A mom purchased a Rivian R1S so she can travel around with her three children more comfortably. TikTok user Whitney Haley (@tennesseewhitney) uploaded a video documenting her first day of owning the car. She gave a glowing initial assessment of the space the car offered her, but is she just in the honeymoon phase of getting a new ride, or is the R1S a really good option for a family daily driver?
Haley begins her video with a recording of herself riding around in her Ford Bronco, which she says is a less-than-ideal vehicle for someone with three kids. Consequently, she decided to purchase a three-row vehicle in order to make commutes with her children more manageable. She opted to go for a Rivian R1S, which offers an ample 104.7 cubic feet of room throughout the entirety of the car’s cabin.
It’s proven to be a shopping workhorse to boot. InsideEVs previously reported on one driver’s experience shopping at Costco in a R1S, where he demonstrated that thanks to the car’s trunk, back sub-compartments, and frunk area, he was able to fit a rather large haul from the bulk retailer. He achieved it all without needing to drop down a row and remove his kids’ car seats, too.
“It Rides So Smooth”
As Haley’s video progresses, she records herself commuting in her new R1S, and she seems to be instantly smitten with the car. The TikToker commended the vehicle’s polished drive feel and said it was exceedingly more capacious than her previous Bronco. At the end of her clip, she films herself preparing to use a Tesla supercharger.
In a caption for her video, the TikToker writes that she believes that adjusting to charging her EV, instead of filling up at the tank, may become a problem for her. “Now let’s see how many times I forget to charge it/get stranded because of how bad my ADHD brain is!” she quipped.
Is The Rivian R1S A Good Family Car?
Some commenters who responded to Haley’s video decried her decision to purchase the Rivian. One person replied that the brand is “unreliable,” whereas another speculated the EV’s battery would cause her problems down the line. Hayley responded to these comments with a follow-up video where she cheekily sticks her tongue out at EV haters.
Research from Consumer Reports echoes the concerns made by some of the TikTokers who commented on the post. According to the car analytics firm, Rivians usually rank “near the bottom” of its rankings in terms of dependability. However, Consumer Reports also highlighted that despite this positioning, owners are generally satisfied with the cars, as they’re placed “near the top” in owner satisfaction.
If you’re interested in purchasing a Rivian vehicle and are worried about it giving you mechanical issues down the line, the brand does offer a “comprehensive warranty” that’s good for four years/50,000 miles. Furthermore, its batteries are covered for eight years/120,000 miles for cars outfitted with standard packs. If consumers up their range and opt for larger pack models, that support is extended to eight years/150,000 miles, whichever drivers hit first.
The brand also gives buyers an eight-year paint corrosion warranty for perforation damage, along with a one-year/12,000 mile adjustment warranty, which is supposed to cover any manufacturing defects found in its vehicles. This, as one Redditor points out, applies to non-mechanical fixes such as loose hinges, panel gaps and uneven paint jobs. Rivian delineates what exactly is covered in this adjustment warranty in its limited warranty guide.
Lots Of Space
Large families looking for an EV may enjoy the room that’s offered inside the Rivian R1S’s interior. The SUV gives front-seat passengers 41.1 inches of headroom, second-row commuters 39.7 inches, and folks in the back 38.6 inches. For legroom, those up front get 41.4 inches, and people sitting behind them are given 36.6 inches. That number shrinks to 32.8 inches for whoever’s in the third row seating area. Hip room, in descending order, goes from 54.9 inches, 54.2 inches, and 42.8 inches respectively.
InsideEVs has reached out to Haley via email for further information about her Rivian R1S ownership experience.
