Park City, Utah — The view of snow-dusted, 11,750-foot Mt. Timpanogos from the trails of Wasatch National Park in the Wasatch Mountains is breathtaking. It's a trail for hardcore, compact off-roaders — Jeep Wranglers, Ford Broncos, Chevy Colorado ZR2s. If you're into electric vehicles, few dare venture there.Say hello to the rugged, daring Rivian R2.Last decade, two startup EV companies wowed us with their automotive innovation. In 2012, Tesla Inc. introduced the lightning-quick Model S and Model X SUVs oozing with speed, style and eyeball-flattening speed. In 2017, Rivian Automotive Inc. introduced off-road doppelgangers — the stylish R1T pickup and R1S SUV with room, vroom and more cargo space than a Norwegian Cruise liner.AdvertisementAdvertisementTesla followed its halos with junior Teslas like the 2017 Model 3 sedan and 2019 Model Y SUV. Model Y brought the same DNA to the SUV segment as its larger Model X sibling but at a more affordable price. The result? 400,000-a-year annual sales numbers rivaling the best-selling internal-combustion engine SUVs: the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V and Nissan Rogue.Now it's Rivian Jr.'s turn.A decade after they wowed affluent customers, the lux EV-makers are together again in the more affordable, compact SUV segment. If you like the Model Y tech 'n' price, but desire all-terrain tires that will climb Mr. Rushmore while torching your neighbor's Porsche Boxster out of a Woodward stoplight, then R2 is 4U.The Made-in-Illinois R2 significantly undercuts Jeep's rock-crawling, $69k Recon EV (the Wagoneer S is a $68k urban ute). Land Rover does not yet play in this EV segment.AdvertisementAdvertisementFirst, a standing ovation for Rivian design. Like Tesla, the Orange County-based startup has reimagined automotive design with its R1T/R1S, and the R2 continues the journey. The exteriors are distinctive, the interiors pioneering.Adhering to its core, spare design aesthetic, Tesla has relentlessly evolved interior design by subtracting the Model Y's steering-column-based shifter stalk (now in the left side of the screen) while adding goodies like a rear screen so passengers can adjust temperature.The 2027 Rivian R2 Launch Edition brings R1S-like style and power to the compact, volume SUV segment.So too has Rivian. It evolved its simple, twin-steering spoke rollers into big silver R2 controls called Haptic Halo Wheels the size of ab-rollers. They're functional too.Spin the left wheel with your thumb to change volume.AdvertisementAdvertisementSpin the right to adjust cruise-control speed.Bump them sideways to navigate screen menus.Bump them from the back of the wheel to adjust steering wheel position.The 2027 Rivian R2 Launch Edition offers an upgrade on the Rivian cockpit with big Haptic Halo rollers on the steering wheel to control most features.R2 gains a clever goodies like magnetic phone charger, drop-tailgate-glass, and two gloveboxes where the Rivian R1s offered none. The added storage complEments a vehicle that already has a deep frunk (for, say, luggage) and sub-cargo storage (for wet clothes).This is a new-age toy with old-school utility. My (loaded) R2 Launch EditIon effortlessly scaled the Wasatch Park trials the old-fashioned way: with nearly 10 inches of ground clearance and aggressive, 32-inch, Pirelli Scorpion all-terrain tires. Allow me to recommend this setup for Michigan winters with deep snowdrifts — and for Michigan spring with deep potholes.AdvertisementAdvertisementCrisp-image cameras scanned the trail in front of me so I could place my tires where needed. In a glaring omission, R2 does not carry a full spare like a Bronco or a Wrangler. R2 boasts the ability to wade into 19-inch-deep water — but who knows what's at the bottom of the creek bed? Sharp rocks? A rusted bumper?If you like trails, buy a spare all-terrain to stow in the hatch.All this billy goat capability comes at the same $60k price as the Model Y Performance. Though the standard rear-wheel drive R2 won't arrive until next year, its $46k price suggests Rivian is determined to match Tesla pricing while offering a premium product next to lux ICE off-roaders like Land Rover.While climbing mountain is R2's forte, Olympian on-road performance is not far behind.AdvertisementAdvertisementZOT! I buried the throttle up the hill towards Park City's Utah Olympic Park and the R2 exploded like Mikaela Shiffrin out of the starting gate.Rivian claims a zero-60 mph time of 3.6 seconds with Launch Edition's massive 608 pound-feet of torque. Ahem, be mindful that you have to slow the ute's 5,200 pounds by the next corner. While the Model Y tips the scales at svelte 4,400 pounds, the R2's off-road mission means more girth. And more suspension play.Nevertheless, the R2 proved a solid companion on road with its tight chassis and bottomless lake of torque.ZOT! I was by a pickup truck on a two-lane road.AdvertisementAdvertisementZOT! I merged with authority into traffic on I-75 (Lodge commuters with short on-ramps, take note).ZOT! I left a Porsche Macan behind at a stoplight.But R2 is not just an EV for local commuting. Given electric vehicles' inherent liabilities compared to more efficient, easier-to-fuel ICEs, Rivian has worked hard to make R2 trips to the Outback enjoyable.Olympian. The 2027 Rivian R2 Launch Edition can rocket from 0-60 mph in 3.6 seconds.Job One: charging. It's here where Rivian joining Tesla in the volume, compact SUV class is so valuable.Recognizing Tesla's superior Supercharger infrastructure, Rivian has not only outfitted R2 with a Tesla-like, lightweight, NACS charging port — it has also located it on the left rear corner of the R2 (compared to R1's front left). Just like Tesla.AdvertisementAdvertisementAt a Tesla Supercharger in Park City, I backed up the R2, plugged in and (thanks to the Tesla app) instantly started charging. No stretched cables. No awkward kinks. Easy as . . . well, finding a charger.By integrating Tesla's charging network with the Rivian network — and other third-party (EVgo, Electrify America, etc.) chargers — R2 has access to a vast charging web that limits range anxiety (if not longer filling times than good ol' petrol). It's a key piece of R2's growth. After the debut of its mighty $59,485 Launch trim this month, volumes will come from $46,485-$55,485 models with less torque (355-357 pound-feet) but the same wealth of features.Back on the road, I pulled twice on Rivian's shifter and activated Universal Hands-Free 2.0. It's not Tesla's Full Self-Driving, which is a remarkable door-door-autonomous driver, but Rivian's self-driving system made the highway trip easier with automatic lane changes while I rested my hands on knees and sipped Arizona tea.In an acknowledgement of Tesla's FSD superiority, Rivian sells its UHF subscription for half of Tesla's $99-a-month price.AdvertisementAdvertisementPassengers will also enjoy the trip thanks to R2's generous rear-seat room. How much rear legroom? More than big brother R1S. More than an Audi Q7. Heck, it's just an inch shy of a Cadillac Escalade IQ mega-ute.And when you arrive at Wasatch Park, there's standard, full-cabin-length moonroof . . . so passengers can stare up at Mt. Timpanogos.2026 Rivian R2 Launch EditionVehicle type: All-wheel drive, five-passenger, compact SUVPrice: $59,485 Launch Editon, including $1,495 destination charge as tested (Standard $46,485 single motor and other models due beginning in late 2026-summer 2027)Powerplant: 87.9 kWh, lithium-ion battery pack mated to dual electric motorsAdvertisementAdvertisementPower: 350 horsepower, 355 pound-feet torque (single-motor rear-wheel-drive); 450 horsepower, 537 pound-feet torque (dual-motor); 656 horsepower, 609 pound-feet torque (Launch Edition dual motor)Transmission: Single-speed automaticPerformance: 0-60 mph, 3.6 seconds (Launch Edition, mfr.); towing, 4,400 poundsWeight: 5,240 pounds (as tested)Range: 330-345 miles on full charge (330 for Launch Edition as tested)Report cardHighs: Tech-tastic, roomy, off-road Tesla competitor; NACS charger designed for Tesla SuperchargersLows: Thin Rivian service network; no all-terrain spare for off-roadingOverall: 4 starsHenry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or @HenryEPayne.This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Payne: Off-road and plugged-in aboard the pioneering Rivian R2
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