The Rivian R2 is a huge product for Rivian, an EV startup that builds excellent products (despite some reliability concerns noted by Consumer Reports). The R2 is meant to be the company’s first “affordable” machine, with a starting price of $48,490 – near America’s average vehicle transaction price and well below the $70K+ asking price of the company’s first two vehicles, the R1T and R1S. Today the R2’s configurator launched (HERE), and I discovered that the cheapest one I’d want costs $57,245.
Do you get a lot for your money at $48,490? I’ll know when I drive the car early next month, but let’s just look at the numbers and features.
This is the base R2:
At that base price, you have one color option, Esker Silver. And you have one interior option, Black Crater:
As you can see, the interior looks decent and minimalistic, with a center stack that appears to be a big screen on the dash with no physical switches. The dash vents, like on other Rivians, are operated through the screen, though mercifully, the gloveboxes (there are two!) are opened manually.
This base R2 is rear-wheel drive only, offers a decent 345 mile range, and its 350 horsepower launches the midsize SUV to 60mph in 5.9 seconds, per Rivian.
It’s a good looking vehicle that’s entering an increasingly crowded segment, but if the R2 can offer some off-road capability, it can carve out a nice niche, as there are few off-road-y midsize EVs available in the $52,000 range ($52,000 is the cheapest all-wheel drive R2).
If it were me, I’d skip the Standard trim and jump for the Premium. Yes, I’m cheap and don’t like spending money, but I hate dark interiors, and I want all-wheel drive, which comes standard on Premium models. Here’s a look at the Premium’s available ($1000) Coastal Cloud Signature cabin:
I dig that! Also awesome is the cheapest (tied with Half Moon Gray) color that isn’t silver or white, Forest Green:
If I want all-wheel drive, that nice interior, that $1500 non-white-or-silver paint, and a donut spare tire, the total is going to run me:
$57,245.
For that I get a 450 horsepower, handsome SUV with a minimalist center stack, an otherwise elegant cabin, 330 miles of range, and all-wheel drive. Not cheap, but Rivian has built a nice brand for itself, so I could see the appeal. I’m excited to drive one of these next month to see if those $57 grand would be well-spent.
Top graphic images: DepositPhotos.com; Rivian
Every color except primer gray costs money, we truly live in hell. Anyway the prices on these have already crept up a bit, haven’t they? I remember initially we were promised $45,000 and the first configurator made it seem like the premium was $53,000…alas, trimflation reared its ugly head. End stage capitalism gonna end stage capitalism, I suppose.
I’m still going to seriously consider buying on in a few years, but the $60,000 threshold is still a number I’m never crossing. I know that inflation’s a thing but for some reason hitting that mark breaks my brain and is when it becomes a vanity/luxury purchase.
That being said this is still priced right to potentially woo people shopping in the 4Runner/Bronco/Passport realm and that’s really all that matters.
Do it Mr. Tracy. Own at least one new car in your life.
That’s about how I’d want one, too. I have a fantasy that I might be able to afford a used R2 in five-ish years. I’ve never been in a Rivian, but I like the looks and reviews and anecdotal owner feedback from the internet.
Look, I don’t want to sound like some sort of nutty conspiracy theorist, but I’m still dubious on CR’s rankings. I get it; it’s hard to evaluate new car reliability and some effort is better than none. Some of the stuff they give equal weight to when reducing scores is not of equal importance. A poorly designed sunroof drain destroying a $3000 transmission computer should hurt a reliability score far more than a voluntary recall for floormats not seating perfectly.
I’m suspicious that Rivian got a poor reliability rating for a combination of teething issues and a willingness to address customer problems that someone like Jeep would have swept under the rug with a software update and some hand-waving.
Yay you can get it in purple 😀
Not bad actually. I mean, a no options 4runner TRD Off-Road will run you $53k
Yes very true, The 4runner would have a roof rack.
I’d prefer an R2 from Studebaker.
The only real question is when will they come out with the ‘D2’ ?! I’ll see myself out…
R3 or bust!
Doug DeMuro just reviewed it on YouTube. It looks fantastic.
Just can’t get over the Mr. Krabs’ eyeballs lights.
I actually like the outside of all the Rivian varieties so far. And the colors are great. I just can’t get over the Tesla-like interior that is controlled from the touchscreen. Anytime I’m in one, I feel like the car doesn’t want me there. So while I think this might be the correct configuration and I’m not even sure it’s a bad price, I just can’t get behind it.
It’s a lot, but you seem to get a lot. A Limited 4Runner and top trim Passport are about the same price.
Just slap a Lexus badge and ridiculous grille on it and maybe Elise won’t notice.
Lexus (Not Its Real Name)…
Gold!
[Looks at Consumer Reports reliability numbers]
Oh, she’ll notice.
Living on the opposite coast, with about a 2 hour drive to nearest service shop, I just wonder about owning one of these and teething pains on a new model that might get bricked due to a software issue. Sigh… Will see what’s happening in a couple of years…
And, yes to 4moremazdas reasoning for the extras included above the base trim.
EVs in general require so much less service though. True bricking from a software update is extremely rare, and OTA updates make everything else quite easy.
Good luck trying to sell those in this economy, especially when some of the “boring” automakers now have 300-350 mile range EV’s for a lot less.
Yeah, that is how I’d spec mine too. Maybe used in 2030. Not going to lie, that would make for a nice two EV garage.
Half Moon Gray is so perfect a paint name that I am surprised no one thought of it before. For those who don’t know, Half Moon Bay is a coastal town usually blanketed in fog near Rivian HQ in Northern California.
Say what you will about the tenets of Rivian, at least they have nice colors.
For a price. I can’t believe it’s $2k for black.
I wouldn’t go with the Premium trim to get the interior color, since I’m not a fan of white or off-white interiors. You can get AWD on the standard, so I don’t need it for that. But the Premium also has the roll down rear window, tow hooks, and the option of a factory tow hitch, plus the niceties of heated/cooled seats and an upgraded stereo.
I’m not sure if that adds up to being worth $2k, but the rear window and tow hitch for a bike rack would be must haves for me, so Premium it is.
You had me at roll down rear window.
And this one doesn’t pull exhaust into the cabin like the 4Runner’s!
But is there a physical switch to roll it down?
Yea that is about what I got on the configurator. I kept the dark interior.
It really needs a roof rack option.
I was hoping they’d give us some physical controls. The color I’d like most (Borealis purple) is locked to the Performance trim. But, yeah, I’d probably configure it pretty much identical to yours if I were buying one. The Performance with the purple I like would be more expensive; I’d probably opt to save the money instead.
Unless something changes, clicking on this configurator is about as realistic as seeing how ugly I can configure a RR with their custom interior options. I’ll likely just pick whatever one has a clean title history and no signs of an accident when it is time, regardless of package or color.