Giving a pickup 835 horsepower is one way to get a car reviewer’s attention. Making it comfortable and packing it with clever features helps keep it interesting. The Rivian R1T scored on both fronts with AutoTrader’s Rory Reid, who drove an imported example in the United Kingdom, although it didn’t take long to see why this particular American export might need a little more room to settle in.

At roughly 18 feet long, the R1T is big by European standards and demands careful planning when maneuvering in tight spots, though Reid still manages to squeeze it into a normal-sized roadside space. Through villages and small towns, he finds the R1T’s size hard to ignore, likening its length to driving a stretch limo.

Even though the R1T is known to handle corners well for a pickup, Reid notes you can never escape its weight. He says he can hear the tires struggling through faster bends, but he still praises the very well-controlled body roll.

This isn’t the newer Gen 2 R1T. It’s a first-generation example whose quad-motor setup peaks at 835 horsepower. Reid performs an acceleration run from 0 to 60 mph, which the car dispatches in just 3.31 seconds. Reid’s laughter suggests that it’s more than enough acceleration for something with a big cargo bed in the back.

He also highlights the comfortable seats, smooth power delivery, and light steering, and praises the responsive accelerator and strong regenerative braking. The latter brings the truck to a complete stop smoothly simply by lifting off the accelerator pedal.

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