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Rivian R1T vs Tesla Model Y

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Rivian R1T
Rivian R1T

2024 price

Tesla Model Y
Tesla Model Y

$55,900 - $82,900

2025 price

Summary

2024 Rivian R1T
2025 Tesla Model Y
Safety Rating

Engine Type

Fuel Type
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Fuel Efficiency
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Seating
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Dislikes
  • Not available in right-hand drive yet
  • Expensive compared to similar-sized utes
  • Rivian is an unproven brand

  • Drive mode selector is silly
  • Warranty below average
  • Feels very heavy when pushed
2024 Rivian R1T Summary

Tesla started from nothing to become one of the most recognisable brands across the automotive industry in less than two decades. Rivian is hoping to do the same.

If you haven't heard of Rivian that's okay, it's currently only available in the US market. It shares a lot in common with Tesla, though - a charismatic founder and CEO, a focus on electric vehicles and plenty of hype around the brand.

To find out if the hype is justified, CarsGuide.com.au was able to organise an exclusive preview drive of the brand's R1T electric pick-up in Los Angeles recently. The R1T is one of two models Rivian has entered the market with, the other is the R1S large SUV.

This is a far cry from company founder RJ Scaringe's original vision, the R1 - a mid-engined hybrid coupe sports car. Instead, Scaringe switched focus to the pick-up and SUV markets, which provided a much larger audience and helped attract investment from the Ford Motor Company and Amazon to get the company up and running on an industrial scale.

Rivian is still a few years from making it to Australia, but make no mistake, the company has been committed to global expansion for years. As far back as April 2019 a company representative told CarsGuide it believes there's a good opportunity for the R1T and R1S to find an audience in Australia.

So, with that in mind, we drove the R1T to find out if it has what it takes to make its mark with Australian ute buyers.

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2025 Tesla Model Y Summary

I don’t think I’m overselling it to say that this is the car that could make or break Tesla in Australia and around the world. 

Crazy, right? That seemed impossible not so long ago, back when the brand appeared untouchable. But new competition, largely from China, plus the giant Musk-shaped elefant (it is German for elephant…) in the room, has seen sales and profit plummet.

Just last month, for example, the Tesla Model Y lost its best-seller crown in Australia to BYD, admittedly in the weeks before the new 'Juniper' version arrived.

The point is, a new version of its biggest seller is a Very Big Deal. But have they changed enough, and changed it well enough, to cut through the noise?

We put the cheapest variant, the Tesla Model Y RWD, to the test to find out.

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2024 Rivian R1T 2025 Tesla Model Y

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