It’s a big day for Rivian. During the debut of the Tesla Model Y-fighting R2 crossover, the electric vehicle startup surprised everyone with something even smaller — the Rivian R3. Not only would this be a huge step to scaling the automaker, it’s also a compelling piece of design that’s attractive in its own right. Cooler still, it doesn’t appear to be some cost-cut special — it shares a whole lot with its incoming big brother.
Sure, it might not be a flagship R1T truck or R1S SUV, but few companies are built on flagships alone. Selling in volume is critical to the survival of just about any EV startup, as it’s a way to amortize business costs and build success. Judging by what we’re seeing here, Rivian has drive to it, even if we’ll all have to wait a few years.
Basically, the Rivian R3 is a shrunk-down R2 — same architecture, just with more compact dimensions, including a shorter 2,800 mm wheelbase. That means a choice of single-motor, dual-motor, and tri-motor layouts.
However, the R3 looks less like a traditional crossover and more like a hatchback. There’s a bit of Giugiaro to the C-pillars, greenhouse, and rear glass that’s far more subtle than the Hyundai Ioniq 5’s homage to the 1980s. Interestingly, that rear glass can be opened separately from the hatch, which may mitigate the bite the rear window rake takes out of cargo space.
On the inside of the Rivian R3, there’s a lot to talk about. Not only is a frunk on tap, the rear seats appear to fold in a 40/20/40 split for flexibility between long items and passengers. In addition, all seats fold down to facilitate car camping, the dashboard features two glove boxes, and the floor in the back looks pretty flat. Despite compact dimensions, there’s a chance the Rivian R3 could seat four adults in comfort, which is really what people are looking for in this segment.
Oh, and if you want to get a little bit rowdy, Rivian is lining something up for you. Called the R3X, it’s a tri-motor all-wheel-drive lifted hot hatch on all-terrain tires that gives off Volkswagen Golf Country vibes in the best way possible. If you want a relatively compact electric vehicle cosplaying as a rally car, the R3X holds a lot of promise.
Pricing and timing hasn’t been announced yet, but with the R2 going on sale in the first half of 2026, expect the R3 to follow along later. Is that too far out? At this point, it’s hard to say. A two-year wait for a car from a new production facility isn’t the end of the world, but it could give manufacturers a time to better position themselves to claw interest back.
Still, if Rivian plays its cards right, this could be its Tesla Model 3 moment. The Rivian R3 doesn’t have to be the greatest thing since sliced bread, it just has to have appeal. From what we’re seeing, so long as pricing and range are right, the Rivian R3 is a great-looking car that could be a winner.
(Photo credits: Rivian)
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I genuinely like this. It’s just a clean, straightforward piece of design. I’m getting a strong Delta Integrale vibe with some Niva sprinkles.
A Giugiaro design along with the Fiat Panda and OG Golf.
It’s an electric Lada Niva! (Probably much better built!)
I think I love it.
Somehow I feel I must be the last person on earth that doesn’t want (or can’t use) a vehicle more than 6 ft wide and only ever travels on roads with driving surfaces v.s. boulders and river beds. “SIGH:
Did they just lop the back off of the R2? Is this a modern-day AMC Gremlin?
The Rivian “face” somehow looks much better on a smaller vehicle. I don’t like it on the trucks; it seems like a design trying too hard to look “nice” and set it apart from other truck styling trends. On a hatchback car or smaller crossover, though, it works.
Size matters?
Even though I am, overall, a Rivian fan, this kind of smells like a slap dash “we’re running out of money. Do it for the press and investors” reveal. They basically took what their market research perceived as the most successful EV styling (Ioniq 5) and slapped their corporate grille on it.
A pillar back the R3X is doing it for me bigly. Front is whatever, but I do like Rivian’s look. A few neighbors have R1Ts, they’re fine, whatever. But one recently got an R1S and it’s astonishing to look at irl. Absolutely fabulous piece of design.
And the wheels. I need new shorts.
You may be getting Golf Country vibes – I’m getting 4 door Lada Niva vibes
But from the exterior only – The interior is typical Rivian awesomeness.
I want it now.
I see the old GTI in there
2nd-gen Dodge Caliber vibes…
There was only one generation of Caliber, with a facelift in 2010. Beside that, I don’t see the Caliber resemblance.
Great! Yet another “$30-35k EV” that will absolutely cost way more when it finally goes into production (behind schedule).
“Whoops actually we decided it didn’t have high enough margins so we elected to not release it and write off all the related expenditures.”
Shame these are coming so late. I’d take one in slightly de-saturated green and name it Frogbert. If they had come out like 4 years ago we’d be living in a different world. They’d have probably been too expensive though, so roughly on par with now.
The problem is it’s gonna be like $60-70,000. That’s the problem with all the electric “hot hatches” we’ve seen. The point of a hot hatch was to be affordable performance. A fun, zippy car that was reasonably priced to be something a lot of people could afford new.
The Elantra N (I know, not a hatch) is $33,000 base, while the base Elantra is $22,000. This means that the Ioniq5 N is gonna be like $60,000. I can’t imagine a company like Rivian is going to beat Hyundai on price for their performance electronic hatchback.
I guess I’m just shaking my fist at a cloud, but all the sub-$50,000 electric cars are just so boring.
That’s the price of an R1T that hits 60 in 4.5 seconds. This is obviously going to cost less
As a current N owner, I agree. I think the Ioniq 5 N is cool and is an important exercise in advancing performance EVs…but I have no idea who it’s for. It’s supposedly going to start in the 60s and unless you’re someone who’s EV or bust I just can’t understand choosing it over all the ridiculously good cars you can get at that price point.
I mean that’s M2, CT4V BW, IS500, C8, S5, M340i, Integra Type S with money to spare, etc. money. Even if you simply HAVE to have an EV for whatever reason you can get a Model 3 Performance for around that money and used Taycans/E Tron GTs are already slipping into the 60s.
Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s cool and I’m excited to drive one and read the initial reviews. But I don’t really understand who’s going to buy it. People love the Ns specifically because they’re cheap. They’re an unrefined, engaging, rootin tootin good time that outperforms their direct competitors (GTI, SI, WRX, etc) and gets close enough to the CTR/Golf R/etc that the cost delta is a little less appealing.
$60,000+ is not cheap. Especially for a damn Hyundai.
I’m just happy they are going to start making them in Normal before GA takes over. That means I get to see them roaming the streets more often.
The AJC is reporting that Rivian is not moving forward with the Georgia factory.
::spider man (men?) pointing at each other.gif::
Shut up and take my money!
I’m definitely whelmed. I’m sure I’ll get roasted for this take but I don’t really like the styling that much? It’s a lot less interesting than the R1T and S and the slanted rear end eats away at cargo space/I like the boxy styling of the R1S quite a lot.
Also…entering production in 2026? Are we even sure Rivian will still be around then?
I get that feeling, but I am also at least happy they chose to go with a hatch design. I prefer it to the CUV standard look.
Also…entering production in 2026?
Maybe. They weren’t specific. The R2 will allegedly go on sale in 2026 and this will come later. So it’s likely that this comes even later than 2026.
So this is essentially vaporware, neato
Yep. Excitement about the R2 is reasonable, though even that should be tempered by the 2026 release date and Rivian’s tenuous financial status. The R3 doesn’t have a timeline attached, and should be treated as a concept car, rather than an announced production vehicle, in my opinion.
If not for the rear rake I’d be down with this. If they has squared that off to give the car usable cargo space it would be great.
That is perfect timing for me though! Given many life events I probably won’t be buying a car before 2026-27, that car is going to be an EV, and this one has a look that makes me happy. All goes well maybe I’ll get one!
Give me a R3T about the size of a 70’s Hilux or Subaru Brat and I’m all in!
Ladies and Gentleman, may I present the new 2024 AMC Pacer.
It does give me future Pacer vibes for sure. Add some larger wheels and we can have it resemble the AMC Golden Eagle.
Just the same nose on a variety of rear ends made me think of AMC too, hadn’t even thought about the Pacer but I definitely see it.
Party time! Excellent!
Paging Goth Uncle. Paging Goth Uncle.
You see this?
This is why the shit with the cartoon wheel mock ups needs to stop.
Literally any new design: appears
All of us: UNCLE ADRIAN! PAGING UNCLE ADRIAN! TAKES! PLEASEEEEE!!!
I’m sorry, but I just can’t STAND the design of the front end of Rivian. If this was lower and had smaller rims and tires it would be a great car. But alas, I will pass.
I was thinking that if it were a bit lower and had a Golf-ish front end it’d be perfect. I still kind of like it though.
I could see that R3X in my garage, hopefully it will fit within my budget too.
I’d love it in a vacuum if the front end wasn’t identical to 3 other vehicles
I can’t wait 2 years!!! Give me the R3 now!!!
I’m ready to slap down a deposit now. Please give it to me. now
To borrow a phrase from Jonny Smith and the Smith & Sniff podcast, I have a large want-on for the Rivian R3X.