VSG
Well-Known Member
What do you mean by "low ground clearance"? The R2 has one of the highest ground clearances of any stock vehicle, outside of "Rubicon" packages and vehicles like Jeeps which are designed primarily for off-road (with some on-road ability as a practical compromise
). Likewise for articulation.I always compare the R2 to my Gen3 4Runner, since they're very similar (much more so than any of the vehicles that people normally compare the R2 to). The R2 has the same ground clearance and about the same articulation as the Gen 3 4Runner. No one has ever called the Gen 3 4Runner "bad" for off-roading, and it could be made "great" with aftermarket mods.
The R2, being brand-new, doesn't have any aftermarket yet, and it remains to be see how much the suspension can be modified. But you have to remember that, unlike Jeep, the R2 is NOT intended to be an off-road vehicle - the more extreme the mod, the less likely it's possible on an R2. The R2 was built and marketed as an "adventure" vehicle, and Rivian has been clear that while they believe it is more capable off road than almost any stock vehicle available, that is not its primary purpose.
It's really only the internet narrative that is portraying these as off-roader wanna bees. As many people have said, the vast majority will never take these "off road". However that is not why people buy vehicles like this - they want (or simply just appreciate) the high ground clearance so they don't scrape their front bumper on the curb in parking lot, or on those speed bumps, or lose their muffler when they miss the curb cut. They want the elevated seating position for visibility, they want to be able to get into the vehicle without crouching down like they're sitting down on the floor. They want the space for tall or long cargo, even if they don't need it that often, and they want to know that they *can* take it camping, or to a national park, or to drive down those dirt/gravel roads to get to the trail or the point of interest, and not get stuck on the bad road - something few people would consider doing with a sedan. Getting these advantages usually requires giving up the things that people have to live with day-to-day, like quietness, high-speed handling, gas mileage, etc. Jeeps and 4Runners suck if you're taking long road trips. Sedans suck if on anything other than smooth flat open pavement. But the R2 handles both extremes well.
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