Compare the2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9VS 2025 Rivian R1S

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Ioniq 9 are reminded to check the back seat when a sensor determines the back seat is occupied. The R1S doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Ioniq 9 has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The R1S doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

With its standard Forward Collision Avoidance Assist, the Hyundai Ioniq 9 is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Rivian R1S, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Hyundai Ioniq 9 achieved a “Good” rating - the highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Rivian R1S has not been tested.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Ioniq 9 SEL/Limited/Calligraphy has standard Parking Collision Avoidance Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The R1S doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Ioniq 9’s standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The R1S doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.

The Hyundai Ioniq 9 comes with a standard Surround View Monitor, while the Rivian R1S doesn’t offer a camera washer, requiring manual cleaning.

Both the Ioniq 9 and R1S have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Ioniq 9 has Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The R1S’ Rear Cross-Traffic Warning doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the Ioniq 9 and the R1S have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The Ioniq 9 comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The R1S’ 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Ioniq 9 2 years longer than Rivian covers the R1S. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the R1S ends after only 8 years.

There are over 17 times as many Hyundai dealers as there are Rivian dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Ioniq 9’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Rivian vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 101 more problems per 100 vehicles, Rivian is ranked 31st, below the industry average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Rivian vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 12 places higher in reliability than Rivian.

On the EPA test cycle the Ioniq 9 gets better mileage than the R1S:

The Ioniq 9 can travel longer on a full charge than the R1S on a full charge:

For better stopping power the Ioniq 9’s brake rotors are larger than those on the R1S:

The Ioniq 9 stops shorter than the R1S:

For better traction, the Ioniq 9 Limited/Calligraphy’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the R1S (285/45R21 vs. 275/50R22).

The Ioniq 9 S/SE’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the R1S’ 65 series tires. The Ioniq 9 Limited/Calligraphy’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the R1S Ascend Quad Max’s 50 series front tires.

The Ioniq 9’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The R1S doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Ioniq 9’s wheelbase is 2.1 inches longer than on the R1S (123.2 inches vs. 121.1 inches).

The Ioniq 9 Calligraphy handles at .88 G’s, while the R1S Ascend Tri Max pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Ioniq 9 Calligraphy Design executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the R1S Ascend Tri Max (26.2 seconds @ .72 average G’s vs. 26.7 seconds @ .74 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Ioniq 9’s turning circle is .3 feet tighter than the R1S Quad Max Ascend’s (41 feet vs. 41.3 feet). The Ioniq 9’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the R1S’ (41 feet vs. 43.3 feet).

The Hyundai Ioniq 9 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 800 to 950 pounds less than the Rivian R1S.

For excellent aerodynamics, the Ioniq 9 has standard flush composite headlights. The R1S has recessed headlights that spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag.

The Ioniq 9 Limited/Calligraphy uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The R1S doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Ioniq 9 has .4 inches more front headroom, 3.9 inches more front hip room, .8 inches more front shoulder room, 1.3 inches more rear headroom, 6.2 inches more rear legroom, 3.5 inches more rear hip room, 2.1 inches more rear shoulder room, 1.1 inches more third row headroom and 3.9 inches more third row shoulder room than the R1S.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Ioniq 9’s middle and third row seats recline. The R1S’ third row seats don’t recline.

The Ioniq 9’s cargo area provides more volume than the R1S.

Both the Ioniq 9 and the R1S offer second row automatic folding seats. The Ioniq 9 Limited/Calligraphy’s third row seats also fold up or down at the press of a switch. The R1S doesn’t offer automatic folding third row seats.

The Ioniq 9’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The R1S’ tailgate’s top part raises up, but the bottom part lowers, getting in the way of loading and making an uneven surface for sliding cargo.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Ioniq 9’s liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The R1S doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its tailgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The Ioniq 9 Calligraphy has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The R1S doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Ioniq 9’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The R1S doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Ioniq 9 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The R1S doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

When the Ioniq 9 Limited/Calligraphy is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The R1S’ mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Ioniq 9 SEL/Limited/Calligraphy has standard front air conditioned seats and the Ioniq 9 Limited/Calligraphy also has them in the second row. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The R1S doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

The Ioniq 9 Calligraphy has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the R1S.

The Ioniq 9 is equipped with both FM and AM stereo radios, offering access to more content and better coverage than the R1S, which solely provides FM radio. With AM radio, you can enjoy a wider variety of stations featuring news, talk shows, sports commentary, native language programing, automated traffic guidance, and emergency broadcasts. AM waves travel further and penetrate buildings and obstacles more effectively than FM signals, especially at night. Having both FM and AM stereo radios the Ioniq 9 offers a more comprehensive listening experience compared to only FM in the R1S.

HD Radio boasts several benefits over conventional radio: superior sound quality with clearer and consistent FM broadcasts, CD-quality audio, and Multicast Channels offering up to four streams from a single station, adding programming choices. Cars like the Ioniq 9 equipped with HD Radio provide an improved in-car entertainment experience. The R1S, devoid of this technology, foregoes these benefits. Selecting the Hyundai Ioniq 9 empowers drivers to enjoy a more immersive and enjoyable listening experience while on the go.

Compared to the Rivian R1S’ traditional radio, the Hyundai Ioniq 9 equipped with standard SiriusXM satellite radio provides an unmatched listening experience. Its extensive coverage guarantees consistent, crystal-clear reception across the continental U.S., and access to over 100 channels dedicated to a multitude of genres, including music, news, sports, talk shows, and comedy, many with only limited commercial breaks.

The Ioniq 9 Calligraphy’s Parking Assist can parallel park by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Parking Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The R1S doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Ioniq 9 is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The R1S doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.