2022 Rivian R1S Electric SUV First Drive: Is Shorter Sweeter?

• Rivian R1T vs. R1S: What Are the Differences?
• How Does the R1S Rank as an SUV?
• What’s the R1S Like Off-Road?
• How Does the R1S Drive On-Road?
• New Sand Mode
• How About Adventuring?
• How Much Is a Rivian R1S?
• Is the Shorter R1S Sweeter than the R1T?

rivian r1s Full Overview

So you’re ready to try electric adventuring, but which vehicle body style is best for you? A pickup box with a gear tunnel and five seat belts or a seven-seat enclosed SUV? You can almost answer the question for yourself after a simple static walkaround of the new 2022 Rivian R1S and its sibling, the MotorTrend Truck of the Year-winning R1T pickup, without reading anything we have to say. The two vehicles perform that similarly. But humor us as we struggle to justify the romping-fun boondoggle we just enjoyed to sample Rivian’s R1 lineup in New York’s Catskills region.

Rivian R1T vs. R1S: What Are the Differences?

Physically: Swapping a gear tunnel and pickup box for a third-row seat and a carpeted cargo area results in a tidier package: The 2022 Rivian R1S’ overall length shrinks by 16.3 inches to 200.8, and its wheelbase is down 14.7 inches to 121.1, but curb weight for both rounds to 7,000 pounds with the 135-kWh battery pack. The two trucks share a gross vehicle weight rating of 8,532 pounds, leaving each with a payload capacity of roughly 1,500 pounds.

Towing Capacity: These geometric differences result in a drop in towing capacity from the truck’s 11,000 pounds to 7,700 for the R1S SUV.

Storage Capacity:  The Rivian R1S’ total cargo volume—summing all stowage areas—increases from the truck’s 62.0 cubic feet to 104.7, but that bigger number requires folding seats, leaving room for just two passengers, whereas the truck’s frunk, gear-tunnel, and bed storage preserves seating for five. Naturally, the frunks are identical (11.1 cubic feet), and the R1S SUV’s underfloor area shrinks from the pickup’s 14.3 cubic feet to 5.1 (a $450 compact spare tire fills this space if ordered).

Off-Road: Here again, the shorter wheelbase and rear overhang improve breakover angle (from 26.4 to 29.6 degrees) and departure angle (from 30.0 to 34.3 degrees). Approach angle is essentially the same (35.6), as are max ground clearance (9.5 to 15.0 inches) and wading depth of just more than 3.0 feet (floatation limits the safe fording depth for both vehicles, not water intrusion).

Efficiency/Charging: With an EPA city/highway/combined rating of 73/65/69 mpg-e and range of 316 miles (on 21-inch tires), the R1S SUV ranks within 1 mpg-e and 2 range-miles of the pickup, and a recent update allows both R1 variants to charge at up to 500 amps (200 kW at 400 volts), so figure you’ll need just more than 30 minutes to charge from 10 to 80 percent on a strong DC fast charger.

How Does the R1S Rank as an SUV?

Size-wise, Rivian’s SUV aligns closely with the Tesla Model X and Lincoln Aviator outside. Inside, the front, middle, and rear seats offer 59.7, 52.1, and 36.1 cubic feet with passenger and cargo dimensions very close to those of a Subaru Ascent in and behind all rows. A rectangular form factor vastly improves third-row headroom relative to the Tesla Model X, but a flat bottom cushion minimizes thigh support for taller riders in the way back. A button atop the second-row seat backs tilts the backrest and allows the seat to slide for third-row access, while electric releases in the cargo area fold the backrests flat for carrying cargo. The middle 20 percent can fold independently to fit skis or fishing rods. The third-row seats fold manually via levers at the outboard shoulder level. Aluminum rails in the cargo area accept sliding tie-downs or other attachments. There is provision for an accessory roller shade, and a tray in the underfloor bin holds a first-aid kit and the air hose for the standard compressor.

What’s the R1S Like Off-Road?

It’s a slightly nimbler rock crawler with all the same off-road drive modes, camera views, and precision four-wheel control of its prodigious 908 lb-ft of torque that so easily make amateurs appear professional—especially when outfitted with the 275/65R20 Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus tires. It’s just ever so slightly less likely to drag its underbelly or tail on the toughest trails. We appreciated a notable system update made pursuant to our previous Trans-America Trail adventure feedback: Hill hold is now suspended in rock-crawl mode, giving the driver complete control of the pedals. But Rivian has yet to act on our recommendation to add a speed-adjustable “off-road cruise control” function like many others offer. We’ll watch our long-term R1T test truck for that OTA update. Oh, and if you plan on exercising Drift mode (which disables stability control and grossly overdrives the rear wheels to facilitate tail-out antics), the longer pickup carries slightly less weight on the rear axle (48 vs. 52 percent) and thus breaks traction and swings the rear fractionally easier than the SUV.

How Does the R1S Drive On-Road?

We have a lot of seat time in the Rivian R1T, between our Trans-America Trail experience and piloting our long-term R1T, so we can say with some certainty that without looking in the mirrors, it’s hard to tell the difference. Sure, we’d be clipping cones if we got dialed into an autocross course in an R1S and then jumped in an R1T, but nobody’s doing that. The magic cross-linked suspension delivers the same flat, supple ride, firming up by the same amount in Sport mode, and bottoming out equally easily in the lowered Conserve mode (unless you override the suspension height adjustment, which you should on bumpier roads). The incredible power and traction deliver the same mass-defying 3.0-second acceleration to 60 mph, but now you can share it with two more friends. We did notice more noise and a slight reduction in ride comfort on the all-terrain 20s relative to the on-road-intended 275/50R22 Pirelli Scorpion Zero tires, but it’s easily drowned out by the 23 Meridian speakers (up from the truck’s 19).

New Sand Mode

Rivian is releasing new over-the-air updates roughly every month, and a recent cool one is the off-road Sand mode, inspired by experience gained running the Rebelle Rally. It sets the suspension to its softest setting and alters traction control slip targets; very little wheelspin is allowed at launch, then above 6 mph it ramps up the amount of allowable slip to keep moving. To avoid digging when slowing, regenerative braking is reduced to below what’s allowed on paved roads. These measures aim to counteract the negative effects of higher weight and narrower tires relative to desert-running rivals like the Ram TRX and Ford F-150 Raptor.

How About Adventuring?

The R1T pickup’s adventure-readiness is impressive, thanks to its gear tunnel’s ability to store fishing rods, a camp kitchen, etc. Then there’s the roof and bed crossbars designed to accept racks for all manner of bikes, kayaks, etc., not to mention the rooftop tent by Yakima. Rivian has yet to adapt a kitchen to the 2022 R1S SUV form factor, but the same Rivian crossbars can mount in three locations on its longer roof to accept any of the attachments that now go on an R1T. And the R1S’ longer roof can accommodate a larger tent that sleeps as many as four or six, while two can comfortably sleep on its flat cargo floor with all seats folded.

How Much Is a Rivian R1S?

The quad-motor 2022 Rivian R1S Launch Edition models shown here start at $95,575 with the 135-kWh battery pack. Dual-motor models will become available in 2024, with the 105-kWh version forecast to be priced at $73,550; the 135-kWh pack and the quad-motor options should add $6,000 each.

Is the Shorter R1S Sweeter than the R1T?

If forced to choose between Honda’s Pilot SUV and Ridgeline truck or Hyundai’s Santa Fe SUV and Santa Cruz truck, we lean toward buying the SUV models and renting a Home Depot truck when you really need a pickup. But Rivian’s R1T truck has so much more going for it than those midsize pickups that—as in the case of the Ford Maverick and Bronco Sport siblings—we’re leaning pickup in this case.

Looks good! More details?

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