Finished R2 demo test drive? Share your review / impressions

[Apprunner]

So yes, I had this same issue (and I’m 6’4” too!).. where the lower lumbar and mid back panel, meets the upper thoracic and shoulder support panel it’s a divet there, but it felt like a PROTRUSION. Hitting me right in the mid thoracic spine and lower scapulae (shoulder blades).. after the drive, I kept thinking about what I might put on the front of the seat to cushion that, or wondering if that would degrade enough with time to be less noticeable. I’m defiantly going to need another test drive to fully get comfortable overall with that aspect as this is/was meant to be a more road tripping adventurous car.

And I’m going to need another test drive to stress test the AC a bit more. I thought my experience with the AC was a one off, maybe wrong settings from a non current Rivian owner, but it sounds like others have said it was underpowered. Coming from a Tesla Im used to the car not easily cranking out a FRIGID cold flow of AC air, but rather “acclimatizing” the cabin with cool air flow over a period of minutes. It’s not meant to be a mid 80’s Detroit Cadillacs or Chevy with an AC compressor the size of most Japanese car MAIN ENGINES at the time.

but it’s not lost on me that the press day with all the influencers and podcasters was in ~ mid-late May, in PARK CITY, UT (~ 8000+ ft) with an average HIGH temp of 60, so maybe 70-75 IN the sun. they probably weren’t stressing the AC too much and coming to a similar conclusion.

Lots of great mountain trail roads in AZ, NM, CO and other places, but they don’t have the same altitude and cool weather at that time of year. Hmm.?

AC felt weak in my test drive and it was about 78 degrees. The ventilated seats were great though...but loud. The roof was emanating heat. Gotta find a good sunshade in the summer because even at 78 degrees, I could feel the heat on my head.

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[Great Gatsby]

Like everyone has said, it's quite good. It is what Rivian needed it to be. I am sure it will sell quite well. I liked it enough to keep my reservation and will likely be my daily for the next two years.

As a mass market vehicle, Rivian did what they had to do and nailed it. It rides well, feel solid and has all the tech we love from the R1. There is not much I can fault it for at this price point.

I am, however, rather lukewarm overall. Feel free to disagree, and I am sure a lot here will, but here are my biggest cons: we currently own a 2026 Model Y Performance and I actually drove it to my appointment for the R2 Demo. Rivian was benchmarking the Model Y almost to a fault IMO and driving them back to back was odd in that, well, outside of ride height, they are a very similar experience. I told my wife "The R2 is less a mini R1 and more the Rivian Model Y". This is not necessarily a bad thing, as I really do like our MYP, but it did tamper my excitement for the R2 slightly. Other issues I found was the doors still require some effort to slam (at least the last one to close does, like the R1), temperamental frunk and rear window opening, loose trim pieces around the back of the front seats and the screens, specially the one for the instrument cluster, felt rather small. I like to drive with the steering wheel low. In my ideal driving position, I'd block the front screen in half perfectly. And sure, people prefer to have this over not, like in the Tesla, but it didn't feel like that big of an add on to me. An actual gear shifter is a nice though the auto-shift in the Tesla has become quite good.

Compared to any other vehicle in the market sub-60k, this is the best choice in a world where the Model Y doesn't exist. If you don't like Tesla for whatever reason, then this is the best vehicle sub $60k - period. If we didn't have a MYP, I would honestly buy that for myself instead over the R2 performance. The R2 premium is where its at, as I don't think the performance is going to be worth it after the launch edition perks end, unless they do free color upgrades like Tesla - and wouldn't shock me if they did once demand is met. All the things that are great about the R2 - cameras, ride, power rear glass, size, interior, etc are available in the premium trim. Don't think the extra power, semi-adaptive suspension and yellow calipers would be enough to sell me up. The R2 is at its best as a comfortable cruise, not a performance vehicle, IMO. I also prefer the looks of the standard wheels on the premium over the performance. Speaking of wheels, the scroll wheels are a nice add on. Well done, but do feel a bit flimsier than I expected. Again, totally fine at this price point but worth noting.

I will keep my reservation in hopes to get a launch edition (the extra perks add up to a very good value all things considered). I do not see a reason to own two model Ys, so this is perfect for my daily for the time being. I am looking more at the Scout Traveler, R2X and even the Volvo EX60 Cross Country as more of my long term vehicles when those come to market.

TLDR: It's good. Most people will love it. Great Model Y alternative and those coming from ICE will have their lives changed. My overall recommend is still the Model Y, but not by much. Rather interchangeable depending on who you are talking to. More excited for the eventual R2X and R3X, which are more my speed (literally).

 

[tivoboy]

Interesting, so it just wasn’t something off in the car I drove (or just me). I’m assuming they changed the seat to address complaints from R1 where shorter people didn’t like the split, but man, this was uncomfortable and makes me question whether I should go forward with the R2.

I'm thinking a silly but nicely done foam insert would fit in that crevice and lessen the gap that seems to allow the top section to FEEL like it's protruding. I might mock something up for my next test drive.

Not that one SHOULD have to do this for a brand spanking new car, but i've spent my entire life already adjusting to a world designed by engineers who are CLEARLY 5'7". Im not saying EVERY car or aircraft or office seat/chair needs to have we 99% percentile examples of the upright race in mind - and they shouldn't but still, RJ HIMSELF looks to be a near cousin in size - at least from the pictures - although he COULD be surrounded by all those 5'7" engineers and designers... but still

 

[Mos Eisley]

Interesting, so it just wasn’t something off in the car I drove (or just me). I’m assuming they changed the seat to address complaints from R1 where shorter people didn’t like the split, but man, this was uncomfortable and makes me question whether I should go forward with the R2.

Interesting. FWIW I’m 6’2” and found the seats very comfy.

 

[Husky]

Same here, at 6'-1". I'll admit that I've been fooled by seats that I thought were comfy before, after being in them for two hours and changing my mind. For our 30 minute demo anyway, I found them extremely comfortable, but everybody's different.

 

[Jeremy3292]

Like everyone has said, it's quite good. It is what Rivian needed it to be. I am sure it will sell quite well. I liked it enough to keep my reservation and will likely be my daily for the next two years.

As a mass market vehicle, Rivian did what they had to do and nailed it. It rides well, feel solid and has all the tech we love from the R1. There is not much I can fault it for at this price point.

I am, however, rather lukewarm overall. Feel free to disagree, and I am sure a lot here will, but here are my biggest cons: we currently own a 2026 Model Y Performance and I actually drove it to my appointment for the R2 Demo. Rivian was benchmarking the Model Y almost to a fault IMO and driving them back to back was odd in that, well, outside of ride height, they are a very similar experience. I told my wife "The R2 is less a mini R1 and more the Rivian Model Y". This is not necessarily a bad thing, as I really do like our MYP, but it did tamper my excitement for the R2 slightly. Other issues I found was the doors still require some effort to slam (at least the last one to close does, like the R1), temperamental frunk and rear window opening, loose trim pieces around the back of the front seats and the screens, specially the one for the instrument cluster, felt rather small. I like to drive with the steering wheel low. In my ideal driving position, I'd block the front screen in half perfectly. And sure, people prefer to have this over not, like in the Tesla, but it didn't feel like that big of an add on to me. An actual gear shifter is a nice though the auto-shift in the Tesla has become quite good.

Compared to any other vehicle in the market sub-60k, this is the best choice in a world where the Model Y doesn't exist. If you don't like Tesla for whatever reason, then this is the best vehicle sub $60k - period. If we didn't have a MYP, I would honestly buy that for myself instead over the R2 performance. The R2 premium is where its at, as I don't think the performance is going to be worth it after the launch edition perks end, unless they do free color upgrades like Tesla - and wouldn't shock me if they did once demand is met. All the things that are great about the R2 - cameras, ride, power rear glass, size, interior, etc are available in the premium trim. Don't think the extra power, semi-adaptive suspension and yellow calipers would be enough to sell me up. The R2 is at its best as a comfortable cruise, not a performance vehicle, IMO. I also prefer the looks of the standard wheels on the premium over the performance. Speaking of wheels, the scroll wheels are a nice add on. Well done, but do feel a bit flimsier than I expected. Again, totally fine at this price point but worth noting.

I will keep my reservation in hopes to get a launch edition (the extra perks add up to a very good value all things considered). I do not see a reason to own two model Ys, so this is perfect for my daily for the time being. I am looking more at the Scout Traveler, R2X and even the Volvo EX60 Cross Country as more of my long term vehicles when those come to market.

TLDR: It's good. Most people will love it. Great Model Y alternative and those coming from ICE will have their lives changed. My overall recommend is still the Model Y, but not by much. Rather interchangeable depending on who you are talking to. More excited for the eventual R2X and R3X, which are more my speed (literally).

Dude you have a 2026 MYP…in no world should be getting a 2027 R2 you got a brand new car already - I don’t blame you for feeling like it wasn’t an upgrade!

 

[AlphaSnowbordergirl]

I have the same concern regarding the AC. My R2 test drive was on a sunny 90F day in NH (NOT AZ!) and we had the AC temp set all the way down and it was barely able to keep up with the solar heat gain from that giant glass roof. I'm really surprised/disappointed that there's no shade, or a darker more reflective tint. I'm equally puzzled that I haven't read more complaints about that from the many customers and testers in the Southwest. Maybe our demo's AC wasn't up to par?? I will definitely look for a shade that can be installed, or consider some sort of aftermarket tinting.

94 in the DMV with 50% humidity this weekend. Didn't have an issue with the heat. Granted the AC had been going for a while as they were doing test drives all day so it was cool when we got in already.

 

[Utah-Jay]

Interesting. FWIW I’m 6’2” and found the seats very comfy.

Same here on size and comfort

 

[sparked]

The audio through Apple Music streaming sounded a bit flat in the mids, so much so that the mids sounded distant and like they were playing on small speakers. The bass was there, and the highs were there, so I'm not sure what's up there--but I only had 20 minutes so I was focused on the drive.

Audio reviews have been interesting. I think I saw one that said everything was perfect except zero bass and it need an aftermarket subwoofer. Hard to know what to believe anymore on the audio.

 

[Great Gatsby]

Dude you have a 2026 MYP…in no world should be getting a 2027 R2 you got a brand new car already - I don’t blame you for feeling like it wasn’t an upgrade!

It is my wife's main car, I daily a 2018 BMW 2 series. With gas prices being what they are and its limited space, it rarely sees use. I do get to drive the Model Y often and it was what got me to consider the R2 to begin with. I prefer to drive a more compact car at the end of the day compared to something like the R1. I have driven everything between the Lucid Air and Hummer EV. The only car that matches what I'm looking outside of the MYP is the R2. I do think that it is great and am excited for it, but had my wife kept her old car and we needed something new, I would get the MYP over the R2. I then would have pushed her to get the R2, a Model Y + R2 household was going to be the outcome one way or the other lol

 

[rodhx]

Audio reviews have been interesting. I think I saw one that said everything was perfect except zero bass and it need an aftermarket subwoofer. Hard to know what to believe anymore on the audio.

That’s easy…no one but your own ears!

I found bass from the dash way overpowered and had to crank it down on the EQ to get decent sound from the system. It’s not my OG Meridian system but it’s also not a deal breaker for me.

 

[DCFC]

Other issues I found was the doors still require some effort to slam (at least the last one to close does, like the R1),

Keep in mind, the cabin is designed to be water tight while fording water as part of being an adventure vehicle. That requires really good seals on the doors which does make the last one harder to close as that's basically sealing off the cabin.

 

[Rivian R2D2]

So Frunk, not to Frunk. Road tire noise, or none. No Home link. No radio receiver. Not many drove on 20” only 21” It’s a true bakers box over 100 degrees outside and the AC can’t keep up.

Still reading…

Glad some are truthful here and not just like their test drive was like getting candy after 30 day hiatus.

 

[NinjaWrap]

After reading most of this thread, there are at least 3 types of people critiquing the R2.
1) Rivian zealot
2) Tesla refencers
3) New to EV buyers

First of all, there is no such thing as the perfect car. After owning 7 cars in my lifetime that I've kept for at least 5 years, every single one had something I really didn't care for or would like to have. My Hondas and Acuras always seem to be 3-5 years behind in infotainment and they will never add new features after buying the car unless there is a safety concern. My 9 years old Odyssey added no new features and connectivity is a joke by today's standards. My 17 years old Civic, I can't set the data and it thinks it's 2002 , Honda told me to buy a new car to fix the issue.

That said, my reason for buying any car was based on functionality and quality. Odyssey, people mover, Civic commuter. The R2 which will replace my Civic based purely on functionality and style. The quality is yet to be determined, but the warranty seems good.

I would put myself in the 3rd group, where everything about the R2 is just new to me and I have no reference or need for such things as FSD, CP/AA, and all the other little things. If the R2 can last 10 years and 150K without major issue, and get me to work and back a week between charges, I'm good. Being a software defined car, I'm sure I will see improvements unlike any of the legacy automakers that I've owned. This is just based on reading about other Rivian and Tesla owners saying how the car improves with time.

I think the people who complain about FSD and CP/AA reminds me of iPhone users who upgrade their phone every year and complain about the small improvements, where I upgrade my iPhone every 3-4 years and every new iPhone is mind blowing to me. After my short time test driving the R2, I can't wait to play around with it because I'm sure it will be a major improvement to what I own now. I'm not saying FSD and CP/AA are not important, I just think people who never used those features or rely on them may not see it as a factor to buy the R2, because everything else about the car will be a big deal.

Even my 24 years old S2000 will be replaced with the R3X. It still has a CD player I can't use. It will probably be 30 years old by the time the R3X is available.

Just my thoughts.

Mostly agree. As an early FSD beta tester (pre public release) I’ve been letting my cars do as much driving as possible - making turns, stopping at traffic lights and stop signs etc - for 5+ years. I still do have to take over for speed limit issues in my town, but when I travel I literally don’t touch anything for hours. It’s that good. I will be taking a huge step back for my R2. Hopefully by the time I get mine (new autonomy hardware) at the end of the year it will at least be able to do what FSD beta did in 2021. If it can do that, it’s acceptable to me. If not it will be extremely hard to go back to driving manually when I go out of town.

 

[mdpa]

Dude you have a 2026 MYP…in no world should be getting a 2027 R2 you got a brand new car already - I don’t blame you for feeling like it wasn’t an upgrade!

Candidly this is my dilemna…I absolutely love my Tesla Model Y RWD Premium. My wife loves it as well. For about $60K I can get a Model Y Performance, Rivian R2, or hope the Tesla Cybertruck base version comes down in price.

The Model Y is a known quantity and we love it…but the R2 seems to offer a compelling contrast with some off-roading capability.

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