You see them everywhere now. That friendly, wide-eyed face with the vertical "stadium" headlights. But if you’re looking at a 2025 Rivian R1S SUV, you’re looking at a vehicle that is almost entirely different under the skin than the one that launched a few years back. It’s funny, honestly. People call it a "refresh," but Rivian basically ripped the guts out and started over.
They call it "Gen 2."
If you just glance at it, you’ll miss the point. The real story isn't the new paint color (though the "Borealis" green is pretty sick). It’s the fact that they deleted over a mile and a half of copper wiring. They replaced 17 separate "brains" or ECUs with just seven. They even changed the way the turn signals sound. It’s a massive technical overhaul hidden inside a familiar wrapper.
The 2025 Rivian R1S SUV: More Than Just a Face Lift
Most car companies do a "mid-cycle refresh" by changing the bumper and adding a new cupholder. Rivian went the opposite way. They kept the look mostly the same but re-engineered the hardware to make it actually profitable to build. And, hopefully, more reliable for you.
Let's talk motors.
The 2025 Rivian R1S SUV now uses drive units designed and built entirely in-house. Gone are the Bosch motors from the early days. You’ve got the Dual-Motor, which is the "sensible" choice, and the Tri-Motor, which is probably the sweet spot for most people who want to feel their stomach drop. Then there’s the Quad-Motor. That thing is just offensive. We're talking 1,025 horsepower. It’ll do 0-60 mph in 2.6 seconds. In a seven-passenger SUV that weighs as much as a small moon.
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It’s stupid fast.
But acceleration was never really the R1S's problem. The problem was the ride. If you drove an original R1S, you know it could feel a bit... nervous. It had this "hobby horse" motion over bumps that made some people carsick. For 2025, they’ve swapped in new air springs and revised the dampers. It finally feels like a luxury car instead of a very fast science project.
Why the New Brain Matters
The big shift for the 2025 model year is the electrical architecture. By moving to a "zonal" system, Rivian cut 44 pounds of weight just in wires. Think about that. That's a medium-sized dog's worth of copper gone.
This matters because it makes the software faster. The new autonomy platform, powered by dual NVIDIA Orin chips, has way more "vision" than before. We're talking 11 cameras with 8-megapixel resolution. They can see way further in the dark and in bad weather. It's the foundation for their "Autonomy Platform+," which is Rivian’s answer to Tesla’s FSD, aiming for hands-free highway driving that actually works without nagging you every five seconds.
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Real Talk on Range and Batteries
Range is where things get a bit confusing. Rivian changed the battery chemistries for 2025.
- Standard Pack: Now uses Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP). It’s tougher, you can charge it to 100% every day without feeling guilty, and it gets about 270 miles.
- Large and Max Packs: These still use the traditional NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) cells but in a redesigned housing that’s easier to manufacture.
The Max Pack can theoretically hit 410 miles. But here's the reality: if you're cruising at 75 mph on the highway in the winter, you aren't seeing 410 miles. Real-world testing from owners on the East Coast and in Tahoe suggests that in freezing temps, you might see closer to 250-280 miles on a Max Pack if you're pushing it.
Physics is a jerk like that.
Charging is still solid, though. You can add about 140 miles of range in 20 minutes at a fast charger. And since Rivian officially opened up the Tesla Supercharger network to their owners, the "where do I plug in?" anxiety has mostly evaporated. You just need the NACS adapter, or if you wait a bit longer, the newer builds will have the Tesla-style port built right into the fender.
Living With It: The "Kinda Weird" Stuff
Look, no car is perfect. The 2025 Rivian R1S SUV still does that thing where you have to use the screen to move the air vents. It’s annoying. It’ll always be annoying. You’re driving down the road and just want a breeze on your face, but you have to dive into a menu to drag a little digital dot around.
Also, the software can still be "glitchy." While the new UI looks beautiful—it has this cool cel-shaded, comic-book vibe now—some owners report that the auto-brightness at night is a bit finicky. Sometimes the infotainment takes a second to wake up. It's a "tech-first" car, which means you get the cool updates every month, but you also deal with the occasional software bug.
What You Should Actually Buy
If you're looking at the lineup, don't get distracted by the Quad-Motor unless you really need to win drag races against Lamborghinis.
The Dual-Motor Performance with the Max Pack is the "pro move." You get 665 horsepower, which is more than enough to merge onto any highway with terrifying speed, and you get the most range possible. You're basically getting 90% of the Quad-Motor experience for a lot less money and better efficiency.
Actionable Next Steps for Potential Buyers:
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- Check your garage height. The R1S is tall. Even with the "kneel" mode that lowers the suspension when you park, it’s a big box. Measure twice.
- Test drive the Gen 2 specifically. If you're buying used or looking at "leftover" 2024 models, make sure you know which one you’re getting. The 2025 suspension is a game-changer; don't settle for the older setup unless the discount is massive.
- Plan your home charging. To get the most out of the LFP Standard pack, you really want a Level 2 charger at home. Relying on public charging for an LFP battery is a headache you don't need.
- Look into the "Connect+" subscription. Rivian is moving some of the cooler data features and streaming apps behind a monthly fee. Factor that $15 or so into your monthly "fuel" budget.
The 2025 Rivian R1S SUV is finally the vehicle it promised to be at launch. It’s quieter, it rides better, and the tech is finally catching up to the ambition. Just remember to bring your NACS adapter if you're heading into the wilderness.