RivianOS 2.0 First Look and Why It Feels So Fast
The thing that stuck with me on the R2 was not the range or the price. It was the software. RivianOS 2.0 is a full rewrite, and the first thing you notice is how quick it is.
The thing that stuck with me on the R2 was not the range or the price. It was the software. RivianOS 2.0 is a full rewrite, and the first thing you notice is how quick it is.

Universal Hands-Free 2.0 arrives in Q3 and finally takes the system off the highway, adding stop light and stop sign response, automatic lane changes on surface streets, Auto Park, and On-Ramp to Off-Ramp routing. It is the groundwork Rivian needs before Point to Point shows up in late 2026.

Rivian's R2 Performance Launch Edition lease numbers are out, and they land right on top of the Tesla Model Y Performance. Both start at $57,990, with monthly payments within about sixty bucks of each other. Here is the full breakdown against the Model Y and the entry R1S, including where the Tesla still wins and where the residuals actually flip.

The R2 will launch without several software features R1 owners use regularly, including Rivian Assistant, Climate Hold, and Pet Mode, with Rivian indicating some will not arrive for at least the first month of ownership.

The base R2 Standard finally has firm numbers. Rivian set it at $44,990 before destination and moved it up to a Summer 2027 arrival, with rear-wheel drive, 350 hp, 355 lb-ft, and 275-plus miles of estimated range.