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

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.

Cast your mind back to September and you might recall Rivian’s designers having a bit of fun with an R1S to celebrate the opening of a new store in South Florida. The automaker created a one-off concept SUV with a 1980s Miami-inspired paint scheme that made it look like the EV had jumped right out of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.

Also: Insurance Offered $1,700 For This R1T Mishap, Rivian Wanted A Fortune

But that tropical fantasy is no longer a one-off. Rivian has confirmed it will build a limited run of purchasable replicas. Naturally, there’s a cost attached to owning one of these beach-party specials.

What Makes it Special?

Called the R1S Quad Miami Edition, the colorful SUV is, as the name suggests, based on the top-spec, Corvette-scaring quad motor R1S, whereas the original concept was built around a three Motor R1S Tri model. But there are no changes to the life’s-a-beach visuals that you’ll either love or hate.

Only 10 examples will be built, each featuring the same Glacier White body accented by splashes of aqua and pink on the doors, 22-inch Miami Edition wheels and front bumper. While the doors stick to aqua blue stripes, the wheels get both colors, as does the nose, where a pink towing eye pokes from a blue bumper.

Even the interior doesn’t escape the Miami makeover, though if we’re honest we think Rivian seemed to lose interest once it got to the cabin. The sole flourishes appear to be a stripe of pink on the headrest and some floormats that look like they’re made from the same material as straw beach mats (hopefully they’re more substantial).

Having four electric motors rather than three means the Miami Edition gets 1,025 hp (1,039 PS / 764 kW) instead of 850 hp (862 PS / 634 kW), dropping the zero to 60 mph (97 kmh) time from 2.9 to 2.6 seconds. Not that you’d get much opportunity to feel the difference when you’re cruising South Beach.

The Price of Standing Out

But the fun graphics will definitely turn more heads than any stock R1S Tri or Quad, and you’d hope they do given the pricing markup.

Rivian is asking $134,990 for the Miami Edition, which is $13,000 more than you’d pay for a regular R1S Quad. It’s only building 10, so it’ll probably have no trouble selling them, but do you think it’s a good deal?