Rivian Outshines Rivals in Owner Satisfaction Survey, Leading BMW and Tesla
The Great Divide: How Rivian Went from Charming Owners to Troubling Reliability Issues
Can a brand that ranks low in reliability scores still win over its customers, making them ridiculously happy? The astounding success of Rivian, a relatively new electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, answers this question with a resounding yes.
For the second year in a row, Rivian topped the charts in customer satisfaction, with owners raving about their R1S and R1T electric vehicles. According to Consumer Reports’ (CR) latest owner satisfaction survey, owners appreciate the comfort, speed, drivability, and ease of use of these models. These positive feelings even extended to the point where 86% of Rivian owners would buy again from the California-based company – a significant 10% more than competitors BMW and Tesla.
Falling Short on Reliability
The good news ends there, as Rivian ranks last in reliability, according to CR’s reliability survey. Even with 20 trouble areas measured, including minor issues like squeaky brakes and major flaws like expensive engine or transmission problems, Rivian’s models fell short. In fact, 81% of problems reported were attributed to non-EV components, such as infotainment and electronic features.
"At this stage, EV technology is still relatively new, and manufacturers are still ironing out the kinks," notes Steven Elek, head of auto data analytics at Consumer Reports. "However, we’ve seen issues with non-EV components, which is a challenge for these companies to overcome."
A Tale of Two Brands: Satisfaction and Reliability
Rivian’s mismatch with reliability is not unique. BMW, which ranked second in customer satisfaction, received mediocre reliability ratings. Meanwhile, Subaru, the most reliable brand, received average satisfaction scores. This highlights the complex relationship between a brand’s satisfaction and reliability scores, which can be influenced by various factors, such as new car warranties and low maintenance costs.
"In some cases, even cars that require frequent trips to the dealership for repairs can bring a high level of satisfaction, thanks to the financial protection provided by new car warranties," CR explains.
At Digital Trends, we’re excited to explore the intersection of satisfaction and reliability, and how it affects the way we drive in today’s fast-paced, constantly evolving automotive landscape.
