When you’re looking for a new car, you’re probably looking for an affordable, best-selling vehicle that’s also one of the most reliable cars around. Reliability is a big deal for car buyers because it gives the buyer more confidence that the vehicle will run smoothly, without breakdowns or surprising breakdowns.
A car may be popular and driven by many people, but that does not always make it reliable. Some fancy, high-selling cars may have more than average mechanical problems. According to Consumer Reports, one of the cars that has solid sales numbers and also struggles with reliability is the Rivian R1S 2025. Consumer Reports gave the R1S the lowest reliability score in a list comparing 22 similar vehicles and based on member survey results.
What’s surprising is that Consumer Reports also says that 84 percent of customers say they would buy the R1S again, even though it has extremely poor reliability scores. To determine what percentage of customers would buy a particular vehicle model again, Consumer Reports conducted an owner satisfaction survey of its members. The nonprofit readily admits that its reliability and performance test results for any given vehicle don’t always match the results of customer satisfaction surveys; even unreliable cars can make owners happy. Of the 10 cars listed by Consumer Reports as having the highest customer satisfaction scores in its survey, the only two cars that had extremely low reliability scores were both Rivian vehicles, the R1S and R1T.
Read more: What you should never say when buying a car
Why Consumer Reports Questions the Reliability of the Rivian R1S
Rivian R1S parked in a rocky campsite – Michael Dauchot/Getty Images
The Rivian R1S 2025 is a three-row electric SUV that has a maximum travel range of over 400 miles. It has an MSRP of $78,400 to $107,700. The R1S underwent a major update in its 2025 model, installing a new electric platform to reduce weight and increase computing power. The manufacturer has also updated the powertrain and battery. Consumer Reports says updates to the 2025 model brought a quieter cabin and smoother powertrain compared to the previous model, but the improvements aren’t significant enough to provide monumental improvements to its reliability ratings.
To develop its estimated reliability score for the 2025 Rivian R1S, Consumer Reports used data from the 2023 model year vehicle and overall Rivian brand test results. It is also based on survey results from the membership base. The specific areas where Consumer Reports points to the R1S as having the lowest possible reliability scores are in the suspension and steering, climate system and overall build quality. Suspension and steering reliability issues can be related to the vehicle’s shocks, bars, and ball joints. A/C problems for the R1S can be related to the AC fan and compressor. Some of the more disappointing aspects of the vehicle’s build quality include body hardware issues and noisy operation. Consumer Reports says the R1S’s biggest issues include a stiff ride, excessive electric motor noise, and excessive air compressor noise.
Recalls also affect the Rivian R1S and affect reliability
Rivian R1S parked outdoors – Jetcityimage/Getty Images
Car recalls can cost manufacturers a lot of money, including the cost of sending out notices and making repairs to fix the problem. However, they are important for reducing the risk of operating vehicles while improving their reliability and safety. One of the reliability issues with the Rivian R1S relates to the long list of recalls for a vehicle that only began shipping in the summer of 2024. Consumer Reports already lists seven different recalls for the vehicle. A vehicle has an average of 3.2 recalls over its 30-year lifetime.
Reasons for the Rivian R1S recall include a steering column control module that lacks cruise markings, exterior lighting issues, poor headlight performance in cold weather, improper installation of seat belt anchors, turn signal malfunctions, a potential loss of transmission power, and a problem with its Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) software. All seven withdrawals occurred within about one calendar year, between September 2024 and September 2025.
According to Consumer Reports’ survey of more than 300,000 vehicles, Rivian’s reliability problems aren’t just about the R1S recalls. These extend across the manufacturer’s entire range of vehicles. In a ranking of the top 22 car brands, Consumer Reports ranks Rivian as the least reliable car brand in 2025, based on member surveys. Rivian is clearly the lowest rated brand, scoring just 14 out of 100 for reliability. The other 21 brands on the list received a score between 68 and 27 for reliability.
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