The verdict: An incredible achievement for a first-time automaker, the Rivian R1T pickup is brilliant to drive, comfy to sit in and turns heads like crazy.
Versus the competition: It’s as expensive as the chunkier GMC Hummer EV pickup but is a much more manageable size, easier to park and features a higher-quality interior.
It’s been interesting over the past few years to drive vehicles from automakers that simply didn’t make them just a few years ago, and this is the latest one: the 2023 Rivian R1T. It’s a fully electric pickup truck from a totally new automaker, designed in the U.S. and built in Illinois. (It’s also available in SUV form as the R1S.) This truck has been out for more than a year now, but this was my first chance to get behind the wheel of the upstart’s offering, and I’m frankly stunned at what Rivian has achieved.
Related: 2022 Rivian R1T Quick Spin: The First Very Real Electric Pickup
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Style for Days
First of all, look at this thing: This is the kind of pickup truck concept vehicle I spent too much time doodling in high school instead of paying attention in algebra class (which is probably why I’m now an automotive journalist, if we’re being honest). What’s not immediately obvious about the R1T is that it’s not a big pickup by current full-size, crew-cab truck standards; it’s about the size of a Ford F-150 from 20 years ago — which is to say that it’s a perfectly sized pickup in a world of ridiculously oversize behemoths. You can park it anywhere, there’s still plenty of interior space for five people, and you can see out of it without any problems. It’s bigger than a mid-size pickup, like a Ford Ranger or Chevrolet Colorado, so it actually has a usable backseat.
The R1T also has a lot of neat features baked into its construction thanks to its electric-from-the-start design. These include a powered frunk (front trunk) that can hold quite a few suitcases, as well as a lockable Gear Door tunnel that runs the width of the truck and is ideal for muddy hiking gear, tents or even available accessories like a slide-out electric camp kitchen that’s powered by the truck’s battery. The tailgate is also powered, and the bed itself is deep and comes equipped with built-in power outlets, an under-bed storage compartment with a drain plug, and an air compressor, which is great for when you’re aired down for serious off-road driving …
… Because off-road driving is something you can do in the R1T, as this truck is available in both street- and off-road-oriented trims. An All-Terrain Upgrade Package brings underbody protection and chunky off-road tires on 20-inch wheels. Those aren’t great for on-road handling or range, but they do great things in dirt and mud.
The Rivian’s spaceship-style front and rear LED lighting treatment also does a dynamite job of turning heads wherever it goes. It even lights up when you’re charging, at least initially, as an added way to let you know the electrons are flowing.
Delivering a Luxury Cabin
As good as the outside looks, the interior is even better. Some electric-car brands are considered luxury brands simply because of their price, not because of how nice their cars are. Rivian, however, backs up its luxury price with luxury goods. The interior is swathed in vegan “leather,” real ash wood trim and real metal, and it all looks and feels tremendous. The textiles on the floor and ceiling feel high-quality, and the seats are supportive and comfortable in addition to being heated and cooled. The steering wheel is chunky, with a stitched wrapping that feels great in your hands. It’s available in some actual colors, too, like a neat cypress green that looks fantastic.
Quality doesn’t drop off in the backseat; the R1T is just as nice in the second row as it is in the first. There’s also acceptable legroom back there, at least for a mid-size-plus pickup — if you’re expecting modern full-size truck space, you’ll be disappointed. I think it’s big enough, and comfortable, too, with plenty of headroom despite the truck’s big, fixed glass-panel roof.
Touchscreen Everything
Like a lot of modern EVs, Rivian skips traditional buttons and knobs in favor of a full touchscreen system — with mixed results. It’s a bit more intuitive and easier to use than some automakers’ systems, but it’s still annoying to not have any tactile feedback — meaning you always have to take your eyes off the road to find a simple function like changing volume or an audio channel. At least there’s also a dedicated gauge cluster display (unlike Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y) and it provides a wealth of information, too (unlike Polestar vehicles). The big 16-inch central display is quite large, and it’s pretty easy to find anything you might be looking for on the fly. I do wish there were a volume knob at least, and while you can use steering-wheel buttons and rockers for that, the passenger up front has no such option.
Interior ergonomics aren’t perfect, either. Both the wipers and the headlights are controlled by the left-side stalk, but you’ll have to know that before the sun goes down because the stalk controls aren’t lit. Neither are the steering-wheel buttons, so at night, you’re doing everything by memory and touch. There are a few things that seem like afterthoughts, as well, like the cupholders, plus oddities like the total lack of a glove compartment.
A pretty big omission for many people is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto: Neither is available, so you’re stuck with the native Rivian navigation system, which admittedly isn’t bad. There are also streaming choices for audio, such as Bluetooth audio from your phone or services like Spotify. After spending a week with the R1T, while I did miss Apple CarPlay, I was OK without it, mostly because the truck itself is just so damned entertaining.
Goes Like (Silent) Stink
The electric Rivian R1T gives you a choice of two powertrains. At the time of the original publishing of this review, there was a standard Dual-Motor all-wheel-drive system good for 600 horsepower and 600 pounds-feet of torque, with an available Performance upgrade to 700 hp and 700 pounds-feet; those numbers have since been updated to 533 hp and 610 pounds-feet for the Dual-Motor AWD and 665 hp and 829 pounds-feet for the Performance upgrade. If you want to go truly nuts, though, there’s a Quad-Motor version that make 835 hp and 908 pounds-feet of torque. That model will zip you from 0-60 mph in three seconds flat, Rivian says. Of course, even the “slowest” R1T gets there in 4.5 seconds. The version I tested was a Quad-Motor pickup, which you can tell by its yellow brake calipers; lesser trims have silver calipers.
The R1T I drove had the middle-size Large battery pack — Standard and Max are the other two — which the EPA says is good for 274 miles of range with the All-Terrain Upgrade trim; that’s down a bit from the standard range because the off-road Pirelli Scorpion all-terrain tires sap some range. The highest range estimate I saw displayed in the truck was 286 miles with a full charge. A Dual-Motor version with the Max battery pack and no off-road equipment can travel up to 400 miles on a charge. Max towing is up to 11,000 pounds when properly kitted out, but you’d better believe your range is going to drop if you pull anything that heavy.
Range, however, isn’t what you’re going to be thinking about when you’re behind the wheel of this electric beast. You’ll be thinking about how astonishingly good it is to drive. There are multiple drive modes, but just keeping it in All-Purpose (normal) mode is perfectly fine for around-town driving; in fact, the R1T is a blast in this mode. The R1T also has an adjustable air suspension, which allows you to change both the ride height and the firmness of the suspension to suit your conditions.
There are a few things that make this such a fun truck to drive, and first up is its acceleration. You get maximum zoot in Sport mode, which stiffens the ride and lowers the truck. The power is absolutely explosive, but it arrives with little more than a faint mechanical whine and some tire noise, so it appears quite deceptively. Drive it normally and the Rivian behaves normally; hoon it like a moron and it becomes an electric rocket ship — but one that’s not as scary to drive quickly as is the electric GMC Hummer EV pickup, whose massive 9,000-pound weight and bulky dimensions make its speed a little frightening to experience. The Rivian is maybe 75% as big and heavy as the new Hummer, so its ridiculous speed is a lot less alarming for passengers.
Despite its weight, the R1T turns as well as it accelerates. Steering feel is exceptional, let down only by its chunky, low-grip off-road tires in terms of feedback. It turns in well, exhibits very little body roll and tracks beautifully through corners. The ride and handling combination is outstanding, especially when you consider this mid-size truck weighs as much as a Ford Super Duty heavy-duty pickup truck. (Hey, batteries are heavy.)
Put the suspension into Stiff mode and the ride quality is … well, stiff. Left in Soft mode it’s still not exactly Rolls-Royce cush, but it was acceptably compliant over Michigan’s cratered moonscape roadways. Overall, the Rivian R1T is one of the best-driving pickups I’ve ever sampled: It’s quick, tossable, solid and confidence-inspiring. It’s kind of amazing this is the first vehicle this company has ever made. Rivian got so much of it so, so right.
It Ain’t Perfect, But It’s Close
It’s easier to believe this is Rivian’s first vehicle when you look at the details. Many body panels don’t line up perfectly, for example, and the “Rivian” scripts on the sides and tailgate aren’t exactly laser-straight. Some cladding is also just a bit off-kilter. They’re reminders that making a vehicle is hard — it’s why so few startup automakers have made it over the years — but for a first-ever effort, this one is stellar. You have to pore carefully over the cut lines and panel matchups to find fault with its construction.
There’s also the matter of price: The 2023 R1T starts at about $73,000 for a base Dual-Motor Adventure with the standard battery. It’s about $20,000 more for the loaded Quad-Motor model with the Large battery pack, which I drove, and can get even closer to $100,000 if you spring for a Performance Dual-Motor model with the Max battery pack, which is a $16,000 option — yikes. As of this writing, you can still get 50% of the federal tax credit for a sub-$80,000 Rivian (if you personally qualify), potentially chopping $3,750 off the bottom line.
For that money, though, you’re getting something absolutely extraordinary. A truly capable, comfortable, fun-to-drive electric pickup truck with incredible style, a luxurious interior and some stunning innovations, which turns heads like few other trucks I’ve driven. Yes, it costs as much as a much larger Hummer EV pickup, but it’s a lot easier to drive, much less embarrassing to be seen in, and it feels just as quick — and it will actually fit in your garage. We’re still waiting for the Tesla Cybertruck, but unless that thing arrives with a hover mode, the Rivian R1T looks like it’s going to be the electric luxury pickup to beat for the foreseeable future.
Editor’s note: This story was updated Aug. 1, 2023, to reflect new performance specs and brake caliper colors.
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