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Price Range: Less Than
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$154,765
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Introduction:

To help members understand the latest automotive technology so they can purchase vehicles that best suit their needs, the Automobile Club of Southern California's Automotive Research Center (ARC) began testing and reviewing vehicles over a decade ago

For the 2023 edition, we include testing and ranking cars and light trucks with the latest technology, including having at least one advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) feature. In addition to vehicle evaluation, the guide covers a number of pertinent automotive topics in detail—for example, the latest advanced safety features, how to properly maintain your vehicle, and new vehicles coming to market in the next few years.

2022 Rivian R1S Launch Edition

Vehicle Type: SUV Electric
99
 overall score
Category Ranking: 2

Vehicle Price

Base Price: $78,000
Price as Tested: $101,050

Fuel Information

Fuel Type: Electricity
120V Charge Time: 3 miles per hour
240V Charge Time: 24.3 miles per hour
DC Fast Charger: 140 miles of range in 20 minutes
EPA City MPGe73
EPA Highway MPGe65
EPA Combined MPGe69
EPA-Est. Electric Range (mi): 316

Advanced Safety Features

  • Adaptive Cruise Control [S]
  • Advanced Headlights [S]
  • Automatic Emergency Braking [S]
  • Blind-Spot Warning [S]
  • Driver Monitoring [S]
  • Forward-Collision Warning [S]
  • Lane-Departure Warning [S]
  • Lane-Keeping Assistance [S]
  • Rear Cross-Traffic Warning [S]
  • [S] Standard, [O] Optional

Overall Observations

Anyone who knows anything about cars knows about Rivian, the upstart EV automaker that produced the first commercially available EV pickup, the R1T (see page 124), and followed it up in late 2022 with a similar full-size electric SUV, the R1S. And quite the SUV it is pricey (base MSRP: $78,000) but loaded with unique, useful features. It’s blazingly fast, with plenty of smooth power, and its 135-kWh battery pack is good for an EPA-estimated range of 316 miles. Ride quality is good overall --if a bit firm-- courtesy of the R1S’s air suspension, and its off-road and all-terrain abilities are solid. Inside, fit and finish are good. All 3 rows provide plenty of room for passengers and cargo. Braking feel is excellent, with adjustable regenerative settings. A 15.3-inch infotainment screen and a full complement of ADAS features is standard; oddly, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are unavailable. The R1S isn’t perfect, of course. Its quad-motor setup (1 motor at each wheel) is inefficient, getting just 69 MPGe in combined driving. More cabin insulation is needed to drown out the whine of the electric motors. The infotainment system is not intuitive and potentially distracting, with no hard keys or buttons. The steering feels light in corners, and the knobby all-terrain tires don’t grip well in turns.

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Strengths and Weaknesses

Strong Points

  • • Ultrafast acceleration, plenty of power
  • • Good ride quality
  • • Good offroad, all-terrain ability
  • • Plenty of interior space

Weak Points

  • • Unintuitive, potentially distracting infotainment system
  • • Inefficient drivetrain
  • • Noisy interior, especially from electric-motor whine
  • • Less aggressive all-terrain tires could provide better grip in turns

Vehicle Specifications

Model year tested: 2022
Number of passengers (F/R): 2/5
Curb weight (lbs): 7060.0
Exterior L / W / H (in): 200.8 / 79.3 / 77.3
Wheelbase (in): 121.1
Number of air bags: 9
Warranty (months/miles): 60/60,000
Tire manufacturer and model: Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus
Front and rear tire size: 275/65 R20
Max towing capacity (lbs): 7,700
Headlight type: LED
Transmission type: Auto 1-speed
Drivetrain type: All wheel
Engine/motor: Quad electric motors
Electric motor horsepower: 835

Test Data

Test Vehicle Scores

Advanced Safety Features:

9.00

Fuel Efficiency:

9.10

EPA Emissions Score:

10.00

Acceleration:

9.08

Braking:

4.69
Handling: 7.11
Quality and Drivability: 7.75

Ride Quality:

7.43

Interior Size:

6.86

Easy of Entry and Exit:

7.39

Visibility:

7.60

Interior Noise:

8.84

Cargo Capacity:

4.44
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