Rivian says the R2 has been named MotorTrend’s 2027 SUV of the Year, chosen from a field of 32 gas, hybrid, and electric contenders. The company said the win is its second MotorTrend title, following the R1T’s 2022 Truck of the Year award. Rivian announced the result on November 11, 2026, after the R2 was earlier named TopGear.com’s 2027 SUV of the Year.
MotorTrend measures every vehicle in the running against the same six criteria: advancement in design, engineering excellence, performance of intended function, value, safety, and efficiency. “Rivian accomplished a feat that the other EV companies couldn’t: They became the first EV startup to win two Of the Year awards,” said Ed Loh, head of editorial for MotorTrend. RJ Scaringe, Rivian founder and CEO, said, “Just a few months after our first R2 deliveries, to see this vehicle selected as the 2027 SUV of the Year is a full-circle moment.”
Rivian says the R2 was built on an all-new, dedicated line at its Normal, Illinois, manufacturing facility, which also builds the R1S and R1T. The company is constructing a second plant in Stanton Springs, Georgia, which it expects to begin assembling vehicles in late 2028. Rivian said the initial phase of that plant will provide up to 300,000 units of annual capacity for the R2, its upcoming robotaxi platform, and future models and variants.
The R2 comes in three trims. The Performance trim is available now from $57,990 with the Launch Package, with a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system that makes 656 hp and 609 lb-ft of torque, reaches 60 mph in as little as 3.6 seconds, and delivers up to 330 miles of EPA-estimated range. The Premium trim starts at $53,990 and is available in late 2026, with 450 hp, 537 lb-ft of torque, a 4.6-second 0 to 60 mph time, and up to 330 miles of EPA-estimated range.
The Standard trim is available in spring 2027 from $48,490 in rear-wheel-drive Long Range form, with 350 hp, 355 lb-ft of torque, a 5.9-second 0 to 60 mph time, and up to 345 miles of Rivian-estimated range. A second Standard variant arrives in summer 2027 from $44,990 with 275-plus miles of Rivian-estimated range.