Rivian has claimed the top spot in Consumer Reports' vehicle satisfaction rankings for the third consecutive year, despite finishing last in reliability ratings. The electric vehicle startup scored highest based on whether owners would repurchase their vehicles, beating established luxury brands like BMW, which has consistently placed second. Rivian's R1S SUV and R1T pickup led in comfort and usability categories.

Consumer Reports calculates satisfaction by surveying owners about their likelihood to repurchase, considering factors like price, performance, and comfort. While Rivian excelled in overall satisfaction, it finished last in reliability for the second year running. The top 10 brands included Subaru, Tesla, Ford, Genesis, Lexus, Toyota, Honda, and Chevrolet, with Genesis and Chevrolet also appearing in the bottom 10 for reliability.

Rivian's strong showing in comfort and usability categories reflects its premium interior design and attention to detail. The company appears to be responding to criticism about touchscreen interfaces by filing patents for physical controls including buttons, dials, and sliders. Despite the satisfaction ranking, CR's individual vehicle reviews rated the R1S and R1T as only "fair" value propositions, with the R1S ranking sixth among three-row EV SUVs and the R1T fourth among electric pickups.