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I drove the Rivian R2 for a week — and this sub-$60K electric SUV lives up to the hype

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I drove the Rivian R2 for a week — and this sub-$60K electric SUV lives up to the hype

Rivian is the EV maker to watch. It’s no coincidence that I’m seeing far more of its vehicles on the road, instantly recognizable by their distinct stadium-style halo headlights. While I came away deeply impressed with both the R1T pickup and the three-row R1S SUV, they’re simply too expensive and out of reach for most budgets.

That’s why I’ve been so excited about the Rivian R2. It represents an ambitious push to reach the masses with a much lower price tag. By trimming down its footprint compared to the full-size R1S into a practical midsize frame — while keeping its starting price under $60,000 — Rivian finally has a vehicle with mass-market appeal, and I’m all for it.

After spending a full week behind the wheel of the 2027 Rivian R2 Performance, I can honestly say this eagerly awaited EV lives up to the hype and is one of the best electric cars out there. Here’s why.

I drove a total of 236.8 miles during my week testing the 2027 Rivian R2 Performance, averaging an efficiency of 3.24 mi/kWh. That's a massive leap over the dismal 1.85 mi/kWh I saw in the R1S, proving that the R2 makes the absolute most out of its 87.9 kWh battery pack. At the same time, it lands right in the efficiency sweet spot alongside premium rivals like the Audi Q6 e-tron and BMW iX xDrive45 — but with a far more attainable price tag.

68 mi/kWh. 59 mi/kWh. What makes these figures so impressive is that efficiency doesn't come at the expense of performance because the R2 still delivers all the instant punch I crave without feeling choked back to hit efficiency constraints.


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