The Rivian king is back, and this time around, the 2026 Rivian R1T Quad is faster, more powerful, more efficient, and is packing in-house-developed motors. Of course, it’s also more expensive.
The R1T pickup and R1S SUV sit atop the lineup as the range-topping models. The new four-motor variants also debut a native NACS charging port that’s standard across the lineup for 2026. But it’s the extra motors, new software tricks, and pricing that set the R1 Quads apart from the rest. Oh, and did I mention 1,025 horsepower and 2.5-second zero to 60 (2.6 for R1S)?
In what might be the new definition of Stealth Wealth (now that the 200-Series Toyota Land Cruiser is dead), it’ll take a keen eye to spot the Quad from the rest of the lineup. Five small visual details set the Quad apart from the rest of the R1T and R1S lineup: blue brake calipers, blue front door badging accents, a tiny blue badge on the tailgate, a little Gear Guard emblem that appears wind blown (I want to be friends with the Gear Guard dude), and Quad-specific 22-inch wheels—20 inchers optional. The standard wheel design matches that of the other R1s, but swaps in a bronze finish. When equipped with the 34-inch all-terrain tires, the 20-inch wheel design matches that of the limited-edition Dune model, but with a new finish. Opting for the staggered 275s up front and 305s in the rear, the Michelin Pilot Sport S5 tires will wrap around a Quad-specific 22-inch wheel design. All wheel and tire combinations are no-cost options. Aside from these five small tweaks, the Quad looks like any other R1T (and R1S), which were visually refreshed for 2025 with new, slimmer, and more advanced lighting.
Inside, the four-motor R1T and R1S are the same as the Tri-Motor with its upgraded Ascent interior. That translates to quilted stitched seating, front seat backs wrapped in denim-like material. Overall, it’s a lovely place to be and feels like an upscale cabin at a ski resort. The same 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and 15.6-inch touchscreen that houses all vehicle controls sit framed within the dashboard, but the Quad brings two new tricks to the big touchscreen: Kick Turn and the RAD Tuner.
The RAD Tuner (Rivian Adventure Department) is, for now, a Quad exclusive. It’s a new powertrain tool that allows the driver to completely modify everything from power split and wheel spin to roll stiffness and damping. In all, 10 variables can be modified independently of each other and saved for future use. It’s ridiculously cool, beyond anything another production vehicle has today, and takes custom powertrain and vehicle dynamics settings to an entirely new level. The modes also get little racing helmet icons, which have typically been a McLaren thing, but now also a Rivian thing, apparently. I’m here for it. The RAD Tuner comes pre-programmed with Hill Climb and Desert Rally modes, with the former sharing the same settings the Rivian team used to set a record at the 2024 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. The latter profile was used at the Rebelle Rally. Rivian is giving current owners RAD Tuner via an OTA software update in September.
And then there’s Kick Turn, which most people will want to call Tank Turn. Kick Turn is delivering on the original Tank Turn promise, but in a much cooler and less gimmicky way. Tank Turn never arrived on the original Quad as the team claimed they feared people would use it to damage trails. Frankly, after witnessing Kick Turn, I think it’s all the same. To enable Kick Turn, just tap the button in the Off-Road driving screen and slide the button across the screen to confirm. Then, hold the left or right buttons on each side of the steering wheel in the same direction and mash the throttle to have the vehicle spin and change directions. The functional use case is so the Quad can either spin around to face another direction or perform a partial spin to take a tight turn off-road. The feature will only operate in low-friction scenarios, so it can’t be used on dry pavement as a party trick like in the electric Mercedes-Benz G-Class. Importantly, and unlike in the G-Class, it can be used at speeds up to 15 mph, though this could be adjusted before it rolls out via OTA in September.
Slipping behind the wheel of the R1T Quad feels natural for anyone who has driven a Rivian before, except the driving experience is more frenetic due to the new oil-cooled Ascent motors. The old Bosch-supplied motors were water-cooled and could overheat if someone were to purposely attempt to, say, climb Hell’s Gate at Moab over and over and over again, according to R1 Chief Engineering Luke Lynch.
Unsurprisingly, the combination of 1,025 hp and sticky Michelins hit like a gut punch as my entire body was shoved into the seat. It could be described as violent, but the weight transfer from front to back as the power hits is considerably more controlled than in a Hummer EV. Most people have never (and probably never will) experienced power like this, and certainly not in a 7,000-pound pickup truck. As a result, it can run the quarter-mile in 10.5 seconds and reach a top speed of 130 mph. These are blistering and unnecessary (yet completely enjoyable) figures.
Despite the massive amount of added power, Rivian did not upgrade the six-piston front or four-piston rear brake calipers or upsize the rotors. Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe told The Drive the team discussed it but decided to retain the braking system due to cost and complexity reasons. This translates to the Quad having the same braking system as the Dual-Motor R1T with 533 horsepower. Either the Dual-Motor model’s braking system is shockingly over built or Rivian is too cheap to equip the Quad with adequate brakes given the power. Forthcoming YouTube videos will surely put the answer on display for the world. Hustling down Donner Pass, the Quad R1S I piloted never gave any sense of brake fade, nor did I smell brakes or induce smoke. Putting an R1S Tri-Motor through a track day last year at Atlanta Motorsports Park never gave me a reason to question the brakes, except when the battery was full and regen wasn’t on the table, then the pedal traveled further and was softer than one might desire in a 7,000-pound 850-horsepower SUV on a race track. The Quad has 20% more power than the Tri-Motor.
The adaptive dampers and trick hydraulic anti-roll system hardware are a carryover from Dual- and Tri-Motor models, but have been recalibrated to ensure proper weight transfer with the additional power. On reasonably nice California pavement, the Quads rode like other Rivians with a firm yet not jarring ride, feeling like something out of Germany. This is no body-on-frame Escalade, nor is it a pillowy luxury liner. If Porsche built an electric pickup or off-road three-row SUV, it would ride just like this.
Rivian chose Donner Ski Ranch to showcase the Quad’s capabilities off-road with two rock-crawling scenarios and a sharp turn to showcase Kick Turn. The first rock crawl scenario put the R1T off camber at an angle to show the suspension working, with each wheel getting power from a single motor. I only got to go through this exercise once and noted that in Rock Crawl mode, the powertrain system decreases the throttle sensitivity down to 30% for smoother power delivery, less wheel spin, and finer control. On this particular exercise, I experienced some wheel spin in certain sections, and given the opportunity to run it again, I might have tried to decrease the sensitivity to 20% on the fly via the RAD Tuner. But the truck didn’t have an issue completing the exercise and never had to back up or try another line. A second, more challenging rock crawl had me playing with the accelerator pedal mapping. I quickly found 10% and 20% didn’t provide the juice I needed for the steep hill, but 30% did the trick. There was wheel spin, which wouldn’t have happened if the truck had lockers, but the Rivian had no issue scrambling up the slick rock face. Scaringe told The Drive that lockers would add cost, complexity, and owners likely wouldn’t truly take advantage of the extra capability that might come with that cost. Probably, but this also speaks to the level at which Rivian’s team has refined the control systems and software, because I’m not sure an electric Mercedes-Benz G-Class would have spun its wheels so much on the rock exercises. But also, because the Quad has four motors, lockers in this case would be virtual to electronically lock the motors on each axle together via software rather than hardware.
Disappointingly, the lack of trip, battery temperature, efficiency, and perhaps most perplexingly, driving line overlays on the cameras while in off-road modes could easily be added via a software update, but are all currently missing.
Testing Kick Turn on a trail to make a roughly 45-degree turn proved to be simple and prevented a three-point turn situation. Turn it on, hit the steering wheel buttons, mash the throttle, slide sideways. What’s not to love? I even ran a slalom course using only Kick Turn to rotate the R1T while moving.
The Quads don’t take a huge range hit compared to the two- or three-motor models, despite having four motors and all that power. With the standard 22-inch bronze wheels and all-season tires, the EPA-rated range checks in at 374 miles. That’s three miles less than the Tri-Motor and 36 miles less than the Dual-Motor. The Conserve driving mode ups the Quad to 400 miles of range. Opting for the Michelin Pilot Sport S5 tires drops the EPA-rated range to 338 miles, though Rivian quotes 360 miles of range in Conserve mode. Adventure seekers will note the heavier 20-inch wheels and 34-inch all-terrain tires drop the EPA-rated range to 325 miles, and in Conserve mode, Rivian claims 350 miles.
The R1T Quad will cost $117,885, and the R1S Quad will cost $123,885, including a $1,895 destination charge. That’s about a $15,000 premium over the Tri-Motor for more power, an extra motor, Kick Turn, and the RAD Tuner. Given the rest of the Rivian R1 pricing and spec matrix, that feels about $5,000 too much.
Launch Edition versions, which add Launch Edition badging on the dashboard, Launch Green exterior color, lifetime connectivity features, a Camp Speaker, and a key fob, cost $121,885 for the R1T and $127,885 for the R1S. Rivian hasn’t said how many Launch Edition models it will sell. That’s a $4,000 premium, which many colors already cost $2,500 to $3,000, the camp speaker costs $400, and the entire package feels worth it for anyone desiring Launch Green.
The Rivian R1T Quad has no true direct competitor in terms of performance, outright capability on- and off-road, and perhaps above all else, packaging. Arguably, the R1S is in nearly the same situation.
Almost no one needs an R1T Quad. This amount of power and performance is completely over the top, and the price premium of about $15,000 over a Tri-Motor will be hard to justify for most. But these aren’t rational times, and the Quad is not a rational vehicle.
Buyers seeking looks and attention will need to look elsewhere, but enthusiasts should know the bar has been set, and no other production vehicle can touch the Rivian R1T Quad in all-around performance and packaging for any amount of money.
In over 15 years of reviewing cars I’ve driven one other vehicle and said, “We need to buy this” because it fits our lifestyle of towing boats, driving in Minnesota winters, and hauling the kids along with their gear practically and efficiently. That vehicle was the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee with the Hemi V8. I currently own a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee High Altitude with a Hemi V8.
What’s a kidney worth? I only need one of those, right? In the words of Tony Stark, “I want one.”
No other production vehicle can match the R1T Quad’s all-around performance.
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