Finished R2 demo test drive? Share your review / impressions

[SANZC02]

Honestly I did not notice it being any worse than my R1S and Tesla scroll wheels reacting to a press when I did my test drive. Pretty sure something that everyone would get used to pretty quick. Nice to see that they are reacting to feedback though to make adjustments.

You can do a ton of things with coding to make adjustments to the behavior. They can put a slight delay in the roll response and prioritize the push and pull actions.

It might take some dialing in but picture how much you can adjust the behavior of a computer mouse with track speed, scroll speed, and click speed. The wheel adjustments will be similar to that.

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[iamnid]

I second the notion that I didn't notice it to be any "cheaper" than my R1S. In fact, I came away thinking it was just as nice or better than my R1S. It was certainly quieter, smoother and better put together. The AC and cooled seats also worked much better than mine.

 

[Qamera]

1. Blind spot cameras work great.
2. No need to use mirrors when parking
3. Acceleration is what everyone’s talking about.
4. Great map, responsive. Once I had zoomed out then when we got to a navigational turn it did not zoom back in (I expected it to) so I almost missed it.
5. Voice nav is great.
6. Adjusted seat manually while driving; this automatically triggered the settings panel on driver's view so I can also adjust steering wheel to compensate. Nice touch.
   
   Autonomy+
7. Self driving works well, handles curves well.
8. Hesitated at off ramp.
9. Stopped well 50 mph down to car at red light on 'medium.' Handled well.
10. Changing lanes conservative then confident.
11. Speed limit sign in driver's view is helpful.
    
    
12. HVAC easy to control vents by pointing where you want them to go.
13. In-seat cooling wonderful, loud when on full but no more than anyother A/C when on full. Typically you would use that for 'quick cool' only.
    
    
14. Handling is ok for an EV, great for a real SUV, and better than my old 4Runner.
15. Steering over-corrects when coming out of a turn or out of parking if you let the wheel go on its own.

 

[Lysdexic]

I test drove the above R2 in KnightDale this past Sunday. My impressions line up with most of the comments already made. I drive a Gen 1 R1T.

I thought the A/C, cooled seats and sunroof were a non-issue.

The Sound system was okay, definitely not the same as the R1Ts Meridian. But I listen to podcasts 90% of the time.

The interior was really nice but you do feel the minimization from the R1. it was still very handsome and exudes the Rivian design aesthetic.

When accelerating onto the interstate I experienced a definite, unexpected feedback from the steering wheel like a tire was tracking in a groove. It instantaneously released and then reacted the other direction. It lasted about 1 second and never felt again. I mentioned it to the Rivian guide and he suggested that I bumped the stalk and engaged lane assist. Probably.

My biggest concern is the sight lines and the seat. Getting the steering adjusted to see the drivers display is just awkward and I never found a sweet spot. I am 6’2” and you definitely feel the seat support just below the shoulder blades and then nothing above. I mean it’s not horrible or anything. Will this break in over time? Dunno

The haptic wheels do feel lightweight. I wish they possessed more inertia like that of metal or weighted wheel.

Overall, the vehicle is sexy. Drives great. Love the Catalina Cove blue. Will await the light interior. Plan to trade in the R1T, which I love, but as previously mentioned I do not want to drive it past its warranty.

I will take another test drive before ordering.

 

[rfkxyz]

Well, yeah....you gotta spend 25 minutes working with those haptic chrome-oreos.

Chromeos?

 

[rfkxyz]

I know things are bigger in Texas but "it sits low"?? It has 9" of ground clearance!

66.9" (R2) vs 75.7" (R1 in standard setting) is a huge difference. I really could not care less about ground clearance, but the R2 is batting in the same league as a Subaru Outback Wilderness

Our Grand Highlander is 70.1" tall, XC90 is 70.2" and I'm 6'2", so R2 roofline did feel low at 66.9".

Already planning on that simple EVS 1.6" lift which would yield ~68.5" tall (lift math can be squishy). Seems lifting more than that would require much more hardware pop & swap which I'm not interested in.

Finding tall EVs in this class seems hard - e.g. Lyriq is 64.3", Optiq is 64.7". Being boxy seems to help a lot.

 

[SCSEV]

So after test driving the R2, Tesla model Y and the cyber truck, I’ve come to the conclusion that I need to look at a new R1 T. Cyber truck is out. Family did not like the interior, kind of bleak and the back row seats are like a stadium bench. My wife was not happy. The model Y feels a little cramped. The interior is definitely minimalistic but looks nice. FSD is pretty fantastic. It’s the first time I’ve experienced it in 6 to 7 years. The last time it tried to kill me on a demo drive. My hope is to get a new R1 T and hopefully point to point navigation arrives in the next 6 to 12 months. That would be ideal. Going to test drive an R1 T next Tuesday and then we’ll make a decision.

 

[Laurent]

I test drove the R2 twice (in Palo Alto and San Jose, CA). As much as I wanted to like it, I don’t think it’s for me. The first thing I noticed was how uncomfortable the seats are because of that gap with the Rivian logo. It’s at the same level as my shoulder blades. I assume it could be fixed with a pillow of some kind, so it’s not a deal breaker. My biggest dislike is the accelerator response at low speeds (even in Sport mode). It’s just not responsive enough for my taste as I’m used to the immediate throttle response in my Tesla (I’ve been driving a 2012 Model S forever). Also, driving the R2 feels like driving a truck, you can feel the heft. Given its size, I was hoping the R2 would have similar driving dynamics as the Model Y, but that is not the case. It feels heavier and slower around town.

 

[iamnid]

So after test driving the R2, Tesla model Y and the cyber truck, I’ve come to the conclusion that I need to look at a new R1 T. Cyber truck is out. Family did not like the interior, kind of bleak and the back row seats are like a stadium bench. My wife was not happy. The model Y feels a little cramped. The interior is definitely minimalistic but looks nice. FSD is pretty fantastic. It’s the first time I’ve experienced it in 6 to 7 years. The last time it tried to kill me on a demo drive. My hope is to get a new R1 T and hopefully point to point navigation arrives in the next 6 to 12 months. That would be ideal. Going to test drive an R1 T next Tuesday and then we’ll make a decision.

The new Model Y L might be worth looking into if you liked the Model Y but felt it to be cramped.

 

[SCSEV]

The new Model Y L might be worth looking into if you liked the Model Y but felt it to be cramped.

We discussed that option, as well. Now I’ll sound shallow, but I don’t want to look like a soccer mom.

 

[Belem]

Just got back from an R2 test drive in Bellevue. I’m not going to reiterate what everyone else said (drives well, steering is light, good proportions…)

The one I drove had the latest update, so the turn signal sound was the same as my R1T and it had the garage door opener button. Also, the halo wheels were fine. I didn’t notice anything that would annoy me.

However, the driver’s seat is a deal breaker: I thought some people were overreacting, but the upper portion of seat drives right into my shoulder blades and pushes the upper half of my body forward. No amount of configuration fixed this. Once I got back into my R1T I noticed that my shoulder blades “slot” into the gap between the upper and middle part of the seat. I can’t imagine a 5 hour drive like that. Note that this is just my experience: if I fit the driver's seat better, then I would 100% buy. Do not let this deter you; but if you are ~6’+, I highly recommend you test drive before committing.

In full honesty, I am not in the market for the R2. I love my R1T and thought the R2 would be a fun “city car”, hence the test drive. I just hope the R3X (which I am definitely buying) has seats that fit me better.

 

[BoxPilot]

Demo drive at the Lake Forest, CA location. First thing, gotta say the two Rivian guys I interacted with were awesome - really makes a difference when the people who know the car seem genuinely interested in what they do.

Anyway - really impressed with R2. Random thoughts: It looks great in person. Both classic and modern somehow, like something Land Rover would design. Great proportions and nice details. I've been a fan of the big horizontal taillight since 80s 911s.

Build quality looked terrific inside and out. Only thing I noticed was the wood grain in front of the passenger wasn't 100% horizontal, and there were some rough edges at the bottom of that piece. Everything else looked and felt great. The doors were...not tinny exactly, just lighter than expected (no speakers?). Audio sounded just OK, but I noticed all of the settings were default.

Starting out, the regen took some getting used to, even in the mildest setting. I'm going to chalk that one up to my limited EV experience, and I had it down pretty well after 3-4 stops. Handling and ride were both good - there's no hiding the weight, but it felt very well-managed. Excellent body control, a bit European in feel.

Unfortunately the roads we were on were too smooth to really get a feel for the difference between ride settings. Acceleration was impressive. Not for the raw power, but for how the car handled it. Steering and ride never got upset - very stable, very planted, and very...rapid.

Cancelling my reservation? No. No I am not.

 

[ksurfier]

Just got back from an R2 test drive in Bellevue. I’m not going to reiterate what everyone else said (drives well, steering is light, good proportions…)

The one I drove had the latest update, so the turn signal sound was the same as my R1T and it had the garage door opener button. Also, the halo wheels were fine. I didn’t notice anything that would annoy me.

However, the driver’s seat is a deal breaker: I thought some people were overreacting, but the upper portion of seat drives right into my shoulder blades and pushes the upper half of my body forward. No amount of configuration fixed this. Once I got back into my R1T I noticed that my shoulder blades “slot” into the gap between the upper and middle part of the seat. I can’t imagine a 5 hour drive like that. Note that this is just my experience: if I fit the driver's seat better, then I would 100% buy. Do not let this deter you; but if you are ~6’+, I highly recommend you test drive before committing.

In full honesty, I am not in the market for the R2. I love my R1T and thought the R2 would be a fun “city car”, hence the test drive. I just hope the R3X (which I am definitely buying) has seats that fit me better.

The silver lining is that fixing the seats probably isn’t a huge undertaking. Tesla replaced the seats in some of the earliest Model 3s during the 2017 production ramp, so this is the kind of issue manufacturers can address relatively quickly.

 

[Belem]

The silver lining is that fixing the seats probably isn’t a huge undertaking. Tesla replaced the seats in some of the earliest Model 3s during the 2017 production ramp, so this is the kind of issue manufacturers can address relatively quickly.

Agreed 100%. Kicking myself for not getting the VIN of my demo. I’ll keep a watch on threads and see if there is any update and I will happily order.

 

[morph860]

I was in Orlando yesterday near the demo center and decided to stop in to see if they had any colors on the lot that I haven't seen in person yet. I was 90% sure I wanted to go with Launch Green and now I'm sold on it. They also had a new demo vehicle with 20'' wheels. They didn't have anyone booked so they handed me the key and let me take it out. Sold me on the 20'' option as well.

This was my 3rd R2 demo ride. I didn't touch the Autonomy+ on the first two. I used it on my way back and it worked as expected. The road that the demo center is on isn't marked very well either and has some weird bends and turns on it. It did fine.

Catalina Cove w/ 20'' and Launch Green w/ 21'' just in case anyone was hoping to see them side by side.

They confirmed that they've done a few deliveries and are starting to ramp up.

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