Rivian R1T 1-Year Owner Review: What To Expect After 13,000 miles

Rivian’s first-ever vehicle impressed this owner, but it did break once.

Iulian Dnistran

By: Iulian Dnistran

Jan 5, 2023 at 4:04am ET

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It’s been a little over a year since Rivian started customer deliveries of its all-electric R1T pickup truck at the end of 2021, and for the most part, things have gone smoothly for the American start-up EV maker.

The R1T won MotorTrend’s Truck of the Year 2022 award, with the publication calling it “the most remarkable pickup truck” it has ever driven, and several owners have expressed their satisfaction with the electric truck made by Rivian.

Now, a new owner review was published by YouTuber TEDActuallyTalks on his channel, where he notes what he likes and dislikes about his EV after one year of ownership and about 13,500 miles driven.

He begins by saying that the software updates have made the truck better with time, with Snow Mode added and an improvement in range, something that would be almost impossible in a conventional, internal combustion engine car without going to the dealer.

In response to all the “haters” that say start-up EV manufacturers don’t make cars that feel luxurious enough, the YouTuber had this to say: “it’s really about the experience, and driving the Rivian and these newer, start-up EVs – they have different experiences, and it’s so unique, so new.”

When comparing a legacy manufacturer’s leather-appointed interior to the Rivian’s synthetic leather, he says he would take the R1T’s interior over real leather any day of the week, because it’s souple enough and more importantly, the maintenance and upkeep is a fraction of what you need for a leather-equipped vehicle. “You don’t have to condition it, you don’t have to UV-protect it, and it won’t wrinkle,” he added.

Gallery: 2022 Rivian R1T: First Drive Review

2022 Rivian R1T

2022 Rivian R1T 2022 Rivian R1T rear 2022 Rivian R1T fording a river

Not everything is perfect, however. One drawback of the R1T is, from this owner’s perspective, the lack of running boards, which makes getting in and out of the truck a bit difficult. This was fixed somehow with a software update that includes a so-called Kneel Mode, which automatically lowers the suspension before getting in.

Another less-than-perfect feature is the rear bench seat, which is a bit too upright to be comfortable on long road trips.

The YouTuber mentions that he only had one problem with the electric truck, and that’s the powered tonneau cover, which had to be serviced by Rivian but never gave him any headaches after that.

What do you think?

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In the end, he would “definitely do it again, 100%,” even at the new price point, which speaks highly of Rivian and what it managed to achieve on its first try.

Check out the video embedded at the top of this page and let us know what you think in the comments section below. What’s your experience with the Rivian R1T?