Image: Rivian Image: Rivian $46,495 entry model arrives next year; 656-horsepower Performance trim starts from $59,485 including destination. Rivian on Thursday dropped all the key details for its hotly anticipated R2 mid-sized SUV. The brand's second family of vehicles has started production and deliveries begin this spring. After brief media previews and the creation of a dedicated performance division, Rivian has given us a better idea of where the R2 will slot into the broader SUV landscape-promising much of the same experience as its R1 models at a more affordable price point. Let's get the bad news out of the way first: the promised $45,000 entry model (or $46,495 including mandatory destination charges) is still roughly 18 months out. Rivian is rolling out the R2 trims in a top-down fashion, so the standard-range, single-motor Standard model isn't actually set to arrive until "late 2027." That one will arrive with an as-yet-unannounced battery capacity smaller than the rest of the lineup's 87.9-kilowatt-hour pack, translating to at least 275 miles (442 kilometers) of range. Rivian has revealed this entry model will pack 350 horsepower and 355 pound-feet of torque, enabling it to clip off a 5.9-second run to 60 mph (97 km/h). Image: Rivian Image: Rivian All variants of the R2 will come with an impressive 9.6 inches (244 millimeters) of ground clearance, with 19.7 inches (500 mm) of wading depth. Approach, departure, and breakover angles are 25, 26, and 20.6 degrees, respectively. A long-range Standard trim will show up early next year, at a reasonable $3,490 premium over the entry model. Rivian is quoting the same acceleration times for this model, but its the range king of the R2 lineup with a healthy 345 mi (555 km). Standard kit includes 19-inch wheels with all-season rubber, power front seats with heat, a heated steering wheel, and a seven-speaker sound system. Image: Rivian Image: Rivian The Long Range Standard can also be had with the dual-motor all-wheel drive setup that will be standard on the two top trims that will be available this year. This setup bumps outputs to 450 hp and 537 lb-ft, chopping over a second off the trip to highway speed. At launch, buyers will have the choice of the R2 Performance (with a limited-time Launch Edition package included). At $59,485 to start it ain't cheap, though the Performance turns up the juice to a Corvette E-Ray-rivalling 656 hp and 609 lb-ft. Rivan quotes a 3.6-second dash to 60 mph (97 km/h), but almost more impressive is the burst from 50 to 70 mph: just 1.55 seconds. Image: Rivian Image: Rivian AutoGuide Wrapped: The 10 Reviews Readers Liked Best The Performance trim includes a unique semi-adaptive suspension, plus 21-inch alloys with Compass Yellow brake calipers tucked behind. Ventilation is added to the front seats, while the outboard rears gain heating. This range-topper also includes additional drive modes on top of the standard All-Purpose, All-Terrain, Conserve, Snow, Sport: Rally, Soft Sand, and Launch Mode. Launch Package buyers benefit from an included lifetime subscription to Autonomy+, Rivian's Level 2 semi-autonomous hands-free drive assist, which covers 3.5 million miles of pre-mapped roads in the US and Canada. All other R2s include a 60-day trial, after which buyers can choose monthly ($49.99) or one-time ($2,500) purchases. The limited-time pack also includes a unique key fob, the otherwise optional tow package good for 4,400 pounds, and the option of Launch Green exterior paint. Image: Rivian Image: Rivian Arriving later this year is the R2 Premium ($55,485). It includes many of the features found on the Performance but keeps power at the more reasonable 450 hp, 537 lb-ft level. That includes the clever flashlight hidden within the front door, the powered liftgate glass, upgraded seating, integrated tow hooks, and nine-speaker audio system. The Performance and Premium both offer buyers the choice of Black Crater (dark) or Coastal Cloud (light) signature cabins, using upcycled birch wood and recycled ocean plastics. The R2 Standard cabin uses the Black Crater color scheme. Options on both of these models, which will carry model year 2027 designations, include the Autonomy+ package, and the towing package. The Premium can also be had with the 21s standard on the Performance trim. Image: Rivian Image: Rivian Rivian is boasting of impressive interior space in the R2, including a square 40.4 inches (1,026 mm) of second-row leg- and headroom. At 185.9 inches (4,722 mm) long the R2 is a full nine inches shorter than a Toyota 4Runner, but has a three-inch-longer wheelbase (115.6 in / 2,936 mm). The company has also listened to criticism from current owners: there isn't one, but two gloveboxes. The 2027 Rivian R2 Performance (with Launch Package) will arrive in the US this spring, with the R2 Premium following late in the year. We'll have more details on Canadian pricing closer to launch. AutoGuide's Take Image: Rivian Image: Rivian The R2 has been on our radar since before we first saw it almost exactly two years ago. Way back then the 2026 launch felt almost like an abstract, but to Rivian's credit, it has stayed on target. Pricing is, of course, higher than comparably sized, ICE-powered vehicles, though that's to be expected with the high-margin launch models. And it's not as bad as you'd think: you're not getting into a Honda Passport Trailsport or hybrid-powered 4Runner for under $50,000 these days anyway. Bringing the R1's flavor down into the thickest part of the market, including its almost Scandinavian interior ambiance, can only do good things for Rivian. Given current gas prices, it may end up pulling more folks out of their gas-powered vehicles than the company initially expected, too. Now that we know pricing, we're even more eager to get behind the wheel of one of our most anticipated vehicles of the year. AutoGuide Wrapped: The News Stories That Got The Most Traffic In 2025