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Cars & transport · electric car

Rivian electric vehicle

Recommended for software integration, a polished interface and well-designed vehicles. Common caveat: many controls sit on the screen and CarPlay is missing.

Summarized from 144 comments.

Recommended for software integration, a polished interface and well-designed vehicles. Common caveat: many controls sit on the screen and CarPlay is missing.

recommend
73
criticize
54
months recommended
12 of 13

Why people love it

  • Strong software and hardware integration · 5

    the level of software-hardware integration you experience in a Rivian or Tesla is something that CarPlay just can't compete with

    Jul 2026 · comment

    A well made car software solution, like the rivians(mostly), is a better experience overall imho.

    Feb 2026 · comment

    The exceptions, of course, are Rivian and Tesla, who actually make first-class software.

    Jul 2026 · comment
  • Attractive, well-designed vehicles · 4

    I love everything about all of the vehicles they design (interior, shape, etc) except the headlights

    Nov 2025 · comment

    the headlamp and grille shape is distinctively "happy" instead of "aggressive"

    Sep 2026 · comment

    Great to have a vehicle where the actual users are obviously thought of

    Apr 2026 · comment
  • Tesla-comparable software quality · 3

    The exceptions, of course, are Rivian and Tesla, who actually make first-class software.

    Jul 2026 · comment

    Rivian seems to still have a lot of the magic that Tesla had.

    Nov 2025 · comment

    It's Rivian and Tesla, and it's not even close for the rest.

    Mar 2026 · comment
  • Elegant, improving user interface · 2

    I haven't driven a rivian but I've heard their UI is comparable to Tesla.

    Jul 2026 · comment

    very elegant and well designed UI that keeps getting better

    Jul 2026 · comment

What people warn about

  • No CarPlay or Apple integration · 3

    Google Maps, the lack of CarPlay, and the lack of amber turn signals turned me away from Rivian

    Sep 2026 · comment

    It would cost Rivian nothing to allow Apple (and Android) devices to use the monitor in the car as a second screen

    Dec 2025 · comment

    The Rivian is really testing my resolve to never buy another vehicle without CarPlay.

    Jan 2026 · comment
  • Controls moved onto the screen · 2

    Downside is all the buttons are on a screen. But I've grudgingly decided it's worth it for software upgrades.

    Dec 2025 · comment

    Rivians don't even have a physical vent control (to aim the vents). That alone disqualifies it from anything close to "excellent".

    Feb 2026 · comment
  • Connectivity fees and telemetry concerns · 3

    Rivian is turning away potential lifetime customers because they want to force customers to pay for another cellular data plan and get their cut.

    Jul 2026 · comment

    It would have been much better to be able to disable telemetry without losing basic functionality such as navigation and safety updates.

    Apr 2026 · comment

    Rivian adds a purely performative toggle that makes the car's navigation largely useless

    Apr 2026 · comment
  • Costly repairs and reliability problems · 3

    an earlier Rivian ... felt legitimately unsafe to drive on the highway and had already spent days at service including a total powertrain shutdown, essentially a lemon

    Feb 2026 · comment

    his insurance was billed $15,000 in labor and parts to fix it because of the monobody construction

    Feb 2026 · comment

    buying a Rivian is like buying a BMW in that you know maintenance/repairability will be painful

    Oct 2026 · comment

What hackers pick instead

Every quote

The 40 most detailed of 144 comments. Each links to the original.

  1. the level of software-hardware integration you experience in a Rivian or Tesla is something that CarPlay just can't compete with

    Recommends · Jul 2026 · in “CarPlay Is Additive”

  2. Downside is all the buttons are on a screen. But I've grudgingly decided it's worth it for software upgrades.

    Mixed · Dec 2025 · in “Rivian Unveils Custom Silicon, R2 Lidar Roadmap, and Universal Hands Free”

  3. I love everything about all of the vehicles they design (interior, shape, etc) except the headlights

    Mixed · Nov 2025 · in “Amazon Rivian electric delivery vans arrive in Canada”

  4. A well made car software solution, like the rivians(mostly), is a better experience overall imho.

    Recommends · Feb 2026 · in “Rivian R2: Electric Mid-Size SUV”

  5. Google Maps, the lack of CarPlay, and the lack of amber turn signals turned me away from Rivian

    Mixed · Sep 2026 · in “Rivian's gambit for full autonomy”

  6. The exceptions, of course, are Rivian and Tesla, who actually make first-class software.

    Recommends · Jul 2026 · in “CarPlay Is Additive”

  7. there are companies with amazing software experience, Rivian, Tesla, Nio, Lucid

    Recommends · Jul 2026 · in “My car's OTA update broke Android Auto, and it's a indictment of modern software”

  8. the headlamp and grille shape is distinctively "happy" instead of "aggressive"

    Recommends · Sep 2026 · in “Rivian's gambit for full autonomy”

  9. I haven't driven a rivian but I've heard their UI is comparable to Tesla.

    Recommends · Jul 2026 · in “CarPlay Is Additive”

  10. Great to have a vehicle where the actual users are obviously thought of

    Recommends · Apr 2026 · in “Rivian allows you to disable all internet connectivity”

  11. they either have high quality software offerings like Tesla or Rivian

    Recommends · Jan 2026 · in “Ford F-150 Lightning outsold the Cybertruck and was then canceled for poor sales”

  12. Rivian seems to still have a lot of the magic that Tesla had.

    Recommends · Nov 2025 · in “When Tesla's FSD works well, it gets credit. When it doesn't, you get blamed”

  13. It's Rivian and Tesla, and it's not even close for the rest.

    Recommends · Mar 2026 · in “Honda is killing its EVs – and any chance of competing in the future”

  14. very elegant and well designed UI that keeps getting better

    Mixed · Jul 2026 · in “CarPlay Is Additive”

  15. I think Rivian has the best-looking line of EVs out there.

    Mixed · Dec 2025 · in “Rivian Unveils Custom Silicon, R2 Lidar Roadmap, and Universal Hands Free”

  16. an earlier Rivian ... felt legitimately unsafe to drive on the highway and had already spent days at service including a total powertrain shutdown, essentially a lemon

    Criticizes · Feb 2026 · in “Rivian R2: Electric Mid-Size SUV”

  17. Rivian is turning away potential lifetime customers because they want to force customers to pay for another cellular data plan and get their cut.

    Criticizes · Jul 2026 · in “CarPlay Is Additive”

  18. It would have been much better to be able to disable telemetry without losing basic functionality such as navigation and safety updates.

    Criticizes · Apr 2026 · in “Rivian allows you to disable all internet connectivity”

  19. Rivians don't even have a physical vent control (to aim the vents). That alone disqualifies it from anything close to "excellent".

    Criticizes · Feb 2026 · in “Luce: First Electric Ferrari. Designed by LoveFrom”

  20. It would cost Rivian nothing to allow Apple (and Android) devices to use the monitor in the car as a second screen

    Criticizes · Dec 2025 · in “Rivian Unveils Custom Silicon, R2 Lidar Roadmap, and Universal Hands Free”

  21. his insurance was billed $15,000 in labor and parts to fix it because of the monobody construction

    Criticizes · Feb 2026 · in “Waymo Seeking About $16B Near $110B Valuation”

  22. buying a Rivian is like buying a BMW in that you know maintenance/repairability will be painful

    Criticizes · Oct 2026 · in “I went to Mexico to test-drive the cars Americans can’t buy”

  23. Rivian adds a purely performative toggle that makes the car's navigation largely useless

    Criticizes · Apr 2026 · in “Rivian allows you to disable all internet connectivity”

  24. The Rivian is really testing my resolve to never buy another vehicle without CarPlay.

    Criticizes · Jan 2026 · in “Volkswagen Brings Back Physical Buttons”

  25. I own a Rivian too, and previously owned a Tesla. While I too have my gripes about the UX on the Rivian

    Mixed · Dec 2025 · in “Rivian Unveils Custom Silicon, R2 Lidar Roadmap, and Universal Hands Free”

  26. They have received feedback saying some people don't want a connected car, so they make it an option.

    Recommends · Apr 2026 · in “Rivian allows you to disable all internet connectivity”

  27. I'd much rather side with the company that was willing to allow the user to disable net connectivity

    Recommends · Apr 2026 · in “Rivian allows you to disable all internet connectivity”

  28. until Rivian, all the other EVs were so bad that it didn't make sense to get the pyrrhic victory

    Recommends · Jun 2026 · in “Feds Killed Polestar and Spared Volvo. That Should Terrify You”

  29. on Tesla (and Rivian) you can choose and control music while keeping navigation on your screen.

    Recommends · Jul 2026 · in “CarPlay Is Additive”

  30. TBH as a customer I prefer to know that the latter is protecting me instead of just cameras.

    Recommends · Dec 2025 · in “Rivian Unveils Custom Silicon, R2 Lidar Roadmap, and Universal Hands Free”

  31. I just don't think they have space for those types of features most people don't care about

    Mixed · Apr 2026 · in “Rivian allows you to disable all internet connectivity”

  32. Rivians have a class V tow capability. Rent a dump trailer and let it take the damage.

    Recommends · Dec 2025 · in “Ford kills the All-Electric F-150”

  33. sufficiently impressed me such that I think it's the only option I'd look at for an EV

    Recommends · Jan 2026 · in “Repair a ship’s hull still in the river in -50˚C (2022)”

  34. They take this type of bug very seriously but obviously any platform will have bugs.

    Mixed · Sep 2026 · in “Owners mourn spoiled food after firmware update bricks Samsung smart fridges”

  35. Rivian isn't cheap of course but they sell well because it's a desirable product.

    Mixed · Jan 2026 · in “Ford F-150 Lightning outsold the Cybertruck and was then canceled for poor sales”

  36. a bit scummy that non-Canadians have to make an in-person service appointment

    Mixed · Apr 2026 · in “Rivian allows you to disable all internet connectivity”

  37. Your vehicle is great but you’re handicapping yourself with software hubris.

    Mixed · Jul 2026 · in “CarPlay Is Additive”

  38. If Tesla lost as much money per car as Rivian, a model Y would be under 30k.

    Mixed · Nov 2025 · in “Tesla Shareholders Approve Elon Musk's $1T Pay Package”

  39. they seem to be moving in that direction, and they're clearly still trying.

    Mixed · May 2026 · in “BYD overtakes Tesla and Kia as the best-selling EV brand in key overseas markets”

  40. Rivian refusing to bend the knee to Apple should be met with more respect

    Recommends · Jul 2026 · in “CarPlay Is Additive”

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