10 Biggest News Stories of the Month: Rivian R1T Passes Toyota Tundra, Follows Ford Maverick
All-electric pickup trucks with outlandish looks and equally outlandish specs have made splashy headlines in the past couple years. The return of the iconic gas guzzler Hummer, reimagined as an EV pickup under the GMC banner, drips with irony. The Tesla Cybertruck looks like something out of “Blade Runner,” and it even has (theoretically) shatter-proof windows. Both trucks boast unbelievable 0-60 mph times, towing capacities and technological advancements, but the prospect of both trucks making it to the mass market is still believable, as both come from established manufacturers — unlike the 2022 Rivian R1T pickup. It comes from an EV automaker that few had heard of before now, but one that somehow always seemed a little more likely to bring its big ideas into fruition than other startups.
Related: 2022 GMC Hummer EV Pickup Quick Spin: An Untimely Collection of Excellent Thinking
Well, it’s real, all right. Cars.com reviewers Joe Wiesenfelder and Kelsey Mays have driven it, and their resulting impressions from a quick spin in the R1T sped to the upper echelons of our most popular articles of the past month with as much velocity as the R1T’s purported 3-second sprint to 60 mph. In the third-place-ranking article on our monthly countdown, Wiesenfelder relates his largely favorable experience with the mid-size R1T, noting its exciting acceleration, quiet and comfortable ride, user-friendly cabin tech and posh interior. He even characterizes its seemingly spendy price tag (more than $74,000) as reasonable, relative to stalwarts like the Ford F-150 and its new-for-2021 hybrid version.
But more importantly — nay, most importantly — is the question of whether the R1T qualifies as a genuine pickup truck. As body-style bonafides, Wiesenfelder points to the Rivian’s mighty claims of an 11,000 pounds towing capacity, up to 14.4 inches of off-roading ground clearance and a versatile, accommodating truck bed.
“There’s no question that if you want a pickup for contractor work, more appropriate options exist,” Wiesenfelders writes. “On the flip side, pickup truck sales didn’t skyrocket because suddenly everyone became a contractor or farmer. Many trucks are purchased for recreational usage, and the R1T is optimized for just that.”
For Wiesenfelder’s full recap of our R1T seat time, follow the link below to the No. 3 Cars.com news story from all of October.
Another truck showing up strong this month — if not quite as strong as the R1T — is the familiar Toyota Tundra, whose model-year 2022 redesign favors an evolutionary approach with an emphasis on pickup purism. Beyond its new, ostentatiously large front grille, the Tundra takes a decidedly traditional tack, aiming squarely at half-ton truck shoppers looking to spend $40,000 to $50,000 for something still resembling their conception of what a pickup should be. And in that capacity, Cars.com reviewer Mays speaks favorably of the Tundra’s eschewing of “moon shots” for “concrete gains,” like brisk acceleration and rival-besting gas mileage.
“The new Tundra doesn’t offer the sky-high payload or towing packages, advanced driver-assist tech or sumptuous interiors you’ll find in certain other trucks,” Mays writes. “But it does spread plentiful features and excellent powertrains across all trim levels.”
For Mays’ comprehensive critique of the 2022 Toyota Tundra, follow the link below to the No. 5 article of the month.
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Shop the 2022 Ford Maverick near you
And in further countdown-topping truck news, Cars.com reviewer Aaron Bragman’s comprehensive critique of the 2022 Ford Maverick, the all-new compact pickup poised to claim its spot as the Mustang of open-bed automobiles. Bragman lauds the Maverick’s interior layout; Flexbed tailgate versatility; hybrid and turbocharged gas-only powertrains; ride quality and handling; payload and towing capacities; all-around truckiness; and intangible cool factor.
For Bragman’s full take on the 2022 Ford Maverick, follow the link below to our No. 1 article of the past month.
Beyond that, we have headlines on the Subaru Ascent, Toyota Corolla Cross, Honda CR-V, Lexus NX and Ram 1500 — so don’t stop reading till the digits double. Here are the top 10 news stories Cars.com readers couldn’t get enough of in the past month:
1. 2022 Ford Maverick Review: The True 21st Century Mustang
2. 2022 Subaru Ascent Review: Value Pricing, Real-World Problems
3. 2022 Rivian R1T Quick Spin: The First Very Real Electric Pickup
4. Is the 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross a Good SUV? Here Are 6 Things We Like and 4 We Don’t
5. 2022 Toyota Tundra Review: Better Where It Counts
6. What’s the Best New-Car Deal for October 2021?
7. 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross Pricing Starts Just Over $23,000
8. Honda CR-V: Which Should You Buy, 2021 or 2022?
9. 2022 Lexus NX Review: A Day Late, Not as Short
10. Ram 1500: Which Should You Buy, 2021 or 2022?
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Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.
