2027 Rivian R2 Tested: Catch It If You Can

• What's new: The Rivian R2 makes its highly anticipated debut at the Edmunds test track, and we've finally got the data on its 0-60 mph, quarter-mile time, and much more.
• Why it matters: A serious challenger to the Model Y Performance has finally arrived, but there are some major differences between the way these two drive.
• Edmunds says: Does a compact SUV need 656 horsepower? Absolutely not. Did that stop us from enjoying it? Not one bit.

The numbers

The most notable test result was the R2's acceleration, as you might expect. It's an incredibly easy vehicle to launch: Just put it in Sport, hit the little flag icon, and slide the happy mascot up (his name is Gary, apparently). Then you just smoosh the accelerator and the brake at the same time, release the brake, and zip away from whatever else was at that traffic light. 

When testing the larger R1S, it was sketchy under hard acceleration. That vehicle was on a body-on-frame (truck) platform and would rear back a lot, making the front wheels light, so keeping it pointed in the right direction required some dexterity. But the R2 is on a unibody (car) platform, just like the two SUVs we're comparing it to in the handy chart below. The good news is it feels a lot more stable than its R1 counterparts. You can just point it and go, and there's a little bit of squat, but it disappears quickly as the weight transfer evens out.

The Rivian doesn't have quite the same kick off the line you get from Teslas, but speed builds nearly as quickly. We got within a tenth of Rivian's estimated time at 3.7 seconds from 0 to 60 mph, but what stuck out more was that quarter-mile time. Many EVs start to taper off once they pass 60 mph, but the R2 just keeps pulling and building speed.

Even though the Model Y Performance and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N both beat it to 60, by the quarter mile, the Rivian has passed the Tesla and caught the Hyundai. Its trap speed of 128.1 mph is about 6 mph faster than both, and it matches the result of a Porsche 911 GTS T-Hybrid. That's not just quick; that's spitting distance from supercar territory. 

The other numbers don't jump off the page in the same way. Stopping distances are in line with those of both Model Ys, but its skidpad number is lower. The high-riding R2 (it's got an extra 3 inches of ground clearance over the Teslas) leans more, but its suspension controls body roll ably, and it never delves into sloppiness. 

None of those numbers can touch what the Ioniq 5 N puts up with its sticky summer rubber, and therein lies the big difference. The R2's less-than-stellar braking figure and average skidpad number can be attributed to the rock-hard all-season rubber it's wearing. Something more performance-oriented would make for more eye-catching figures, but this is an SUV with real off-road ability (as we found when we first drove it in the mountains above Park City, Utah), not track dominance, in mind. 

How does it drive?

Around our track, it's clear that the R2 isn't in its natural element, but that doesn't mean it can't be enjoyed. Rivian has given the SUV a slight rear torque bias with its electric motors, so you can even get the rear end to rotate a bit without much trouble. Through the corner, the steering feels light but direct, and once you make it to the next straightaway and open it up, it really gets to shine.

The Teslas have better steering and feel more immediate at the front, and that Ioniq 5 N will drive circles around all of them on a track thanks to all its extra grip. But the R2 doesn't make a mess of things, and on the street it's quite lovely as well. Its suspension is a bit on the firm side no matter which of the three settings you choose, so there's some chatter over broken pavement and it can get a little busy on the highway. But it deals with larger impacts like potholes and speed bumps really well, even with those definitely-too-big 21-inch wheels. 

Other, more reasonable versions of the R2 are coming later that will cost less and have less oomph, though even the single-motor versions will still have well over 300 horsepower. Those will probably make sense for more shoppers, because you don't really need your electric SUV to finish a 400-meter sprint at almost 130 mph. 

We'll be sure to put those to the test once we get our hands on one, but for now, you're stuck with a blisteringly quick SUV that's fun to drive and easy to enjoy all the time. Ain't nothin' the matter with that.