{"id":1576,"date":"2026-10-14T14:19:13","date_gmt":"2026-10-14T14:19:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/amercanfirstfinance.com\/?p=1576"},"modified":"2026-10-14T14:19:13","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T14:19:13","slug":"surprising-test-results-show-rivian-r2s-all-terrain-tires-outperform-street-rubber-on-pavement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/amercanfirstfinance.com\/?p=1576","title":{"rendered":"Surprising Test Results Show Rivian R2’s All-Terrain Tires Outperform Street Rubber on Pavement"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome to Car and Driver<\/em>‘s Testing Hub, where we zoom in on the test numbers. We’ve been pushing vehicles to their limits since 1956 to provide objective data to bolster our subjective impressions. <\/p>\n

Conventional automotive wisdom has long dictated that choosing knobby all-terrain tires involves a clear compromise. Typically, drivers who want improved off-pavement behavior must accept a direct trade-off in on-road grip, steering response, and overall handling performance. However, this established rule does not apply to the upcoming and impressive 2027 Rivian R2. In a surprising turn of events during our rigorous track testing, the SUV\u2019s optional 20-inch all-terrain tire package managed to significantly out-grip its standard 21-inch street tire counterpart.<\/p>\n

We were just as surprised as anyone when putting a second 656-horsepower R2 Performance model\u2014this particular vehicle equipped with the all-terrain tires as a $1,000 option\u2014through our comprehensive testing regimen. Fitted with these robust rollers, the electric SUV delivered braking and cornering figures that came in substantially higher than the initial R2 we tested, which wore more street-oriented 21-inch rubber. <\/p>\n

Clad in BFGoodrich All-Terrain T\/A+ tires, the R2 clung to our skidpad, generating an impressive 0.84 g of lateral grip. That represents a notable improvement over the 0.81 g recorded with the Pirelli Scorpion MS Elect tire option. Under hard braking, the performance divergence was even more dramatic. The all-terrain-equipped R2 brought our testing equipment to a halt from 70 mph in just 166 feet, while stopping from 100 mph took 320 feet. These figures represent substantial improvements of 12 feet and 43 feet, respectively, compared to the street-treaded variant.<\/p>\n

Beyond its enhanced grip and stopping power, this particular R2 test vehicle also proved to be fractionally quicker in a straight line. It rocketed to 60 mph from a standstill in a blistering 3.4 seconds and blasted through the quarter-mile in 11.3 seconds at a trap speed of 128 mph. For comparison, the previously tested version managed a 0-to-60-mph time of 3.5 seconds and a quarter-mile run of 11.4 seconds at 128 mph. These numbers are astonishingly quick for a small, brick-shaped utility vehicle.<\/p>\n

These specialized all-terrain tires also manage to avoid another typical bugaboo that frequently plagues blocky tread patterns: excessive road noise. During our interior noise evaluations, the decibel readings at a steady 70-mph cruise were nearly identical between the two configurations. Both variants measured a quiet 67 decibels, while the R2 wearing 21-inch street tires registered 22 sones, compared to 23 sones for the all-terrain-equipped vehicle. <\/p>\n

Naturally, this raises an obvious question: Are these magic tires or what?<\/p>\n

A closer examination of the hardware reveals that the BFGoodrich All-Terrain T\/A+ tires are offered in a wide variety of market sizes. Nearly every single version of this tire\u2014with the notable exception of the specific specification developed for the Rivian R2\u2014carries a speed rating of either T, meaning it is certified up to 118 mph, or H, which maxes out at 130 mph. By contrast, the tires engineered for the Rivian are rated all the way up to 149 mph, earning a V-rating. <\/p>\n

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Furthermore, every other retail version of this tire family bears the distinctive three-peak mountain snowflake label, which signifies elevated performance in severe snow conditions. The Rivian-specific tires, however, make do with a more basic M+S rating. Additionally, the BFG rubber on the Rivian features a shallower tread depth, measuring 10.5\/32 of an inch compared to 12.5\/32 on all other consumer variants. In short, while the tires on the R2 share a visual resemblance to other BFGoodrich All-Terrain T\/A+ products on the market, there are distinct structural and compound differences that undoubtedly contribute to its unexpected on-road performance gains.<\/p>\n

The one area where the all-terrain tires behave entirely predictably is in overall driving range. The R2\u2019s official EPA range stands at 330 miles when equipped with the 21-inch street tires, but that figure drops to 307 miles when opting for the 20-inch all-terrain setup. However, the range penalty was even more pronounced during our real-world 75-mph highway range evaluation. In that test, the street-equipped SUV achieved 260 miles of driving range, while the vehicle outfitted with the all-terrain tires delivered 220 miles.<\/p>\n

If we were placing an order for a new Rivian R2 today, we would likely lean toward selecting the all-terrain package. Beyond their rugged aesthetic appeal, they provide noticeably improved on-road emergency response capabilities. Furthermore, the ride quality provided by the smaller 20-inch wheels and higher sidewalls felt somewhat more forgiving to our backsides during long journeys.<\/p>\n

Specifications for the tested vehicle highlight its robust mechanical foundation. The 2027 Rivian R2 Performance AWD Launch Edition utilizes a front- and rear-motor, all-wheel-drive layout configured in a five-passenger, four-door wagon body style. The vehicle carries a base price of $59,485, with an as-tested price of $61,485, which includes a $1,000 charge for Glacier White paint and an additional $1,000 for the 20-inch wheels and all-terrain tires. <\/p>\n

The powertrain consists of a permanent-magnet synchronous AC front motor producing 294 horsepower and 254 pound-feet of torque, paired with a rear permanent-magnet synchronous AC motor generating 362 horsepower and 355 pound-feet of torque. This combination delivers a combined output of 656 horsepower and 609 pound-feet of torque, powered by an 88-kWh liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery pack. The vehicle supports peak AC and DC charging rates of 11 kW and 230 kW, respectively, and utilizes direct-drive transmissions front and rear.<\/p>\n

The chassis features a strut-and-multilink suspension setup front and rear, complemented by 13.8-inch vented front disc brakes and 13.2-inch vented rear disc brakes. The vehicle rolls on BFGoodrich Trail-Terrain T\/A+ tires sized 255\/60R-20 113V M+S RIV, mounted to a wheelbase measuring 115.6 inches. The overall exterior length spans 185.9 inches, with a width of 75.0 inches and a height of 66.9 inches. Inside, the passenger volume measures 57 cubic feet in the front and 53 cubic feet in the rear, while cargo capacity offers 79 cubic feet behind the front row and 29 cubic feet behind the rear seats, supplemented by a 5-cubic-foot front trunk. The total curb weight is registered at 4,997 pounds.<\/p>\n

Instrumented test results from our track sessions confirm the vehicle’s rapid acceleration capabilities, recording a 0-to-60-mph time of 3.4 seconds, a 0-to-100-mph time of 7.1 seconds, and a quarter-mile elapsed time of 11.3 seconds at 128 mph. Reaching 130 mph took 12.5 seconds. These acceleration figures omit a standard 1-foot rollout of 0.3 seconds. Additional evaluations recorded a rolling start from 5 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds, a top-gear pass from 30 to 50 mph in 1.7 seconds, and a 50-to-70-mph top-gear acceleration time of 2.1 seconds. Top speed is electronically governed at 131 mph. <\/p>\n

Braking tests from 70 to 0 mph required 166 feet, while stopping from 100 to 0 mph took 340 feet. Roadholding on a 300-foot skidpad reached 0.84 g. Interior sound measurements recorded an idle level of 30 dBA (1 sone), full-throttle acceleration noise at 71 dBA, and a 70-mph cruising sound level of 67 dBA (23 sones). Fuel economy and charging evaluations yielded a 75-mph highway range of 220 miles, alongside EPA ratings of 99 MPGe combined, 109 MPGe city, and 89 MPGe highway, culminating in an EPA-estimated total range of 307 miles.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Welcome to Car and Driver‘s Testing Hub, where we zoom in on the test numbers. We’ve been pushing vehicles to their limits since 1956 to provide objective data to bolster our subjective impressions. Conventional automotive wisdom has long dictated that choosing knobby all-terrain tires involves a clear compromise. Typically, drivers who want improved off-pavement behavior […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":1575,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[411],"tags":[414,412,413,2192,685,489,455,2193,2189,182,2188,2190,1665,2191,415],"class_list":["post-1576","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-automotive-industry-and-financing","tag-auto-loans","tag-automotive","tag-cars","tag-outperform","tag-pavement","tag-results","tag-rivian","tag-rubber","tag-show","tag-street","tag-surprising","tag-terrain","tag-test","tag-tires","tag-vehicles"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/amercanfirstfinance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1576","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/amercanfirstfinance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/amercanfirstfinance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amercanfirstfinance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amercanfirstfinance.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1576"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/amercanfirstfinance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1576\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amercanfirstfinance.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1575"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/amercanfirstfinance.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1576"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amercanfirstfinance.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1576"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amercanfirstfinance.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1576"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}