Crossed 2000 miles and nearly 100 hours in the R2... all I can say is I am happy with my purchase

[rvnxyz001]

I have a 2023 R1T Quad and I'm planning on trading it for an R2 when my number comes up. The R1 is a great vehicle. But it's also a great BIG vehicle. Most of my driving is urban and suburban, not highway and not trails. The R2 just looks like it will be a better fit for my needs.

I assume money isn't really a factor for you at all, meaning you could comfortably keep the R1 or buy another one without the price difference really mattering.

So is it basically that the R1 was never quite the vehicle you actually wanted, but it was the closest thing Rivian offered at the time, and now the R2 is simply a much better fit?

That's what I'm trying to understand about R1 owners moving to the R2. A lot of them seem wealthy enough that saving $20k or $30k probably isn't meaningful in the decision. It seems less like "downgrading to save money" and more like they bought the R1 because they wanted a Rivian, despite it being much bigger and more capable than they needed, and now Rivian finally makes the size of vehicle they would have preferred from the beginning.

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[TXKidd]

It seems less like "downgrading to save money" and more like they bought the R1 because they wanted a Rivian, despite it being much bigger and more capable than they needed, and now Rivian finally makes the size of vehicle they would have preferred from the beginning.

Can't speak for everyone else, but I never "needed" the full capability of the R1T I just traded for an R2. I originally got into one with the early pre-order discount. At that time it seemed like an absolute no-brainer to go with the R1T for only a little more (relatively) than a Model Y Performance was going for at the time. It's just a much more interesting and capable vehicle.

Now that there is an offering from Rivian that ticks most of the boxes for what I actually need, and is better suited for my overall driving, it doesn't necessarily feel like a downgrade so much as just fitting into my life better. It definitely helps that it is significantly cheaper than a comparable version of the R1T's I have owned would be these days as well.

 

[Teddy184]

I purchased a 2022 R1T at 73k and received the fed tax credit of $7500 and a check from Mass for $7500 at a time when the truck was being flipped for $140k. It's been a great vehicle but it's now over 4 yrs old and it's going to cost me very little to get into an R2. I had a Volvo XC60 prior to the R1T and i liked the size so the R2 should work out nicely.

 

[mcjohnson]

I'm surprised how owners of luxury r1 easily switch to mainstream r2. Are those really similar in terms of interior materials and features? What makes r1* twice more expensive (excluding internals)?

I didn't drive any of them, just took a quick look at an R1 interior once. I haven't spent much time with it, but my first impression was that it felt way better than the R2.

I made this switch.

My R2 is my 4th Rivian. Had 2 R1S TriMax Gen 2's, and a Trimax R1T (storm blue, fully loaded).

My previous R1's all had the upgrade Ascend interior.. and all were stunning. They were/are better interiors, no question.

My R1T is/was my favorite vehicle that I've ever owned. Better than a 2025 Landcruiser, better than previous F150, better than my beloved 2006 4Runner that I drove for nearly a decade.

But, it was over $100k and big. For 95% of my usage, the R2 is better.

Easier to park, cheaper to insure, better back seat for my daughter.. and the most important feature, my wife LOVES driving it.

That, and.. the R2 isn't as "nice" - but it feels better built. I don't know how to quantify it, but it feels like a more mature product. Simpler, better built, far quieter on the road.

Time will tell if it's reliable.

Do I miss the R1T? Yes.

Am I happier (overall) with the R2 for my family's daily needs, also yes.

 

[kurtlikevonnegut]

I'm enjoying the greatly reduced complexity for this situation. R2's seating is around the same height as an R1 in kneel. Maybe even slightly lower (I haven't measured). Suspension travel is still great for the summer time condition of our gravel roads. I might hate it come fall/winter when they tend to have much larger holes and worse washboard.

I'm enjoying the vastly simplified suspension as well. To my senses they did a fantastic job of tuning it for every day driving.

It doesnt have the articulation of the R1, it also doesn't stay as flat when cornering, but it seems to hold its line better (in spite of having more body roll) and it feels so much lighter than R1.

 

[LMI - R1T]

The low bit in the beggining was when it started tracking me while I was in Tahuya. The middle where nothing was being tracked was a combo of being in service for the subwoofer dying and being at the detail shop for tint and ceramic coating for a few days along with PDR from bouncing it off a tree. This thing just floats on the road in a good way. Coming from 2 R1T into more of a small suv/cuv and mild all terrains I feel like I can drive around town so much easier now.

 

[LMI - R1T]

The low bit in the beggining was when it started tracking me while I was in Tahuya. The middle where nothing was being tracked was a combo of being in service for the subwoofer dying and being at the detail shop for tint and ceramic coating for a few days along with PDR from bouncing it off a tree. This thing just floats on the road in a good way. Coming from 2 R1T into more of a small suv/cuv and mild all terrains I feel like I can drive around town so much easier now.

Say hello to my little friend.

 

[iamnid]

That, and.. the R2 isn't as "nice" - but it feels better built. I don't know how to quantify it, but it feels like a more mature product. Simpler, better built, far quieter on the road.

I agree 100% with this. After both R2 test drives, I notice this when I get back in my R1S. It just feels clunkier, more rattly, and ponderous to drive.

 

[emroch]

I've been driving an R1S for the past 24 hours while my R2 is in service, and besides being bulkier, it also just makes some mechanical noises. I heard several clunks and whirs and whines coming from under the body, presumably from things like the air suspension, but it sounded like a Transformer was going to shapeshift and I would be sitting in a giant robot instead of a car...

Some of the touch points on the R1 are nicer, but the R2 feels way better to drive IMO. Granted, I'm comparing it to a Gen 1 R1S with 20k miles, so not exactly a fair comparison.

 

[rvnxyz001]

I'm wondering how Rivian even survived as a company after reading about how horrible the R1 is, especially for a $100k car

 

[NCBob]

I assume money isn't really a factor for you at all, meaning you could comfortably keep the R1 or buy another one without the price difference really mattering.

So is it basically that the R1 was never quite the vehicle you actually wanted, but it was the closest thing Rivian offered at the time, and now the R2 is simply a much better fit?

That's what I'm trying to understand about R1 owners moving to the R2. A lot of them seem wealthy enough that saving $20k or $30k probably isn't meaningful in the decision. It seems less like "downgrading to save money" and more like they bought the R1 because they wanted a Rivian, despite it being much bigger and more capable than they needed, and now Rivian finally makes the size of vehicle they would have preferred from the beginning.

I'm not sure I would have bought the R2 over the R1T Quad if they had both been available when I bought the R1. I was blown away by the R1's power and capabilities and I really, really wanted one. Once I got it I wasn't disappointed, but I did eventually come to the realization that I was seduced by a vehicle that was more than I needed, and that I would probably never use a fraction of its capabilities. Even now I wouldn't consider trading it in for an R2 except that the R1 is just too big for my garage, parking lots, side roads, ...

 

[a9967]

I've been driving an R1S for the past 24 hours while my R2 is in service, and besides being bulkier, it also just makes some mechanical noises. I heard several clunks and whirs and whines coming from under the body, presumably from things like the air suspension, but it sounded like a Transformer was going to shapeshift and I would be sitting in a giant robot instead of a car...

Some of the touch points on the R1 are nicer, but the R2 feels way better to drive IMO. Granted, I'm comparing it to a Gen 1 R1S with 20k miles, so not exactly a fair comparison.

I'm in a similar boat, but a gen 2 R1S with 5k miles. The R2 is leagues better. If you don't need the extreme capabilities/size of the R1, the R2 is better in every way that counts.

 

[Mysta]

I assume money isn't really a factor for you at all, meaning you could comfortably keep the R1 or buy another one without the price difference really mattering.

So is it basically that the R1 was never quite the vehicle you actually wanted, but it was the closest thing Rivian offered at the time, and now the R2 is simply a much better fit?

That's what I'm trying to understand about R1 owners moving to the R2. A lot of them seem wealthy enough that saving $20k or $30k probably isn't meaningful in the decision. It seems less like "downgrading to save money" and more like they bought the R1 because they wanted a Rivian, despite it being much bigger and more capable than they needed, and now Rivian finally makes the size of vehicle they would have preferred from the beginning.

For people that swap cars periodically it's also about the right timing too. New autonomous features, as some said, suspension/warranty is coming up, while the r1 suspension was very versatile, it unfortunately was pretty loud for a lot of us early adopters.(kinda always feels a bit loose)

Only reason i'm hesitant is i'd love to keep 300 mi true range like my r1t has, and I wouldn't mind having the newer autopilot hardware.

 

[starbux]

Truth be told I will more than likely go to an R1S when the Gen 3 comes out with Lidar and what not... or to a Scout.

 

[Eric9610]

My R2 is the 3rd Rivian, had a 2023 R1T QM (sold for the R2) and a 2024 R1S QM. In every driving characteristic the R2 is better. Precise quiet and very smooth. It may have the best driving experience of all current Rivian's. The main driver in replacing the truck was the limited interior space and the out of warranty costs. Replacing the suspension and hydraulic system in almost $24k out of pocket.

In order of ride quality:

1st R2
2nd R1T
5th R1S

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