I did not have any issues with closing the Frunk. It did not take a lot of force to close it to the self closing latch.
You know when you close something that's supposed to be power operated but you don't know where the button is so you just sort of muscle it closed? yeah, if feels like that. And keep in mind, when you do this, you're going to have something in one hand like a bag of groceries. I use my frunk in my R1T for groceries often and often times have both hands full of plastic bags of groceries when I get home, so it's super easy to just hit the button and walk away.
Curious, did you try sport mode for the steering wheel feedback?
That's a great call out - no, I stayed in All-Purpose. I never went to sport in the R1T (or the i5N) as the roads are just too poor here. but maybe that would have been better. Thanks.Curious, did you try sport mode for the steering wheel feedback?
This is in the manual
I wouldn't expect the steering to match the 5N (I've not driven it, but I've heard nothing but good things). But I drove the R2 today in Sport mode, and I compared the handling to an X5, because it drives bigger than it is and I could feel its weight, but I thought it drove really well.
Since you are a fellow 5N owner... my 5N was SCARY BAD at hard braking in the first 500 miles I was considering having the brakes inspected. Post Sebring track day... they are perfect lol.
User Error.
Thanks for your detailed description of the audio system. I have been concerned that the R2 audio would not perform as well as what i am used to, because Rivian relies on Bluetooth to play tunes from an owner's library. What i have been using for years is a usb stick with my audio library of mp3 files stored on it. I understand usb sticks cant be used in any Rivians, because they lack a data ready usb port. I Have used the usb stick in Teslas, a Lucid Air, and now my BMW iX. In each vehicle i have found bluetooth audio sound to be inferior to this usb stick approach. And these cars include software that automatically organize and display the albums/tunes nicely. I get the impression you havent tried the usb stick approach. but , of course, i could be wrong. Please let us know if you have tried the usb stick approach.OK - here're my thoughts after spending a little more than an hour in the R2 playing with the tech, poking and prodding. This was not a test drive.
Quick background: I don't own a Rivian. I've test-driven the R1S in various guises five times. I had high hopes for the R2 and made a reservation last Winter. The last few days, I've been experiencing cold feet, which is not normal for me. I'm a tech-forward guy, always run the beta's on my iPhones and research to a fault.
But for some reason, I was beginning to fear that buying a $60k vehicle that is launching with some features that are barely alpha, let alone beta would be a bad idea. Then there's the drumbeat in forums and social media of "everything that is wrong with Rivians"... I'm well aware that forums collect enthusiasts and the gripers; regardless, I've been seriously doubting my choice of an R2 the last few days.
Over the past few weeks, I retested or drove for the first time an Ioniq5, a GV60, the Lyriq, Volvo EX30 and today, the car that was supposdely cancelled in the US then showed up at a dealer this week, the 2026 KIA EV6. The EV6 was the car I almost bought in 2022.
I stopped in at the Rivian Space today hoping to fenagle a test drive but no luck. However, the guys were incredibly accommodating and let me play around in them for an hour, including giving me almost 15 minutes in one of the testers in the parking lot while they waited for the reservation driver. He told me to crank up the volume as loud as I wantedFrankly - I was smitten with the R2 as soon as I saw it.
Dimensions: After all of the "it's smaller than I thought it would be's" - it wasn't. Bigger actually. Rivian got every single proportion exactly right as far as I want. I'm 6'2". Roomy! Every button, screen and nob is right where I'd want it with very little adjustment once I had the seat set. The vehicle height is ideal. Easy to get in and out. If hand-washing, reaching the roof and across it will be easy. The width: R2 sits wide on it's haunches and it just looks right.
Storage: I'll never use all the storage the R2 offers. The space beneath the back floor is cavernous. Even with a spare, there's substantial room beneath that. With the storage in the armrest, the nicely fitted pullout drawer, the two glove boxes, the door pockets (which I'll never use).... there's a clown-car's worth of storage capacity in R2.
The Seats: VERY comfy. Again, I was in one for most of an hour and never noticed any discomfort.
Interior Materials/Fit & Finish: VERY polished. Tactilely, everything felt good to the touch and under hand. It's got a very buttoned-up, Scandi minimalism and it's done to a high degree. Every bit as well done and generally much better than every other EV I've driven the past few weeks. I like the Coastal Cloud - but I really likely the cozy comfort of this dark scheme.
The Haptic Halo Wheels: Love them. They didn't feel "chintzy" as a couple of reviewers described them. Sure, they're not knurled aluminum billet, but they felt solid and intuitive. Long-term, for all of the work Rivian is asking of them, will be interesting to see how they hold up. If the mechanism will "loosen up with age" they could get to be a little fiddly as I mentioned earlier. New though? Loved them. One other "concern" that I'll want to explore when I get to drive it, how easy will it be to hit them while turning the steering wheel. They're right where I tend to rest my palms in my current vehicle.
Sound System: Let me preface this buy saying I was a symphony musician, broadcaster and audio producer for about 25 years. So I have experience - and strong opinions. And when It comes to car enthusiasts... I'm well aware that every listener has very strong and often opposing opinions on what sounds good to them.
I connected my phone and had a "Test Drive" playlist of exceptionally-produced examples across several genres including Contemporary Pop, Dance/Electronic/House, Classic Rock, Orchestral, Acapella Choral, Solo Cello. All artists/recordings with wide, well-captured sound spaces, broad dynamic range etc. Yes, the obvious and enormous caveat: streaming over Bluetooth. But that's what R2 and just about every other vehicle has... and unless somebody devises a way to install a file system, playback and DAC... that's what we get.
After a recent revisit of an R1S. I get the complaints - the system struggles a bit the properly fill that enormous interior space. That said, after some concerted fiddling with the EQ, the current R1S is/can be really quite good. The R2? It's very good. Miles better than R1. And better than every other EV I drove recently including EV6's Meridian . But it REALLY gets good AFTER you get to know the -thankfully- very granular EQ settings. And 98% of the public really has no idea how to properly EQ audio. The out of the box presets are actually better than most and, with some patient tuning, I was able to get each category sounding quite good, even exceptional to my tastes. If a car can give a rich, honest and transparent playback of groups like Voces 8, HUGE WIN. Rivian always says, "it will get better over time." They are starting with the bar set very high. I'd be happy with it as is and will be excited for how it could be improved. Yup- I said it. A week or so ago in this forum I said you can't software your way around the physical limitations of an audio design. Rivian might prove me wrong, at least in this use case. It's not a Linn turntable and McKintosh tube amp through viintage Magnepans... but this system is very good.
The Frunk: Spacious enough for my needs though I now agree with the discussion that the lack of power opener might be a miss. The hood is heavy/wide and the gas shock does not provide enough assistance. If you're short or more slight, the frunk lid is a bit burdensome. Also, the opening hood height is too low. I'm certain I'll hit my head on it at some point. I could wish for it to open at least another 6-12". Neither are deal breakers for me but room to improve.
The Frunk is fully gasketed and feels very durable inside. Well lit.
Overall- the R2 is a complete homerun... and I haven't even driven it. I went in wanting to be convinced it was the wrong choice, and within minutes was convinced I have to have one.
For what it's worth, the Rivian spaces thought my number probably wouldn't come up until... next Spring.
iHeart is a streaming app. Doesn't require a subscription to use but, at least for the phone and desktop apps where it inserts its own ads. What little FM I listened to in it I didn't hear the inserted ads.
In the Rivian R2? No - and as far as I know, R2 is just like R1 - not possible. The USB-C ports are reserved for Gear Guard etc. There are threads here discussing workarounds but they only work when parked. It's been said that Rivian has had it on their roadmap but I'm sure it's one of those things that less than 1% of users actually want so...
Watching the people in the Rivian Space play with it, it was clear nobody quite understood how to do it, including the Rivian reps. I think that is adding to the confusion or consternation of some. The first time I did it, I thought I was doing it wrong. But once you figure it out it's OK. As I mentioned further up the thread, I do think a better gas strut will give the hood a little lighter touch.
All the videos so far say R2 is a rocket... BUT they Pirelli's on the 21" - you can hear them complain in the twisties and reviewers have commented on that. And of course, the stock's 20's w/AT tires aren't performance tires. So judging it vs a Model Y will be tough until you can get comparable rubber. And let's be honest neither a Model Y nor R2 are supposed to be track/performance carsR2 Performance will not handle like a 5N for sure...it has like double the ground clearance
I'll test drive it when there is an open spot. Its kinda hard snagging a demo drive but looking forward to it. I hope it drives much better than the tri-motor R1 I test drove last week. I'm not expecting crazy performance as I daily a Highland M3P but hoping its as good as the Model Y Performance on the street.
