Last updated: August 2026Verified Rivian Owner

Model Guide

The 2027 Rivian R1S: what changed, and what it actually costs.

Rivian renamed every R1S trim in August 2026, added second-row captain's chairs for the first time, and swapped the standard paint. Here's the full trim walk, what the six-seat option really costs once you account for the package it requires, and the honest incentive math now that the federal credit is gone.

11 min read · Last updated August 2026 · Written by Rick, R1S owner, Morrison, Colorado

The Quick Answer

  • Starting price: $83,990 for the R1S Premium, plus $1,895 destination
  • Trims: Premium, Performance, Quad — renamed from Dual, Tri, Quad in August 2026
  • New for 2027:Second-row captain's chairs, Esker Silver paint replacing LA Silver
  • Range: 329 miles (Premium) up to 410 miles (Premium Long Range)
  • Seating:7-seat bench standard; 6-seat captain's chairs optional, but not on every interior
  • Colorado state credit: $0 — every R1S trim exceeds the $80,000 MSRP cap
  • Best 2026 savings path: Costco Auto Program + referral code, in that order

Dual, Tri, and Quad are gone

Rivian announced the 2027 R1S on August 13, 2026 and moved the lineup off motor-count naming. In Rivian's own framing, the goal was to shift the buyer's first question from “how many motors?” to “how does this vehicle fit my life?” — and to bring the R1 lineup in line with the trim structure already used on the R2.

Old name (2026)New name (2027)Motors
DualPremiumTwo
TriPerformanceThree
QuadQuadFour

Three other changes landed at the same time:

Second-row captain's chairs arrive on the R1S for the first time. Rivian calls it their most requested interior feature to date. Full detail below, because the pricing is not straightforward.

Esker Silver replaces LA Silver as the included no-cost paint. It's the liquid-metal finish introduced on the R2, and it's available across every variant and interior. LA Silver is out of the palette. (Mine is an LA Silver 2026 car, so that one stings a little.)

Pricing held. The R1S Premium starts at $83,990, unchanged from where the 2026 Dual Large landed after Rivian discontinued the Dual Standard in June.

2027 R1S trim walk

TrimMotorsHorsepower0–60 mphEPA rangeBase MSRP
PremiumDual533 hp / 610 lb-ft4.5 sec329 mi$83,990
Premium + Power UpgradeDual665 hp / 829 lb-ft3.4 sec329 mi$88,990
Premium Long RangeDual533 hp / 610 lb-ft4.5 sec410 mi$90,990
PerformanceTri850 hp / 1,103 lb-ft2.9 sec371 mi~$108,940observed, Max battery
QuadQuad1,025 hp / 1,198 lb-ftunder 3 sec374 mi$121,990

Excludes the $1,895 destination charge. EPA range figures are Rivian's, based on a configuration with 22-inch road wheels; smaller or more aggressive wheel-and-tire packages will differ. The Performance price is an observed configurator price on a Max battery build, not an official published base price — confirm your exact figure in the configurator before ordering.

Two notes on this table. Long Range sits inside Premium rather than beside it — the Max battery is a $7,000 drive-system option on the dual-motor car, not a separate trim. The Power Upgrade is Premium-only at $5,000 and unlocks the Sport, Soft Sand, and Rally drive modes alongside the power bump.

The 92.5 kWh Standard pack does not appear anywhere in the 2027 lineup. The Large pack is now the floor.

The six-seat R1S: what it costs and what it rules out

This is the headline feature of the 2027 R1S and the reason most people are searching for this model right now. It's also the option where the sticker price and the real price diverge most.

What you get.The six-seat configuration is built around a center pass-through, so a passenger can get to the third row without moving the second-row seats or disturbing car seats installed in them. Each chair has an individual armrest that stows flush into the seat and a push-to-release cup holder that folds down from the inside edge. Both seats are heated, fold flat, and keep full car seat tie-downs — Rivian's position is that families give up nothing versus the bench. The pass-through also means skis and boards slide straight through the cabin with all six seats occupied.

What it costs.The captain's chairs start at $1,500. But they require the Sound + Vision package, which runs $2,500 to $4,500 depending on trim and interior. On a Premium with Black Mountain, Sound + Vision is $2,500. On a Premium with Ocean Coast, the interior is only offered in combination with Sound + Vision, at $4,500. On Performance and Quad, Sound + Vision is standard at no cost, so the chairs are just the $1,500.

Your buildSound + VisionCaptain's chairsReal added cost
Premium, Black Mountain$2,500from $1,500from $4,000
Premium, Ocean Coast$4,500 (required with interior)from $1,500from $6,000
Performance or QuadIncludedfrom $1,500from $1,500

The trap for third-row families

If you need seven seats and you want Slate Sky Signature or Ocean Coast Signature, that combination doesn't exist. Decide seating before interior, not after. This is the single most common configuration mistake I'd expect on the 2027 car.

What it rules out. The seven-seat bench is still available, but not on every interior. It remains on both R1S Premium interiors, and on Black Mountain Signature on the Performance and Quad. If you want Slate Sky Signature or Ocean Coast Signature on a Performance or Quad, you are taking the captain's chairs — the bench isn't offered with those interiors.

Interiors, renamed

Rivian also refreshed interior naming to match the R2. Performance and Quad get three Signature interiors; Premium gets two standard ones.

InteriorAvailable on
Black MountainPremium (standard)
Ocean CoastPremium (with Sound + Vision only)
Black Mountain SignaturePerformance, Quad
Slate Sky SignaturePerformance, Quad
Ocean Coast SignaturePerformance, Quad

If you're cross-referencing older forum posts: “Black Mountain with Dark Ash Wood” is now just Black Mountain, and “Black Mountain with Brown Ash Wood” is now Black Mountain Signature.

Range, performance, and what actually matters day to day

Range

Rivian's EPA figures assume 22-inch road wheels and mild conditions. In Colorado, with elevation change, winter cabin heating, and mountain driving, plan on meaningfully less. My own experience on the Large pack has been that a 329-mile rating behaves like something closer to 250 to 280 miles in real winter use. That's not a defect — it's what every EV does in cold at altitude — but it's the number you should budget around, not the sticker.

If you regularly drive I-70 west in winter, the $7,000 Long Range option is the single most useful money you can spend on this car. More useful than the Power Upgrade, and I say that as someone who enjoys the Power Upgrade.

Performance

Premium at 4.5 seconds is already quicker than any three-row SUV needs to be. Performance at 2.9 seconds and Quad at just over that are genuinely absurd. Rivian publishes 2.5 seconds and a 10.5-second quarter mile for the Quad using Launch Mode, though that figure is quoted for the R1T; the heavier R1S is marginally behind it.

Buy the Performance or Quad because you want the interior tier and the standard Sound + Vision, not because you need the acceleration. That's the honest framing.

Towing and off-road

7,700 pounds across the lineup. Expect a 40 to 50 percent range hit when towing near capacity — this is the number people underestimate most. Air suspension gives over 14 inches of ground clearance in Off-Road Mode, with 32 inches of water fording and full underbody protection. Kick Turn, which rotates the vehicle in place through independent wheel control, remains Quad-only.

The options that actually move the price

OptionCostWorth it?
Long Range (Max battery)$7,000Yes if you road-trip or live at altitude
Power Upgrade$5,000Fun, not necessary. Premium only.
Sound + Vision$2,500–$4,500Required for captain's chairs on Premium; standard on Performance and Quad
Second-row captain's chairsfrom $1,500See the seating section — real cost depends on your trim
Autonomy+$2,500 one-time after 60-day trialEvaluate during the trial rather than buying up front
Esker Silver paintIncludedThe no-cost default now

A Premium can leave the configurator at $83,990 or at well over $100,000 depending on how you answer four questions. Decide range, seating, and interior before you look at power.

The 2026 incentive reality for an R1S buyer

This is where the R1S is genuinely disadvantaged versus cheaper EVs, and it's worth being direct about it.

ProgramAmount
Federal Clean Vehicle Credit$0
Federal home charger credit (30C)$0
Colorado state EV credit$0
Vehicle Exchange ColoradoUnlikely
Xcel Energy charger rebate$500–$1,300
Auto loan interest deductionVaries
Section 179 + bonus depreciationVaries
Costco Auto Program$1,000–$5,000
Referral code (RICK4348389)$250–$500 + 3 mo. charging

The R1S sits $3,990 above Colorado's MSRP ceiling at its cheapest configuration. There is no options trick that gets you under it — the cap applies to base MSRP plus factory options. If the $750 credit matters to you, the R1T Premium in base spec is the only R1 that clears it. See the Colorado eligibility table.

Worked example — 2027 R1S Premium in Colorado

  • Base MSRP$83,990
  • Costco Auto Program discount (est.)−$3,500
  • Colorado state credit$0
  • Federal credits$0
  • Effective price$80,490

Plus 250 Rewards points (~$250) and 3 months of Adventure Network charging via the referral code — a Performance or Quad would earn 500 points instead. Excludes destination, taxes, title, and registration. Costco discount varies by configuration and active promotion.

How to order with the code applied

1. Configure at rivian.com

Pick trim, battery, paint, interior, seating, and wheels. Enter referral code RICK4348389at checkout, or ask your advisor to add it before you sign. Codes can't be added after the order is placed.

2.Route through Costco first if you're a member

The Costco discount cannot be applied retroactively to an order placed on the public configurator. Go through costcoauto.com before you finalize. Full walkthrough here.

3. Place your deposit, schedule your charger, take delivery

The deposit holds your configuration. Schedule your Xcel charger install before installation, not after — it's the only charger incentive left. Referral points post after delivery, typically within about two weeks, and your three months of Adventure Network charging starts the day you take delivery.

Ready to configure your R1S?

Use referral code RICK4348389 to earn 250 Rivian Rewards points on a Premium or 500 on a Performance or Quad, plus 3 months of complimentary Adventure Network charging.

Configure with code RICK4348389

Frequently asked questions

What are the 2027 Rivian R1S trim levels?

Premium, Performance, and Quad. Rivian retired the motor-count naming in August 2026: Dual became Premium, Tri became Performance, and Quad kept its name. Premium is dual-motor with 533 horsepower, Performance is tri-motor with 850 horsepower, and Quad is quad-motor with 1,025 horsepower. The change aligns the R1 lineup with the trim structure already used on the R2.

Does the 2027 R1S have captain's chairs?

Yes. Second-row captain's chairs arrived on the R1S for the 2027 model year, the first time the vehicle has been offered with a six-seat layout. Rivian describes it as their most requested interior feature to date. The configuration includes a center pass-through so passengers can reach the third row without moving the second-row seats, and both chairs are heated, fold flat, and retain car seat tie-downs.

How much do the R1S captain's chairs cost?

The chairs start at $1,500, but they require the Sound and Vision package. On a Premium with the Black Mountain interior, Sound and Vision is $2,500, bringing the real cost to about $4,000. On a Premium with Ocean Coast, the package is $4,500 because that interior is only offered with it, bringing the total to about $6,000. On Performance and Quad, Sound and Vision is standard, so the chairs cost from $1,500.

Can I still get seven seats in the 2027 R1S?

Yes, but not with every interior. The second-row bench remains available on both R1S Premium interiors and on Black Mountain Signature on the Performance and Quad. If you want Slate Sky Signature or Ocean Coast Signature on a Performance or Quad, only the six-seat captain’s chair layout is offered. Choose your seating before your interior.

What's the cheapest 2027 Rivian R1S?

The R1S Premium at $83,990 base MSRP, plus a $1,895 destination charge. It has dual-motor all-wheel drive, 533 horsepower, an EPA-estimated 329 miles of range, and 0 to 60 in 4.5 seconds. There is no cheaper R1S — the Dual Standard trim was discontinued in mid-2026 and the 92.5 kWh Standard battery does not appear in the 2027 lineup.

Does the Rivian R1S qualify for the Colorado EV tax credit?

No. Colorado disallows its $750 Innovative Motor Vehicle Credit for any vehicle with an MSRP above $80,000, and the least expensive R1S is $83,990. The cap applies to MSRP including factory-attached options, not the price you negotiate, so there is no configuration that qualifies. The R1T Premium clears the cap at its $79,990 base price, and the R2 qualifies at every trim.

Does the R1S qualify for the federal tax credit?

No. The federal Clean Vehicle Credit expired September 30, 2025 under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Both the consumer credit under Section 30D and the lease pathway under Section 45W ended on that date. Buyers who signed a binding contract and made a payment on or before September 30, 2025 may still claim it at delivery. For all other 2026 orders, no federal vehicle purchase credit is available.

How many referral points does an R1S earn?

It depends on the trim. Under Rivian’s current Rewards tiers, a Performance or Quad earns 500 points and a Premium earns 250 points, since Premium is the renamed dual-motor trim and the Standard battery is no longer offered on the R1S. Each point is worth $1 in credit. Both tiers also include 3 months of complimentary Adventure Network charging. Points post to your Rivian Rewards account within about two weeks of delivery.

What happened to LA Silver?

Esker Silver replaced it for the 2027 model year. Esker Silver is the liquid-metal finish introduced on the R2, and it is now the included no-cost paint across both the R1S and R1T, available with every interior. LA Silver is no longer in the R1 palette.

Is the Long Range option worth $7,000 on the R1S?

It depends on where you drive. The Long Range option adds the Max battery and takes EPA range from 329 to 410 miles. If you regularly drive long highway distances, tow, or live somewhere cold and mountainous where real-world range runs well below the EPA figure, it is the most useful money on the options list. If your driving is mostly local with home charging, the standard Large pack is plenty.

How long does an R1S take to deliver?

Most R1S orders deliver within four to twelve weeks of order confirmation, depending on configuration and delivery location. Rivian provides updated estimates in your account dashboard after you place your deposit. Quarter-end delivery slots sometimes open up if you are flexible on configuration, which is worth asking your advisor about in the last two weeks of March, June, September, or December.

Apply the code at checkout

Referral code RICK4348389 stacks with the Costco discount and every other incentive on this page.

Configure with code RICK4348389