The Rivian R2 is an affordably priced, surprisingly luxurious, electric SUV. With over 300 miles of range, exceptional comfort, and a good amount of acceleration it makes a solid daily driver for anyone looking at a mid-sized SUV EV. But it’s also surprisingly handy off-road too.
Dual-motor versions are all-wheel drive by default. The R2 also features semi-active suspension, and some trims come with all-terrain tires. The vehicle has a very decent 9.6-inches of ground clearance too, along with approach and departure angles of 25 and 26 degrees respectively. Add in the thick sheet of armor protecting the R2’s battery, and you have something that’s capable of braving some pretty significant trails on paper.
But who cares about how it looks on paper. In order to find out how it does on actual dirt, I aired down and headed up a couple of Utah’s mountains in one of the new Rivians.
I got to the top of a mountain in a Rivian R2
Rivian seems pretty proud of the R2’s off-roading abilities. So much so that a good chunk of the first-drive event was dedicated to getting one up a mountain. The route up involved a mix of easier and harder trails and water crossings. Most of the route was a dirt and gravel trail with some good-sized ruts to avoid, though it did get a lot more technical towards the summit.
There were also several water crossings to navigate, though nothing was particularly deep or fast flowing there. Most of the route up was what I would consider mild to moderate off-roading. It involved some narrower sections where cameras had to be used (though a spotter would have been handy) to make sure the vehicle stuck to a tight and particular route. It did get a lot more technical towards the end though, with several large rocks and ruts dotting a narrow trail up to the summit.
Now for the downsides. The R2 has an open diff. Which saves money, means there are fewer parts to go wrong, and will likely be fine for the majority of people who buy one. Unfortunately, a limited slip or locking diffs are pretty handy in an off-road vehicle. They stop the vehicle putting all of the power through whichever wheel is spinning with the least resistance.
I did manage to get the vehicle up the mountain trail, but when said trail got tough near the top some rethinking and extra patience was needed. If I happened to attack a ledge or rock too aggressively, I’d inevitably be greeted with a lot of wheelspin. So I had to drop the R2 into reverse, back up a touch, and rethink my approach a few times on my way up the mountain
If the R2 had a locking or limited slip differential, this wouldn’t have been an issue. I could’ve just powered up any obstacles I encountered. But that wasn’t the case here.
The Rivian R2 really impressed me on the downhill sections
It was going downhill where, for me, the Rivian R2 really stood out. Coming down from the mountain top, our guide sent me along a route I wouldn’t have picked myself if I was tasked with getting the electric SUV back down from the summit.
It contained deep ruts, and some pretty hefty drop offs. There were a few occasions when I heard a thud or a scrape as a rock came into contact with the shielding armoring the vehicle’s battery pack. That shielding is designed to handle pretty much anything you’ll encounter on a trail. As the R2 doesn’t have a differential or sump hanging below it, it’s arguably far less likely to get taken out by a trail-hazard than a traditional off-road vehicle.
The cameras were pretty handy in some of the blinder areas, though admittedly many other manufacturers do a better job with trail/parking cameras. Either giving you a “pass through” view or lines to show where your tires are. Rivian has cameras pointed at both the front and back wheels, but that requires a little more thought when picking your exact line.
I wish I’d seen more of the Rivian R2’s “Rally Mode”
Right before we got back to “basecamp” I was treated to a couple of long, pretty straight, dirt roads. It was during this time that the man from Rivian suggested I try out the vehicle’s “Rally Mode.”
From what I can gather, this acts as you would expect. More power, a little more wheel spin, everything you need to make dirt a lot more fun. Unfortunately. My time with “rally mode” was all too brief and safe. I only had a brief strip to try it out on, that included a water crossing where we were told to avoid upsetting the local wildlife, and I didn’t want to be the guy who puts the press vehicle into a ditch sideways through sheer stupidity. So it was all a bit tame.
I would love to try out the R2, and “rally mode” again though. Ideally on a good, long, dirt track I’m pretty familiar with.
The Rivian R2 might be an overlanding success story
So, despite some worries about off-roading in an EV, and the lack of things like a locking diff, the Rivian R2 is still one of the more off-road capable production vehicles around these days. Couple it with the number of accessories the vehicle has, including a rear air bed and roof tent, and you might have a very capable overlanding vehicle on your hands.
Of course, most people will keep their Rivian R2 on the road. But it’s good to know the option is there if you want to take Rivian’s latest EV off the beaten path and have a bit of an adventure.
