Today marks a big day for Rivian as they unveiled not just the long-anticipated R2, but also sprung a surprise with the introduction of the R3 and its rugged variant, the R3X. While the internet seems to be united in its appreciation for the new smaller, entry-level models, debate is raging about which classic vehicle they most look like.
Whereas the Rivian R2 looks like an R1S that shrank in the dryer with some of its softer spots ironed out (I say that affectionately), making it clear that it is an SUV, it is less clear what the R3 is. In some ways, it’s a hatchback version of the R2, but its boxy lines make it look more like a European 1980s hot hatch than one of the aerodynamic crossover coupes that are so popular today.
Given the current popularity of hot hatches from that glorious era, you won’t hear many complaints about that. However, it has prompted some, like Reddit user u/OldIronLungs, to say that it looks like a Lancia Delta Integrale.
More: New Rivian R3 And R3X Promise To Combine Affordability With 300+ Mile Range
Rivian R3X Looked Familiar!
byu/OldIronLungs inAutos
To be sure, the spoilers and the C-pillars in the two vehicles share some similarities—though they are far from identical. There’s something familiar about the R3X’s wheels too, though I would stop short of describing it as anything more than a very light homage to the classic Italian compact model’s design.
Meanwhile, the proportions, the plastic body cladding, and the teal green of the Rivian reminded X user @TeslaTruckClub of an Mk2 1990 Volkswagen Golf. Again, the comparison is apt, though I would argue that the posture of the Rivian distinguishes it from that car.
My colleague Mike Gauthier humorously coined the R3 series as “looking like a weird cross between a Soviet hatchback and an R1S” in our presentation story, while another colleague, Stephen Rivers, humorously mentioned he felt some peculiar classic Renault 5 on stilts vibes.
Made me think of this pic.twitter.com/fVilTNJCBy
— Techgnostik 🫶 (@Techgnostik) March 7, 2024
Based on the same platform as an SUV, and bearing a big battery pack under the floor, the R3 is in the same uncanny valley as the Polestar 2, sitting somewhere between a car and a crossover.
While X user @Techgnostik claimed that the Rivian reminded them of the Yugo, my mind first went to a different Russian car, the Lada Niva. Although I admit the shape is all wrong, that thought led me to the 1989 Golf Country.
As far as I’m concerned, this is it. The shape, the high-riding posture, and even the color are all spot-on. Slap a decal on the side of the Rivian and a grille guard on the front, and I’d struggle to tell them apart. Ah, I’m just yanking your chain. But seriously, what’s your take? What does the Rivian R3/R3X remind you of the most?
