Can the same brand of vehicle rank at the bottom of owner ratings in terms of both reliability and at the top in terms of overall owner satisfaction? If that brand is Rivian, the answer is a resounding yes.
Rivian ranked first in satisfaction for the second year in a row, with owners giving their R1S and R1T electric vehicles (EV) particularly high marks for comfort, speed, drivability and ease of use, according to the latest Consumer Reports (CR) survey Owner satisfaction.
And the love from Rivian owners doesn't stop there: 86% of them would buy from the California electric vehicle maker again. This puts Rivian well ahead of BMW and Tesla, the next two competitors in terms of owner satisfaction.
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But Rivian, a relatively new electric vehicle maker, comes in last in the CR survey for reliability.
“Because EV technology is still relatively new, automakers continue to work out the kinks of their powertrains and platforms,” said Steven Elek, auto data analyst at Consumer Reports. “But we also see issues with their non-EV components, such as the latest infotainment and electronics features.”
The CR survey collected data from owners of approximately 300,000 2022 to 2024 model year vehicles. For reliability, it measures 20 problem areas ranging from nuisances – squealing brakes and broken interior panels – to serious problems such as potentially costly problems with engines, transmissions, EV batteries and charging of EVs that are out of warranty.
As CR notes, Rivian wasn't the only automaker to receive mixed ratings for satisfaction and reliability. BMW also performed only mediocrely when it came to reliability, coming in second place in terms of satisfaction. In contrast, Subaru was ranked the most reliable brand overall and received average satisfaction ratings.
“Owner satisfaction ratings for a brand or particular car may not always align with reliability, especially for new models,” says CR. “Even cars that require frequent trips to a dealer’s repair shop can make owners happy because new car warranties take the financial hit out of an unreliable vehicle.”
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