After months of teasers and anticipation, the 2026 Rivian R2 finally debuted — and it’s not alone.
Despite some information we knew ahead of the teasers and yesterday’s cache of pre-reveal numbers, Rivian had some surprises up its sleeve for today’s reveal of the R2 SUV. For those who missed the earlier information drops, here’s a quick primer: The R2 is a two-row, five-seater SUV that’s smaller than Rivian’s flagship R1S SUV, and meant to compete in the same segment as the Tesla Model Y, Ford Mustang Mach-E and Volkswagen ID.4. This model will launch in early 2026 with a price tag of $45,000 (at least to start). Like its larger sibling, however, it has a far stronger outdoorsy, adventurous vibe, and it surprisingly wasn’t the only debut the automaker had for us today (more on the others in a moment).
At first glance, the 2026 Rivian R2 does indeed have an unmistakably strong resemblance to the R1S form the outside. It has the same boxy design, but at 185.6 inches long, 75 inches wide (excluding the mirrors) and 66.9 inches tall, it is a decent bit smaller than its larger stablemate. (The Rivian R1S is 15.4 inches longer, 7 inches wider and 10.1 inches taller than this, based on specs that emerged yesterday).
In the spirit of being a capable electric off-roader, the 2026 Rivian R2 packs about 10 inches of ground clearance. That’s better than its EV rivals, and on par with some midsize off-road SUVs like the Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro. It’s a bit short of the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon’s 10.8 inches, but it’s still a good figure in its own right for what is a compact-ish SUV.
Inside, the 2026 Rivian R2 sports what looks to be an appropriately luxurious interior, like its big brother.
Instead of machine gunning the steering wheel with buttons, however, the company elected to give it two large wheels, which incorporate haptic feedback to change up the feel when you scroll through various menus and options. Like the R1, there’s a digital instrument cluster in front of the driver, as well as a large, landscape-oriented infotainment screen.
While the R2 will only seat five people, it also gets a sizable cargo area and frunk to store some gear. If you’re looking to camp in the car, both the first and second rows fold completely flat to create one large box. Unlike the R1S, the R2 actually has not just one, but two gloveboxes! That may seem like a fairly minor detail, but considering the reaction during the livestream where folks collectively lost their minds, it’s a thoughtful touch on Rivian’s part. Other interesting touches include the rear tailgate window which rolls down similar to the Toyota 4Runner, and power-opening rear windows behind the C-pillars, which vent out to offer rear passengers or campers a bit of extra fresh air.
The 2026 Rivian R2 also brings a bevy of 11 cameras and 5 radar sensors to the party, enabling a “high level of autonomous driving” (per CEO RJ Scaringe) and the ability for drivers to see a multitude of angles around the car when they need to. Rivian also prides its R1 series’ IIHS Top Safety Pick+ awards, and aims to have the same level of safety-minded design and features with this smaller SUV. Over-the-air updates will also allow the automaker to roll out new features and provide updates to improve the experience once the first R2s roll out to customers in a couple years.
What powertrain options will the Rivian R2 have?
At launch, the 2026 Rivian R2 will be available with three drivetrain configurations. A single-motor version driving the rear wheels will be the entry-level choice (and the one that will get you that $45,000, when it does become available). The dual-motor, all-wheel drive setup incorporates a motor on the front and rear axle, and will likely be the one most buyers go for. Finally, there is also a tri-motor all-wheel drive option, with two motors at the rear and one at the front.
Rivian claims the highest-performance tri-motor model will be able to sprint from 0-60 in under three seconds, handily beating the current Tesla Model Y Performance and Ford Mustang Mach-E GT. Rivian has not yet cited exact power output, but it’s certainly potent, if that 0-60 claim shakes out in real-world driving scenarios.
Two battery pack options will be available, as well. The single motor with the larger pack will be capable of more than 300 miles of range. Again, full specs are not available yet, but the company does insist all its setups land around that figure (but we’ll have to wait and see how much the smaller pack, dual- and tri-motor models actually manage closer to launch). Rivian also says drivers will be able to charge the battery pack from 10% to 80% state-of-charge in under 30 minutes.
You can reserve the R2 now
The reservation website for the 2026 Rivian R2 is available now, and you can reserve one with a $100 deposit. The first deliveries are slated for the first half of 2026, though we don’t have more specific information than that yet.
Rivian said it would utilize its production capacity in Normal, Illinois to build the R2, as it’s paused plans on its new facility in Social Circle, Georgia. It said it will resume construction “later”, but did not specify a date. So, for now, it plans to save costs while ramping its existing production capacity to expand its model lineup.
If you want something even smaller…meet the Rivian R3 and R3X.
Here’s where the big surprise comes in: The Rivian R2 wasn’t the only car Scaringe introduced in Laguna Beach, California today. We also saw the even smaller R3 and R3X make an appearance, as well.
These two sit another size class down from the R2, creating a wider portfolio of models depending on what your particular needs are. In fact, even though it sports the same face as the R1 and R2, the R3 comes off a bit more hatchback-ish in its design. In addition to a regular R3, a performance version dubbed the R3X joined it on stage.
We don’t have much information on these models yet, including what they might cost. Hopefully, we’ll have more details in the coming months.
Tommy is on-site right now producing videos on Rivian’s reveals today, so stay tuned for more updates!
