Polestar 2 review

The Polestar 2 could be the answer to a very difficult question: how do you beat the brand that transformed electric cars?

You see, with the 2, Swedish car maker Polestar created a like-for-like rival to the Tesla Model 3 – the car that showed the world that going electric doesn't have to mean sacrificing performance or putting up with a tiny range between charges. 

So, what is Polestar? Well it's a standalone, performance-focused electric car brand with Volvo as its parent company. As the name suggests, the Polestar 2 is the fledgling company’s second model and represents its real shot at stardom.

When it was first launched a few years ago, the Polestar 2 was a strong offering, but as more rivals have hit the market – including the BMW i4 and the Hyundai Ioniq 6 – the original version had become less and less competitive in terms of range and charging. To help it fight back, Polestar has given it an update.

The model year 2024 Polestar 2 gets a bigger battery for a longer range (officially more than 400 miles), tweaked electric motors (for improved efficiency) and higher maximum charging speeds. Plus, the single-motor versions now have rear-wheel drive instead of front-wheel drive.

The single-motor versions are offered with a choice of two battery options – Standard Range and Long Range. Alternatively, you can spend a bit more on the dual-motor version, which adds a second electric motor on the front axle, giving the Polestar 2 more power and four-wheel drive.

So, with the Polestar 2 we have a Scandinavian car with an upmarket interior, a long electric range and performance that can embarrass some sports cars. And given that it’s significantly cheaper than many other electric cars with those qualities, it should be a tempting proposition. But how does it stack up in all the important areas? That's what we'll be finding out in this review.

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Single-motor, rear-wheel-drive versions of the Polestar 2 offer much better performance than the previous front-wheel-drive versions. The Standard Range Single Motor, for example, can sprint from 0-62mph in 6.4 seconds, while the Long Range Single Motor can cover the same distance in 6.2 seconds.

So, while it's not as quick as the entry-level Model 3 RWD or the i4, it does top the entry-level versions of the Genesis GV60, the Ioniq 6 and the Kia EV6. In fact, the acceleration of the single-motor versions is more than adequate for most needs, and the car feels punchy both around town and at higher speeds.

The switch from front to rear-wheel drive means the car feels a little more agile in corners. That’s largely because the front wheels have sole responsibility for steering, rather than having to put power down too.

The car feels reasonably taut and secure as you turn in to a corner, but there's still noticeably more body lean than in a Model 3 or any of the saloon rivals. The steering is rather slow and numb whichever of the variable weight settings you choose, and the brake pedal doesn't always respond consistently, making it tricky to come to a smooth stop.

Ride comfort isn't very good either. You're jostled around too much, with even small road imperfections unsettling the car, especially at town speeds. The Ioniq 6, the EV6 and the Model 3 are all more comfortable and quieter inside at motorway speeds.

We've yet to drive dual-motor versions of the updated Polestar 2, but the Long Range Dual Motor car manages 0-62mph in 4.5sec – making it as rapid as the Jaguar I-Pace and the Model 3 Long Range. If that’s still not quick enough for you, the expensive Performance Pack upgrade reduces the sprint time to 4.2sec – the fastest versions of the Model 3 and i4 will still beat the Polestar in a drag race, though.

On top of the extra oomph, the Performance pack adds adjustable Ohlins suspension to keep the car’s weight under better control through corners. To adjust it, you need to get under the car and twist a dial on the damper at each corner of the car. (Unless you're a dab hand with a spanner, we'd suggest you leave that to your local Polestar dealer.)

As for the crucial matter of range, the Standard Range model now has a 67kWh (usable) battery that gives an official range of 331 miles. That’s further than the entry-level GV60 can manage. The Single Motor Long Range version – with its 79kWh (usable) battery – can now manage a whopping 406 miles officially. That’s further than the i4 eDrive40 (365 miles), the Model 3 Long Range (374 miles) and the Mercedes EQE (376 miles).

The dual-motor versions come with the larger battery as standard, but because of the extra performance on offer, the range drops to 367 miles officially for the Long Range Dual Motor car (and 353 miles with the Performance Pack).

As with any electric car the actual range you manage will depend on how often you explore the 0-60mph times and the temperature outside.

Driving overview

Strengths Huge electric range; impressive performance

Weaknesses Firm, uncomfortable ride; noisy on the move

The Polestar 2 offers a fundamentally good driving position. The pedals line up neatly with the steering wheel and seat, and there's a good range of electric adjustment for that seat, including for lumbar support (a memory function is available as part of the Plus Pack). That said, it could do with a bit more side support for hard cornering. 

As a bonus, you can change the angle of the door mirrors or steering wheel swiftly using buttons, whereas the Model 3 requires you to delve into its centrally mounted touchscreen to do so. And while the Model 3 displays crucial information, such as your speed, on its central touchscreen, Polestar has put a 12.3in driver's display right in front of you.

Front visibility is good, with a great view out at junctions, and standard-fit bright LED headlights with high-beam assist so you see everything at night.

Large rear side windows aid over-the-shoulder vision and make up for the fact that the small back window limits your view. Luckily, front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera are standard, and a 360-degree camera that provides a bird’s eye view of the car is available with the optional Pilot Pack.

A mix of squishy dashboard materials and plush inserts gives the interior a high-quality, sophisticated feel, and it's noticeably more premium-feeling than the Model 3's interior. You might recognise the steering wheel and buttons from some Volvos but the design and layout are different.

The rising centre console leads up to an 11.0in touchscreen infotainment system that was developed with Android and, essentially, operates like Android Auto. Features such as Google Maps and Google Assistant (for natural speech voice control) are included as standard. Apple CarPlay comes as standard.

The main menu icons on the screen are big and easy to hit, but the individual app icons are a bit small. As with all touchscreens, we'd rather have some physical controls to help make it less distracting to use when you're driving.

You get an eight-speaker stereo system as standard, but you can upgrade to a 13-speaker Harman Kardon sound system (available as part of the Plus Pack), which sounds rich and powerful, although it's a little bass-heavy at times.

Interior overview

Strengths Classy, high-quality interior; good driving position

Weaknesses Lack of physical controls for infotainment; hit-and-miss voice command system

If you’re sitting in the front of the Polestar 2, you won’t feel in the slightest bit cramped – and there’s decent storage, including a couple of cupholders, a cubby under the central armrest, and (rather slim) door bins.

Rear space is rather less impressive. Most six-footers who try to relax back in their seat and use the head rest will instead bang their head on the ceiling, and there's slightly less leg room than in the back of a Model 3.

In addition, a large hump on the floor of the 2 makes life uncomfortable for a central rear passenger. If you want limo-like amounts of leg room in the back of your electric car, look to the Ioniq 6 or the EV6.

The 2 has a hatchback boot like the Ioniq 5 and EV6, and there's a similar amount of space for luggage inside as there is in those cars. We managed to fit seven carry-on suitcases below the tonneau cover. You'll fit more in the boot of the Model 3 but will have to put up with a small saloon boot opening.

There's enough extra storage under the main boot floor for charging cables, plus another small boot under the bonnet. We say 'small' because it won't take a standard carry-on suitcase, whereas the front boot in the Model 3 will. The rear seatbacks fold down in a conventional 60/40 split.

Practicality overview

Strengths Spacious up front; boot has a practical hatchback opening

Weaknesses Stingy rear space; rivals have bigger boots

The cash price of the Polestar 2 is similar to the Model 3 and Ioniq 6 across the lineup, and it’s cheaper than an i4. Meanwhile – as with all electric cars – the model currently attracts very low benefit-in-kind tax, so it can make a lot of sense as a company car.

All versions come with plenty of luxuries, including dual-zone climate control, rain-sensing wipers, heated front seats, a hands-free electric tailgate, lifetime over-the-air updates and keyless entry. Individual options are limited to metallic paint, 20in alloy wheels and a semi-electric folding tow bar.

Everything else is bundled into dedicated packs. The Plus Pack adds a panoramic glass roof, a 13-speaker Harman Kardon stereo, heated rear seats, vegan upholstery for the seats, Black Ash Deco panels and a heat pump (which allows more efficient heating of the interior in cool weather).

The Pilot Pack introduces LED headlights that automatically shape their beam for maximum illumination without dazzling other road users, LED front fog lights and extra safety aids.

The Performance Pack (available only on the dual-motor variant) includes adjustable suspension, more powerful brakes from specialist brand Brembo, forged 20in wheels and signature ‘Swedish gold’ details inside and out.

The charging speed of the Standard Range car is rather disappointing compared with most rivals: it can accept up to 135kW from a CCS charger, for a 10-80% top-up in around 34 minutes. The Ioniq 6 can charge at 220kW and the i4 at 200kW, while an entry-level Model 3 RWD can accept around 170kW.

The Long Range versions can accept a much more respectable 205kW, making a 10-80% top-up possible in around 28 minutes with a fast enough charger. A full 0-100% charge using a 7kW home wall box will take around seven hours in the Standard Range or roughly eight hours in Long Range.

Polestar didn’t feature in the 2022 What Car? Reliability Survey but its parent company Volvo claimed a middling result, placing 17th out of 32 car makers. That’s above Tesla but below both Hyundai and Kia, which finished in joint fifth (with Suzuki) and seventh place respectively. 

Most Polestar parts are covered by a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty, while the Model 3 gets four years/50,000 miles. The Ioniq 6 has a five-year warranty and the EV6 comes with a seven-year warranty. All four cars come with an eight-year battery warranty as standard.

The Polestar 2 scored the full five stars in its Euro NCAP safety appraisal and did very well for child-occupant protection. You get plenty of active safety aids as standard, including blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, although adaptive cruise control costs extra.

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Costs overview

Strengths Lots of equipment as standard; impressive safety score

Weaknesses Maximum charging speed on Standard Range models; average warranty cover