Rivian R1T vs Volvo XC90

What's the difference?

Having finally experienced the Rivian R1T from the driver's seat I think this is a ute that would have plenty of appeal in the Australian market. Not as a competitor to a Toyota HiLux Workmate or similar working-class ute, but as an alternative to the likes of the HiLux Rogue, Ford Ranger Raptor or even the new Ranger Platinum.

This is a high-end, luxury ute that also happens to be electric, which only expands its appeal. It has seriously impressive performance and, while we didn't get to test them first-hand, strong off-road credentials. Add to that a premium look and feel to the cabin and loads of practicality and it's easy to see this finding an audience here.

The biggest question will be cost, because even at a direct price conversion (which isn't a clear reflection of shipping and local tariffs) the R1T will start well over $100,000. Even by today's standards of six-figure US utes like the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and incoming Ford F-150, that will be a hard sell and could restrict its chances.

Which would be a shame because while Tesla has a clear head start in Australia, it's possible for Rivian to follow in its wheel tracks and have plenty of mainstream success.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

It’s a credit to Volvo that the XC90 feels like a new car, even with its older underpinnings. This latest update has successfully addressed areas that needed the most attention, namely the multimedia system, interior and exterior design. The electric driving range now feels somewhat old school compared to the numbers some manufacturers can achieve these days. A lot of PHEVs now exceed 100km EV range and buyers are starting to expect that. And setting up the third row takes way too much effort to want to do it regularly. The new Volvo XC90 is a comfortable, engaging and properly premium family SUV and the updates have only improved what was already a solid offering.

There's a lot to say about the design of the R1T. Unlike Tesla, which has gone radical in the design of its Cybertruck, Rivian clearly made a decision not to be too polarising but also leverage the advantages of electrification. The result is a ute that stands out even amid the glut of pick-ups on American roads.

Rivian also opted not to compete directly with the massively popular Ford F-150, Ram 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado in the US, instead sizing the R1T in what's considered the 'compact pick-up' market in the US. That makes it pretty much on par with the likes of the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux that we flock to in Australia. The R1T measures 5514mm long, 2077mm wide and 1986mm tall, which compares to 5446mm, 1852mm and 1977mm for the Ranger dual-cab.

Inside, like so many modern cars (and not just EVs), Rivian has opted for a minimalist design aesthetic, running almost every function through the central multimedia touchscreen, with only two physical buttons in the entire cabin, a pair of dials/buttons on the steering wheel and a pair of stalks behind the wheel (left for the indicators and right for the gear selector).

There isn't even a button to alter the power adjustable steering column, instead steering wheel position and mirrors are controlled via the touchscreen and the dials on the wheel. You have to select what function you want and that activates the wheel switches, allowing you to adjust for both reach and height.

It's arguably an unnecessarily complex system for something that should be simple, but for owners that can most likely do it once and then save their preferred position it's ultimately not a big deal; still, would one small button set on the steering column have been that complicated?

As you should expect for the price, the R1T quad-motor has a premium look and feel to its interior. The synthetic leather and dark ash wood make for a luxury car feeling, feeding to that simplistic but very hi-tech and polished design aesthetic.

Back in early 2015, I attended the international launch of the second-generation Volvo XC90. At the time I thought it was a handsome SUV, with Volvo successfully interpreting what is essentially a big people-hauling box on wheels with typical Scandinavian flair.

There’s been a facelift since then, but this latest refresh brings the XC90 bang up to date.

New elements include a modern take on the 'Thor's Hammer' LED headlights, and a new bonnet and grille with an updated diagonal logo spread across the car's face. At the rear the only change is slightly darker tail-lights.

The new grille in particular looks great, and with all of the blacked-out elements of the T8 - grille, lower air intakes, parts of the apron, mirror caps, roof rails and window surrounds - it looks quite cool, especially contrasted with the test car's 'Crystal White' paint. It has elevated the overall look.

Inside, Volvo has made big changes, mostly with the dash and console. It retains the familiarity of other Volvos, but is much more in keeping with its new all-electric EX90 sibling.

It still has a horizontal theme, but with cool new vertical air vents. The new multimedia screen fits well into the dash layout, and isn’t over sized. It’s the ideal size at 11.2 inches. There are a few buttons underneath but not many.

The mix of materials used at the front of the cabin includes ‘Grey Ash’ wood, piano black, chrome, metal-look speakers, grey fabric and soft touch as well as hard plastics. It sounds like it would be too much but it works well.

Volvo has always been a leader when it comes to car seats and the new XC90 is no exception. The beautifully designed ventilated charcoal Nappa leather seats look and feel stunning. The tiny Swedish flag is a nice touch, too.

The engine start/stop button and the crystal selector add a touch of glamour to the cabin. Overall, the XC90 feels properly premium inside, still with a Scandinavian bent. Just lovely.

This is one of the areas that Rivian has excelled at and it makes the R1T a real standout in its class. Because it's a bespoke design there are a number of clever practical features around the cabin.

Starting with the Bluetooth speaker that slides out of the centre console. So you can play your music through the car's speakers or, when you leave the car, take your tunes with you. The sound system is another in-house Rivian set-up, like the multimedia, with the company splitting with original partner, audio specialist, Meridian.

Other clever interior touches include the charging pad (complete with tiny Rivian logo pattern), a sizable centre console box and a torch recessed in the door. There are also a power outlets in the cabin, rather than just USB ports, so you can charge your electronics on the move.

Rivian has also developed a 'Pet Mode' for the cabin, which the company claims allows owners to safely leave their pets in the car. The system allows the air-conditioning to keep running, even while the ignition is off, so your pet doesn't get overheated or freeze, and the media screen displays a message saying that your pet is okay (so no good Samaritan smashes your window to save your animal friend).

The R1T's other major party trick is the 'cargo tunnel' that runs the width of the car, taking advantage of the empty space between the cabin and the tray. This is a unique feature for the R1T, allowing for an extra 331 litres of lockable storage, which can be accessed on both sides or through the cabin via the rear seats.

Rivian even showed off a 'Camp Kitchen' that could slide in and out of the tunnel. This elaborate accessory was designed to make camping easier, featuring an induction cooktop, sink and crockery, but it has since been removed from the company's website as it is reportedly redesigned. Hopefully it's available again by the time the R1T makes it to Australia.

This would work in tandem with the 'Camp Mode' function that lets the ute self-level its suspension so the body is flat on uneven ground and turns off the exterior lights and sounds not to distract others, while still allowing you to use the power outlets in the tray and cargo tunnel.

As for the space in the cabin, it's good in the front and rear. With a 3449mm wheelbase there's generous room for the rear occupants that allows for two adults to sit in comfort, and Rivian claims it's wide enough for three child seats.

As for storage, in addition to the cargo tunnel, there's under bonnet storage measuring 314 litres, so there's plenty of out-of-sight space despite it being a ute.

The tray measures quite square, at 1374mm long and 1297mm wide, but Rivian has designed the tailgate to sit flush with the tray bed, which can extend the usable length to 2131mm.

The tray itself has several handy features. These include multiple power outlets and an air-compressor, so you can add extra pressure to your tyres if you let them down to go off-roading or pump up camping equipment.

Underneath the tray is the housing to keep the spare tyre on the off-road package, but as a spare isn't available on all models as standard, it can be used as storage for wet or dirty items because it's washable and has a drainage hole.

Any dedicated seven-seat family SUV needs to nail practicality and when it comes to the Volvo XC90, there are clear pros and some surprising cons.

One of the many pros is the seats. As mentioned, they look schmick, but are also supremely comfortable and offer the perfect level of bolstering and support. The T8 has a seat adjustment memory function that can be programmed into the driver profiles that also tailors other functions to suit different drivers.

The quality of the materials and build quality of the cabin is largely impressive. Even the damping of the indicator stalk has a feeling of high-end quality.

Volvo’s digital instrument cluster is clear and easy to navigate, once you work out what the buttons on the steering wheel do. They don’t have words on them so it takes a while. The driver’s manual comes in handy for this.

The big story in the cabin is the new 11.2-inch multimedia display. Volvo uses a Google platform and the car comes with Google Services which includes Google Assistant voice control, Maps and Play.

I’m a fan of Apple CarPlay and once I have assessed a car’s in-house multimedia system I often defer to CarPlay. It’s simple and familiar. But aside from using CarPlay to connect once, I used Volvo’s system for the vast majority of my time with this car.

Logging into your Google account means your favourites come up on the map and there is no downside to functionality. If I had the car for longer I would've added Spotify to the system and logged into that, too, but I was happy listening to digital radio on the phenomenal 19-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system.

The screen takes some familiarisation, but once you understand the home keys and how to switch between apps, it’s a pleasure to use. It has a clear layout, nice graphics and is responsive. Yes, the air con controls are mostly housed in the screen, but if you tap the lower part of the screen the entire climate menu appears. It is light years ahead of Volvo’s previous screen set-up.

Most functions are housed in the screen, although there are buttons just under the screen for volume and audio on/off, front and rear demisters, hazard lights and a button to open the glove box.

Storage up front is just okay. The console houses shallow cupholders and a handy upright phone holder, as well as the device charging pad. It’s a shame there’s no under console storage, but the transmission tunnel might be too chunky for that.

The shallow central bin houses two USB-C ports and a 12-volt outlet. Bottle storage is decent in the front door cards.

The panoramic sunroof only has a sheer blind (it’s powered) which is less than ideal in a country like Australia. It’s been fine in winter but I’m curious to know what it’s like in the height of summer.

The second row features manual window blinds to keep your little ones cool.

There’s some back support for the second-row seats but the base is flat. Some of the seat fabric in that row looks like it doesn’t quite fit, but I think that’s the nature of the leather with the intricate designs.

In terms of space, there’s ample leg, toe and headroom, and the rear backrests recline for extra comfort on long trips. The bases roll forward and back and the seats are split 40/20/40.

Kids will likely fight over who has to sit in the middle seat because the combination of an intrusive transmission tunnel and the rear of the front centre console protruding into the space means it is not a great seat.

Occupants have access to chest and knee-level air vents, heated seat and digital climate controls, map pockets, two USB-C ports and a central fold-down armrest with a fiddly cupholder mechanism. The rear doors will only house small, narrow bottles.

Accessing the third row of the Volvo is challenging. For starters, to move the second row seats forward you need to use the lever at the top of the seat and the roller under the base to move them. And they are heavy seats. That leaves just enough of an aperture to get into the third row.

But first you have to raise the third row. Sadly there’s no lever in the boot area to quickly raise or lower the third-row seats. You have to either climb into the boot and reach for the lever at the top of the seats, or reach through the back door and try and raise them that way. And again, they are heavy.

It is a deeply unintuitive system and leaves you exhausted and frustrated. Especially when you consider other seven seaters have a much more functional and lightweight third-row arrangement.

Once in the third row, it’s clear it is for humans with tiny legs only. It is not a space appropriate for six-foot tall men like me, even for short distances. You do get ample headroom, air vents, cupholders and storage boxes on either side that open up to show a kid-friendly spider web design with a friendly looking spider. Cute!

The seats fold flat into the boot floor and the loading lip is level with the floor so loading heavy or long items should be a breeze. You can adjust the air suspension from the boot to lower the height further which is always a handy feature.

It comes with a solid cargo blind but you need to remove it if you want to raise the third row. When putting it back in, it catches on the third-row seat belts, so it’s not the best design.

In terms of boot features, the Volvo comes with a household charging cable that is housed neatly under the boot floor in a stylish bag. Many PHEVs and EVs still don’t have a dedicated spot to house a cable so you have to take up boot space with a chunky cable bag. Good job, Volvo.

It has a powered tailgate, a few nooks and a pair of 5.0kg hooks. However, it doesn’t have a spare wheel of any description. Just a tyre repair kit. This is due to packaging restrictions, but it’s never an ideal solution.

In terms of space, the Volvo can swallow 640 litres of cargo with the second row up and 301L with all three rows in place. That latter figure isn’t bad compared to some seven-seaters.

The pre-update XC90 soldiered on for 10 years and Volvo has, at various points, offered multiple powertrains, including a diesel. Not anymore.

Volvo now offers just two distinct powertrain grades for the XC90, the B5 Bright mild-hybrid from $104,990, before on-road costs, while the T8 plug-in hybrid I am testing tops the range at $130,990.

There’s an increase in cost over the pre-update versions of about $5000 for the B5 Bright and $2600 for the T8 PHEV, but the XC90 remains more affordable than rivals like the Audi Q7, BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE for equivalent grades.

On top of that, the Volvo is the only dedicated seven-seat premium plug-in hybrid SUV on the market.

The B5 Bright comes standard with a decent amount of gear including Google Services, keyless entry, a power tailgate, 12.0-inch digital driver’s display, wireless charging, powered front seats with heating, cooling and memory functions, wired Apple CarPlay and a new 11.2-inch digital touchscreen with over-the-air updates.

It also gets four-zone climate control, heated rear seats, a 360-degree camera and a crystal gear shifter by Orrefors.

Step up to the T8 PHEV and you gain a 19-speaker Bowers and Wilkins audio system, a panoramic sunroof, heated steering wheel and more.

There is a lot of standard gear packed into both XC90 grades. It can’t match the value of rivals like the Lexus RX and Genesis GV80 but it offers better value than some of those European rivals.

There are three main powertrain options for the R1T - Dual-Motor AWD, Performance Dual-Motor AWD and Quad-Motor AWD.

Even as the entry-level model the Dual-Motor AWD makes 397kW/827Nm and can sprint from 0-60mph (96km/h) in just 4.5 seconds.

The Performance Dual-Motor AWD steps things up to 495kW/1123Nm and a sprint time of 3.5 seconds, while the Quad-Motor makes a very potent 622kW/1231Nm and takes just 3.0 seconds to run 0-60mph.

The Quad-Motor we tested comes standard with eight 'Drive Modes' that adjust the ride height, suspension stiffness, brake regeneration, stability control and torque distribution. The eight modes are - 'Sport', 'Off-Road Drift', 'All Purpose', 'Off-Road Auto', 'Off-Road Rock Crawl', 'Off-Road Rally', 'Conserve' and 'Towing'.

The ability to change torque distribution is the key function, as it allows for a wide variety of driving characteristics. For example, in Sport and Off-Road Drift it can send the majority of the power to just the rear wheels, allowing the R1T to perform like a rear-wheel drive vehicle. While in the Conserve setting it can send power only to the front motors to save energy. Or in the Rock Crawl setting it can send power to individual motors to help climb over obstacles.

Two powertrains are available in the new XC90, both with all-wheel drive.

The B5 Bright comes with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with 48-volt mild hybrid assistance offering 183kW of power and 350Nm of torque. It can dash from zero to 100km/h in 7.7 seconds.

The version I’m testing has a 233kW, 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with a plug-in hybrid system that uses a 107kW electric motor and an 18.8kWh, 400-volt battery.

The total system output for the T8 PHEV is 340kW and a meaty 709Nm. It uses an eight-speed automatic transmission. It can complete the 0-100km/h sprint in a brisk 5.3 seconds.

The range of the R1T depends on how much you're willing to spend. The standard battery provides 435km for the Dual-Motor AWD but if you pay for the Large battery that extends to 560km while the Max battery buys you a range up to 640km.

The Performance Dual-Motor comes standard with the Large battery, so it has a range of 560km with the option of 640km with the Max battery.

The Quad-Motor comes equipped with the Large battery as standard and has a 530km range, but it isn't available with the Max battery.

Rivian claims the R1T has a 220kW max charging rate on a DC fast charger. The company is rolling out its own network of charging stations in the US but crucially it also recently signed a deal with Tesla. 

A new 'Magic adapter' is now available so Rivian owners can access Tesla's network of more than 12,000 chargers in the US. Hopefully that deal carries across to the Australian market when Rivian arrives here.

The mild-hybrid XC90 B5 Bright has an official fuel use figure of 8.1 litres per 100 kilometres, which is on the thirsty side, although it is a 2.5-tonne SUV.

Officially, the XC90 T8 Plug In Hybrid sips just 1.8L/100km on the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle, but as with any PHEVs, unless you charge your car religiously and never drive far enough to deplete the battery, that figure is extremely hard to achieve.

I charged the car regularly using my home wall charger (two to three hours for a full charge) and the fuel gauge barely moved.

After a week of mixed driving my final fuel economy figure was 3.4 litres per 100km, which isn’t too bad.

The XC90 T8 has a 3.6kW onboard charger and a Type 2 plug so it’s only capable of AC charging. It is not compatible with a DC source so no fast charging on the go.

The official electric driving range according to Volvo is 77km, which feels a little old school compared to the many PHEVs landing on the market now that have an EV driving range in excess of 100km.

The offical figure also seems somewhat optimistic because the most I got on a full charge was 60km. Anecdotally, I have heard it can get up to 70km after a charge, it just didn't get there in my time with the XC90.

Like all EVs the R1T manages to combine rapid performance with a whisper-quiet powertrain, but what stands out is how refined the Rivian feels. For a car company's first effort the level of isolation you feel from the outside world is impressive. It doesn't have any of the squeaks, rattles and mechanical groans that plagued some other start-up EV car companies in their early days.

Instead, the R1T feels like a very complete and well resolved package. Like many modern EVs, starting it up is as simple as climbing into the driver's seat, with a sensor immediately preparing the car for you to head on your way without needing to press a 'start/stop' button.

Tap the gear selector stalk down for 'Drive' and you immediately experience the immense torque from Rivian's quad-motor powertrain. Even at suburban speeds you get a sense of the power that lurks beneath the surface of this ute.

Once we found a safe spot to unleash the full potential of the four motors they did not disappoint. It has the kind of sickening acceleration that we've come to expect from electric vehicles, with Rivian's 0-60mph (0-96km/h) claim of just 3.0 seconds feeling completely legitimate.

The regenerative braking is extremely powerful, and that's a pro and a con. That's because there are only two modes - standard and strong - but even in the lower setting there's powerful retardation as soon as you release the accelerator. This is very much an EV that can be driven on one pedal, which is fine, but it does take some getting used to.

A number of carmakers have begun offering much lower levels of regen braking, which allow you to drive more like a conventional internal combustion engine vehicle by using both the accelerator and the brake pedal, so perhaps a lower setting is something Rivian will have to consider in the future.

It also doesn't help that adjusting the regen braking is another function that requires you to dive back into the touchscreen menu, rather than using steering wheel-mounted paddles like other EVs have adopted.

The ride felt quite firm on the streets of Los Angeles, but that's not entirely surprising for what is a very heavy vehicle (it tips that scales at just over 3250kg) that's riding on 21-inch alloy wheels. However, given air suspension is standard across the range, it feels like it could be tweaked to make for a more compliant ride, especially on Australia's choppy roads.

The standard air suspension also allows for a variety of ride heights for improved off-road performance, with R1T able to adapt from as low as 241mm in 'Sport' mode all the way up to 378mm in its 'rock crawl' setting.

For a tall, large and heavy SUV, the XC90 has an excellent driving position. You feel hunkered down in the driver’s seat; it’s almost sporty!

Those healthy power and torque figures translate well on the road. It is properly quick off the mark and picks up pace rapidly when already at speed. You do need to work out the trigger point for the accelerator because if you give it too much it feels a little like a slingshot.

The transition between the electric motor and the petrol engine is noticeable, but it’s still smooth. It’s not harsh or clunky like some hybrids and PHEVs. Similarly, the eight-speed transmission is so smooth it rarely makes its presence felt. It's a lovely match for this powertrain.

On that, the cabin is incredibly well insulated. It’s a hushed ride at any speed. Again, you’ll hear the engine kick in but it has a nice note so that noise is welcome.

The powertrain has several driving modes including 'Pure' (EV only), 'Power' (for added performance) and 'Hybrid'. Hybrid is the go-to and 'Auto' allows the system to determine when the petrol engine kicks in. This is the best everyday mode.

Volvo understands the XC90 is more than just family transport and has engineered it in such a way that it offers a surprising level of dynamism.

It’s flatter in corners and bends than you expect of a car of this size and weight. It has a balanced chassis, likely helped by the air suspension, with minimal body roll and little lateral movement inside. Impressive.

It has enough grip on looser surfaces, aided by the all-wheel drive set-up.

The ride quality is more composed and refined at higher speeds, regardless of the road conditions, managing potholes and the like quite well. Volvo has tweaked the suspension tune as part of the update for this very reason.

At lower urban speeds, it’s not quite as calm. You’ll feel speed bumps and potholes and it's a little jiggly on rough surfaces. The low profile (275/35 R22) tyres are partly to blame here.

With that said, it’s not enough to dampen the overall XC90 drive experience. It is a lovely car to drive, whether cruising on freeways, country road blasts or city commuting.

Its underpinnings might be 10 years old, but the XC90 feels as fresh to drive as many of its rivals.

Volvo’s reputation for safety is hard to beat, so as expected the XC90 comes with a solid list of standard safety gear.

The safety tech includes auto emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian, vehicle and cyclist detection, low-speed rear AEB, blind-spot monitoring with a cross-traffic alert and a ‘Run-off road Mitigation system’ that uses steering and braking to edge you back into the lane.

It also gets a front and rear collision warning, traffic jam assist, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping aid, tyre pressure monitoring, post-impact braking, an adjustable speed limiter and more.

One thing it doesn’t have is an ANCAP crash safety rating. It was awarded a maximum five stars back in 2015 but that rating has expired and Volvo says there are no plans for the car to be re-tested.

In the US Rivian offers a five-year/60,000-mile (approx. 96,000km) warranty for the quad-motor models and a four-year/50,000-mile (approx. 80,000km) warranty for the rest of the range. But the battery and drivetrains are covered for up to eight years.

The XC90 is covered by Volvo’s five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty, and the servicing schedule is every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first. These are similar terms to other premium brands in Australia.

Buyers can opt for one of two capped-price servicing packs, costing $2380 for three years and $3870 for five years.

This pricing is a little more than the BMW X5 but quite a bit more affordable than the Mercedes-Benz GLE.

The Swedish brand used to have a reputation for over-priced servicing but it’s sharpened up its offer considerably in recent years.

Volvo has around 40 dealerships located across Australia and conducts its servicing in-house at the dealer.