Finished R2 demo test drive? Share your review / impressions

[graytag]

The Count longs for a front bench seat option. IYKYK

The GrayTag longs for less 3rd person. I do, however, love a good bench seat.

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[Dennisis]

I have driven the R2 twice in San Diego. Love the car, with three caveats...

1. Glass roof transmitted heat on a 75 degree day even though the salesperson said it wouldn't. I just don't get the Tesla/Rivian passion for glass roofs. Stupid.

2. No Sirius/XM SATELLITE service. A significant problem for an avowed "off-road ready" vehicle. No cell service, no radio.

3. No CarPlay. Yes, the Rivian software design is excellent. However, it just isn't Apple. Let the user decide what to use.

With that said, I plan to get the R2 to replace my Kia EV6, which I also like.

I’ve installed tight fitting shades on both my MY’s, easy and made a big difference plus can remove in cool seasons.

 

[Dennisis]

We just test drove in Rochester NY and enjoyed it. As a five time Model Y owner:

Liked:
-The rear drop glass and all-up/down button is a great, underrated feature
-Visibility better than MY, with thinner A-pillars, great rear view, and big mirrors
-Great packaging, with cavernous back seat and interior storage, thoughtful cubbies
-Excellent exterior styling, way better looking IRL than our Model Y
-Nicely tuned suspension, and very quiet on the highway
-Nicely open front passenger space, unlike Model Y which feels closed off.
-Throttle mapping is better fit for real world smoothness compared to MY.
-V2L and space for spare are meaningful additions
-Build quality was totally fine, good even
-Certainly fast enough!

Eh
- Steering weight is very (very) light and not adjustable
-Audio system is 5.5 out of 10
-Seat shape and firmness were OK and better than many but noticeably not as good as R1 / Tesla.
-Haptic controls felt like a useless gimmick. Maybe better over time or as you get used to it or they refine it.

Did Not Like:
-Steering wheel material and some interior touch points feel surprisingly cheap, on the low end of acceptable for the price
-Black interior lacked contrast elements and felt too dark (Eager to see light interior)
-Frunk max height is very low, greatly reducing usability for tall people
-Motors get LOUD under full beans
-Seat coolers comically loud (not as bad on lvl 1)
-Didn't feel a huge difference in suspension modes
-Frunk and rear drop glass buttons are noticeably jank to use
-Blind spot cameras on binnacle display are way too small, cut off by steering wheel, and seemed dim when viewed with polarized sunglasses.

Overall, this seems like the best option by far for someone not wanting to give money to Musk, which is to say, a lot of people.

Steering weight should be adjustable with a software update I expect.

 

[Millbarge]

I think it's such a boring color and the seats are better wider/larger in the R1. I have the ocean coast R1 and would wait for the light interior without a doubt. Good thing is they are going to release coastal cloud much sooner than originally forecasted. I'm passing on my early reservations, keeping my R1 and will see if they release a Gen 3 worth upgrading to.

I wish there was some shade between those too choices - I think the Ocean Coast is just too light for my tastes.

 

[johnrsims43]

Took my test drive last Thursday (July 23rd), and was pleased with most aspects of the R2. Size is great, room inside is great, Sound inside is great, Audio is fine (as I've aged, my hearing has lost a few highs and lows, so I'm not so particular), User Interface is OK (I did find the display to be a bit "busy", with windows popping up, and not clear how to make them go away, although I did finally figure that out). Biggest problem (IMHO) is the steering. This is a fatal flaw for me. Way, Way, Way too soft. No feedback from the road through the steering. Felt disconnected, and it seemed "off". Not sure they have perfected the steering by wire. I would expect this can be fixed with a software update, and would hope it is a separate adjustment for the user to make (independent of the driving mode). My current ride is a 2022 Tesla M3 RWD, and even in "chill" mode it has plenty of power for daily driving. I doubt I would use Sport mode more than once or twice per year, and only then to show someone what it can do. This race for fastest acceleration makes no sense. Especially when you are disconnected from the road by the steering. Formula for disaster (IMO).
I'm scheduled for delivery in October/November. Unless steering is addressed I will cancel, and may still cancel since part of the appeal of the launch edition was the performance (which is not really needed). Simple two motor option will be more than enough.

 

[mr2]

Had test drive of R2 and MYP back to back.
First price: R2 will be 3-4K more expensive than MYP if ordering today. MYP all colors external and internal are included in $58K. Plus Tesla 'give' you mobile charger for $400.
MYP feels much faster, steering is really good and configurable, nimble and sporty. Seats are better too. Don't care about FSD but its there. Don't like MYP wheels - very little rubber and easy to scratch.
R2 is more truckish, wife called it 'tonka'. Like interior design, capacity and uniqueness. Lots of teslas around and its no fun to find my white tesla on the parking lot.
Overall prefer new MYP for now.

 

[sparked]

Had test drive of R2 and MYP back to back.
First price: R2 will be 3-4K more expensive than MYP if ordering today. MYP all colors external and internal are included in $58K. Plus Tesla 'give' you mobile charger for $400.

R2 Launch edition you get tow package and autonomy for free, so it's still pretty competitive for now. You just get different free stuff essentially. Will be interesting to see what Rivian does once the regular pricing and specs take over.

 

[DuoRivian]

I wish there was some shade between those too choices - I think the Ocean Coast is just too light for my tastes.

Ocean coast would be great with a black headliner.

 

[DuoRivian]

R2 Launch edition you get tow package and autonomy for free, so it's still pretty competitive for now. You just get different free stuff essentially. Will be interesting to see what Rivian does once the regular pricing and specs take over.

MYP has free paint and interior options so the difference re-emerges.

 

[mdpa]

R2 Launch edition you get tow package and autonomy for free, so it's still pretty competitive for now. You just get different free stuff essentially. Will be interesting to see what Rivian does once the regular pricing and specs take over.

Yeah, very close in price and value which is why they are being cross shopped by many. The Model Y Premium already had .99% interest rate, but the Model Y Performance just lowered the interest rate down to 3.99% from 5.64% potentially saving a few thousand dollars.

 

[sparked]

MYP has free paint and interior options so the difference re-emerges.

Not sure what you mean. You don't get free tow package and autonomy with MYP. So they're both just giving different freebies as I said in my post. "You just get different free stuff essentially."

 

[DuoRivian]

Not sure what you mean. You don't get free tow package and autonomy with MYP. So they're both just giving different freebies as I said in my post. "You just get different free stuff essentially."

I understand sometimes are free in the R2 LE and your point has been to spec that in the MYP would close the price gap. My point was when you option the R2 for paint and interior colors then the price gap opens up again and more people are choosing a different none free paint than requiring a tow pack.

 

[Leesonw]

Did my test drive today. We currently drive a model y and Nissan Leaf in our family. So, I am used to a car. The R2 definitely feels more like I would expect from an SUV. I could feel a sense of sway around corners. It felt smooth. It was quiet. The AC and cooled seats worked and I didn’t find them overly loud. Seats were comfortable. The audio seemed fine. I just played with the equalization a bit and that helped. I can understand the complaints about it. I could feel the heat from the sun on my head so I will likely get a screen for the roof. The horn seemed fine to me. The navigation seemed to work well. The back up camera is nice and clear. Love the Birds Eye view. Plenty of room. I’m 5’8” and can likely sleep in the back comfortably with the seats folded down. The black seats were definitely hot when I first got in. Plan to place an order when I get invited to do so August to September. Catalina cove, coastal cloud, 20 inch wheels.

 

[Dennisis]

I really don’t get the comparison, two different vehicles entirely. I’ve never taken my Teslas off road and avoid dirt and gravel roads but plan to get off the pavement a bit with my R2 - it’s designed to handle some light action. Nothing like my Toyota I took everywhere off road, including 5 nights on the White Rim trail years ago, but places I’d never consider taking a Tesla of any sort. No it’s not as efficient as the MYP but close enough for me, lots to love in the R2. And they’re just getting started. I’m done with Teslas, glad to finally have a great option.

 

[DuoRivian]

I really don’t get the comparison, two different vehicles entirely. I’ve never taken my Teslas off road and avoid dirt and gravel roads but plan to get off the pavement a bit with my R2 - it’s designed to handle some light action. Nothing like my Toyota I took everywhere off road, including 5 nights on the White Rim trail years ago, but places I’d never consider taking a Tesla of any sort. No it’s not as efficient as the MYP but close enough for me, lots to love in the R2. And they’re just getting started. I’m done with Teslas, glad to finally have a great option.

Entirely different?? Similar price, very close on overall size, frunk, passenger and cargo capacity. Same spec level names, very similar performance and range (EPA) range figures. Rivian themselves quite the Model Y as a key competitor. Just because the R2 could do some more light off roading (for the minority that would use it that way) does not make the vehicles “entirely different”.

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