I've driven just about everything lately: Ferraris, Lamborghinis, high-performance EVs, hybrids, and six-figure luxury SUVs. So when I say the new Rivian R2 is one of the best new cars I've driven in years, I don't make that claim lightly.If I won the lottery, I wouldn't buy a new car. I don't commute to work, so instead, given unlimited budget, I'd simply own the world's greatest Mitsubishi Montero, a rally-style 996 Turbo, and a few vintage motorcycles. Or at least so I thought, until I drove the new Rivian R2—that's what made my reaction to the little electric crossover so surprising.Before that statement sounds overly effusive, please remember that I probably stood out as one of the biggest critics of the Rivian R1. Both the R1S and R1T launched with solid design, inside and out, that simultaneously seemed simple, clever, and futuristic. And in fairness, the R1 did all the stuff, with plenty of power and range, plus an impressive amount of off-road capability. But I hated the falsely lightweight steering, the clunky hydraulic roll control, and the software-defined UI—all of which entirely belied the price point that easily climbed into six figures.Why the Rivian R2 Feels So Different From the R1So kudos to Rivian for bringing me along on the R2's media launch in Utah, as much for the display of confidence in a new platform as anything else. And luckily, the R2 makes huge strides to work over most elements of my criticism for the R1—either as a necessity based on packaging, as a byproduct of significant efforts to reduce production costs and therefore sticker price, or in response to customer feedback over the years since the R1 launched for model year 2022.2027 Rivian R2 Electric SUVMichael Teo Van RunkleCritically, this new EV now starts as low as $45,000 and even a fully loaded R2 Launch Edition like the one I drove in Utah stickers for just shy of $60,000. That means I drove dual motors with combined ratings of 656 horsepower and 609 lb-ft of torque, plus an EPA-estimated range of 330 miles. Given my previous experience with Rivian powertrains, I fully believe those numbers. But most importantly, my first question was answered the moment I looked at a little standup displaying the R2's motor cradle and suspension layout: Yep, the R2 swaps on sway bars!The Rivian R2 Is Surprisingly Fun to DriveNo more overly complex and uncomfortably stiff hydraulic roll control system that, in fairness, greatly expanded the R1's ride height and wheel articulation for an EV with independent suspension at all four corners. But that single decision became immediately noticeable the moment I turned out onto a gorgeous stretch of Utah tarmac and hammered the go pedal straight into a quick session of egregiously quick canyon carving.The 2027 Rivian R2 weighs almost exactly 5,000 pounds, which is pretty light for an EV, and tips the scales at less than many other ICE crossovers and SUVs.Michael Teo Van RunkleA new steering setup still employs electric assist—duh—but switches from the R1's ball-screw rack to a dual-pinion layout. The wheel still lightens with steering angle, but precision and feedback improve by leaps and bounds. Paired to semi-active shock dampers, traditional coil springs, and sway bars that keep the battery mass planted if not flat, the chassis now communicates enough to simply point and shoot through any driving scenario with ease. Or, as I learned by just a few miles later, the R2 loves going all out, with an early hit of hard braking prompting some understeer rotation—also radically improved with a true brake-by-wire system that keeps the pedal much firmer than the R1's. Then, power through on throttle, sling into a bit of tail wag, two-fingering the steering wheel as the road-focused Pirelli all-season tires squeal in protest.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe R2 eschews the by-now-typical skateboard layout for a body that integrates cleverly with a load-bearing sandwich battery, yet the evenly distributed mass only contributes to confidence while slipping and sliding on asphalt. And that packaging helps this four-door sports car weigh almost exactly 5,000 pounds—please note, that's pretty light for an EV, and tips the scales at less than many other ICE crossovers and SUVs even. And yet the 88-kilowatt-hour battery allows for up to 345 miles of range, in the base rear-wheel-drive R2 that will arrive in early 2027.Can the Rivian R2 Actually Go Off-Road?Keeping weight low also helps the R2 manage off-road driving far better than expected. Naturally, Rivian's planned route fell well short of the rock crawling I took a quad-motor R1T up last summer. But in a second R2 equipped with the optional 20-inch wheels and BFGoodrich Trail-Terrain tires, a parade of journalists trundled up a chunky fire road, traversed a couple of river crossings, and then tested some steep climbs and rutted descents.We switched to an R2 equipped with the optional 20-inch wheels and BFGoodrich Trail-Terrain tires to test it off-road on a chunky fire road, over a couple of river crossings, and then up steep climbs and down rutted descents.Michael Teo Van RunkleSwapping over into the off-road modes once I turned off the tarmac brings up a big change for the R2 user interface, notably with the introduction of two "Halo" dials on the steering wheel. These little metal-look knobs roll up and down with satisfying little clicks, but also bump front and rearward à la paddle shifters, as well as rocking side to side. The latter movements feel slightly less substantial, but the Halo dials control many of the functions that previously required dipping into multiple menus on the central touchscreen—including for configuring widgets on the gauge cluster, adjusting fan speed, infotainment volume, and more.The Halos stand out prominently on the squircle steering wheel design, and yet I never bumped them accidently while whipping through oversteer in Rally mode with the stability control turned down. Those BFGs started at 21 psi but quickly warmed up to the target of 25, down from 38 psi for road driving. A few water crossings dictated less pace, through the streams across the trail weren't too deep, I still always feel a twinge of concern while approaching water in any EV. Then, the path turned uphill and emerged from the tree line for some incredible views across the Wasatch range.Total ground clearance comes in at 9.6 inches and the compliance and damping performed stunningly well given the minimal wheel travel.Michael Teo Van RunkleEverywhere, the suspension worked hard to smooth out bumps and rocks, preventing too much crash and rebound. Total ground clearance comes in at 9.6 inches, which matches a lower-spec Jeep Wrangler, but the compliance and damping performed stunningly well given the minimal wheel travel, which when posed with a tire up in the air, clearly pales in comparison to the R1 at full droop. Throttle modulation also clearly received attention—another big aspect that shedding nearly 1,700 pounds versus a dual-motor R1S helps—and other than trying to pony up one sharper shelf purposefully for a photo opp, I barely spun the tires at all.The Best Features Are Surprisingly Old SchoolBy now, the concept of off-roading without the sounds of an internal-combustion engine piercing the serenity almost feels normal. But the 1990s-era proportions of the upright R2 also translate to greater visibility, both over the hood to scope out obstacles but also out the side windows. The rear door windows in particular deserve mention, because the ability to fully roll the glass down into the door while deleting the stationary portion then required stretching the wheelbase and the rear seat legroom simultaneously. This resulted in a cleaner design but also contributed to the short overhangs of the front and rear bumpers, for impressive approach and departure angles of 25 and 26 degrees, respectively.A must-have feature on the Rivian R2 is the roll down tailgate glass, which is available on all R2 models except the very base rear-drive. Michael Teo Van RunkleAnd I love another seriously rad 1990s SUV detail: the roll down tailgate glass, available on all R2 models except the very base rear-drive. Still, the eternal question arose throughout the off-road drive: Could a Subaru Crosstrek manage this trail? Well, probably a Crosstrek Wilderness with some extra effort, yes. But the R2 probably matches a lower-spec Jeep in true capability.AdvertisementAdvertisementIn short, the R2 perfectly slots in as another aspiration adventure EV. After all, I'm not about to take any electric car on a serious off-roading excursion quite yet. Quick camping trips and parking at trailheads make more sense than overlanding long distances, not to mention towing. Until infrastructure improves, an EV as daily driver around L.A. or for short jaunts out into the countryside sounds about right, easy to rip around through traffic or blast up to highway speeds, all with respectable enough range to require charging every week or so.The utilitarian, but still premium, interior of the Rivina prioritizes sustainable materials and includes ventilated seats and a bumping sound system.Michael Teo Van RunkleThrow in the benefits of old-school SUV design and all the premium features—ventilated seats, a bumping sound system, and hands-free driving—and the R2 just about hits the nail on the head. It's only June, but I can confidently call the R2 my best car of the year without much doubt. I do struggle to comprehend how Rivian can hope to make money at this low price point, especially while prioritizing sustainable materials and trying to take on as much vertical integration for production as possible, amid expanding the company's facilities necessary to meet anticipated demand. And that demand definitely deserves to skyrocket, since we're effectively talking about Honda Civic pricing these days.Only two new cars exist in the entire world right now that I might actually want: an unobtainium 992.2 Porsche GT3 Touring and now the almost bafflingly affordable Rivian R2, which replaces the GX 550 Overtrail (at least before before the Toyota V6 fiasco quite literally blew up) on my list. Speaking of reliability, I still can't recommend buying an R2 in the first year or two of production. I believe in letting overexcited first adopters play guinea pig and iron out some inevitable kinks. In Utah, Rivian purposefully confirmed plans to improve the service and support network, a good sign, while contributing to improving charging infrastructure across the country, as well.Final VerdictMichael Teo Van RunkleNot that any car is perfect. The R2 still requires using the touchscreen to move climate vent directions. And a potential hitch accessory system is required to carry a full-size spare. A relatively sluggish maximum charge rate of 230 kilowatts also translates to a respectable, if not impressive, claimed 10 to 80 percent top-up time of just 29 minutes. Rather than switching to 800-volt architecture, the R2 switches to Tesla's NACS standard charge port to help with any range anxiety by allowing easier access to the Supercharger network. Still, the infrastructure to truly support any real adventures in an EV needs more time to fully develop.AdvertisementAdvertisementBy then, I might well be tempted to hold out for the rally-inspired R3X. And if Rivian can continue on the same impressive development path of the R2, all the better.2027 Rivian R2 Launch Edition SpecsPowertrain: Dual-motor AWD, 87.9-kWh batteryHorsepower/Torque: 656 hp/609 lb-ft0-60: 3.6 secondsWeight: 4,998 poundsRange: 330 milesPrice: From $59,485From $59,485 at RivianThis story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 9, 2026, where it first appeared in the Gear section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
+2 others
