R2 Driving Dynamics

[CalDriver]

Can people who have driven the R2 talk a bit about its driving dynamics? A lot of the reviews I am seeing posted focus a lot on the non-driving aspects of the R2 like the infotainment, charging, etc.

What vehicle would you compare the R2 too in terms of how it drives? How sporty (or not) would you say it is compared to other electric SUVs in the twists?

I got a 2021 Mach-E now and I have a day 1 reservation for the R2. I am considering trading it in. I would really love a detailed comparison to the Mach-E in terms of driving dynamics if anyone can provide one or point me to an existing review.

Last question, is 1PD in the R2 similar or different to 1PD in the Mach-E? I am not a fan of 1PD tbh, but want to give it another try before saying yes or no to my R2 reservation.

Thanks!

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[sparked]

It drives a little more like a truck in terms of seating position, but ride was smooth and enjoyable. It won't be as sporty as many of the crossovers that are built off sedan platforms that sit physically lower. Demo drives are limited in time though so that's only my first impression.

 

[rbdavis808]

It drives a little more like a truck in terms of seating position, but ride was smooth and enjoyable. It won't be as sporty as many of the crossovers that are built off sedan platforms that sit physically lower. Demo drives are limited in time though so that's only my first impression.

Agreed. Nothing in my very brief driving time felt at all wobbly, undirected or otherwise unenjoyable, but the greater ride height did make me feel a little more disconnected from the road in comparison with our lower-riding Ioniq5. Hardly unexpected.

 

[Hyro]

Did a demo just yesterday. It goes fast. Handles a straight line great. I took some on/off ramps at speed and discovered the demo has a governor set to 80mph... It handles a bit worse than my Gen 1 R1T quad, IMO. Definitely felt the weight on corners. I don't think it'd be fun on a sporty drive, at least to my liking. I've spent a lot of time in a Mach-E, and the Ford is definitely far sporty. FWIW, our other car is a Polestar 2 -- amazing at speed on a twisty road, until the suspension gets overwhelmed and it feels like it's gonna fly off the road.

All of that said, don't expect a sport car and you'll be very happy. I think the R2 is a perfect daily driver. We'll probably get one and replace the P2, it's just a matter of when.

 

[aak7268]

The Launch Package can well, do just that in the straight away. It's got plenty of power. The active suspension does a very good job of transmitting or soaking up bumps, depending on your preference. Cornering? Eh. It corners like an SUV. The Mach E has it beat there, that's still the best-handling EV I've ever driven.
The R2 provides a refined ride that can feel a little incongruous at highway speed. With soft suspension on, it feels like I'm going slower than I am because there's no wind or road noise.

 

[aak7268]

Oh and 1PD can be adjusted so that the Regen is very grabby or very light when you release the accelerator. I've found the middle strength to be perfect. But then I'm a big 1PD fan. All my Bolts were returned with brand new 3-yr-old brakes

 

[Great Gatsby]

Can people who have driven the R2 talk a bit about its driving dynamics? A lot of the reviews I am seeing posted focus a lot on the non-driving aspects of the R2 like the infotainment, charging, etc.

What vehicle would you compare the R2 too in terms of how it drives? How sporty (or not) would you say it is compared to other electric SUVs in the twists?

I got a 2021 Mach-E now and I have a day 1 reservation for the R2. I am considering trading it in. I would really love a detailed comparison to the Mach-E in terms of driving dynamics if anyone can provide one or point me to an existing review.

Last question, is 1PD in the R2 similar or different to 1PD in the Mach-E? I am not a fan of 1PD tbh, but want to give it another try before saying yes or no to my R2 reservation.

Thanks!

We owned a Mach-E and the R2 is similar but in terms of downright sportiness? The Mach-E has it beat.

Handling is better in the Mach-E IMO I prefer heavier steering and the R2 even in sport mode felt lighter than I would like. It is also higher off the ground, so not as athletic, but the difference is not as much as you'd expect given the ground clearance.

In terms of straight line speed, the R2 takes the cake here. The Mach-E felt out of gas once you hit highway speed while the R2 felt like it had torque for days still. Ride quality was also better on the R2. The Mach-E, at least without the adaptive suspension, had a firmer ride than I would have liked. The R2 offers a good balance of a firm but also forgiving ride on rougher roads.

The OPD is much more aggressive on the R2. The low version is closer to what the Mach-E offers while high is true OPD and my preference. You may like this better or hate it even more. I'd say it try to master it. A lot of people dislike OPD with the strong regen at first because it is so different. Once you get the hang of it, I don't see how you can go back. My two cents on that.

Personally, I'd say it depends but the trade offs are worth it. I loved our Mach-E but Ford has not made a true update on it in YEARS. The charging times, range and overall tech offering are just dated compared to the rest of the market. Bluecruise is honestly about the same where UHF is (perhaps still better honestly) and it has Apple Carplay/AA but other than that, the R2 is better tech, more space and will have more updates on the lifetime of the vehicle. I'd say the Mach-E is a fantastic as a commuter car but for road trips, family hauling and other intangibles (pet mode, charge port on correct side for Tesla supercharging, blind spot camera screens, etc.) the R2 would my recommend over it if you can swing it. As long as you are ok with early teething pains from a new product, of course.

Hard to compare it to anything else tbh It is very different from everything else in the segment. To me though, that is a good thing. That is why it is getting so much attention, it is unique without going overboard. To wrap it up:

TLDR: Mach-E to me is like a 7.5/10 while the R2 is a 7/10 for driving dynamics. The Mach-E overall is sportier but not by much while the R2 has it beat in more important categories. I'd say it is worth the trade of.

 

[Mos Eisley]

I loved our Mach-E but Ford has not made a true update on it in YEARS.

Nor does it sound like they will as the CEO said this week it would not be redeveloped on their EV platform currently in development.

 

[virgnia_rivian]

The demo vehicle we drove was on 21's. Drives like a well build mid-sized SUV. We've previously owned a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee and a couple of Porche Macan's. It drove as well as the Macan, and much better than the Jeep. Ride is smooth.

The premium configuration has plenty of horse power and was quick off the line and will give you all the power you need for passing or merging onto a highway.

We found the seats to be very comfortable. (6' and 6'4")

There's some body roll and the steering felt a bit looser than our R1T.

It will be a good daily driver.

 

[KBabione]

We hit a Rivian Space (KOP Mall in PA) yesterday to look at the R2 and they told us that you really need to book your test R2 drive from there - they're not making reservations available to just anyone online. We were able to get the date/time we wanted for our test drive (KOP is about an hour from us). Drive one yourself!

 

[rodhx]

As a former Mach E owner I've got a different take. The Ford platform is seriously let down by the skinny wheel/tire fitments and poor suspension tuning. It was a solid vehicle but nowhere near "entertaining" on backroads, etc. And with those bicycle tires I never even attempted to autocross the thing, and I've been known to autocross practically anything . I sold Mockey in 2022 to get my R1T. The Rivian is faster, handles better, and MUCH more comfortable. My test drive in R2 gave me the impression it would be at least as entertaining as our quad R1T, and moreso than our PDM R1S.

R2 is the same length & width as the Ford with more power, more room, better suspension, more tire contact patch, and RWD biased. The biggest question is the steering feel. Personally I like it's chances

 

[VegasWeezy]

Can people who have driven the R2 talk a bit about its driving dynamics? A lot of the reviews I am seeing posted focus a lot on the non-driving aspects of the R2 like the infotainment, charging, etc.

What vehicle would you compare the R2 too in terms of how it drives? How sporty (or not) would you say it is compared to other electric SUVs in the twists?

I got a 2021 Mach-E now and I have a day 1 reservation for the R2. I am considering trading it in. I would really love a detailed comparison to the Mach-E in terms of driving dynamics if anyone can provide one or point me to an existing review.

Last question, is 1PD in the R2 similar or different to 1PD in the Mach-E? I am not a fan of 1PD tbh, but want to give it another try before saying yes or no to my R2 reservation.

Thanks!

I have a 2022 Mach e and have an R2 on the way. I can speak to the 1PD based on my demo drive of the R2. It has 3 levels of regen that you can choose from. If you don’t like 1PD, you will hate the highest setting. It grabs immediately and slows the vehicle quickly, much much quicker than the MME. The middle setting still brakes harder and faster than the MME but it’s closer to the feeling you will get in that car. For someone that doesn’t like 1PD like yourself, you will prefer and may enjoy the lowest setting. It doesn’t grab and slow the R2 down very quickly at all. It feels more like a slow reduction in speed while coasting, much closer to the feeling of engine braking than the 1PD feel of the MME.

I cannot relate to you though. Once I had 1PD, it’s incredibly hard to drive anything without it. I have mastered the timing of lifting off the accelerator or feathering it just enough to coast to a stop exactly where I need to. Absolutely love it.

 

[EricT]

Here’s a fun comparison to the 4runner and the model Y

 

[Tom(myBoy)]

Oh and 1PD can be adjusted so that the Regen is very grabby or very light when you release the accelerator. I've found the middle strength to be perfect. But then I'm a big 1PD fan. All my Bolts were returned with brand new 3-yr-old brakes

I was (maybe still am) a hypermiler of the mid 1970s so I’m not a 1PD kind of person. My husband is not a fan of heavy/strong regen and I only use it occasionally.

as said, the R2 regen is fairly adjustable.

• I won’t be able to glide along in a R2 like do in my eGolf. It has Zero (we use for gliding), and then 4 levels of regen (D1-3 & B).
• My 1st body Volt regen was 2-level which the R2 reminded me of when using its low and mid levels.

From our test drive years ago, I don’t remember the regen of the Mach-E other than that it has some.

I do recall the Mach-E BlueCruise which I love. I’ve used that shared function on several rental Fords. The Autonomy+ of the R2 has the potential to (or has been pitched to have) outdo that. But, my 1st test drive of the R2 didn’t provide me an opportunity to check that out.

Can anyone compare BlueCruise and Autonomy+ based on your drive experiences?

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