Rivian has used over-the-air updates to add range to the R1 before, including 14 EPA miles on the R1T without touching the hardware. With my R2 struggling on the highway, that history gives owners some reason for optimism.

A guest contributor and longtime R1T owner shares how spending time with the Rivian R2 reminded them why they fell for their truck in the first place. It's a fun look at how Rivian's smaller SUV can make you appreciate the one already sitting in your driveway.

Rivian's LiDAR R2 won't reach customers until 2027, and I'm starting to think it may never matter much. The more camera-based driving improves, the more I wonder if Tesla was right all along.

Rivian's 2026.31 update brought Google Maps and Waze police and speed camera reports into native navigation, but they only appear during active guidance. It's a useful first step that raises a bigger question about how Rivian should roll out features like this.

Universal Hands-Free 2.0 was promised for the third quarter and the quarter ends September 30 with stop light response, Auto Park, and On-Ramp to Off-Ramp still missing. Point to Point is still on the books for end of 2026, but it quietly became a limited rollout with everyone else waiting on 2027.

After a month with the R2, the newer and cheaper Rivian keeps winning on details the R1 never got right. Mirrors, wheel, vents, audio, and a 4695 pack that makes the R1 battery feel dated.

The Honda CR-V moved 226,114 units in the first half of 2026, about half the volume of every EV sold in America. The R2 is the only new EV built to look like that kind of vehicle.

Federal data says the average driver covers 31 miles a day. The R2 is rated at 330. Most of that number exists for a trip you take twice a year.