Deciding what car to buy in this era of electrified excess can feel like stumbling blindfolded through a Best Buy during a Black Friday fire drill. The choices are legion, each more digitized, self-driving, and smugly minimalist than the last.
But for all the chatter about “range anxiety,” the real anxiety is existential. What are you actually buying? Is it a car, a lifestyle, a subscription, or a rolling manifesto in chrome and LEDs? Every now and then, though, a vehicle speaks to you in a voice louder than torque figures or EPA range estimates and safety ratings.
Why a Reddit User Chose the 2025 Rivian R1S Over the Volvo EX90
That’s exactly what happened to one Reddit user, kreachr, who walked away from the clinically competent Volvo EX90 and into the rugged, characterful arms of a 2025 Rivian R1S Trimotor.
“I took delivery of my 2025 R1S Trimotor yesterday and figured I’d share my thinking on buying this car. I narrowed this down to two cars: the Volvo EX90 and the R1S. First, I’ll say: my experience driving the EX90 was delightful. I have zero complaints about it. I know there are endless reports of reliability issues with it, but I’ve also seen a fair share of these on Rivian.
To me, these issues washed out and I accepted I was buying an expensive but immature product... The software. I’m one of those who want CarPlay in the R1S, and it really held me back in the past from buying this car. Rivian has a level of product coherence with the software/hardware that you just don’t see on other non-Tesla cars... The design and brand... tremendous character... Genuinely, this stuff makes me want to work for them.”
That’s not a spec comparison. That’s a manifesto. And frankly, it tells you everything you need to know about how the Rivian R1S is winning over hearts in a market that’s otherwise become a spreadsheet exercise.
Volvo EX90 Production Delays and Early Software Limitations Explained
- Volvo postponed the EX90's production to mid-2024 to address complexities in integrating advanced software systems, particularly those related to the vehicle's LiDAR-based safety features.
- Early deliveries of the EX90 may lack certain functionalities, such as wireless Apple CarPlay, bidirectional charging, and full LiDAR capabilities. These features are expected to be added through future software updates.
- Reports indicate that the EX90's central computer remains active for up to 72 hours when parked, leading to a daily battery drain of approximately 3%. This issue is anticipated to be resolved in upcoming software revisions.
The Volvo EX90? Beautiful. Polished. Safe. A rolling spa with LIDAR. But as DazzlingResource561 pointed out in the same Reddit thread, when Volvo delayed the EX90 and
"Cut pretty much everything that would benefit from a lidar."
It turned a lot of eager deposit-holders into refund-requesters. One user, JSMia305, put it plainly:
“EX90 announced, deposit placed. One year later, a refund is requested. Took a Rivian demo. Ordered Gen 2.”
No drama. Just a pivot born out of disillusionment.
What Rivian has that Volvo doesn't, aside from optional off-road tires and a CEO with cult-leader charisma, is soul. RJ Scaringe doesn’t just lead Rivian; he is Rivian, in the same way Carroll Shelby was Shelby and Soichiro Honda was Honda.
How Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe’s Vision Injects Soul into the R1S
It’s rare stuff in this sanitized age of committee-designed crossovers. Redditor kreachr isn’t alone in thinking so:
“RJ… I love what he stands for… founder’s personality permeates throughout the company.”
That might sound like corporate fluff, but in the real world, it translates to a product that feels cohesive, not just engineered, but crafted. For some buyers, that’s the tipping point.
Then there’s the interface war, a place where legacy automakers continue to embarrass themselves with the confidence of a dad trying to use TikTok. Volvo's Google-based infotainment might look sleek on a showroom floor, but ask ysoseriousjoshua, who owns both an XC90 and a Rivian,
“Always issues connecting in the Volvo... the Rivian has been seamless minus a couple updates.”
Even without Apple CarPlay, Rivian’s OS feels purposeful, designed for the truck, not ported over from a Chromebook. That kind of integration is something Tesla figured out a decade ago. Rivian is learning fast.
Let’s talk capability. The EX90 is a luxury cocoon. Great road manners, sure, but as RNGRndmGuy noted, the R1S is
"Definitely more capable of taking you to different places."
That’s because Rivian doesn’t just build cars; they build tools.
The R1S Trimotor, with its 0–60 sprint of around 2.5 seconds and quad-motor torque vectoring, is less an SUV and more a lunar rover with cupholders. It doesn’t just move people; it dares them.
And if you’ve ever sat behind the wheel of one and stared down a muddy trail, you’ll know exactly what I mean.
The Utility Of The Rivian R1S
There’s a sense of honest utility in the R1S that Volvo, for all its Scandinavian elegance, can’t quite match. Cargo space is generous, build quality is climbing, and those vegan-leather-wrapped seats manage to avoid both austerity and ostentation. As kreachr put it,
“The R1S cargo capacity is massive compared to others in a similar category.”
That’s not a hot take, it’s a measurable reality. And in a vehicle that starts around $90K, that kind of practical advantage matters.
That’s not to say Rivian ownership is without its headaches. You’re still in early adopter territory here, and some owners, especially those migrating from traditional luxury, have experienced growing pains. Missed update cues, glitchy charging sessions, and the occasional gremlin are all part of the EV pioneer package.
Rivian R1S vs. Volvo EX90: A Deep Dive into Utility and Cargo Advantages
- The Rivian R1S offers superior acceleration, achieving 0–60 mph in approximately 3.1 seconds with its quad-motor setup, making it one of the quickest electric SUVs available. In contrast, the Volvo EX90 Twin Motor Performance variant reaches 0–60 mph in 4.9 seconds. However, the EX90 excels in efficiency, delivering up to 83 MPGe in city driving, compared to the R1S's 73 MPGe.
- The Rivian R1S provides greater cargo capacity, offering up to 104.7 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded, and a larger front trunk (frunk) at 11.1 cubic feet. The Volvo EX90, while offering a maximum of 67.6 cubic feet of cargo space and a smaller frunk, compensates with more headroom and hip room for front and rear passengers.
- The Volvo EX90 emphasizes advanced safety and minimalist design, featuring integrated LiDAR for enhanced driver assistance and a vertically oriented 14.5-inch touchscreen running Android Automotive. The Rivian R1S focuses on ruggedness and adventure, equipped with a horizontal infotainment display, multiple drive modes, and adjustable air suspension to handle off-road conditions.
But there’s a difference between being a beta tester and being part of a movement. And for many, the R1S is more than a vehicle. It’s a bet on a new kind of American automaker, one not shackled by 100 years of red tape and badge engineering.
So here’s the bottom line. The Volvo EX90 is a spectacular, forward-looking machine. But it feels like a product.
The Rivian R1S? That feels like something you’re part of. And in an era where so much of what we drive has been boiled down to numbers, screen sizes, and lease incentives, that connection, that feeling, is worth more than any spec sheet can tell you. Sometimes the car picks you up. And when it does, you know.
Image Sources: Volvo Newsroom, Rivian Media Center
Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys covering the latest news in the automotive industry and conducting reviews on the latest cars. He has been in the automotive industry since 15 years old and has been featured in prominent automotive news sites. You can reach him on X and LinkedIn for tips and to follow his automotive coverage.
