2024 Rivian R1S

Rivian is a comparatively new manufacturer that produces electric pickup trucks and SUVs. Our tests found its EVs to be comfortable, startlingly fast, and very capable off-road. Range is practical and competitive with similarly-priced vehicles. Its vehicles come with lots of cargo room, including deep front trunks and a horizontal pass-through “Gear Tunnel” in some of the pickup truck models. Drawbacks include screen-centric controls for essential functions, including adjusting air vents, and an aggressive regenerative braking system that makes its vehicles difficult to drive smoothly. Rivian usually ranks near the bottom of our predicted reliability rating, but near the top in our owner satisfaction surveys.

This three-row electric SUV has an EPA-rated range of about 260 to 400 miles, depending on battery and tire size. With 835 hp from four electric motors, the R1S we tested is ridiculously quick and handles with relative agility, though it became tail-happy when driven to its limits around our track. The ride is too stiff, electric-motor whine is noticeable at low speeds, and the regenerative braking is too strong, which makes it difficult to drive the SUV smoothly. The interior is uncluttered, but the controls are extremely distracting because almost every task, including adjusting the air vents, is done through the touchscreen. A front trunk adds cargo space. DC fast charging is supposedly capable of a max acceptance rate of 200 kilowatts, but we haven't seen anywhere close to that.