Rivian R1S vs Ford Ecosport

What's the difference?

While there are some obvious signs that the R1S is Rivian’s first mass-market vehicle, the good news for the company is that its problems are not impossible to overcome. The suspension needs retuning to improve the ride quality and the multimedia system’s software needs upgrading. But even with those issues the R1S left a positive impression.

This is a very stylish SUV with great space and excellent performance, that also happens to be electric, rather than relying on being electric as its primary selling point.

Rivian has put more effort into the design and finishes than many of its EV rivals and the result is a vehicle that can genuinely compete with the established premium players with more credibility.

The only catch is there’s no clear timeframe for when, or even if, this generation of R1S will make it to Australia. The brand has repeatedly spoken of its hopes of entering the market here without locking anything in, but given the current state of the EV sales it may pay off to wait until the conditions are right for a new, premium player to try its luck here.

So, should you buy a base-model Ford EcoSport Ambiente? 

For the money it’s a great little daily commuter with an odd mix of dated trim and a great multimedia, but it’s definitely worth making room in your budget to investigate the Trend or Titanium grades.

Plus, it’s worth keeping in mind that many competitors now offer more comprehensive safety or more powerful drivetrains for not much more money.

Design is another area where Rivian has carved out a unique position for itself. Whereas other brands, including Tesla, have focused on simplicity and aerodynamic efficiency, Rivian has given the R1T a unique style that looks interesting, different and most definitely not plain.

The oval daytime running lights make every R1S and R1T stand out from a mile away, even on LA’s busy freeways. The overall design is high quality and manages to strike a good balance between aesthetics, aerodynamics and practicality - even if it doesn’t suit everyone’s personal taste.

The cabin is worth highlighting in particular, because rather than go for the ‘minimalist’ look that so many brands are going for these days, with as little switchgear and different trims as possible to keep costs down, Rivian has opted for something more complex and, frankly, more impressive.

There’s a level of craftsmanship, a great mixture of premium materials (including some striking light wood options) that make the R1S feel like a stylish and relaxed environment inside the cabin. Our particular example had a great mixture of colours, textures and patterns that really elevated the cabin experience.

The technology is also nicely integrated into the design, rather than being the focal point, like so many other modern electric vehicles. It still offers the same level of technology - a pair of screens - but doesn’t rely on them to carry the design of the interior.

The EcoSport has had a second refresh this year, simply removing the spare wheel from the back. According to Ford, this was due to consumers not liking the extra 12kg it added to the rear hatch. Fair enough. 

Personally though, I think it detracts from the EcoSport’s look, the rear spare was a cheeky stab at small soft-roaders of the ‘90s. 

The lack of a spare also makes the side-swinging door a bit pointless now (it also swings the wrong way, toward the kerb instead of away from it, due to its European design origins) and just gives the rear three-quarter another anonymous SUV look.

Aside from that the EcoSport has come a long way styling-wise. 

It has ditched the weird hatchback grille it used to have, instead employing a tough-looking single plastic grille insert, bringing it stylistically in line with larger Ford SUVs like the Everest and Escape. Plus, the plastic guards on the underside give it a fun off-roader look.

Importantly, it strays far enough from its Fiesta underpinnings to look like something new entirely, unlike the Holden Trax, which simply looks like a Holden Cruze on stilts…

Inside, it maintains a little too much of that last-generation Fiesta look. The dash juts too far into the cabin, feeling as though it reduces space, and there is an abundance of terrible plastics and hardly aesthetic textures across the entire cockpit.

The seat trim is some el-cheapo nylon material, but at least it will be easy to clean.

A saving grace is the slick-looking multimedia interface, but it looks so much newer than its surroundings its obvious Ford has simply tacked this on as part of a facelift. Thankfully, unlike some other current Fords, the volume, fan-speed and temperature controls are all dials instead of buttons.

The touchscreen itself, as with most new Ford products, is a pleasure to use and not difficult to navigate. The Apple CarPlay connectivity didn’t throw me any lag or problems.

In terms of interior trim, the Honda HR-V is still the target to beat in this segment, but the EcoSport shapes up pretty well compared to the Trax and ASX with their tiny media screens and equally average interior materials.

The R1S comes standard as a seven-seat SUV, split across three rows (two in the first row, three in the second row and two in the third row). Space across the three rows is fairly typical for an SUV of this size, which is to say generous up front, good in the second row and a little bit tight in the back.

What is good though, is the length of the cabin allows for quite a spacious boot even with the third row in use, which is definitely not something all seven-seat SUVs can claim. Using a direct conversion from Rivian’s specifications that list cargo capacity in cubic feet, the R1S has a claimed 498 litres with the third row in use and up to 1331L with the third row folded down. There’s also 314L under the bonnet and another 144L underneath the boot floor (although that comes at the expense of a spare tyre).

As mentioned in design, Rivian has nicely integrated the technology into the cabin, with the 12.3-inch digital driver display and 15.6-inch central multimedia touchscreen feeling like a natural part of the car rather than a centrepiece. Rivian has also managed to incorporate eight USB-C charging ports spread around the cabin to keep everyone’s devices charged up.

However, while the technology is nice from an aesthetic design perspective, the same cannot be said about its useability. Like Tesla, Rivian has opted to go it alone with its multimedia system and has developed its own Google-based software that is not compatible with either Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. That would be acceptable, although still disappointing, if the system worked as well as Tesla’s, however the Rivian system is very slow. It repeatedly took several seconds to load between the various functions, which may not sound like long, but when you’re trying to get back to the navigation so you don’t miss your freeway exit a few seconds can make a big difference.

But, honestly, in this day-and-age, systems like this should work quickly and seamlessly, so it’s an area Rivian needs to improve.

On a positive note, Rivian does have some cool accessories for the R1S including what it calls a ‘Camp Speaker’ which is a US$400 option that it integrates into the sound system but is also removable, so you can pull it out of the centre console and listen to your music if you’re around the campfire or having a picnic.

Despite being based on a car as compact as the Fiesta (complete with aforementioned dash design that feels like it detracts from space), the EcoSport has a good amount of head and legroom in both seating rows.

In terms of storage, there’s a little trench under the air conditioning controls, two decently-sized cupholders in the centre console and what has to be one of the smallest storage boxes I’ve ever used under the armrest.

Rear passengers get… um… not much. There are no storage areas in the doors, no drop-down centre armrest and no air vents in the back of the centre console. They do get two ISOFIX points on the outer seats, though. At least in terms of dimensions, space is decent back there.

The EcoSport’s boot is large. As Ford provides measurements in SAE rather than VDA, it’s hard to compare number for number, but the boot is deep and tall with the seats up, and with them down there’s a nifty variable boot floor so you can level it out or take advantage of the extra depth.

CarsGuide colleague Matt Campbell points out in his latest range review, that one of the EcoSport's main selling points in other markets is that it can fit a whole washing machine in the boot.

The HR-V still aces this segment in terms of flexibility, but the EcoSport possesses one of the most useful boots in its class.

Oh, and the missing full-size spare wheel on the back? That's now gone entirely, replaced with an inflation kit under the boot floor. Don't blame Ford, blame the consumers.

We’ll start with one of the most appealing points of the EcoSport, and that’s price. Our Ambiente is the base-model and comes in at a total of $22,790 before on-roads.

That’s cheap. Especially when lined up against competitors, like the base automatic Holden Trax LS ($26,490), the automatic Mitsubishi ASX ES ($25,490), and the Honda HR-V VTi ($24,990).

It comes closest to the base-model Suzuki Vitara RT-S, which can be had in automatic form from $23,990.

Obviously cheapest doesn’t always mean best, and you’ll notice right off the bat items like the dorky 16-inch steel wheels with plastic hubcaps, cheap black plastic finishes on the door handles and wing-mirrors and bargain halogen headlamp fittings.

Better features for the price are the wing-mirror mounted indicators, new 6.5-inch multimedia touchscreen with DAB+, two USB ports, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as a very welcome reversing camera and rear parking sensors.

Frustratingly, auto headlights are missing… a let down in any 2019 car.

The new touchscreen with Ford’s 'Sync 3' software is the most important value add for the base EcoSport, It’s way better than similar offerings in more expensive base-model competitors, although, unlike the Suzuki Vitara, does not offer sat-nav at this price.

One thing I’m not entirely sure of is why you wouldn’t simply stretch the extra $1700 to upgrade the EcoSport to the mid-spec Trend grade, as it scores a better turbocharged engine, alloy wheels, bigger 8.0-inch multimedia screen with sat-nav, ditches the dorky black plastic finish and adds a leather-trimmed steering wheel. Worth the money for sure.

As mentioned earlier, there are currently three versions of the R1S available, each with a different powertrain. 

The Dual Standard AWD has, unsurprisingly, dual motors (one at the front and one at the rear) which make a combined 397kW/827Nm. That’s enough for it to launch 0-60mph (0-96km/h) in just 4.5 seconds. The R1S Dual AWD has the same power, torque and acceleration figures, however it gets Rivian’s Large battery, which we’ll detail below.

The Tri-Motor AWD obviously has three motors, one on the front axle and two on the rear, which naturally provide more power, 633kW/1495Nm. With so much power and torque the Tri-motor is wickedly fast, taking just 2.9 seconds to launch 0-60mph.

If, for some reason, the Tri-Motor isn’t fast enough for you, Rivian has released the details on the Quad-Motor. It will have two motors on each axle providing a staggering 764kW (that’s 1025-horsepower!) and 1624Nm, enough to rocket it from 0-60mph in just 2.6 seconds and across the quarter mile in 10.5 seconds.

The EcoSport Ambiente is the only EcoSport in the range powered by a 1.5-litre non-turbo three-cylinder engine.

The Trend and Titanium levels get a more advanced 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo engine bearing Ford’s 'EcoBoost' branding.

On paper the 1.5-litre in our car is underpowered. It produces just 90kW/150Nm, comparing poorly to four-cylinder competitors like the Holden Trax with its 1.4-litre turbo (103kW/200Nm), the Mitsubishi ASX with its 2.0-litre non-turbo (110kW/197Nm) and Honda HR-V with its 1.8-litre non-turbo (105kW/172Nm).

In practice though, it’s not too bad. Quite a bit of the available torque arrives early, letting the EcoSport zip around city surroundings with ease. It’s only really out on open roads where you’ll feel the power fade away at higher revs.

All EcoSports have a six-speed torque converter automatic transmission and are front-wheel drive only in Australia.

Rivian offers three different battery types across the three variants, each with a different driving range. The R1S with the Standard battery (92.5kWh) has a claimed 434km driving range, the R1S Dual with Large battery (109.4kWh) extends that to 530km, while the Tri-Motor comes standard with the Max battery (141.5kWh) that has an impressive 597km of range.

It is worth noting, though, that those range claims are based on US EPA estimates, rather than either the WLTP or NEDC methods usually used.

Charging times vary depending on the type of charger used, in the US Tesla has given access to its network to other EV brands and the Rivian is available with a plug adaptor to use a Tesla charger. The R1S is capable of charging up to 220kW, which means it takes approximately 40 minutes to take the battery from 10 to 80 per cent. 

The bad news for the 1.5-litre three-cylinder is clearly in this department. 

Ford claims a not-great combined figure of 6.9L/100km, and after my mixed drive (freeways on the weekend, traffic during the week) I managed to add another 2.1 litres to that total, bringing my final number to 9.0L/100km.

An average score, considering you can extract better fuel figures from much bigger and more engaging engines. For comparison, I recently scored 8.0L/100km in the 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbo Suzuki Vitara.

All EcoSports have a 52-litre fuel tank, and happily drink base-grade 91 RON petrol.

The R1S and R1T are Rivian’s first mass-produced cars, and it shows. It’s not all bad news by any stretch, but there are some major issues the brand will need to address in the future if it wants to succeed globally (or even just in the US). 

The biggest issue is the ride, which just doesn’t feel as well resolved as the more established brands that have been designing, developing and building cars for decades. The R1S isn’t bad to drive by any stretch, but the ride is too firm at times and it also lacks control and feels too soft at others. 

All R1S grades come standard with Air Suspension that has multiple levels of firmness and can adjust the ride height. However, in the ‘normal’ setting the ride feels too busy, with the heavy (3096kg) SUV skittering over the imperfections in the road rather than absorbing them. The problem is, if you adjust the suspension to the softer setting it lacks control and has a tendency to bounce over bigger bumps and take a few seconds to settle. This was particularly noticeable on LA’s concrete freeways, but it would be an issue on any road with undulations or joints.

But while the ride needs improvement, the R1S has strengths in other areas - namely performance. The Tri-motor AWD we sampled had immense punch from its three motors and it certainly felt like 633kW and 1495Nm was on tap. We didn’t test its acceleration claim officially, but any take-off could be made into a rapid one with just a squeeze of the accelerator pedal. 

The R1S is also capable of towing up to 3500kg, so it’s a strong and capable SUV too, rather than just a speedy EV.

Another strength is the regenerative braking system. There are multiple settings but we found the lowest regen was the best option, as it still provides powerful regen but is more progressive than the more powerful modes.

The EcoSport is a great city companion. With long suspension travel that’s comfortable and compliant, neglected infrastructure didn’t bother the ride much at all, and it was surprisingly quiet during our week.

Prodding the accelerator too far will only lead to disappointment, the engine starts to make a bit more noise, but doesn’t propel the car with an equal amount of gusto. It’s hardly the most entertaining car to drive, even in the small SUV segment.

The steering is great, if a little light and the transmission makes itself largely unknown. Ford’s choice to stick with a torque converter rather than a CVT has probably saved this little engine from being a major let down.

All those features combine with a high seating position and great visibility for a little SUV that’s simply easy to pilot in urban surroundings. 

More can be had from competitors like the HR-V with its excellent ride, and the Suzuki Vitara with its fun-packed engine, but Ford has nailed the experience for daily commuters.

The EcoSport carries a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating as of December 2017, although it has not been rated to the more stringent standards introduced in 2018 that place a higher importance on autonomous systems.

No EcoSport grade has auto emergency braking (AEB), Lane Keep Assist (LKAS) or active cruise, but Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) does become available on the top Titanium grade.

It’s a letdown given most competitors are now at least offering low-speed AEB.

Our understanding is that Ford doesn’t even plan to add those more recent active safety features to the EcoSport for the foreseeable future, unlike the Suzuki Vitara which is set to get features like AEB soon.

The Ambiente still has seven airbags, the standard suite of stability systems and hill decent control, as well as the aforementioned reversing camera and rear parking sensors.

Rivian offers a four-year/80,000km warranty for the R1S vehicle as a whole, as well as a separate battery pack and drivetrain specifically. The Standard battery is covered for eight years/190,000km while the Large and Max batteries are covered for eight years/240,000km.

As for servicing, Rivian uses an app-based system, which allows owners to schedule a service at any time via the app and then either have a Rivian technician come to your home for a small service or drop it off at a service centre if it’s a bigger job. The app is also connected to the car, so if the car’s own diagnostic system recognises a problem, it can prompt you to book a service proactively.

Just like Mazda, Honda and Holden, Ford has updated its warranty recently to five-years/unlimited km coverage. Kia doesn’t operate in the small SUV segment (unless you count the quirky Soul) so five years is the bar to beat.

The 1.5-litre non-turbo three-cylinder engine option was not available in Ford’s service calculator tool at the time of writing but expect it to cost between $230-270 per regular service, jumping to somewhere just under $500 every four years (assuming it keeps a similar pricing structure to the previous engine options).

Ford offers a free loan car while your car is down for servicing, which needs to happen once a year or every 15,000km.