# 2027 Rivian R2 Performance First Drive- When Smaller is a Big Deal. Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/driven-car-reviews-1050499/2027-rivian-r2-performance-first-drive-when-smaller-is-a-big-deal Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/driven-car-reviews-1050499/2027-rivian-r2-performance-first-drive-when-smaller-is-a-big-deal.md Podcast: [Driven Car Reviews](https://stenobird.com/podcast/driven-car-reviews-1050499) Published: 2026-07-09T21:00:00+00:00 Episode link: https://drivencarreviews.libsyn.com/rivian-r2-test-drive Audio file: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/drivencarreviews/2027_Rivian_R2_Test_Drive_Review-SD_480p.mov?dest-id=185214 Processing state: not_requested JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/driven-car-reviews-1050499/episodes/2027-rivian-r2-performance-first-drive-when-smaller-is-a-big-deal Duration seconds: 803 ## Resource The wait is finally over. The all-new 2027 Rivian R2 is one of the most anticipated electric vehicles on the market, and I got behind the wheel of the flagship Dual Motor Performance model during a test drive in Bellevue, Washington. This is not my normal video review. It's a consumer test drive much like you would take, only a lot more cameras stuck all around the vehicle. In this first-drive review, Rivian's Dan Lake walks us through the new R2 before I hit the road for a real-world drive and share my impressions. I'll also cover pricing, range, charging, cargo space, interior features, off-road capability, and what separates R2 from its larger sibling, the R1S. The R2 Performance packs 656 horsepower and 609 lb-ft of torque, offers an EPA-estimated 330 miles of range, and starts in the high-$50,000 range. Rivian hopes this smaller, more affordable SUV will bring the brand to a much larger audience. ## Actions - request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/driven-car-reviews-1050499/episodes/2027-rivian-r2-performance-first-drive-when-smaller-is-a-big-deal/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode. - read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/driven-car-reviews-1050499/2027-rivian-r2-performance-first-drive-when-smaller-is-a-big-deal.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource. A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed. ## Transcript Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.