Finished R2 demo test drive? Share your review / impressions

[MaskedRacerX]

BMW, among most mainstream auto brands, has been, arguably, the most successful in the EV space. The OG i3 well preceded Rivian and Tesla. I've had many BMWs and, putting my "fanboy-dom" aside, they drive fantastic, have decent software, and the NK ranges and charging speeds are pretty impressive. Do I love where they're going aesthetically? No, but, I think your comments are far from reality.

No it's just silly.

That's their attempt to - and I emphasize, attempt - get froggy with me because I (along with several others) laughed at the hero worship they intro-ed themselves with ("THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD ..." )

Like if I thought a Tesla was better (it's certainly cheaper than the vehicles I'm considering), I couldn't just go out and get another one

No, they jumped into an adult conversation I was having with another forum member who made a terrific post about the R2, the R1, the market segment, from their perspective on an R1 owner, I thought it was very relevant to me, then we get HERFDERFBMWMUSKDISPLAYSWHEELSDERFDERFDERF.

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[computertom]

Many people on Reddit commenting about the AC not being adequate to cool cabin

Took a second test drive today in Canton, MA with my wife. It was all of 98 degrees Fahrenheit. I was excited to test it out with her, as her car needs replacement really soon. She got settled quickly and we were on our way. But dang, the air con! Once we finally go *enough* air to come out (Auto, Medium, LOW), I’ll tell you, it was LOUD. Very, very loud and we never quite got to feeling that cool. Not quite deafening, but closer than any car I’ve ever been in.

Overall, it was a good drive. The fit and finish of this one was much better than the first unit drove in Boston. I don’t like gray cars but the Half Moon Gray is absolutely gorgeous.

We then jumped in our I5N which had been sitting in the sun for 40 mins and were cool in < four mins with way, way less noise. Of course I had to approve two lawyer notices and wait 10 seconds for the infotainment to actually work … that is something I certainly wouldn’t miss!

Anyway, this drive was way better than the first, but neither of us jumped out ready to sign on the dotted. I guess I have between now and Aug - Sep to figure it out.

Also, I really wanted to test a Tri or Quad Gen 2R1T while I was there, but they had neither available. I’ve driven the dual and it just didn’t have the fiz my dumb brain always looks for.

 

[mdpa]

No it's just silly.

That's their attempt to - and I emphasize, attempt - get froggy with me because I (along with several others) laughed at the hero worship they intro-ed themselves with ("THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD ..." )

Like if I thought a Tesla was better (it's certainly cheaper than the vehicles I'm considering), I couldn't just go out and get another one

No, they jumped into an adult conversation I was having with another forum member who made a terrific post about the R2, the R1, the market segment, from their perspective on an R1 owner, I thought it was very relevant to me, then we get HERFDERFBMWMUSKDISPLAYSWHEELSDERFDERFDERF.

It may have been fun to point out the weaknesses in BMW, but it still doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Within the last few years BMW has had (3) significant flops, the i3, 18, and iX, completely bailing on their customers and going to something NEW.

The Nueve version finally has competitive specs but unproven both in terms of reliability and BMW’s willingness to not bail again. Pretty big risk for something over $50K. These legacy brands which are famous for engine building pretend to be good at electric motors and software. Big difference.

 

[r2fb]

It may have been fun to point out the weaknesses in BMW, but it still doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Within the last few years BMW has had (3) significant flops, the i3, 18, and iX, completely bailing on their customers and going to something NEW.

The Nueve version finally has competitive specs but unproven both in terms of reliability and BMW’s willingness to not bail again. Pretty big risk for something over $50K. These legacy brands which are famous for engine building pretend to be good at electric motors and software. Big difference.

Only reason you're calling the iX a "flop" is the styling. It's EV components are reliable and work well since they're also in the i4, i5, and i7, which you didn't call a flop.

BMW is frimly behind supporting Neue Klasse, as it's their future.

 

[mdpa]

Only reason you're calling the iX a "flop" is the styling. It's EV components are reliable and work well since they're also in the i4, i5, and i7, which you didn't call a flop.

BMW is frimly behind supporting Neue Klasse, as it's their future.

I meant the i3…due to it’s complete market failure. Proprietary wheel size, limited range, motorycycle engine option for extended range, and horrible depreciation.

 

[MaskedRacerX]

Only reason you're calling the iX a "flop" is the styling. It's EV components are reliable and work well since they're also in the i4, i5, and i7, which you didn't call a flop.

BMW is frimly behind supporting Neue Klasse, as it's their future.

Yep. And of course they said, "I meant ..." which is NOT what they wrote (including misidentifying a car model ... WTF is the 18 )

Hahaha, and imagine bringing up a car that started sales in 2013 and had a production run for 10 years (my friends in the UK love theirs, especially the size, and of course they're speaking via a YT video) as the example of a "failure"

And so what if a car manufacturer decides to discontinue a model and replace it with a new design? BMW was clear up front that the iX was intended as a intermediate step between the CE only X5 and an eventual multi-platform X5. Even though the iX will continue for another year outside the domestic market, it makes marketing sense to not have two models with significant overlap in the same market space.

I'd prefer that vs. designs that linger with little-to-no improvement and then are eventually dropped. It's not like the existing iX will stop working, not be fully covered under warranty - heck, a guy posted on LeaseHckr this insane deal he just scored on an iX M70 (so good, I'd sign the same today).

Loved our X5, we had an E53 4.4i, really fun, super perky and engaging to drive especially for the time when SUVs were mostly "trucks". It even did weekend trailer duty with our boat and was surprisingly agile.

The iX has exceeded our expectations, it's quick, insanely quiet, stellar audio, easily beats range estimates, has some killer lux features, etc.

Anyway, looking forward to another X5 if that's where we head, we'll be at a single vehicle (first time in like 25 years!) when it's time in April '27, we will absolutely reconsider the R1S (Gen 3 by then?).

Side note: bummer about losing the split rear tailgate on the new X5, that's one of those simple design elements that winds up being super handy - not unlike the R2 rear window, such a handy design, can't tell you how many times we had surfboards, Xmas trees, or even, umm, Mustang exhausts sticking out the back of our T4R

 

[graytag]

I meant the i3…due to it’s complete market failure. Proprietary wheel size, limited range, motorycycle engine option for extended range, and horrible depreciation.

Two words- "Cyber Truck." I rest my case, your honor.

 

[r2fb]

I meant the i3…due to it’s complete market failure. Proprietary wheel size, limited range, motorycycle engine option for extended range, and horrible depreciation.

i3 is a failure as much as the Tesla Roadster was. I don't think either one are failures but companies dipping their toes in EVs

 

[CalDriver]

I own a 2021 Mustang Mach-E and was able to test drive an R2 yesterday. Here are some thoughts.

-The R2 was much faster, but I only own a standard range AWD Mach-E which for 2021 has 266 horsepower so huge jump in power and was really enjoyable for that reason alone.

-Really loved the way the interior looks, the seats are comfortable. My Mach-E is the premium trim and I feel it has the best seats from any vehicle I have spent time in, and at first test the R2 seemed quite close, potentially better it I spend more time in it.

-I really hated that I could not disable one pedal driving. The low setting feels like the Mach-E’s ‘unbridled’ driving mode with 1PD off. I don’t like slowing down so significantly every time I lift off the accelerator. I love the Mach E’s blended braking. I know blended braking can’t be done with a software update if the R2 doesn’t have the hardware for it, but I’d be perfectly happy with the brake pedal working as a normal brake pedal if Rivian would just create a no regen mode. I hate that this is likely driven by wanting to keep EPA numbers up since it would be such an easy software creation if the will was there.

-Not excessively noisy with all four windows down, something I like to do. I could not figure out how to open the rear window on my test drive though ‍

-I couldn’t get the radio to work on test drive. I know the vehicle doesn’t have a true radio, but I’m surprised some type of account login seemed to be required. Back at the Rivian Experience Center, I was able to test it out in the R2 they had in the store. It was hard to tell since other people were around with some windows open, but the sound quality sounded a bit worse than my Mach-E’s B&O system which is the upgraded version of the sound system on the Mach-E. The B&O system IMO barely is enough for an upgraded system, could be a lot better, R2 seems to fall a bit short of even this unfortunately on the radio front.

-Another thing with the radio, I thought maybe streaming via internet for radio would be great if it meant I could keep my local stations when traveling anywhere (just like satellite radio), but I noticed a bit of a delay when switching channels for the new station to buffer. This would be sort of annoying since I channel surf with the radio all the time so a pause before each station plays is kind of annoying.

-I got to drive the R2 on some twists and loved how it handled. While I sat higher than the Mach-E, the R2 still felt more sporty and more grippy in the corners. I had the 20 inch off-road wheels too. I don’t have a GT version of the Mach-E, maybe if I did I wouldn’t feel this way, but to me the R2 pulled off being more sporty to drive while having significantly much off-road chops. Color me impressed!

-The Mach-E does an excellent job of keeping the heat out from its panoramic roof. In my brief ride, the R2’s felt really good but maybe not quite at the Mach-E’s level. I’d want to test this more.

-The R2’s screens were much crisper and snappier than the Mach-E’s. I really felt that my screens were five years old now after driving the R2. I wasn’t sure how to do a lot of the stuff on the R2, but I chalk this up to just needing more time fiddling and learning how to so various things on the R2.

-The R2 seemed like it had a slightly smaller trunk compared to my Mach-E. I had to google this to see if true and it is. R2 has 28.7 cubic feet to the Mach-E’s 29.7 cubic feet. Not a huge difference, but in my mind I was expecting the R2 to be larger in every way. The frunk is much larger on the R2 though. I don’t use my frunk much on my Mach-E because I find it isn’t totally isolated from the road (I find dust in there), not sure if Rivian is better about this.

-Can I lock/unlock the R2 from any door? Only the driver’s doorhandle seemed to have the indentation on the handle that seemed to indicate some kind of pressure sensor. On the Mach-E all four doors have this and I am regularly locking/unlocking by pressing the sensor on any of the four doors depending on which one I am opening or closing either first or last.

-The R2 definitely seemed more Tesla-like in leaning toward a non-traditional car experience. More screen based than the Mach-E for controls. The Mach-E has traditional steering wheel buttons which are easy to use. I’d guess it’s a matter of getting used to for the wheels on the R2 but at first use they seemed much larger than they need to be/should be.

-I really liked the firm ride of the R2 in the firmest setting. I didn’t get to try any driving mode aside from the standard one. People complain that the Mach-E is too bouncy and some say too firm. My Mach-E does not have the MagneRide suspension. My Mach-E felt like the standard R2 suspension setting, maybe even slightly softer to me. My Mach-E being the premium has 19 inch wheels while my R2 test drive had the 20 inch off-road wheels.

-Overall, I really liked the R2. I will probably see if I can get used to one pedal driving on my Mach-E. In five plus years of owning the Mach-E I have tried one pedal driving numerous times and really dislike it. I don’t need a new vehicle, this is totally a discretionary spend. My order window is September-October. If I can’t resolve the 1PD issue either because Rivian implements a ‘no regen’ mode or I get used to it, I will probably have to pass, but aside from that overall a wonderful vehicle and clearly an upgrade on my five year old standard range, AWD, premium trim 2021 Mach-E.

 

[mdpa]

Two words- "Cyber Truck." I rest my case, your honor.

The Cybertruck continues to sell well. If I want a base version it is sold out until 2027. The Cybertruck is the best pickup available today by many metrics and competitive on payload, bed length, towing, power, storage, charging, efficiency, etc.

 

[r2fb]

The Cybertruck continues to sell well. If I want a base version it is sold out until 2027. The Cybertruck is the best pickup available today by many metrics and competitive on payload, bed length, towing, power, storage, charging, efficiency, etc.

Lmao you're a not interested in serious discussion if you think CT is selling well. It got outsold by the F150 Lightning and even that wasn't good enough for Ford so they cancelled it. CT is Elon's vanity project that has been an utter failure. They've tooled up for 250k cars/year and sold less than a tenth of that. They're giving them to Spacex and just had a fire sale of unsold launch models at half the price. They don't want to sell the base model hence the delays because they'll lose money on it. I actually would not be surprised if the base model never comes and they cancel the CT

 

[Mos Eisley]

Took a second test drive today in Canton, MA with my wife. It was all of 98 degrees Fahrenheit. I was excited to test it out with her, as her car needs replacement really soon. She got settled quickly and we were on our way. But dang, the air con! Once we finally go *enough* air to come out (Auto, Medium, LOW), I’ll tell you, it was LOUD. Very, very loud and we never quite got to feeling that cool. Not quite deafening, but closer than any car I’ve ever been in.

Overall, it was a good drive. The fit and finish of this one was much better than the first unit drove in Boston. I don’t like gray cars but the Half Moon Gray is absolutely gorgeous.

We then jumped in our I5N which had been sitting in the sun for 40 mins and were cool in < four mins with way, way less noise. Of course I had to approve two lawyer notices and wait 10 seconds for the infotainment to actually work … that is something I certainly wouldn’t miss!

Anyway, this drive was way better than the first, but neither of us jumped out ready to sign on the dotted. I guess I have between now and Aug - Sep to figure it out.

Also, I really wanted to test a Tri or Quad Gen 2R1T while I was there, but they had neither available. I’ve driven the dual and it just didn’t have the fiz my dumb brain always looks for.

Did you turn on the ventilated seats?

 

[tgo10000]

@CalDriver great comparison, I also have a 2021 Mach E Premium AWD as my daily driver and I love it. I agree a better comparison is the GT version. I hope Ford updates the Mach E but it is not looking like that is going to happen, which would be unfortunate.

I don’t like that frunk on the Mach E is optional now and the frunk was definitely easier to use on the R2 plus ford’s current color selection isn’t great imo.

OPD is tricky, if you don’t like it, I don’t seeing Rivian changing it, but I didn’t play around with the settings to see how low it goes because I like OPD.

Full disclosure, I’m not a CarPlay guy, for me the experience is meh and not interesting enough to be a hill to die on. Rivian’s UI is a great experience and my preference.

One area that has been a great experience in the R1 has been the software update cadence. That is an advantage against competitors like Volvo, ford or bmw. Volvo I’m leery of the software after the ex90 and ex30 had issues, I had deposits on both. I test drove the iX and it was great, I’m sure the ix3 will be great. But, R1 vehicles are better with more features than when they were originally purchased and they do listen to customer feedback.

 

[mdpa]

Lmao you're a not interested in serious discussion if you think CT is selling well. It got outsold by the F150 Lightning and even that wasn't good enough for Ford so they cancelled it. CT is Elon's vanity project that has been an utter failure. They've tooled up for 250k cars/year and sold less than a tenth of that. They're giving them to Spacex and just had a fire sale of unsold launch models at half the price. They don't want to sell the base model hence the delays because they'll lose money on it. I actually would not be surprised if the base model never comes and they cancel the CT

Yes, I believe Rivian R1T sales are comparable to the Cybertruck, so not a sales success like the Model Y, but the most advanced in the line up with 4 wheel steering, air suspension, 48V electrical system, steer by wire, stainless steel body, gorilla glass windows, vault, vehicle to load, vehicle to home, etc.

 

[r2fb]

LMAO stainless steel body is an advanced feature now, someone should tell DeLorean.

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