The Rivian R3 Looks Like The Lifted Electric Hot Hatch Of Our Dreams

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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.

Rivian R3 Skateboard

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.

Rivian R3 Interior

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.

Rivian R3x

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.

Rivian R3 Cargo Area

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.

Rivian R3 1

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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104 thoughts on “The Rivian R3 Looks Like The Lifted Electric Hot Hatch Of Our Dreams”

  1. 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.

  3. 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:

  5. 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?

  6. 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.

  7. 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.

  8. 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.

    1. “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.”

  12. 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.

  13. 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.

    2. 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.

  14. 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.

  16. 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?

    2. 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.

        1. 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.

    4. 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!

    2. 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.

  20. 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.

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