Men's Journal aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission. Prices are accurate and items in stock at time of publishing.Sometimes, when you test a car, all it takes is 50 feet. Within that short distance, the car has told you everything you need to know. I knew by then that Rivian's newest EV was a home run. It needed to be—the R2 will be the vehicle that brings Rivian into the mainstream.Its other EVs, the R1T and R1S truck and SUV, are both very good but very expensive, somewhat niche electric vehicles. The R2 will change that, not only because it's very good at being a car, but because it'll be the one Rivian sells a lot of, bringing the brand mainstream both in terms of profit margins and public perception. Its starting price will help it do that, with the R2 Standard starting at $48,490 MSRP.The Rivian R2 Is Fast, Sensibly Priced, and StylishChase BierenkovenView the 1 images of this gallery on the original articleAdvertisementAdvertisementThat's not the trim that'll be showing up when deliveries start on June 9, however. The good stuff comes first: Rivian's $57,990 R2 Performance arrives first, with a few models specified as Launch Package R2s with an exclusive Launch Green color and lifetime access to the brand's Autonomy+ hands-free driving software, which is otherwise $49.99/month. Other equipment includes dual-motor all-wheel drive with 656 horsepower, 609 lb-ft of torque, and 330 miles of range. Performance models also benefit from an adaptive suspension setup and can be distinguished by their yellow brakes and accents.R2 Premium models, priced at $53,990, will arrive later this year with the same dual-motor setup, albeit with less power. Rivian states the two electric motors produce 450 hp and 537 lb-ft of torque. The R2 Premium also nets 330 miles of EPA-estimated range. Largely, equipment is also similar to the Performance, barring the absence of its Compass Yellow brakes and accents. Both can be had with a towing package that brings 4,400 pounds of towing capacity.Chase BierenkovenR2 Standard models arrive last, starting at $48,490. Those owners won't see their cars until the first half of next year. Each comes with a single-motor, rear-drive layout making 350 hp and 355 lb-ft of torque with around 345 miles of Rivian-estimated range. The above dual-motor setup will be an option, alongside Autonomy+ and the brand's tow package.Finally, owners can also order a cheaper version with less range (275 miles per Rivian) for $44,990, though further details on that will have to wait until the vehicle's arrival in the summer of next year.The Rivian R2 Drives Like Nothing Else at Its Price PointChase BierenkovenThere was a near-audible eye roll when Rivian's spokesperson told the crowd of journalists the R2 would "drive like a sports car." It's hard to beat physics with all that lithium in tow, but I imagine everyone who attended the R2's launch with me in Salt Lake City is also sitting at their desk writing out some kind of apology for the cynicism.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe R2 is actually fun to drive. It doesn't drive like a big, boxy SUV. Instead, the R2...drives like a sports car. With more than 600 hp, we kept up with a sport bike on a back road and left other traffic in the dust. The R2 feels fun, mostly because it's tough to get tired of all that power. It's comfy, too, with some of the best suspension I've felt in an EV at this price point, which controls the car superbly both on and off-road.Chase BierenkovenThere, the R2 is incredibly capable. Rivian will offer either an all-season tire or an all-terrain tire option to buyers, depending on their intentions for the car. The latter adds plenty of grip over loose surfaces, and the car's 25-degree approach angle means most people won't be risking their R2's Catalia Cove paint on the trail. The R2's drive modes do nearly all of the work off-road, but the brand also offers a few handy camera angles to help drivers navigate tricky sections of trailRivian's Halo Controls Take Some Getting Used ToThe R2's biggest change from its larger siblings (despite, well, the rest of it) is its new infotainment system. Behind the scenes, it's mostly the same as what you'd get in an R1, but the R2 SUV features new "halo" controls mounted on the steering wheel. They're sort of like a computer mouse's scroll and click functions, but hooked up to an iPhone-like interface.Chase BierenkovenView the 4 images of this gallery on the original articleAdvertisementAdvertisementAdmittedly, the wheel takes some getting used to. The left is for media: scroll to change the volume, tap to change the track, push to mute. The right is for pretty much everything else: setting cruise control, adjusting drive modes, moving the climate temp around. However, by the end of a few hours, things got easier and more intuitive, and the need to look down at the screens to see what settings I'd changed faded.The rest of the interior is the culmination of the brand's learnings with the R1: the exposed wood grain and recycled upholstery, and the in-door flashlight carries over, too. There's still no CarPlay or Android Auto, but Rivian's tech is now good enough that I don't think I'd miss it. Moreover, all R2 models come with the same screen setup: a small dash screen for essentials and a larger central unit for more granular functions or navigation. The screens themselves are excellent: fast, crisp, and easy to use. You can tell Rivian is a tech company that happens to also make cars.Chase BierenkovenView the 3 images of this gallery on the original articleAll R2 models also get a 4Runner-esque drop-down back window and a front trunk in addition to the cavernous rear hold, which also features a false floor for even more storage. It's a deeply practical cargo area the likes of which isn't really present in the segment at the moment.The New Rivian R2 Should Worry Everyone ElseChase BierenkovenAfter my 50-foot judgement of the R2, I turned to my codriver and said: "Christ, they're gonna sell like six billion of these." I still believe that. The R2's price point puts it into contention with the likes of the Mustang Mach-E and Tesla Model Y, which is arguably the segment benchmark. At least, it was. The Rivian offers more space, more power, and that adventurous feel buyers love, all for just about the same money. Ford's Mach-E doesn't drive anywhere near as nice, and neither boasts the cargo capacity of the Rivian. Maybe they'll even sell seven billion of them.AdvertisementAdvertisementFrom $59,485 at RivianThis story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 9, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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