After Rivian gave us a brief first look at its compact electric SUV a couple of years ago, additional specs and a prototype drive opportunity followed. Now, with the first customer deliveries approaching, Rivian has released the final puzzle pieces: trim structure, performance figures, and pricing.
For those coming to this story fresh, here's the quick version. Rivian is a California-based EV startup that began selling vehicles in 2022, starting with the mid-size R1S SUV and R1T pickup truck. Both are excellent, but neither is cheap—their price tags put them squarely in luxury territory. The R2 was conceived to make the Rivian brand accessible to a broader audience while also improving the company's profit margins.
With that background established, here are the details. The R2 enters the market as a 2027 model, with just two configurations at launch. In true Rivian style, the opening act is a limited launch edition: the top-spec Performance trim with the Launch package. Rivian hasn't disclosed how many will be produced, but each starts at $59,485 and includes a lifetime Autonomy+ subscription (more on that shortly), an exclusive Rivian Green key fob, a towing package, and first crack at ordering the Launch Green paint option.
Strip away the Launch package, and every R2 Performance still packs a dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain rated at 656 horsepower and 609 pound-feet of torque—a figure that tops the 630-hp Porsche Macan Turbo EV. Rivian says the Performance variant reaches 60 mph in 3.6 seconds, backed by an 88-kWh battery with an EPA-estimated range of 330 miles. A NACS charge port comes standard, granting access to Tesla's Supercharger infrastructure, while a CCS adapter enables compatibility with other public networks. Rivian says DC fast-charging takes the R2 from 10 to 80 percent in 29 minutes.
The same battery, charging capability, and range carry over to the R2 Premium, which follows the launch editions and starts at $55,485. It also uses dual motors, but output is reduced to 450 hp and 537 pound-feet, producing a 4.6-second 0-to-60-mph time. Rivian holds back the semi-active dampers, yellow brake calipers, and optional all-terrain wheel-and-tire package for the Performance, but both trims share a generous list of standard equipment: heated and ventilated front seats with 12-way power adjustment, a door-mounted rechargeable flashlight, a 975-watt audio system, and a power-operated rear window reminiscent of the Toyota 4Runner's.
The unibody R2 won't match a body-on-frame SUV for extreme off-road work, but its credentials are respectable. Ground clearance of 9.6 inches bests all but the top-spec 4Runner trims, and the R2 matches those trims for approach angle at 25 degrees and departure angle at 26 degrees. Rivian claims the SUV can ford nearly 20 inches of water and tow up to 4400 pounds.
The interior draws visual cues from the larger R1-series vehicles, featuring a minimalist layout with birch wood trim and dual high-resolution displays. The steering wheel introduces Rivian's new "Haptic Halo Wheels" interface, which enables three-dimensional inputs through scroll, push, pull, and tilt gestures.
At 185.9 inches long, the R2 is about 15 inches shorter than the R1S. It's also 6.3 inches shorter in height and 4.3 inches narrower, but its proportions work well, with wheels pushed to each corner. The 115.6-inch wheelbase translates to a genuinely spacious interior: the rear seat offers 40.4 inches of both headroom and legroom, a claim a six-foot-two member of our editorial team verified firsthand. The cargo area holds 29 cubic feet with the rear seats up, expandable to 70 cubic feet when folded flat. Every R2 also includes two gloveboxes for small-item storage.
The R2 also serves as the launch vehicle for Rivian's next-generation autonomous-driving hardware, built around an in-house AI chip. When Rivian eventually installs lidar sensors on future R2 models, the platform will support SAE Level 4 autonomous operation—eyes and hands off. In the meantime, the R2's five radar sensors and 11 cameras enable SAE Level 2 functions, which still require driver attention. These capabilities are bundled under the Autonomy+ subscription, free for the first 60 days on every R2, then $49.99 per month or a one-time fee of $2500.
The launch-edition Performance goes on sale this spring, with the Premium following later in 2026. A third model—the Standard—joins the lineup for 2028 as a single-motor rear-wheel-drive variant producing 350 hp and 355 pound-feet of torque. The Long Range version launches first at $49,985, with Rivian estimating 345 miles of range. A smaller-battery model priced at $46,495 follows later in the year; its usable capacity is still TBD, though Rivian projects approximately 275 miles of range.
Those later details remain to be confirmed, but what's clear now is that the Rivian R2 is shaping up to be a formidable challenger to the Tesla Model Y on value—and to the segment's performance leaders on outright speed.
