• The Rivian R1S SUV and R1T pickup have been given a handful of updates for the 2027 model year that focus on comfort, capability, and trim-hierarchy simplicity.
• The R1S now offers second-row captain's chairs for the first time, and the R1T offers a 20-inch all-season tire package that balances off-road ability with on-road range.
• Rivian has also (mostly) ditched its previous motor-count naming scheme for both R1 models, instead adopting a simplified Premium, Performance, and Quad trim strategy.

The EV game has changed a lot since the Rivian R1S and R1T first arrived on the scene back in 2021. The R1T no longer enjoys only-child status in the off-road-capable electric pickup segment, and the R1S faces more mid-size luxury rivals than ever before. With the competition hot on their heels, Rivian has given its sibling models a handful of updates for the 2027 model year to keep them competitive.

The new additions for each model lean into their respective strong suits. Rivian says that captain's chairs have been a highly requested feature on the R1S, and they're now available in place of the standard second-row bench seat. While speccing the pair of thrones drops total seating from seven to six, they elevate the middle-row experience with standard heating, individual armrests, and pop-out cupholders that sprout from the sides of the bottom cushion. Pricing for the captain's chairs is dependent on interior theme, starting at $1500 in Premium and Performance trims, and fetching up to $4500 when ordered in conjunction with the Slate Sky Signature theme that adds plaid details and walnut wood accents.

The R1T's primary tweak is capability focused, offering a newly available wheel-and-tire package that ups its standard off-road aptitude without sacrificing range on pavement. The kit comes standard on the base Premium trim and as a no-cost option on the R1T Performance, pairing 20-inch wheels with Goodyear all-season tires. Rivian claims that with the package equipped, the R1T earns EPA-range estimates of 300 miles in Premium guise, 380 miles in Premium Long Range trim, and 348 miles in Performance form.

Rivian has also rethought its convoluted motor-count naming strategy and replaced it with a simplified scheme that mirrors the one used for the brand's newest R2 compact SUV. Horsepower and powertrain specs remain unchanged across the lineup, but the previous Dual-Motor trim is now called Premium, and the Tri-Motor model has been renamed Performance. The top-dog Quad continues into 2027 without a name change. The R2 parallels extend to the naming strategy for the R1's interior themes, which are now called Slate Sky Signature, Black Mountain Signature, and Ocean Coast Signature, and each brings a unique combo of wood accents and theme-specific upholstery.

Coinciding with the updates, the R1 lineup sees a sizable price bump for 2027. The R1S SUV now starts at $85,885, while the R1T pickup opens at $81,885—a $7000 increase over last year's models.

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Austin's car fixation began at a young age and at 1:64 scale. Eventually, Hot Wheels weren't cutting it anymore, so he developed an obsession with his father's full-sized 1965 Ford Mustang instead. Desperate to break into the automotive industry, he bartered his way into a job at a local BMW dealership by promising to stop hurling nerdy technical facts at the salesmen who came into the neighboring coffee shop where he worked. That was also around the time when he started writing automotive reviews, news articles, and technical guides for a number of local and international publications. Now at Car and Driver, Austin brings more than 10 years of experience in the automotive industry and an all-so-common love-hate relationship with German engineering to the table.