2026 Rivian R2

Rivian is expanding its portfolio of electric vehicles. After the larger R1T truck and R1S SUV, the company has announced the R2 SUV. Smaller and more affordable than the R1 vehicles, the R2 nevertheless offers impressive performance and range, a roomy and appealing passenger cabin, plus a host of cool features including fold-flat seats in both rows, a retractable rear window, two glove boxes and more.

What’s New for 2026

The Rivian R2 is entirely new. It was unveiled along with the smaller R3, which will arrive later and at a lower starting price, as well as offering a high-performance RX3 variant.

On-Sale Date

Orders for the new R2 are being taken right now. Rivian says deliveries will begin in the first half of 2026 and the company is building the vehicle at its facility in Normal, Illinois.

Cox Automotive, parent company of Kelley Blue Book, is a minority investor in Rivian.

The Rivian R2 starts at around $47,000 for the single-motor version with rear-wheel drive and the standard battery pack. That price includes the destination charge, currently $1,800. For some context, the Tesla Model Y starts in the same ballpark as the R2, the Audi Q4 e-tron is a little more and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is a little less. The R2 is being made in the United States, so it might qualify for a federal tax credit.

The base drivetrain in the new R2 electric SUV is a single motor driving just the rear wheels. The first option is two motors for an all-wheel-drive setup. Rivian is also offering a 3-motor/all-wheel drive configuration with two motors up front and one at the rear. No output figures yet, but the 3-motor version is claimed to accelerate from standstill to 60 mph in less than three seconds — which is extremely fast and about half a second quicker than the most powerful Tesla Model Y.

The R2’s interior is similar in design to its bigger R1S sibling, which has always received the thumbs-up from us for both its looks and ergonomics. The R2 comes with plenty of interior space relative to its footprint. For example, rear legroom is a generous 40.3 inches. All five seats fold flat, giving owners the option to sleep in their R2 if they’re out on an adventure.

The vegan-friendly cabin materials are expected, but in a departure from Rivian’s previous practice, the R2 comes with gloveboxes. Two of them. The R1 models don’t even have one.

In the center of the dashboard, the almost-obligatory large infotainment touchscreen takes pride of place, accompanied by a digital driver information display. Just like the R1, the R2 comes with a flashlight hidden in the driver’s door. And a large storage area under the hood is big enough for a carry-on suitcase as well as something like a gym bag,

We’ve always thought there’s been something of a European flavor to Rivian’s styling approach. Fine by us. The new R2 still looks like a Rivian SUV with that distinctive front end and lighting signature. If any onlookers thought they saw a hint of Land Rover Defender in the squared-off R2, we’d be inclined to agree.

The R2 has garage-friendly dimensions. At 15.5 feet, it’s similar in length to a Honda CR-V and about the same height. Against the 3-row Rivian R1S, it’s like comparing the compact CR-V with the midsize Honda Pilot. The R2 is 15.2 inches shorter than the R1S and there’s a 10.4-inch difference in height.

A couple of cool details — the rearmost side windows angle out, to bring a little more air circulation, and the rear window drops into the main tailgate. Combined with the fold-flat front seats, opening the rear window makes it easy to haul an extra-long surfboard with ease, for instance. Rivian also offers a range of accessories that include roof racks and bike racks designed in-house.

The R2 lineup will include three powertrain/drivetrain combinations and two battery sizes. At least one of those batteries can be fast-charged from 10% to 80% in around 30 minutes, which is pretty good. At least one configuration will be able to hit 60 mph in under 3 seconds, and at least one will offer more than 300 miles of range. The long-range version of the Tesla Model Y is rated at 310 miles, so the R2 looks competitive.

5-Year/60,000-Mile Warranty

Rivian’s new-vehicle warranty lasts four years or 50,000 miles, whichever happens first. Batteries and drivetrains are covered for eight years or 150,000 miles. These terms are better than those offered by Tesla.

Safety

We expect the R2 will follow in the tire tracks of the larger R1S and take top scores from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).