Polestar 2 Review Scandinavian Design Meets Electric Performance

Polestar 2 review - Electric motor, drive and performance

While efficiency boosts and extra range were a big part of the Polestar 2 updates, every variant also got more power, and Single Motor variants were switched from front to rear-wheel drive. Dual Motor models now have a greater rear bias as well.

Polestar claims the changes have made the 2 even more fun to drive, and we can't argue with that statement much. We got to drive the updated Long Range Single Motor variant and found it comes close to matching the pinpoint precision of the BMW i4 high praise indeed. Although we did notice the driving position in the Polestar is slightly raised compared with the BMWs; its less sporty, but that isnt necessarily a criticism.

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The steering is well weighted and we like the progressive quality of the regenerative braking system as it feels more conducive to a faster driving style. The Polestar 2 has three levels of regenerative braking: off, low and high. Using the most powerful setting enables you to drive for periods without the need to touch the brake pedal itself and the system can bring the car to a complete stop during low-speed town driving.

The biggest issue weve had with the Polestar 2 since it launched has still not been addressed the Tesla Model 3s archrival is still too firm for most UK roads. Encounter any kind of broken road surface and the car will start to bounce about, causing it to fidget constantly and become rather uncomfortable. Its even worse in the back, which is bad news for those with children prone to motion sickness.

Polestar 2 review: Scandanavian styling meets sustainability

Graham Norton once said of Cork, his birthplace, that it wasnt the end of the world, but you could see it from there. He had a point. Head out to the coast from the Irish city, look south-west and theres nothing but a lot of water between you and anywhere else. Next stop, Brazil, in fact. Such things give you a sense of scale, and realising just how small you are is no bad thing once in a while.

Your mind goes to these places (wonderment, rather than Cork) when on a road trip. Or at least mine does. Theres nothing quite like miles rolling beneath the wheels to free the soul, and here amidst the green kaleidoscope of the Emerald Isles countryside, I am, so to speak, momentarily away with the fairies. Or the leprechauns. Not least because my mode of transport, the Polestar 2 Ive come to try, is completely silent in operation, leaving me periodically alone with my thoughts. For better or for worse. And, having established that the port of Santos is 6,329 nautical miles and 26.4 days from the port of Cork, I can rest and return to the present and my immediate surroundings. Which are lovely.

Polestar is as Swedish as IKEA

You could be forgiven just for never having heard of a Polestar, though there are now close to 20,000 of them on UK roads. A former sister company of Volvo, Polestar is still as Swedish as IKEA, but its now an independent, NASDAQ-listed maker of premium electric vehicles and perhaps uniquely for the moment sees EV manufacture not just as a means to an end, but as a whole-life commitment to completely sustainable motoring. Of which, more later.

The Polestar 2 is, as its name suggests, the second Polestar product line, in the form of a compact saloon. The first (1, obviously) was a high-end sports coup, 3, 4, and 5 (all unveiled, but not on sale until 2024) are a full-size SUV, a four-door coup, and a high-end super-saloon, respectively. Bottom line: this is a serious enterprise with massive capability and a full-house plan; that it hadnt built a car before 2017 should be seen as no guide to future performance.

More than a touch of Scandi minimalism

Polestar 1 and now Polestar 2 have styling echoes of their prior Volvo siblings square in silhouette, stance, and about the shoulders, and more than a touch of Scandi minimalism in execution both outside and within the cabin. And thats no bad thing: simple is often beautiful, and theres an inherent elegance to a less is more philosophy. Models to come are more distinctive still, smoother in outline and future-facing in terms of styling, but the fundamentals of clean design carry forward.

In the here and now, the Polestar 2 is good-looking kerbside, a great place in which to ride and drive, and its on-road manners thanks to a 500-strong UK-based development and engineering team (this is a brand with a global footprint) exemplary on some of the most broken roads in Europe. (In a surprising twist, the UKs neglect of infrastructure has led to inward investment.) And, of course, progress, thanks to the electric underpinnings, is swift and quiet, save for distant wind and tyre noise at higher speeds. That never happened, should the Garda show any retrospective interest.

Sustainible choice

Performance and range are interlinked. For the record: a single-motor Polestar 2 (from 44,950) is quick enough, with 268bhp and an impressive range of 330 miles, while a quicker dual motor (from 52,950) delivers 416bhp (469bhp for the Performance Pack) and a still-healthy 367-mile range. You pays your money and takes your choice. But before you do, let me return to the sustainability note. Polestar has a moon shot goal to produce a zero-impact car by 2030. And if you think that cant be done, listen up. Every Polestar 2 comes with a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) report that calculates the carbon footprint of the cars manufacture and, more helpfully, a guide as to how to offset that.

So, for example, if you live in Europe and charge your car using electricity derived from renewables, rather than driving, say, a similarly sized Volvo XC40 with an internal combustion engine, by the time youve driven 25,000 Polestar miles, youll break even on the cars lifetime emissions, manufacture included. Thereafter, your mobility impact is in credit.

I know. It may not (yet) be the future of motoring, but you can see it from here.

Polestar 2 specs

• 268bhp
• 361lb/ft
• 0-60mph in 6.2 secs
• 127mph top speed
• 330 mile range
• 44,950

For more information on the Polestar 2, visit polestar.com/UK

New Polestar 2 Long Range 2023 review

The Polestar is actually at its best on the motorway, where everything seems to flow more smoothly. Its relatively quiet and all of the above means it feels nicely tied down at 70mph. All thats great, too, because with such a long range we were seeing around 330 miles in mixed driving youll not need to stop very often.

If you do, youll be back on the road in no time thanks to super-quick top-up times. The Long Range cars now max out at 205kW the same as a BMW i4 eDrive40 meaning a 10 to 80 per cent charge is possible in just 28 minutes.

The Polestars cabin remains a high point. You feel cocooned in the drivers seat, and both the central screen and digital drivers display offer crystal-clear graphics and plenty of functionality. The main screen continues to run an Android-based software system, but the integration of Google Maps and other apps is among the best weve experienced. Of course, wireless phone charging is standard fit, as is Apple CarPlay if you prefer to use that.

Otherwise, theres no complicated specs to choose from. You pick your battery and motor configuration a Standard Range Single Motor (44,950) capable of 330 miles is also offered, alongside a Long Range Dual Motor (52,950) with every car getting the same basic kit list. That means each model gets LED lights, part-electric heated front seats, dual digital displays and a plethora of safety features.

On top of this, buyers can add the Pilot Pack (2k) with pixel LED lights and adaptive high beam, plus adaptive cruise control and Pilot Assist. Theres also a Plus Pack (4k), which brings a Harman Kardon stereo, panoramic roof and vegan seats.

New Polestar 2 Dual Motor Performance Pack 2024 review: flagship model packs a punch

Verdict

Unfortunately, the standard Polestar 2s biggest issue still remains on this otherwise impressive Performance Pack flagship model. The handling gains arent sufficient to outweigh the notable trade-off in every day comfort; the cars ride is just too firm for the majority of UK roads. There are few faults elsewhere, however those cross-shopping from premium German makers will find plenty to really like about Polestars updated EV.

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Electric cars, by their nature, tend to pack quite a punch. The instant power and torque mean even every day models feel fast, while those with sporting pretensions can surprise six-figure supercars in a traffic-light drag race.

The Polestar 2, even in its most basic form, is an electric car aimed at the driver. Indeed, our first test of the facelifted car deemed it great to drive and a good set of dampers and a slightly softer chassis setup away from being a truly fabulous electric car.

So here we are, just a few months later, driving the revised, range-topping Polestar 2 Dual Motor Performance Pack. This setup isnt completely new, however, having been offered on the pre-facelift car as part of a pricey optional upgrade.

It remains just that. The Performance Pack add-ons cost an extra 5,000 and bring with them a slightly lower ride height, trick Ohlins dampers, 20-inch wheels and Brembo brakes, plus gold details for things like the valve caps and seat belts. You also get an extra 60bhp, courtesy of a Performance software upgrade. All in, the uplift doesnt seem bad value, but is it the pick of the range?

In short, no. Those dampers are adjustable, but youll need a special set of tools to tweak them not to mention somewhere safe to take the back wheels off while you do so. With the set-up the car was delivered in, we noticed no tangible difference to ride quality; this is still a car that treads a line just the wrong side of what wed consider acceptable for UK roads.

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