expensive than the Ford F-150 Lightning but less expensive than the new Chevrolet Silverado EV that was just launched. However, the Silverado EV's price will get lower. The Rivian is faster than both in Tri-Motor and Quad-Motor forms, though both the Lightning and Silverado have more bed storage space.

The electric Rivian R1T brings the same dilemma as the Lightning and Silverado EV. It can do everything a traditional gasoline truck can do in a single day, at work or play. The only way they don't match is that they can't tow trailer across the country without stopping for longer periods of time to charge. All three fast, with the R1T in particular putting up supercar acceleration numbers.

It's also a few inches shorter than both the Chevy and Ford, making it more nimble on off-road trails, and certainly comes with a cooler, modern reputation and the price to match.

The R1S SUV is a more interesting take, however, the less-expensive Kia EV9 is almost impossible to beat, though it doesn't carry the luxury materials of the Rivian. Those who want to add some cutting edge hipness to their garage will probably choose the Rivian.