1. Rivian R2’s “mid‑size” label is contested
Many commenters argue the car is much smaller than a typical SUV and that Rivian’s marketing is misleading.
- “It’s deceptively styled to look a big boy car, but it’s a matchbox.” – 7e
- “Based on the published dimensions, it’s almost the exact same size as a Toyota 4Runner – which I'd consider a midsize SUV.” – tjohns
2. Website and UX frustration
The official Rivian site is criticized for being scroll‑heavy, poorly organized, and lacking useful data.
- “Can they fix that web page? That was so awful to try to get any info… just a bunch of big pictures and no meaningful info.” – hn_acc1
- “The scrolling was so bad I had to close the page when I was actually interested.” – cebert
3. Price/affordability debate
The $45k‑plus price tag is a major sticking point, with users debating whether it’s reasonable for a new EV.
- “$45k++ is just wild to me.” – iambateman
- “If you look at the R1 pages… I’m hoping that after R2 is actually available to order, that they'll update the page with more information.” – mholt (implying price concerns tied to info)
4. Reliability, maintenance, and ownership experience
Early owners report a litany of mechanical and service‑center issues, fueling doubts about long‑term ownership.
- “R1S Gen 2 owner… door mirror motor breaking, doors that wouldn't shut properly, door weather stripping that fell off… fans or heat pump that sound like a ROCKET LAUNCHING.” – mrcwinn
- “If you look at the R1S Gen 2 owner… Rivian did expedite service center visits for critical issues, other times repairs were months out.” – mrcwinn (repeated)
These four themes—size perception, website UX, pricing, and reliability—dominate the discussion.