2023 Rivian R1S

The representative 2023 configuration is the Adventure Quad-Motor AWD with Large pack and standard 21-inch wheels, the only R1S configuration shipping at the start of the model year and the launch-year volume configuration.

Four independently controlled motors deliver exceptionally high peak torque for a full-size SUV.

Rivian's quoted three-second run is supported by two instrumented 3.1-second tests on all-season tires.

Power arrives immediately, silently and with exceptional linearity; independent wheel motors also make traction control unusually precise. Multiple tests praise the effortless passing response, with no combustion or shift transitions to disturb delivery.

Single-speed direct drive at both axles eliminates shifts, hunting and gear-selection delay. The result is essentially seamless propulsion across the speed range.

The rating is near the top of the SUV normalization band and unusually strong for an electric three-row SUV.

AWD is standard on every 2023 R1S. The volume Quad-Motor system independently controls each wheel and includes a broad set of on-road, towing and terrain modes.

Up to 14.9 inches of clearance, excellent approach/departure geometry, 43-inch wading depth, dedicated trail modes and independent wheel torque give the R1S genuine hard-trail capability. It lacks a conventional low-range transfer case, but its EV controls largely serve the same low-speed purpose.

The 2023 range expanded from Quad-Motor to Dual-Motor and Performance Dual-Motor AWD, with Large and later Max-pack choices. It offers meaningful performance/range variation, though every version is a battery EV and the broader choices arrived partway through the year.

The standard 21-inch-wheel Quad-Motor/Large-pack configuration is the representative 2023 volume model. Its model-year-specific EPA value supersedes the 2022 model's 69 MPGe figure.

Regenerative braking helps the very heavy R1S achieve better city than highway efficiency, though it remains energy-intensive among EVs.

The tall, nearly 7,000-pound SUV incurs a substantial highway-efficiency penalty despite its standard road-focused wheels.

A December 2022 software update raised the 2023 standard-wheel rating five miles over the 2022 model's 316-mile figure, so the year-specific 321-mile value is used.

The 400-volt R1S reaches a competitive peak, although its large pack and early taper limit average charging speed.

Rivian did not publish a precise 10–80% time for this configuration, instead quoting 140 miles in 20 minutes. Contemporary guidance and measured first-generation sessions place the full 10–80% window around 40–45 minutes, so 45 minutes is the documented conservative figure rather than a battery-size estimate.

This is the EPA's model-year fuel-guide estimate under its standard 15,000-mile annual-driving and electricity-price assumptions.

Electricity avoids premium gasoline and is inexpensive with home charging, while the standard 11.5-kW onboard charger can replenish roughly 25 miles per hour. The enormous pack, roughly 13-hour EPA Level 2 time and mediocre fast-charge curve make charging less convenient for owners without reliable overnight access.

NHTSA selected the 2023 R1S for NCAP testing but never published an overall, frontal, side, or rollover star rating. The 4.5-star value is the repository's neutral placeholder for an untested modern luxury vehicle, not a claimed government result.

R1S vehicles built after January 2023 earned the 2023 Top Safety Pick+ award, with Good results in both small-overlap tests, the original moderate-overlap test, the updated side test, and head restraints. The updated moderate-overlap result was only Marginal, and earlier-build 2023 vehicles do not qualify for the award, preventing a higher score.

Every 2023 R1S includes the comprehensive Driver+ suite: AEB with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise, lane departure prevention, Highway Assist lane centering, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, and rear automatic braking. None of the five core rubric features requires an upper trim or option package.

The standard system earned Superior ratings in vehicle-to-vehicle and daytime pedestrian testing and Advanced in the demanding nighttime pedestrian test. It avoided both IIHS vehicle tests and most daytime pedestrian impacts, with substantial speed reductions in the remaining runs.

Blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warnings are standard, and rear automatic braking adds active intervention while reversing. The 2023 system does not document safe-exit protection, trailer-aware blind-zone coverage, or active steering intervention for a vehicle in the blind spot, so it stops short of the class-leading tier.

Standard lane-departure prevention works broadly, while Highway Assist adds sustained centering on mapped highways and was steady in an instrumented first drive. Its mapped-road restriction and reports of occasional weaving or abrupt disengagement make it less consistently trustworthy than the best luxury-SUV systems.

Full-speed adaptive cruise and integrated Highway Assist are standard and generally manage speed and lane position competently. Highway Assist works only on mapped compatible roads and contemporary evaluations found enough confidence and availability limitations to keep the combined system below the refined top tier.

The 2023 R1S offers no approved hands-free driving mode. Highway Assist requires the driver to keep hands on the wheel and applies escalating warnings before disengaging, unlike BlueCruise or Super Cruise.

IIHS rates the LED projector headlights Good, and the same Good-rated setup is supplied across all trims. Standard automatic high beams further support a score near the top of the rubric band.

The upright SUV cabin provides useful forward sightlines, while standard surround-view cameras, blind-spot alerts, parking sensors, and rear automatic braking compensate around this large vehicle. Its substantial body, high beltline, and rear pillars still create natural blind zones, and the camera system does not fully erase the challenge of judging its extremities.

IIHS gives the R1S a Good LATCH ease-of-use rating, with an unusually family-friendly four rear seating positions carrying complete LATCH hardware plus a fifth position with a tether. Anchors are not deeply buried, require little attachment force, and provide ample clearance for connectors.

Every production 2023 R1S has three rows and seven seats; the planned five-seat version was canceled before deliveries.

The fixed panoramic glass roof leaves unusually generous first-row headroom.

Front legroom is adequate but not exceptional for a full-size SUV.

The upright roof provides excellent second-row headroom.

The sliding second row provides useful but merely mid-pack legroom for the class.

Six-foot adults can fit for short trips and get USB-C ports and storage, but the low cushion creates a knees-up posture and the heavy folding second row complicates access.

Cargo space behind row two is useful, though short of the largest full-size SUVs.

Both rear rows fold nearly flat to create a large, level load floor.

A large adjustable-floor frunk, nearly flat rear floor, split tailgate, deep console, door pockets, cargo air compressor and 1.5-kW outlets make this a storage standout despite no glovebox.

A full day is tolerable and the front chairs have broad power adjustment, heat and ventilation, but all three rows are flat and short on support.

Air suspension and multiple modes cannot disguise a stiff, jumpy, sometimes floaty ride that trails luxury-SUV standards.

The electric drivetrain is inherently quiet, but moderate wind and road noise—especially on all-terrain tires—falls below luxury expectations.

Ventilated and heated front seats, heated second row and steering wheel, effective four-zone climate, Pet Comfort and remote preconditioning form a rich standard package.

The entry 2023 R1S was the Adventure Dual-Motor Standard Pack; this model year also added Dual-Motor configurations after the R1S's late-2022 launch.

The Quad-Motor Large Pack was the established, widely delivered representative 2023 configuration, while Dual-Motor R1S deliveries only began in May 2023.

No model-year-specific five-year table was available, so this uses Edmunds' same-generation R1S projection as the closest industry estimate; the comprehensive warranty limits early repair exposure.

The projection reflects severe large-luxury-EV depreciation and is directionally supported by observed 2023 R1S depreciation, though the nameplate lacks a full five-year transaction history.

Rivian's comprehensive coverage is longer than the typical three- or four-year luxury-SUV warranty.

The representative Quad-Motor configuration receives notably generous mileage coverage for its battery and drivetrain.

There is no included scheduled-maintenance plan or charging credit. Rivian does provide 24/7 roadside support, but complimentary service is principally tied to warrantable failures rather than broad roadside coverage.

$93,800 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (32.3% retained, or about $30,297) leaves about $63,503 in depreciation. Add the projected $4,164 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $67,667 in total.

Consumer Reports' latest owner survey rates the 2023 R1S about average versus other vehicles from the same model year, but reports trouble areas spanning electronics, electrical accessories, climate, body hardware, noises/leaks, and EV components. That supports a mid-band score rather than either a launch-year failure rating or a proven-reliable rating.

Rivian was a very young manufacturer when this vehicle was built and ranked 28th in Consumer Reports' 2023 brand reliability results, with both R1 models below average. It therefore lacked the multi-year dependability record expected of established luxury-SUV brands.

Nine NHTSA recalls is heavy activity for a low-volume, early-production luxury SUV. The record includes safety-relevant hardware and restraint issues rather than only minor over-the-air corrections, so it falls in the repeated-recall low band.

The representative 2023 Adventure Quad-Motor/Large-pack drivetrain had only about a year of customer use, so it had no meaningful high-mileage history; 2023 also introduced Rivian's in-house dual-motor alternative, preventing a broad model-year inference from one drivetrain to the other. No systemic battery-fire or drive-unit recall is evident, and the long drivetrain warranty offsets some risk, making it unproven rather than known-bad.

The R1S cabin uses rich-looking leather alternatives, real wood trim, and crisp contemporary displays, placing it near the top of the class for material presentation. It stops short of the very best traditional luxury cabins because its minimalist controls and some utilitarian details do not feel as polished as premium-brand rivals.

Edmunds found build quality pretty good and improved over earlier Rivians, indicating fundamentally solid assembly. However, Cars.com noted minor assembly-quality issues and Consumer Reports owner feedback includes squeaks, rattles, leaks, body hardware, and trim concerns, keeping this launch-era build below premium-class expectations.

Rivian's direct-service footprint was sparse during 2023: only 34 centers in May and 45 physical centers by the third quarter. Mobile service was a meaningful advantage and handled most repairs, but it could not fully substitute for nationwide workshop coverage on major repairs.

As a new, low-volume brand, Rivian had little independent aftermarket support and routed collision work through Rivian-owned or certified facilities. Contemporary reports describe scarce collision data and costly, lengthy repairs, making parts access and repair economics substantially worse than established luxury-SUV networks.

The large landscape center display is standard.

OTA updates improved speed and the tile layout is logical, but routing basic mirror, vent and climate functions through the screen adds distraction.

Neither Apple CarPlay nor Android Auto was offered, wired or wireless, in the 2023 R1S.

Alexa handles numerous vehicle and connected-home commands and native navigation is functional, but reviewers found the mapping less usable than leading EV systems.

The volume Adventure/Launch configuration's 1,100-watt Meridian surround system is unusually powerful and well regarded.

A crisp 12.3-inch driver display is standard and presents navigation, speed and driver-assistance status, though customization is not class-leading.

Frequent whole-vehicle OTA releases add drive modes, cabin features and improve core software rather than merely updating maps.

The app provides phone-as-key plus remote lock, climate, charging and vehicle-location functions with deep integration.

USB-C coverage in all three rows, wireless charging, 12-V supply and shared 1.5-kW 120-V outlets are exceptional for passenger-device and campsite power.

Phone-as-key, proximity access, key card/fob alternatives and a powered liftgate provide comprehensive keyless convenience.

A standard surround-view camera and parking sensors materially tame the large body, though automated parking was absent and some driver aids were glitchy.

No head-up display was offered on the 2023 R1S.

Wide doors, kneel mode, four complete rear LATCH positions, abundant cargo and seven seats suit families, but an installed second-row seat can obstruct the awkward third-row access path.

The 2023 Top Safety Pick+ combines strong crashworthiness with standard blind-spot, lane-prevention, rear automatic braking and superior-rated automatic emergency braking; post-January builds gained a floor-pan countermeasure.

Four-zone climate, device power, quiet propulsion and large cargo/frunk capacity work well for four or five, but flat seats, a stiff ride and short-trip third row limit seven-person touring.

Smooth instant response, strong one-pedal driving, kneel mode and light steering reduce effort, while the wide body, touch-only controls and sometimes abrupt regen add friction.

Home electricity and regenerative driving help, but 69 MPGe and heavy, costly tires make this inefficient and expensive by EV standards.

Light steering, a roughly 40-foot turning circle, sensors and surround view help substantially, but the 200.8-inch length and 81.8-inch body width remain cumbersome in tight cities.

A 7,700-lb tow rating, 835-hp quad-motor AWD, air suspension and 88.2-cu-ft rear hold make it a serious SUV workhorse, though it lacks a pickup bed.

The capable skateboard chassis and washable synthetic interior appear stout, but this was a new luxury EV from a startup with no fleet durability record in 2023.

A compressor, two 120-V cargo outlets, roof crossbar mounts, hitch and split tailgate are genuinely useful, but 1.5 kW power and a small accessory ecosystem fall short of work-focused pickups.

EPA-rated 321-mile Quad-Motor range, highway assist and spacious first two rows support touring, but Car and Driver achieved only 230 highway miles and ride/seat refinement is mediocre.

Quad-motor torque control, standard AWD, up to 15 inches of clearance, three-foot wading, adaptive air suspension, camp modes, outlets and a compressor make it the segment benchmark.

A flat 88.2-cu-ft rear floor, 46.7 cu ft behind row two, 11.1-cu-ft frunk, split tailgate, hitch and roof mounts offer outstanding separation and flexibility for bulky gear.

Extraordinary grip, independent wheel torque control and a short wheelbase for its size help this nearly 7,000-lb SUV feel agile, though pitch and imperfect body control keep it below the best road-focused rivals.

Steering is light and accurate enough for the vehicle's mission but slow, short on feedback and can go lighter under hard acceleration.

The friction pedal is firm and predictable and one-pedal stopping is powerful, but there is no low-regen option and reviewers found deceleration abrupt with only average emergency stopping.

Four independently controlled motors deliver seamless, immediate thrust and exceptional traction with no shifts or combustion transitions.

The four-motor drivetrain is near-silent and vibration-free even under enormous load; most audible intrusion comes from tires and wind rather than the motors.

The short wheelbase produces a respectable circle for a full-size SUV, though it is still broad against the all-SUV normalization band.

Eight-way power seats, kneel mode, an upright view and clear driver screen fit most drivers, but nearly all secondary controls—including vents and mirrors—live in the touchscreen.

Supercar acceleration, adjustable chassis modes and genuine trail ability give the R1S unusual breadth and character despite numb steering and a restless ride.

The sole Adventure trim bundled hardware that rivals often separated into expensive packages, with only powertrain, battery, wheels, paint, and accessories driving major price differences.

Despite a high price, the R1S combined supercar acceleration, genuine off-road hardware, three-row utility and luxury appointments in a way no direct 2023 rival matched.

There was only one formal trim, but 2023 buyers could pair Dual, Performance Dual or Quad motors with multiple battery packs and wheel choices. That provided meaningful mechanical breadth without a broad trim ladder.

Rivian scaled rapidly during 2023, and the R1S became the best-selling US EV above $70,000—strong acceptance for a new brand and newly launched full-size luxury EV.

Rivian rapidly built an aspirational adventure-EV identity and exceptionally enthusiastic ownership base, partly offset by startup reliability and service-network concerns.

Demand and the direct-sales order backlog left little ordinary negotiating room in 2023. Federal help was constrained because most popular configurations exceeded the $80,000 SUV MSRP cap, though qualifying early-year or entry configurations could receive a credit.

The 2023 R1S was only the second model year of the first generation, with deliveries having started in 2022. It was fundamentally a carry-over, while new Dual-Motor and Max-Pack choices expanded the lineup during 2023.

The R1S earned major safety recognition and repeatedly won on performance and capability, though reviewers criticized ride control, third-row comfort, heat through the unscreened glass roof, and lack of CarPlay/Android Auto.