Compare the2026 Toyota C-HR VS 2027 Rivian R2

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the C-HR are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The R2 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Toyota C-HR achieved a “Good” rating - the highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Rivian R2 has not been tested.

The C-HR has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The R2 doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, Full-Time Four-Wheel Drive is standard on the C-HR. But it costs extra on the R2.

Both the C-HR and R2 have rear cross-traffic warning, but the C-HR XSE has Parking Support Brake (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The R2’s Rear Cross-Traffic Warning doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the C-HR and the R2 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the C-HR for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for tire rotations, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Rivian doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the R2.

There are over 12 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Rivian dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the C-HR’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Rivian vehicles. With 74 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Toyota higher than Rivian.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2026 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Rivian vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota first in overall reliability. Rivian is ranked 26th.

On the EPA test cycle the C-HR gets better mileage than the R2:

			MPGe
C-HR
	AWD	SE Electric Motors	127 city/107 hwy
		XSE Electric Motors	122 city/102 hwy
R2
	AWD	Premium Electric Motors	114 city/96 hwy
		21-inch Tires Performance Electric Motors	114 city/96 hwy
		All-Terrain Electric Motors	109 city/89 hwy

The C-HR XSE’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the R2’s 60 series tires.

For better maneuverability, the C-HR’s turning circle is 3.7 feet tighter than the R2’s (36 feet vs. 39.7 feet).

The Toyota C-HR may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 to 600 pounds less than the Rivian R2.

The C-HR is 7.7 inches shorter than the R2, making the C-HR easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

For excellent aerodynamics, the C-HR has standard flush composite headlights. The R2 has recessed headlights that spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag.

The C-HR has .7 inches more front legroom and .2 inches more front shoulder room than the R2.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the C-HR’s rear seats recline. The R2’s rear seats don’t recline.

The C-HR has a much higher standard payload capacity than the R2 (1323 vs. 1102 lbs.).

The C-HR has a higher maximum payload capacity than the R2 (1323 vs. 1168 lbs.).

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The C-HR XSE offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The R2 doesn’t offer headlight washers.