2026 Rivian R2 First Look: A More Affordable Off-Road EV SUV Emerges
Rivian's lineup grows with the addition of a smaller new electric SUV.
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Rivian's third passenger vehicle, the R2 SUV, has finally debuted. It follows the successful launches of the all-electric R1S SUV and R1T pickup truck, two upscale off-road-focused lifestyle vehicles the R2 clearly is trying to emulate in smaller scale.
In most respects, the 2026 Rivian R2 resembles a shrunken-down R1S, right down to its similar pill-shaped LED headlights, full-width front and rear light bars, smooth flanks, and chunky stance. No question, the R2 has the Rivian look down pat. At 185.6 inches long, 66.9 inches tall, and with its 115.5-inch wheelbase, the R2 is appreciably smaller than the 200.8-inch-long, 79.3-inch-tall R1S, which rides on a longer 121.1-inch wheelbase. For context, the R2 is slightly smaller than a two-row Jeep Grand Cherokee.
It has neat features, too, including a roll-down rear window like that on the Toyota 4Runner, which retracts into the tailgate. The rear quarter windows also pop out, like old minivan quarter glass, and the dashboard one-, well, two-ups the glove box-less R1S and R1T with not one but two drop-down glove boxes under the dash.
The major differences between it and the R1 models lurk beneath its familiar boxy shell. A new R2 platform debuts here, with a host of new efficiencies learned from the R1 models already on sale. The changes are said to keep the R2's cost down, a critical goal for smaller, more affordable electric vehicles, which are still packed with pricey tech. (It's also a big goal for Rivian, which is still losing money on R1S and R1T models and burning through cash as a company, though those losses are shrinking rapidly.)
The R1s are available in dual- and quad-motor configurations, but the R2 will offer single-motor rear-drive, dual-motor all-wheel drive, and tri-motor all-wheel drive, with two motors on the rear axle and one on the front. Rivian says the tri-motor R2 can rip to 60 mph in less than three seconds. Those motors are powered by a structural battery pack that makes up the R2's floor, and Rivian says every motor configuration will deliver over 300 miles of driving range.
Trading Ultimate Off-Road Capability for Affordability
The R1T and R1S off-road capabilities are the main drivers of Rivian's "adventure" brand language, though the R2 doesn't quite follow suit. That's not to say that the R2 doesn't have any off-road capability but compared to the R1 platform, but it's limited for the sake of keeping costs down. Where the R1 may be an off-road pro athlete the R2 is more of a semi-pro, the player on the farm team, so to speak.
During a Q&A session after the big reveal, Rivian chief design officer Jeff Hammoud confirmed that the R2 will have approximately 9.8 inches of ground clearance with a 25-degree approach angle and 27-degree rear departure angle. Where the R1 has an air suspension with multiple height settings, the R2 will have a more conventional coilover system, passive anti-roll bars, and dampers with "some level of semi-active" functionality, according to Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe.
The Steering Wheel Controls Sound Awesome
When we got a look inside of the Rivian R2, one of the first things that caught our eyes was its steering wheel. While we think the design is somewhat familiar—the wheel overall closely resembles those in the R1 models—what really got our attention are the two large, vertically oriented dials exposed on each spoke.
Turns out those dials do a lot more than just look cool, they can also be pushed from ahead, pulled toward the driver from behind (like shift paddles), and moved side to side in addition to scrolling up and down. Though their neatest trick is that they have contextual haptics. Similar to the triggers on a Sony PS5 controller, the dials on the R2 steering wheel can offer different levels of haptic "clicks" depending on what feature is being accessed in the UI.
For example, when adjusting the audio volume, the dials deliver small clicks, but changing other things like the air conditioning fan levels will be accompanied by larger clicking sensations. When the user gets to the top of a menu the dials will "stop" purely using haptic motors.
Look for the Rivian R2 to go on sale in the first half of 2026. Construction of the factory where it will eventually be assembled in is set to begin in early 2024, though Rivian will begin building the R2 at its existing Normal, Illinois, plant for the time being while that new facility is being readied.
Pricing will be competitive, with a starting MSRP under $50,000—Rivian says it'll cost $45,000 to start. (The R1S starts in the mid-$70,000 range.) That MSRP places it in direct competition with Tesla's more street-focused Model Y. It's said to be capable of up to 330 miles of range, though which battery nets that figure has yet to be detailed. Expect lower-priced versions to have less range from smaller batteries, just like the other members of the Rivian lineup.
Andrew Beckford’s passion for cars started as a middle schooler when his friend Richie explained how an internal combustion engine works. He was bitten by the bug and the rest, as they say, is history. He dug deep into the tuner scene and eventually wrote for Turbo Magazine, Import Tuner, Super Street. He covered car shows, feature builds, and reviewed racing games for those magazines in addition to covering motorsports including Formula Drift, Indy Car, and F1 for his personal blog. Eventually Beckford joined MotorTrend to cover the daily automotive news beat. Besides being a gearhead, Beckford has been a gamer since the ’80s and is a huge fan of the arcade racing games of the ’90s like Daytona USA, SEGA Rally, and Ridge Racer. Beckford’s a movie buff as well, especially comic book films from DC and Marvel. When car culture crosses over with gaming and entertainment, rest assured Beckford is aware of it. In addition to serving as a consultant on a “triple A” racing titles, he’s reviewed major racing games such as Forza Motorsport, Need for Speed, Gran Turismo, F1, and more. He’s also interviewed blockbuster directors including Steven Caple Jr. (Transformers: Rise of the Beasts) and Neill Blomkamp (Gran Turismo). His biggest profile to date was with Robert Downey Jr. on his love affair with cars and his show Downey’s Dream Cars on MAX. Beckford’s profile of Downey Jr. was the first print cover story written by an African American in MotorTrend’s history. Along with KJ Jones, Andrew Beckford also heads up MotorTrend’s celebration of Black History Month by spotlighting diverse voices in the automotive industry and motorsports. Beckford’s first car was a 1982 Nissan Stanza affectionately named “Stanley” by his late mother.
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