2023 Rivian R1S SUV

The new Rivian R1S electric SUV is based on Rivian's R1T truck and promises to be the ultimate do-anything, three-row SUV, sans gas bills. Other than its striking looks, the R1S comes at a BMW iX-matching starting price that undercuts the Tesla Model X considerably. It also leads the class in performance, with a three-second sprint to 60 mph for the quad-motor variant, only being beaten by the $144k Model X Plaid. Two flavors will be available for the 2023 model year, with a dual-motor setup that's good for around 600 horsepower and 600 lb-ft of torque, while the four-motor option gives you more than 800 hp to play with. But it's no one-trick pony, and the slightly-larger-than-midsize SUV is also an adept off-roader with almost 15 inches of ground clearance and a wading depth that most would find intimidating - thanks to a height-adjustable air suspension. The R1S also has a stylish and spacious interior, and the square Land Rover-esque profile speaks of the R1S's practicality and capability, but also of its aspirations to compete with the big names. It may not match a Model X on miles per kWh, but the expected long-range model with the 180-kWh battery should compensate with over 400 miles on a charge.

The new 2023 Rivian R1S Adventure has a price starting at $78,000 with the dual-motor setup and the Standard battery pack. Upgrading to the Large battery pack adds $6,000 to the price, and opting for Performance dual-motor setup adds $5,000, while the quad-motor drivetrain ups the price by another $8,000. The quad-motor AWD cannot be had with the smaller battery. The destination charge is $1,500. The base Rivian R1S MSRP was supposed to drop to $72,500 for the cheapest Explore trim, but that was canceled even before its launch, as Rivian says the majority of buyers order the Adventure. No pricing is yet available for the expected long-range 180-kWh battery pack that will only be available for delivery in 2024. The R1S qualifies for the government's $7,500 EV tax credit.

The 835-hp/908-lb-ft quad-motor setup dispenses eyeball-flattening acceleration, and none of the Rivian R1S's competitors can touch it for performance in the electric SUV space except for the Tesla Model X Plaid, which is $50k more expensive. There are no fewer than eight drive modes, with the automatically adjusting All Purpose as the default, while Sport can be selected to lower and stiffen the suspension for enthusiastic driving. Tow Mode selects AWD and provides maximum torque for towing, and Conserve switches to FWD and optimizes the R1S to save battery power on long trips. There are four off-road modes: Off-Road Auto is the automatically adjusting default setting; Off-Road Rock Crawl balances stability and ground clearance for very tough going; Off-Road Rally is for high-speed gravel roads; and Off-Road Drift optimizes drifting on loose surfaces. The dedicated off-road modes play to the R1S' strengths and make the most of the ample ground clearance to put clear daylight between it and its rivals off-road.

Rivian threw a lot of technology at the suspension system. With height-adjustable air springs, a hydraulic anti-roll system courtesy of no other than McLaren, and a sophisticated front wishbone and rear multilink layout, not only is there deeply impressive go-anywhere ability, but surprising nimbleness and a fleetness of foot not usually associated with a large SUV. The tradeoff is a slightly stiff-legged ride quality, but this is amply compensated for by well-judged damping and exemplary body control for such a big barge.

The Rivian R1S has what it takes to catapult it straight to the top of the class for three-row electric SUVs. It outdoes the far more expensive Tesla Model X in overall interior space, off-road ability, and performance at the price. The BMW iX is similarly priced but is also a road-biased one-trick pony compared to the Rivian and will be left floundering off-road. The infotainment system is easy to use, the driver-assistance features impressively comprehensive - and it can even tow 7,700 pounds - over 2,000 lbs more than either of its rivals.

That said, we lament the absence of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto from the infotainment system, and the somewhat choppy ride quality might bother some people. The third row is for occasional use only and really meant for children. The R1S is not exactly cheap, either.

There is currently only one model to buy, namely the Adventure. For most of us, 600 hp and a four-second sprint to 60 mph is plenty fast enough, so there's no reason to spend the extra $8,000 on the quad-motor setup, although a 665-hp version is available for an upgrade of $5,000. We would like the larger battery for $6,000 for that additional useful 60 miles of range when adventuring, especially if we opt for one of the all-terrain tire packages that will eat up at least 30 miles of that range. Finally, the $750 wall charger is indispensable for charging your R1S more quickly at home. With no-cost interior options and the LA Silver paint, all of this takes our R1S up from $78,000 to $84,750.