Getting behind the wheel lets you experience what makes a Rivian so unique. For many people, driving is believing. And we love making new believers.
Whether you’re new to EVs or coming from another brand, a demo drive is also your chance to explore features, settings and even day-to-day ownership first-hand.
With that in mind, we’ve put together this demo drive guide to help you get oriented and up to speed so you can squeeze the most out of your experience.
Booking your drive
Book a demo drive at rivian.com/demo-drive/book. Add your location to find convenient nearby spots where you can get behind the wheel. We also list any special demo drive pop-up events in your area.
You can also walk in to book a demo drive in person if you live near one of our Rivian spaces or Service + Demo Centers. A typical demo drive takes 30 minutes. Certain locations even offer 24-hour demo drives where you can take a Rivian home for a day. This lets you really live with the vehicle and get a deeper experience, so we highly recommend it!
You’ll need to sign our waiver, upload a copy of your license, and provide proof of insurance. Then you’re set.
Before your drive, you can design your R1S or R1T or browse the R1 Shop to explore all the amazing configurations and options available.
Choosing your ride
Choosing which vehicle to take for a spin is about understanding your own needs and preferences. Maybe you’ve already made up your mind on what you’re looking for. Even then, it can still be a tough choice, so here are some factors to consider.
Need seven seats? Go for R1S. Need a truck bed for hauling? Go with R1T. There are some subtler differences, too. R1T is about 16 inches longer than R1S and also has the unique Gear Tunnel between the bed and the cabin. It can also store a full-size spare tire.
R1S has more enclosed, climate-controlled storage space and a split rear gate, and the second and third rows are able to fold completely flat.
What you need to know: powertrain and wheels + tires
We offer R1 in Dual-Motor, Tri-Motor and Quad-Motor AWD.
Dual is our most-efficient powertrain. When paired with our Max pack, you get up to 410 miles of range with R1S and 420 miles of range with R1T.1
Tri is a great balance of powerful performance and efficiency, only available with our Max pack.
Quad is our highest-performance package, and also always paired with our Max pack. Choose an All-Terrain configuration with 20-inch wheels for extreme off-road capability or our Quad-exclusive 22-inch Super Sport wheels and tires for mind-bending performance on pavement.
Select your wheels and tires based on your needs for all-terrain capability, on-road performance and range.
Exterior walkaround
Congrats! You’re ready to hop behind the wheel. Before you do, it’s worth taking a minute to walk around. As an owner, your phone will serve as your key, and the vehicle will automatically lock and unlock based on your proximity. As you walk around, note the location of the charge port, front trunk button and tailgate/hatch buttons.
At the wheel
Get comfortable.2 Adjust the seat, steering wheel and mirrors just how you like them. Take some time to get oriented on the displays and locate the gear shifter, lights, wipers, cup holders and more.
This is a great time to explore our UI and link your phone and music accounts. Dig into settings, too, from setting the color of the accent lighting to controlling lane keep assist and locking behavior.
Customize your drive settings
Taking a Rivian for a spin is designed to be intuitive and — above all — fun. We’ve also made it highly customizable so you can dial in each setting exactly how you want it.
Every Rivian has an array of Drive Modes available for different driving scenarios. Tri and Quad vehicles have the most options, thanks to their advanced powertrain hardware. You can use our hands-free Rivian Assistant to play with all the different modes and settings to experience the enormous versatility of R1 and find what you like. Just say, “Hey Rivian,” and tell the vehicle what you want to try.
Set your regenerative braking to low, medium or high. Regenerative braking allows the vehicle to recapture kinetic energy with the electric motors and feed it back into the battery, which boosts efficiency. It also has the added benefit of enabling one-pedal driving, where you hardly ever have to touch the friction brakes under normal conditions. Seasoned EV drivers really love it. But if it’s your first time, it takes some getting used to. With a few minutes of practice, you’ll be a regen expert.
Set your suspension to soft, moderate or firm. The firmer the setting, the stiffer the vehicle will feel through corners. A softer setting will absorb bumps and rough roads with ease.
Set your ride height. Standard ride height offers the best balance of suspension travel and around-town efficiency. Lower ride heights improve aerodynamics and help the vehicle feel planted and sportier. Higher ride heights are usually reserved for off-road situations where you need more ground clearance. Leave it in Auto to let the vehicle adjust to driving conditions, such as lowering ride height on the highway, automatically.
Quad vehicles come with our RAD Tuner, which lets you go beyond presets and manually customize performance to your heart’s content.
Autonomy+
Our latest R1 vehicles come with advanced assisted-driving capabilities.3 Universal Hands-Free driving is an assistive feature that lets you drive hands-free on almost any divided road. Automatically change lanes by simply using the blinker.
Try it out to see which driving style you prefer — mild, medium or spicy. We plan to add more and more capabilities over time, including point-to-point autonomous driving that will take you from your parking spot to your destination.
There is so much else to explore — Rivian Assistant, Camp mode, Pet Comfort mode, Gear Guard, Road Cam, Google Cast and YouTube, Kick Turn, Energy App, towing, Dolby Atmos sound, and trip planning — just to name a few.
We hope your first miles behind the wheel are just the start of your adventures with us. We can’t wait to see where your Rivian takes you.
Actual vehicle capability will depend on selected options and trim. Official EPA values are noted — some range estimates are preliminary estimates based on the EPA test cycle and are not official EPA values. The EPA estimates range through a series of standardized lab tests that mimic real world conditions. Factors including tires, drive modes, weather conditions, HVAC settings and accessories can all have an impact on range. All range estimates are based on a configuration with 22-inch road wheels and tires.
The information provided in this blog post is intended for general informational purposes only. It does not constitute professional advice or expert guidance. Always consult the Rivian Owner’s Guide before operating a Rivian vehicle and, where appropriate, seek professional assistance. While we strive to ensure accuracy, we do not assume any responsibility or liability for any inaccuracies, omissions or errors in this content.
Driver assistance features, including Autonomy+, are designed to support the driver but do not replace a driver’s judgment or the need to pay attention and control the vehicle. Drivers should be prepared to resume control at all times, and hands should remain on the steering wheel. Some driver assistance features can only be used once Highway Assist is engaged. See Rivian Owner’s Guide for details and limitations.
