Roughly two years after its introduction, the Rivian R2 has finally started rolling off its Normal, Illinois, manufacturing line. Although we’ve seen camouflaged testers and even driven preproduction versions of Rivian’s latest vehicle, now that final validation and adjustments have been made, the R2 will reach owners by late spring.
This milestone is a significant step for Rivian; its smallest SUV uses a totally new architecture and starts at a sub-$50,000 price point, making it the first mass-market Rivian product.
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That said, the initial versions will be R2 Performance variants that start at $57,990 and come packed with 656 horsepower and dual-motor AWD. These will be distinguished by Compass Yellow accents and brake caliper paint.
Additionally, the Launch Package version of the R2 Performance will include a special key fob, the tow package, and Autonomy Plus, and will be the only version to get the Launch Green paint job.
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Later this year, the Premium trim—with 450 horsepower and dual-motor AWD—will roll off the Normal line at a starting price of $53,990. It will lack the top-spec SUV’s semi-active suspension and Compass Yellow accents but most everything else will be the same, including the 4,400-pound towing capacity, lowering tailgate glass, tow hooks, and dynamic front LED lighting.
Rivian will begin building the most affordable R2 models in 2027. The $48,490 Standard Long Range with a choice of rear- or all-wheel drive arrives early next year a few months ahead of the basic R2 Standard that starts around $45,000.
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The 2027 Rivian R2 is available to order now and demo drives will be available for prospective customers later this year.