Rivian’s R1T and R1S certainly made a splash when they made their respective debuts a few years ago. Both of them provided a glimpse into how Rivan was going to stand out from Tesla, and the duo came with very promising technology, range, and performance.
The one problem was that they were in a price bracket that was beyond the reach of most EV buyers. Rivian is now preparing to branch out into the mid-size segment with the 2027 R2 lineup. But is the R2 the proverbial moonshot the company needs?
Following the same launch plans
Like the R1T and the R1S, Rivian is starting the R2 off with higher tier trim levels before launching the rest of the family. The company started the consumer launch a month ago, but is just now beginning to let media drive it for the first time which meant our time was spent with the range-topping Performance Launch Edition model.
The styling here does slightly resemble the bigger R1S, but Rivian used the R2 to show off some new building techniques that the company has been working on. Waste and redundancy were some of the things the company was looking to eliminate, and the R2 manages to do that in several ways. For example, the R2 doesn’t have a traditional floor pan, and instead uses the top of the structural battery pack to help create that part while a triple casting setup helps reduce weight.
The rear glass and the rear wiper are also part of this push, and the rear wiper gets its own heated recessed grotto which allows it to not affect aerodynamics with a specially designed worm gear allowing the setup to operate.
The R2 also uses more high strength steel than the R1S, but despite the greater abundance of this typically heavier metal, the R2 managed to shed nearly a ton of flab from its flanks, which also makes it noticeably lighter than the R1S.
R2’s tech filled interior is an oasis of comfort
Slip inside the R2, and you’ll find that the basic surroundings will be very familiar to anyone who has spent time in Rivian’s first two models, albeit with minor trim changes to help reflect the R2’s lower price point. The cabin is very roomy and the novel steering wheel mounted haptic control wheels do a very convincing impression of analog units.
The front seats were very comfortable, but while an errant adjustment in the driver’s seat of our tester did aggravate some prior lower back pain, switching into the passenger seat later on did allow us to fully appreciate just how comfortable the seats are when it comes to cushioning and bolstering. The large glass panel lets in plenty of light, but unfortunately, it does not have a shade which is rather unfortunate.
The upright side and rear windows help create an airy feel, and second row passengers also had plenty of room to stretch out and relax. The R2’s interior also incorporates clever packaging solutions including the removal of the door speakers to help store large water bottles in the door panels. The relocated speakers are housed in the center console instead.
An infotainment system others can learn from
The centerpiece of the cabin is the 15.6-inch infotainment system which benefits from improved human-machine interface software. The screen in our tester was extremely responsive, and while it does not have formal smartphone mirroring tech, the system has several built-in apps that help replicate that experience.
The system also does not have any noticable lag, and it actually works with Rivian’s phone app to allow buyers to use their phone as a digital key to operate the R2 without reaching into their pocket. For buyers that prefer a more analog experience, a traditional fob is also available. The main caveat here is that Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are not available which is similar to what buyers of GM EVs experience with their infotainment systems.
R2 Performance has supercar crushing performance
Performance for the R2 will come from either single or dual-motor EV powertrains, but the first wave of R2s will get their motivation from the latter with our Performance grade tester making a combined system output of 656 hp and 609 lb-ft of torque. These days, these figures don’t generate as much attention due to just how many other EVs smash past the 600 hp barrier these days. An 87.9 kWh battery pack provides the juice.
However, the R2 manages its power very well, and Rivian says a Performance model like our tester can make the sprint to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds. The more impressive figure though is its 11.3 second quarter mile time which is better than the Ferrari Enzo, a 20 year old Italian supercar built as a rolling shrine to raw speed and Italian style.
Our time with the R2 was marked with near 100 degree weather and rampant air quality alerts from wildfire smoke. But while the high temperatures may have fried our mental computer when it came to talking about its range in our original video coverage, the company says a Performance model like the one we drove can get up to 330 miles of range in ideal conditions. That’s not bad for a performance EV, and puts it on par with rivals from Tesla and Lucid. All R2s come with a rear mounted NACS port allowing them to be charged at Tesla Supercharging stations.
More models are coming and it has great dance moves
The R2 Premium will launch later this year and while power will dip slightly to 450 hp, range will remain unchanged. Other R2 variants will come too including an entry-level version of the RWD Standard model that gets 275 miles of range. Handling in our tester was composed and secure, but the R2 trades in the R1S’s air suspension for adaptive dampers and coil springs.
This change is not as noticeable as you would expect it to be thanks to Rivian engineers tweaking the dampers and working hard to make sure the suspension could deliver a fine balance of confident handling and comfort. Ride quality is a bit on the firm side, but it’s not too harsh, and is very livable.
Value Quotient
Pricing for the Rivan R2 starts at $44,990 for the Standard model with the Premium model having a slightly higher base price of $53,990 which also firmly places it in the middle rung of the model ladder.
However, those two models will not arrive until later, and for now, the $57,990 Performance is the only one you can get. Our tester was equipped with some optional extras, which caused the price to go up to just over $61,000.
Buyers who choose to get the Launch Package will get a lifetime subscription to Rivian’s Autonomy+ feature which is the equivalent of GM’s Super Cruise, and comes with a suite of hands-free driving assistance features. Other R2 models will force buyers to either pay a $50 a month subscription fee, or a one-time $2500 payment.
The 2027 R2 comes at a time when Rivian is still suffering from financial headwinds, including persistent cash burn. The R2 is expected to help generate a larger amount of sales, and the company has made several investments into its Normal, Illinois assembly plant to help prepare it for the greater workflow the R2 will produce.
The SUV has plenty going fo it, but time will tell if Rivian can get all the pieces to fall into place in a way that can help prepare it for the launch of other models including the smaller R3.
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