Gen 2 Rivian R1S First Impressions: Stellar Drive, Disappointing Build Quality, and "Premium Audio"...

My 4-year-old was thrilled that we’re one step closer to camping with our new Rivian. We even matched in our Gear Guard t-shirts and brought along the Gear Guard plush for the big day—picking up my 2025 Rivian R1S Dual Max (Gen 2) at the Eastvale service center. While I’m still a big fan of Rivian’s vision and I’m loving the Gen 2’s driving experience, interior, and upgrades, I wasn’t prepared for the shockingly poor exterior build quality (like, seriously how it passed the quality check in Normal) and the disappointing ‘premium audio’ system. To top it off, I lost power just 10 miles in, stuck at a traffic light with a line of cars behind me. I still love Rivian, but this pickup day became unforgettable for all the wrong reasons. Here are my quick first impressions for anyone who appreciates firsthand insights.

UPDATE

9/23/2024 11 am - Rivian called me earlier to review the photos I submitted through the app, going over each one in real-time. The staff confirmed the issues and said they would follow up soon to schedule a service appointment to address everything.

PURCHASE & DELIVERY EXPERIENCE (9/10)

My pre-delivery experience with Rivian was close to perfect—9 out of 10. The online shopping process was as smooth and straightforward as Tesla’s, with easy steps from configuration, deposit payment, financing, and down payment to insurance setup and delivery scheduling.

The service center staff were friendly and responsive, answering all my questions via text before the big day. My delivery was scheduled for a Sunday morning, and when we arrived, the shop was quiet, with just one staff member in the parking lot. The reception area was empty, but there were toys for my kid, so the 15-minute wait wasn’t too bad. The space itself was clean and welcoming, featuring Rivian merchandise for sale, a typical showroom display of wheels and trim options, plus water, coffee, and more toys for kids. There was a large glass window where you could watch the vehicles being serviced—we spotted several R1Ts and even a few Amazon delivery vans.

When my guide arrived, I signed a few papers, and within five minutes, we were led to a room next door, where four new R1S vehicles were waiting for pickup. I immediately recognized mine: LA Silver wrapped in Xpel's stealth PPF.

Overall, the delivery experience reminded me of Tesla back in 2015–2017 (before the Model 3 era), when the team still made an effort to engage, answer questions, and ensure a personal experience. I’ve purchased a Model S in 2017, a Model 3 in 2018, and a Model X in 2023, and I can tell you that these days, they barely talk to you. Now, you simply show up, sign a confirmation, add the car to your app, and drive away. While it’s certainly convenient, it feels a bit cold—at least that’s been my experience in SoCal, where I bought all three Teslas. No to mention the service quality and staff attitude that worsen over time.

One thing to note: I ordered my R1S the day Rivian launched its referral program using my friend’s code. However, after delivery, my ‘rewards’ didn’t show any points or record of it. I’ll need to reach out to Rivian, and I’ll update once I hear back.

INTERIOR BUILD QUALITY (8/10)

As mentioned, I’ve purchased three Tesla vehicles, the most recent being a 2023 Model X, and my business also owns a 2024 Cybertruck, so I believe I’m in a good position to make fair comparisons…

Before purchasing the Gen 2 R1S, I rented a Quad-Motor Gen 1 R1S on Turo last year and had test-driven it a few times. I’ve always appreciated Rivian’s adventure-ready design and driving dynamics. I’ve told many friends that Rivian vehicles feel better built than my Teslas—you can tell just by shutting the doors and experiencing the ride quality. I don’t have much to say about the interior yet, but I’ll share a more detailed verdict after spending more time in it. My initial impression, though, is that the materials, fit and finish, and seating comfort are on par with German luxury cars like the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class and much better than all Tesla vehicles.

EXTERIOR BUILD QUALITY (3/10)

Exterior build quality is where things went downhill. During the quick walkaround with my guide, I immediately spotted over 10 alignment issues. I had seen plenty of YouTube videos comparing Gen 1 and Gen 2 build quality, so I knew there were improvements, but not by much. Unfortunately, mine is one of the worst-built Gen 2s I’ve come across. The halo trim piece above the front windshield is misaligned on both sides, especially on the driver’s side, where it’s impossible to ignore—it’s just too obvious. The same applies to the trim piece above the rear windsheild— both sides stick out. In case you’re wondering, the Xpel Stealth PPF was precut, and the job was done fairly well, but not all painted areas were wrapped as advertised. The black trim pieces, for instance, are not wrapped. I could sense that the guide was a bit nervous as he started texting his manager. He informed me that I could take photos and schedule a service appointment to fix the issues since no technicians were available today.

From the side, I immediately noticed that the driver’s door sits slightly lower than the rear door and other body panel trims. The window trims had some minor scratches, and there were dirt and watermarks on the plastic trim below the door panels—something that should have been cleaned before delivery.

The worst part? The rear door panels are loose and don’t click or connect properly when closed. I’m even concerned that water could seep in. Overall, I’d rate the exterior build quality a 3 out of 10—probably worse than many cars under $30,000.

DRIVING EXPERIENCE (7/10)

Driving dynamics are one of the most important aspects to rate for any vehicle. Yes, the R1S drives beautifully, and I’m really happy with the new suspension system. Ride comfort is excellent, and the NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) performance below 65 mph is impressive. However, I haven’t had the chance to experience high-speed driving yet, and I’ll explain why…

The Eastvale service center is about 17 miles from my friend’s shop in Upland, where I always take new vehicles for PPF, ceramic coating, and window tints. My new Rivian was no exception. After taking delivery, I hopped into the driver’s seat, entered the shop’s address, and started driving, following right behind my 2023 Model X. About 7 miles in, we stopped at a red light. I was amazed by the overall driving experience—until the light turned green, and my vehicle didn’t move when I pressed the accelerator. That’s when I noticed it had automatically switched to Park, with nearly every alert and warning imaginable flashing on the screen, and a line of cars honking behind me. I managed to shift it back into Drive, but as soon as I hit the pedal, I knew something was wrong. The power was gone, and I could barely reach 19 mph, forcing me to pull over and figure out what was going on.

I called the service center and explained that my car was displaying all sorts of error messages and that the motors didn’t seem to be functioning properly. The representative asked me to find a safe place to park while she checked and advised me on what to do next.

Huge shoutout to my friend Jenna, who shared her referral code with me and pretty much saved my day. While I was waiting for the Rivian rep on the line, I texted her, and she taught me how to perform a hard restart. Three minutes later, after the CID rebooted, the miracle happened—all the error messages disappeared, and I was able to drive without any issues. The service rep then said, ‘You should be good now.’ Hmm… I’m not sure if I’m the only one experiencing this, but it was definitely not the best first drive experience.

AUDIO SYSTEM (3/10)

As someone who spends a ton of time every day listening to music and watching movies, having a top-notch sound system in my car is absolutely essential. That’s why I sacrificed my preferred paint color and went with LA Silver—it came with the Premium Audio upgrade, a $1,750 add-on.

The day before delivery, I saw a post on Reddit where someone complained about Rivian’s Premium Audio quality. I also have a friend, the ‘Kilowatts,’ who regrets not upgrading his system, as he finds the standard audio pretty bad. After experiencing it firsthand, I can confirm the Reddit post was spot on. The sound is… a lot worse than the system in my new Model X. It feels muffled, almost like someone’s singing underwater. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s definitely not worth $1,750. I’m really hoping it’s something that can be fixed through software updates—it just needs more tuning. Fingers crossed.

I currently use Spotify, but I’ve heard good things about Apple Music’s Dolby Atmos improvements. I’m thinking of giving it a try, and if it sounds noticeably better, I might switch back to Apple Music…

OTHER AREAS

The software UI isn’t as polished as Tesla’s, but I’m confident it will improve over time. The cameras, however, are fantastic—I love the bird’s-eye view and the blindspot cams (Tesla, please put the blindspot cam feeds on the display behind the wheel, not the CID!).

As for NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) performance, it’s on the louder side compared to German luxury cars, but it’s comparable to my 2023 Model X and significantly better than my 2017 Model S and 2018 Model 3.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have much more time to drive it and will need to take the vehicle in for service to fix the alignment issues (fingers crossed they’re adjustable). I’ll share more about charging, high-speed driving, Autonomy+, Connect+, off-roading, and, most importantly, the car camping experience later on. The whole reason I bought the Rivian R1S was to take my little one on adventures and do more car camping. While this wasn’t the best delivery experience, I still have confidence in the brand, and I really like RJ’s vision—I’ve even invested quite alot in Rivian stock. I genuinely hope Rivian succeeds. Let me know if you have any questions—I’d be happy to answer!

USE MY REFERRAL LINK TO EARN $750 + FREE CHARGING FOR 6 MONTHS