Can the 2027 Rivian R2 beat the best EVs out there?

We can’t hide our excitement over Rivian’s new R2 SUV. We’ve been thrilled at the idea of a junior R1S, and that’s exactly what our first drive revealed: all that Rivian goodness in a smaller, more affordable package. But any vehicle seems good with no context; what matters is how it compares to its peers.

No soft-soaping here: We gathered three of the very best electric SUVs on the market for a comparison test. Destination: Mammoth Lakes, California, favored vacationland of Ryan Ono, a beloved MotorTrend staffer who passed away almost exactly one year ago. Ono rarely had a byline on our stories, but he was a beloved, critical cog in the MT machine, and one of his billion jobs was crewing and lending a hand during these comparisons. His spirit remains a big part of our culture, especially during multivehicle evaluations like this.

Rivian sent us an R2 in top-of-the-line Performance AWD trim with a 656-hp dual-motor powertrain, wood and faux-leather interior, 975-watt stereo, panoramic sunroof, and matrix LED headlights. Options included the Launch package, which adds 4,400-pound towing and Rivian’s Autonomy+ advanced driver assistance system (ADAS; we’ll be using that acronym a lot today). Optional Catalina Cove paint…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/money/