I Spent 18 Hours in a Rivian R1S with 2 Rowdy Kids—& It Was Oddly Blissful

During my weeklong test, I drove the Rivian R1S Dual Motor Performance AWD SUV. It's the brand's second-gen electric vehicle: a seven-seater with all-wheel drive, an EPA-estimated range of 410 miles per charge and a range of safety features that include 11 hi-res cameras and 38 sensors to help you see exactly what's around you at all times. (On that note, 2025 R1S models built after August 2024 have earned a 2024 Top Safety Pick+ from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.)

First things first: Despite being a three-row SUV, this vehicle glides. The ride was shockingly smooth, be it on highways or gravelly park roads. And it can go from zero to 60 in 3.4 seconds, which I found crucial for zipping onto interstates from all-too-short merge lanes.

That smoothness and ease of maneuvering can likely be attributed to the Rivian's low center of gravity and independent air suspension system. As a result, it also has automatic ride-height leveling—and an adjustable height, so you can raise or lower the vehicle with a push of a button (up to 5.5 inches, I might add). There's even a feature that causes the SUV to "kneel" when you park it, lowering itself so it's easier to get in and out. This was especially helpful for my kids and when my mother-in-law rode with us, as she's 5-foot-1. Being 5'11" myself, I appreciated the ability to elevate the Rivian and enjoy the higher vantage point.

Like pretty much all electric vehicles, the R1S uses regenerative braking, so once you take your foot off the gas, the SUV comes to a stop. As a result, you don't need to use the brake—and that can take some getting used to. You can adjust the sensitivity on this, thankfully. I needed it at the low setting at first, so my stops wouldn't be so abrupt, but after the first day's drive, it became second nature.

Charging the R1S—particularly while staying at a home that wasn't equipped for an electric vehicle—was my biggest concern. Thankfully, the Rivian app and maps within the car made it easy to find the nearest charging station near me at all times.

The R1S can be plugged into a 240-volt outlet, which delivers about 16 miles of charge per hour, and a 120-volt one (aka your standard household outlet), which I was warned would be "much slower." Since I had access to a 120-volt where I was staying, I tried that overnight...and after eight hours, I'd gained less than 20 miles of power.

Compare that to a charging station, which added about 100 miles in roughly 20 minutes—and cost me about as much as the equivalent in gas (when I compared it to 100 miles' worth of gas in my Subaru Ascent, the three-row SUV I typically drive).

When I spoke to three other electric vehicle owners, all told me they rarely needed to visit charging stations for daily driving; an overnight charge using a 240-volt outlet was plenty. (You can also install a Rivian wall charger, which the company says can provide up to 25 miles of charge per hour.)

OK, I have to admit, I totally geeked out over the tech in this SUV. Instead of a traditional key, you use the Rivian app on your phone to start the R1S (though you can also use a keycard). And the center console doubles as a wireless charger—though there are high-speed USB-C outlets inside too—so you can ensure your phone is never running on empty.

The door handles pop open as you approach, and at night, Rivian lights glowed by the driver and passenger side doors to illuminate your path, like little bat signals.

Liam—the nickname for the SUV I borrowed—also had heated and cooling seats that you could fire up before you got to the car, and they're powerful without being overpowering. In Florida, the cooling seats are crucial most months out of the year, but as someone who struggles with cramps and lower back pain, I rarely drove without turning on the heated seats.

With a swipe of your hand on the touchscreen, you can also adjust the direction of the air vents, which were surprisingly strong—and responsive. In an SUV of this size, I'm used to it taking some time for the vehicle to cool down—and complaints from my kids in the backseat as they wait. This wasn't the case here.

While we all appreciated the quick cooldown (and warm-up, on the rare chilly morning), my kids really loved the sound system, as they blasted Kidz Bop and Danny Go to their hearts' content. (And, given that they were content and comfy on multi-hour drives all week long, I was happy to oblige.)

My favorite features, however, were the smooth ride, comfortable leather (heated) seats and panoramic glass roof, which gave me all the perks of a convertible, without the noise, hassle or tangled hair.

What Were You Not So Crazy About?

This is a silly thing, but I wanted more standard cup holders. Yes, the side doors had gusseted pockets you could stick a water bottle in, but otherwise, there were two that popped out from the center console and two more if you flipped down the middle seat in the second row. When you're carting a full car of people in today's Stanley Quencher-toting world, you soon find you need more. (And I soon learned Amazon sells all kinds of organizers to address this.)

Also, call me old school, but I found myself a little more anxious—and aware—of both the SUV's battery and my cell phone's battery the entire week. Despite the charging pad within the car. And the charging stations every few miles. And the backup keycard in my purse. That heightened awareness tended to ease up by the end of the week, but it was interesting how much more often I checked my power levels.

Heading to a concert in downtown Tampa means dealing with downtown parking garages, where the spaces are comically small. This test terrified me, though thanks to the hi-res cameras and easy-to-adjust mirrors, I backed into a spot that offered mere inches of space on either side without issue. (Did I nearly have to get out via the trunk, due to space constraints? Almost. But that's not the SUV's fault.)

For another test, I rode in the very back row for 45 minutes. Normally, this would make me feel a little nauseous, and at nearly six feet tall, often means my head is at an angle, because the third row of many SUVs is a joke. Not so here! I could fit, and fit comfortably! It felt like a Christmas miracle, and I partially credit my comfort to the fact that I was (1) sitting behind my toddler, so his seat could be pushed forward a bit, and (2) the SUV features a panoramic tinted glass roof. It gives you an open-sky view (that's UV-protected), creating an airy sense no matter where you sit.

I'll be honest: With a starting price of $83,900, the Rivian R1S Dual is pricey. It's roughly 40 percent more than the starting price of gas-powered, three-row SUVs I had been looking at. However, the pricing is fairly comparable for similarly sized EVs.

If it's within your budget—or you want to lease it, which starts at $599 a month—you will experience a top-of-the-line SUV. Every detail is thoughtfully considered, and after experiencing such luxury, it was hard to hand back my keycard at the end of seven days.

Liam, I'll love you forever! Don't forget about me!