I Drove the Rivian Gen 2 R1 Quad and Now I’m A Rivian Person
Advancements in the 2nd generation of the Rivian R1S and R1T might make this clever 4-wheeler the best EV ever
The people at Rivian have quite a competitive spirit. That’s why they sought to make the second generation electric Rivian R1 Quad, available in both “S” for SUV and “T” for truck, the most incredible EV on the road. They want to enter the race and win; they want to go the furthest on a charge, the fastest in the shortest time, and climb the highest mountains—for the best views, of course.
So you might forgive me if I look at the hill they want me to climb in the Rivian R1T Quad and say, “Nah, I’m not doing that.”
They say this thing can drive up a sheer rock face? There must be another way. They claim it can execute tight hairpin turns on a ski slope. My gut says, no, I’m not going there. And that you can drive and off-road all day without needing to recharge? That’s more believable, but only just.
This story is 100% human-researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience, and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks. Additionally, I was Rivian’s guest for this test drive but all opinions are my own.
The Rivian R1 Quad Is the Most Advanced EV on the Road
In its first days, Rivian boasted of being the only EV on the market with four motors, one for each wheel. The idea from the start was to deliver a highly off-road capable four-wheeler. The by-product of all those motors was a lot of power: The most powerful Rivian R1 Quad produced 835 HP.
In the time since Rivian has updated and upgraded its top-of-the-line Quad motor edition of the R1T and the R1S, increasing horsepower output by 190 to an incredible 1,025 HP. This number puts it in the top 1% of power output, right there with the Lucid Air Sapphire, the Lamborghini Reveulto, and the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT, not to mention an array of far more expensive supercars and record setters.
And it’s still the only EV with four motors you can buy right now, though Rivian’s strategy is being noticed; there are more in the works, including a few high-end EVs in China.
Read: The Rivian R2 Reveal, Plus a Surprise R3 & R3X Too!
Seeing the Rivian R1 Quad For Yourself Is a Game Changer
But I digress. Back to that rock face that I don’t want to climb. The more I look at its craggy face, the tiny men standing atop it (they look tiny because they are far away) motioning for me to ease onto the throttle, the more I feel like I’m going to puke.
Looking around inside the Rivian Gen 2 R1S Quad, though, I feel right at home. The beautiful slate gray leatherette upholstery, the blonde walnut wood that spans the dash, the large, easy-to-see screen, and the panoramic sunroof, which frosts over with the touch of a button on the multimedia system, give an almost living room-like feel. There are thick plaid carpets under my feet.
Read: Think Car Shopping Is Boring, or Scary? Rivian Just Reinvented the Showroom and Test Drive
Top Of the Line Features Define the Rivian R1 Quad
As the top-of-the-line Rivian, the R1 Gen 2 Quad is priced at $119,990 for the Launch Edition RIT and $125,990 for the Launch Edition R1S; they are a $4,000 upgrade over standard Gen 2 Quad models.
The Gen 2 Quad features all of Rivian’s best comforts and conveniences. In addition to the visual and tactile delights, it also has hands-free driving, which Rivian calls Autonomy Platform+; Rivian includes this with the purchase of Gen 2 models but will likely charge a subscription price at some point.
Buyers of the Launch Edition, which is limited in the number that will be sold, will get the hands-free driving system included for life and will have a choice of two unique colors: Launch Green and Storm Blue, plus some special interior details and goodies.
The Gen 2 R1 Quad also includes:
- Three interior design palettes
- A choice of 20” or 22” wheels
- A choice of tires, including “staggered sizes,” with slightly larger tires on the rear
- Premium audio
- An onboard air compressor
- A rear Quad badge and Gear Gard icon (with blowing hair as a nod to the 1,025 HP)
- Laguna Beach Blue brake calipers and blue shadow line logo
- NACS charge port for Tesla Super Charger access, plus a standard charge adapter
- Reinforced underbody plates
Read: The 2025 Mercedes-Benz G 580 Modernizes the G-Wagen: Electric Powered, Still Rugged
Driving the “House Made” Rivian Gen 2 R1S Quad
The ride out to Donner Ski Ranch where we would off-road was comfortable and chatting with Roman, my drive partner, was fun. With nearly 400 miles of range on the Max battery pack of our test model, we would not have any anxiety about the distance we’d travel, even after a long day of driving.
What’s hard to notice, though, are the in-house developed technologies and systems at work in the Rivian R1 Quad. It starts with the oil-cooled motors designed by Rivian and tweaked for better off-roading and traction, to the hands-free driving system that they built from scratch rather than buying it from a supplier.
Rivian says this approach allows them to respond to customer needs faster, and where they can, issue over-the-air updates to systems as they have them rather than issuing batch updates once or twice a year.
Altogether though, the R1S Quad we drove, as well as the R1T I spent much of the day off-roading, feel intuitive and confident. It’s easy to see why the Rivian people want to do things their own way; they see things differently.
Read: GMC Hummer EV SUV: A Kitschy-Cool EV with Functional Space, Utilitarian Interior
Putting 1,025 HP to the Test—Sort of
With 1,025 HP underfoot in the Gen 2 Quad, the temptation to floor the accelerator and feel the thrust of all that power was strong. But the roads were crowded with summer traffic so we didn’t really get the chance. Still, accelerating was powerful, effortless, and quiet.
And that’s the thing about the Rivian R1 versus other EVs; you don’t really notice the horsepower as much as you notice when you don’t have it. Getting back into the Mustang Mach-E I definitely feel the reduced amount of power when accelerating onto the highway (and it’s more than fine). And getting into my V6-powered Infiniti QX50? It feels like using a landline to make a call: it works fine and does everything I need, but it’s a different, less sophisticated animal.
The four motors and all that power, though, contribute to some other things that the Rivian Gen 2 R1 Quad does that will make you the star of the trail: Party tricks.
The R1 Quad Does Party Tricks??? Believe It!
I didn’t know this, but I’m not surprised to find out that Rivian has an adventure department. They, of course, call it RAD for short. It was the RAD team that came up with several things to make the Gen 2 Quad a standout among 4-wheelers: RAD Tuner Mode and Kick Turn.
Think of RAD Tuner, which will be released as an update in September and included with all Gen 2 Quad purchases, as an equalizer for your off-road experience (we got to try out an early version). On the RAD Tuner screen, you can adjust the sliders to give you more or less off-road dynamics: lower or higher ground clearance, more or less brake assist, more or less body roll, more or less power to the front or rear wheels, more or less acceleration response. All this is in addition to off-road modes that include all-terrain, rock, sand, rally, and drift. RAD Tuner is something that off-roaders will learn to adjust and be able to use in different settings.
Then There’s the Kick Turn
This one took some practice, but when we learned to use an early version, it’s quite the party trick. Essentially, Kick Turn (again, this will be sent out as an update to all Gen 2 Quad buyers in September) all four wheels turn at once to spin the R1 Quad in a single tight quarter turn. It simply turns. You can see what that looks like here.
Keep pressing the buttons and it turns again. And again and again. In a full circle, or a quarter or half or three-quarter circle. Only a few other 4-wheelers can do a similar “tank turn” trick, including the G Wagen; it’s a pretty special trick, pretty simple to use and we actually used it on those ski slope hairpin turns. It came in handy.
And of course, the R1 Quad has launch mode, the drag-strip style takeoff that is where that 0-60 number, which Rivian estimates to be 2.5 seconds, is determined.
But Back to Climbing That Hill…
All the party tricks aside, the hill was still beckoning, or rather, the lovely men, and Lilly Macaruso, the lone female spotter, beckoned. Time to climb the rock. It was comforting to first ride along with Roman, a seasoned off-roader, as he made the first climb. But even with him at the wheel, it was a tough ride. At the top of the hill, though, he got out; he wanted to capture some video of Rivians climbing the hill.
It was my turn. I followed the trail back to the bottom of the hill (I knew there was an easier way!) and took my place at the start of the climb. With the Rivian R1T Quad set to rock crawl mode, the off-road settings tuned to my guide’s advice, and the front camera on, I started up the hill. I was grateful for the spotters and the drive line that Rivian’s RAD team placed on the hill. But seeing the deeply crevassed rocks, the sharp edges that can slash a tire, and feeling one side lift while the other falls is unnerving.
And, it’s adrenaline-pumping. Following the guidance of the spotters on the hill, watching my camera, and keeping a steady foot on the accelerator, lifting off to slow the R1T Quad (a natural and welcome by-product of regenerative braking) is all you need to climb that rock face. It felt so good.
In Full Transparency … Turning Me Into a Rivian Person Was the Goal
Yes, I know Rivian’s team put a lot of planning into how they would show off the Gen 2 Quad. The Kick Turn is a really great show and even more fun to do. The climb up the rock face and then to the top of the ski slope was unnerving… until you do it once or twice. Then you want to do it again and again. Even highway driving using the hands-free system and listening to music was delightful.
It’s all a part of the Rivian culture: figure out a better way by doing it, not just dreaming and testing it. Some of the advancements in the Gen 2 R1 Quad came from the team’s entry in last year’s Rebelle Rally, which they won, and setting a record for a pickup truck in the Pike’s Peak Hill Climb. The world of racing and off-roading is their research and development lab, and they want every Rivian driver to be part of the engineering team. And I get it: if you are, you’re a Rivian Person, and that’s a really fun thing to be.
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