'I Want To Own It': What Engineering Explained's Jason Fenske Thought Of The Rivian R2

The Rivian R2 is finally here. Customer deliveries kicked off this week. First drive reviews are out—including one from our very own Mack Hogan that you should absolutely read. And overall, impressions from those who got to sample Rivian's long-awaited mainstream SUV are very positive. I can't recall a recent EV—or any car, for that matter—that's gotten such widespread, glowing reviews. 

On this week's Plugged-In Podcast, we talk all about the R2 and whether it can be the hit Rivian needs with the help of Jason Fenske, who runs the Engineering Explained YouTube channel. Like Mack, Jason came away impressed. He thought it was notable how many reviewers at the event weren't just judging the R2—but deciding whether they want to buy one. 

Gallery: 2027 Rivian R2: First Drive

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Source: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

"I am one of those people that was assessing, do I want to own this thing? And my answer is yes, I do want to own that thing," he told us. 

He liked the size. And he liked how it smoothed over some of the shortcomings of the R1S, like its fussy, motorized charge-port door and lack of glove boxes. 

"I was really impressed by it," he said. "There's a lot of things that I'm not that stoked about on R1S, which I recently did a long road trip in. And I found R2 corrected almost all of those, and was just in a package that I like more, meaning it's smaller. So I really enjoyed it."

Jason compared it to the 2016 Subaru Crosstrek he owned for about eight years and loved. The R2, he says, is "super capable" despite having a much more basic suspension setup than the R1S and R1T. 

"It feels very smart and very practical," he said. "And it's like, this is a a bit of a price increase over Subaru, but very practical, very well thought out for the person who wants to do things outdoors."

But both Mack and Jason had a few gripes—especially with the new scroll-wheels Rivian introduced to the steering wheel. Those, it seems, could use some ironing out. 

2027 Rivian R2

Photo by: Mack Hogan/InsideEVs

Rivian needs the R2 to sell well if it wants to graduate into the big leagues of the car industry. And so far, it looks like this company nailed the assignment. Now comes the hard part: scaling up manufacturing and making sure all those new R2s can get serviced too. 

Check out the full episode to hear more of Jason and Mack's thoughts on the R2—and whether it can bring the heat to the Tesla Model Y. The show is available on YouTube and across audio platforms. And let us know who you want to hear on the show next!

Contact the author: Tim.Levin@InsideEVs.com 

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