R3 & R3X hands-on / driving video, photos, impressions (by Jason Camissa)

[Electric Rivilution]

Jason Camissa got to play with the R3 and R3X at the live reveal event in Laguna Beach. In his words:

Rivian let me play with the R3 and R3X, live in person!​

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Impressions:​

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Unlike the Ioniq 5, it doesn’t look way bigger in person. It’s still smallish. And the Rivian design language prepares us for it being a small SUV, even though it it’s damn-near identical to a Lancia Delta.​

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Crazy that both Ioniq 5 and R3 are so close to 50-year-old Giugiaro designs. I’d say the man is having a renaissance. I’m not mad about it!​

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I suspect the overall length is around that of a VW Golf (170”ish) but the cabin is quite a bit smaller. Sitting “behind myself” means my knees about touch the seatback. This is a consequence of the front end being from a much longer car (R2) — the frunk is way bigger than it ‘should’ be. Except that long-hood, short-deck stance is exactly why we’re all head-over-heels in love with it. Nobody complains you can’t run a marathon in stilettos. Need more space? R2’s back seat is ENORMOUS.​

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The wheels and tires on the R3X are ridiculously oversized and exactly the reason we all love it so much. Total automotive Kewpie doll effect and I’m here for it. Realistically, the R3 is probably what I’d buy as a City Car (my driver’s license does not need an 800-hp hot-hatch.)​

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I love the double-opening rear hatch (hatch or glass only, like my E39 5-series.) Ingenious engineering behind it, too, using the same gas struts for both.​

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I normally don’t lose my mind over glass roofs, but this one is particularly open-air feeling.​

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The biggest letdown: unlike R2, which looks like a production-intent prototype, R3 is much earlier in its development.​

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I wouldn’t expect to see the first ones until 2027. That’s a long wait, but hey, good things…​

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[pookgai]

A bit disappointed with the rear seat legroom. Jason is around 5'11".

 

[DuoRivian]

Good to see, thanks for sharing. R3 could even be 2028 depending when Georgia opens - assuming restarting in early 2026 at the earliest and then 18+ months to build and validate.

 

[TexasBob]

Perfect timing for Jason to be rocketing around The Villages in a tri-motor R3X.

 

[Mister Person]

I hope this little window is super strong...

 

[R1Thor]

A bit disappointed with the rear seat legroom. Jason is around 5'11".

It's physics.

You can't 'desire' a smaller vehicle and then complain it doesn't have 'big vehicle' room!!
That's *probably* why there are different trim levels and model sizes...don't you think???

 

[Dark-Fx]

It's physics.

You can't 'desire' a smaller vehicle and then complain it doesn't have 'big vehicle' room!!
That's *probably* why there are different trim levels and model sizes...don't you think???

Nonsense. It's perfectly okay for a small vehicle to be "bigger on the inside"

 

[R1Thor]

Nonsense. It's perfectly okay for a small vehicle to be "bigger on the inside"

Crap, I forgot we can build in 4 (5?--4th dimension is time, right?) dimensions, now!

 

[Chewy734]

The front end might be too long, but that ass is ?

 

[R1 EVY]

A bit disappointed with the rear seat legroom. Jason is around 5'11".

That's why it's not for me. I need space.

 

[kurtlikevonnegut]

The front end might be too long, but that ass is ?

This is also how my wife feels about me.

 

[goldburger]

This is also how my wife feels about me.

?

 

[Hillbilly]

I'm guessing R2 will be made in Normal, but the R3s will end up being the Georgia plants babies.

 

[pookgai]

It's physics.

You can't 'desire' a smaller vehicle and then complain it doesn't have 'big vehicle' room!!
That's *probably* why there are different trim levels and model sizes...don't you think???

Yeah no shit, but im specially referencing how Jason is saying the size of the R3 is similar to a VW Golf but the interior feels smaller. Usually a ground up EV platform would offer more interior space than an ICE equalivant because the lack of ICE components taking up space.

 

[R1Thor]

Yeah no shit, but im specially referencing how Jason is saying the size of the R3 is similar to a VW Golf but the interior feels smaller. Usually a ground up EV platform would offer more interior space than an ICE equalivant because the lack of ICE components taking up space.

There will always be compromises and decisions made--some Engineering and pragmatic. Some because Marketing decided one thing looked better than another.

If the size of the vehicle doesn't fit your use case, then ... maybe find one that does?

That said, it looks like (from an outside perspective), these vehicles are using EVERY practical inch of space, so my 'yeah no shit' response to you is: "where are you finding more room?"

Do you want a larger vehicle? Smaller trunk? Smaller front seats?

The moment you say "I like this vehicle EXCEPT" you're not really fully bought into the vehicle. And if you did manage to eke out a few more inches of knee room, but at the cost of having less cargo space, then I bet there'll be someone coming into the conversation complaining "man, I'd trade some rear seat room for more cargo area."

Tradeoffs. Compromise. Reality. Just my .02

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