Quote:
Originally Posted by Angelo1
I’m having a hard deciding between a 2021 X7 m50i fully loaded I just found or ordering a Rivian R1S. What to do…what to do? I am sure the Rivian would be much more reliable since it has less moving parts. The unfortunate is the Rivian not having CarPlay and proper door bins that the Bimmer has done well. Has anyone compared the seat comfort of the Rivian compared to the X5 or X7 merino package or even the Bimmer Vernasca seats?
|
I drove an R1T yesterday, it was nice. Can't say I felt "luxury". I don't consider a Rivian a luxury vehicle in the same sense as an X7, ignoring powertrain. An X7 with V8 is nothing at all like a startup company EV regardless of price point.
The best thing Rivians have going for them in my view is appearance. I do like the exterior and interior design aesthetics. They are nothing special as far as EVs go in terms of battery life, battery technology or drivetrain technology. It's all me-too stuff like any other EV. Not unique and not compelling. They have a big iPad stuck to the instrument panel, and a smaller one in front of the steering wheel. Idiotic Tesla copycat that MB has also followed. I think the BMW CEO is predicting "big screens" to soon be a thing of the past. Thankfully.
EVs skimp everywhere they can (for example door bins) to minimize weight. A clear example of this is in the interior. The R1T has vegan leather, what a joke. Vinyl is lighter than real leather, for example as you indicated a preference for Merino or Vernasca.
I was impressed to see 4 corner air suspension on the R1T. Makes for a nice ride but with a cost. Weight is likely neutral because they are using aluminum suspension components compared with steel springs and solid (heavy) beam rear axle. Given the industry's travails with air suspension through the years, one can only imagine how a startup company's air ride will fare.
My wife has Vernasca in her G01. It looks nice and smells nice. It is comfortable over day-long (8 hrs) drives. However it is not as nice as the standard leather in my Cayenne, which is more supple and luxurious feeling. I think the issue is not the Vernasca, but that the BMW sport seats in the G01 xDrive are not deeply cushioned and are dimensionally somewhat small. Compared to, for example, standard seats in a W166 MB GLE or the 9Y0 Cayenne.
No CarPlay is a joke also. I don't use CarPlay but everyone in my family does. Rivian failed on that one, also the vinyl-only interior.
In summary, X7 M50i vs R1S is apples vs oranges. If you are considering a V8 you will be sorely disappointed with the beta product which is the R1S.