If a five-seat Tesla doesn’t have enough room for your family, two three-row electric SUVs are worth cross-shopping: Tesla’s Model Y L and the Rivian R1S. They’re built for the same job — hauling people and gear — but they’re priced about $15,000 apart, and the specs explain why.
Price and seating
The Model Y L starts at $61,990 before Tesla’s $1,390 destination charge, and as of this writing it’s only sold in one configuration: a dual-motor all-wheel-drive Premium trim with six seats arranged 2+2+2. There’s no cheaper rear-wheel-drive version. The Rivian R1S starts at roughly $76,990 for the Dual Motor trim, about $15,000 more, but it seats seven rather than six. Both figures are list prices as of early October 2026 and can move with incentives or trim changes, so confirm current pricing before you order.
Range and performance
The Model Y L is rated for 325 miles of EPA range and reaches 60 mph in about 4.4 seconds. The Rivian R1S Dual Motor is rated for 258 miles — noticeably less, despite the R1S’s bigger battery, because it’s a heavier, boxier vehicle that pushes more air. If road-trip range matters more to you than towing or ground clearance, that gap is worth weighing carefully.
Cargo and towing
Where the R1S pulls ahead is capability it’s actually built for. Rivian rates the R1S Dual Motor to tow up to 7,700 pounds, more than double the Model Y L’s capacity, and it adds real off-road ground clearance the Tesla doesn’t offer. The Model Y L counters with everyday cargo room: Tesla quotes 2,539 liters of maximum cargo volume, about 401 liters more than a standard-length Model Y, which covers most family hauling even without the R1S’s towing headroom.
Which one actually fits you
If you need to tow a boat or camper, or want factory off-road capability, the R1S’s drivetrain is built for it and the Model Y L isn’t. If you want three-row seating mainly for people and everyday cargo, and would rather save around $15,000 and get more range per charge, the Model Y L covers that job without the extra capability you’d be paying for and not using. Neither is a value pick next to a standard five-seat Model Y — both are the premium you pay for a third row.
Photo by Borys Zaitsev.