Compare the2025 Volvo EX40VS 2024 Rivian R1S

The EX40’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The R1S doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the EX40 and R1S have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The EX40 Ultra has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The R1S’ child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The EX40 has a standard Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS), which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the WHIPS allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. At the same time the pretensioning seatbelts fire, removing slack from the belts. The R1S doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The EX40 has standard Post-impact braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The R1S doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The EX40 has a standard CTA Auto Brake 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.

Both the EX40 and R1S have rear cross-traffic warning, but the EX40 has Braking Intervention (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 EX40 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 EX40’s corrosion warranty is 4 years longer than the R1S’ (12 vs. 8 years).

Volvo pays for scheduled maintenance on the EX40 for 4 years and 40,000 miles. Volvo will pay for cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Rivian doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the R1S.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Volvo vehicles are better in initial quality than Rivian vehicles. With 24 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Volvo higher than Rivian.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Volvo vehicles are more reliable than Rivian vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Volvo 3 places higher in reliability than Rivian.

On the EPA test cycle the EX40 gets better mileage than the R1S:

The EX40 stops shorter than the R1S:

The EX40’s standard 235/50R19 front and 255/45R19 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series front and 45 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the R1S’ 65 series tires. The EX40 Ultra’s 235/45R20 front and 255/40R20 rear tires have a lower 45 series front and 40 series rear profile than the R1S’ optional 50 series tires.

For better maneuverability, the EX40’s turning circle is 5.9 feet tighter than the R1S’ (37.4 feet vs. 43.3 feet).

The Volvo EX40 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 2300 to 2550 pounds less than the Rivian R1S.

The EX40 is 2 feet, 2 inches shorter than the R1S, making the EX40 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The EX40 is 6.6 inches narrower than the R1S, making the EX40 easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

The EX40 is 12.1 inches shorter in height than the R1S, making the EX40 much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

For excellent aerodynamics, the EX40 has standard flush composite headlights. The R1S has recessed headlights that spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the EX40. The R1S doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The EX40’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 EX40’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under 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 EX40’s standard Keyless Entry & Drive allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the vehicle, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. An advanced key system standard on the R1S doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the EX40 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The R1S doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The EX40 offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The R1S doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the EX40 Ultra has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The R1S doesn’t offer cornering lights. The EX40 Ultra also has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The EX40’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.

When the EX40 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 EX40 is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The R1S doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.