Can't Wait For The Rivian R3X To Come Out? Here Are Some Similarly Shaped Cars You Should Buy

It seems like everyone and their brother is clamoring for the freshly-announced compact Rivian R3X, which is like an electric rally-styled hot hatch. It's adorable, and happy, and it probably will be quick. Rivian says it'll be even less expensive than the R2, which will allegedly start at $45,000. Unfortunately, you'll be waiting a while for the R3X to drop, because it's going to come out "sometime after the R2" which is scheduled for deliveries in 2026.

OK, so what can you drive between now and whenever the R3X finally gets delivered in the latter half of the decade? If you're looking for something similarly styled, with that rally hatchback vibe, Jalopnik has you covered. Check it out:

If the form factor of the R3X has you hooked, look no further than a Golf Country. While these were never sold in the U.S. it has been long enough that you can import one for all your lifted hatchy needs.

The Soviet wonder that was the cheap and cheerful Lada Niva can never be matched. It won't be as quick or as comfortable as a Rivian, but you can't spell Rivian without the same letters as Niva, so it's almost the same. Besides, after a handful of years driving a Niva, you'll appreciate the R3X way more.

Four doors, weird hatchback, awesome? Yeah, that sounds like a Wagovan. If someone doesn't re-create Wagon Attack with an R3X when they come out, I'll be disappointed. Or I'll have to do it myself.

Kind of a WRX in a more practical suit, the Forester XT packed turbo power into a boxy upright form factor. These things kick ass, and you need one whether you get a Rivian or not.

The Italians occasionally needed to go overlanding, too. It's not just a thing American folks do to waste money.

If you squint, it's basically the same thing.

Okay, so the Honda E didn't come to the U.S. and even the folks in Europe hated it so much that it is already dead, but it's just so damn cute! If you lifted this just a little and gave it some Sparco Terra wheels, it would look close enough to the R3X to hold you over for a little while. It's even electric!

Okay, so this is a lot longer and lower than the Rivian, but it has throwback cool and a weird liftback that looks awesome. Don't argue, the Audi 200 is a good car.

Hear me out for a second. There's no better way to go rallying than a lifted Porsche 911. There's just something so incredibly cool about these monster sports cars, and I can't explain it, but they operate on the same wavelength as an R3X. Okay, so it's a lot more expensive, but you can't take your money with you, right?

OK, this one has the right form factor, the right EV propulsion, and boxy uprightness. Is it as cool as the R3X? No way. But maybe it'll do in a pinch.

The early Honda HR-Vs are finally legal to be imported to the U.S. so you should probably do that. If you put one of these on the right set of wheels and added some black trim or something, it would probably look pretty rally-ish.

If you don't want to pay to import something weird, you can just get a Rav4. When I was in college I knew a guy who had swapped a 3SGTE into one of these from a Celica Alltrac, and it kicked all kinds of ass. Do that.

Sorry, I can't even keep a straight face recommending this. Don't actually buy one.

I think Rivian is the modern day AMC. I hope this time it works.

Five is two more than three.