While Tesla has taken most of the heat for its elusive manual door handles, criticized for being difficult to locate or operate in an emergency, it’s far from the only brand overlooking the importance of an intuitive, mechanical release, especially for rear-seat passengers. The issue isn’t just about convenience; it can be critical when every second counts.

Like Tesla, Rivian has adopted a similar approach, hiding manual releases beneath door trim and effectively leaving owners to improvise their own fixes.

Read: Tesla Owners Are Adding Escape Tools Before It’s Too Late

Not long after we brought you a story about the various accessories and modifications that Tesla owners are making to ensure occupants can easily get out after a crash or fire, we came across a Reddit post of a Rivian owner doing something similar. It’s not a particularly elegant solution, but if it helps save a life, who cares how it looks?

A Manual Release That Isn’t Easily Accessible

In the current Gen 2 Rivian R1S and R1T models, an easy-to-access mechanical door handle is found in the front, just like in current Tesla models. Things are more confusing in the rear. Occupants first have to pull off a piece of plastic trim on the door panel and then pull down on the release cable.

To make matters worse, the owner of this Rivian says it takes a lot of force to remove this plastic trim, requiring a pry tool. In an emergency situation, it seems unlikely a child would be able to open the door.

The Solution?

To work around this issue, this owner has tied a piece of red paracord around the release cable and then run it under the plastic trim piece that needs to be removed. The cord now hangs down from the door panel and is within easy reach should the electrically-operated doors fail to open in a crash.

Rivian confirmed in early October that it will redesign the door handles of the upcoming R2, ensuring the manual release is closer to the electric one. While this is good news for those planning to buy an R2, it does nothing for the tens of thousands of people who already own and drive an R1T or R1S.

Photos Reddit/u dublew_dubs

2025 is firmly in the rearview mirror and that means sales data is starting to trickle out. Rivian is among the first out the door as they’ve revealed some disappointing results following the elimination of the electric vehicle tax credit in September.

Without further ado, the company delivered 9,745 vehicles in the fourth quarter of 2025 and that compares to 14,183 last year. This is a steep 31.3% decline, but there was little doubt sales would slow down following the elimination of the federal incentive.

Review: The 2025 Rivian R1S Is An Imperfect, But Promising Look At The Future

For the entire year, Rivian delivered 42,247 vehicles in 2025. That’s down from 51,579 trucks and SUVs in 2024, which represents a decline of 18.1%.

In terms of production, the company made 10,974 vehicles in the fourth quarter and 42,284 units for the year. That’s keeping pace with demand, but those numbers are down from 12,727 and 49,476 last year.

While the numbers aren’t good, the automaker said they’re in line with expectations. The company didn’t have much else to say, but noted their fourth quarter and full year 2025 financial results will be released on February 12th.

Investors seem to be taking the news in stride as Rivian stock is down 1.95% to $19.32 per share as of this writing. Furthermore, it’s worth noting the stock has climbed significantly over the past year as it was $13.25 on January 2, 2025.

A Busy Year Ahead

While 2025 wasn’t a great year for Rivian, the company has a lot planned for 2026. The highly anticipated R2 is scheduled to launch in the first half of the year and it’s slated to start at $45,000.

Rivian hasn’t released full details, but has previously said the model rides on an all-new platform and will be offered with two different battery packs, including one that provides more than 300 miles (483 km) of range. We can also expect single-, dual-, and tri-motor powertrains with the latter allowing for a 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) time of less than three seconds.

Furthermore, the company recently announced a slew of new updates including Universal Hands-Free Driving. It’s coming to the R1 lineup soon and will allow for hands-free driving on more than 3.5 million miles (5,632,704 km) of roads in the United States and Canada. It will be part of a new Autonomy+ subscription that costs $49.99 per month or $2,500 as part of a one-time purchase.

It seems to be that time of year for Rivian again. Fresh off unveiling its limited-run Miami Edition, the company has decided it’s time for a new splash of color, one that might actually be its best yet. Called Borealis, it’s a deep, moody shade of purple inspired by the Northern Lights, offered on the Tri and Quad variants of the brand’s EVs.

Purple tones aren’t as popular as some other colors in the car industry, but when done right, they can look superb. We’ll reserve full judgment on Borealis until we see it under natural light, but based on early images, it flatters the R1S slightly more than the R1T, whose pickup shape doesn’t highlight the color in quite the same way.

Read: Rivian Turns One-Off Miami Showpiece Into A Very Pricey Limited Run

Like every Rivian finish beyond the standard LA Silver, Borealis comes at a premium, $3,000, to be exact. That puts it in line with other paid options such as Red Canyon, Rivian Blue, and Storm Blue.

The company hasn’t confirmed whether Borealis will filter down to the more affordable Dual Standard and Dual trims, though it’s easy to imagine that decision hinging on how buyers respond to the initial rollout.

Rivian’s new purple looks especially nice when accented against its available 20- and 22-inch burnished bronze wheels. Paired with a set of bright blue brake calipers, shoppers can get a Rivian that really stands out.

A New Lease Deal

The addition of a new color isn’t the only thing that prospective Rivian owners can get excited about. The company has announced that several 2026 R1T and R1S models are eligible for a $5,000 Lease Bonus if customers take delivery by December 31.

Models eligible for the deal include the 2026 R1S and R1T Tri, R1S and R1T Dual Standard, and both the R1S and R1T Dual with the Large battery and Performance Upgrade. Importantly, Rivian notes this deal is only available while supplies last.

Even with that bonus, leasing an R1T or R1S remains a costly proposition. For example, the R1T Dual Standard, priced at $72,990, still comes to $709 per month over 36 months, with $8,604 due at signing, an effective monthly rate of $948 before adding the $1,895 destination fee and state taxes.

For those willing to sacrifice a little cargo space for a lower payment, the R1S Dual Standard presents a slightly better deal. Its lease terms come in at $699 per month with $3,594 due at signing, translating to an effective monthly rate of $798, plus destination.