New Car Review | Polestar 2

Car aficionados will remember Polestar as the performance spin-off of the Swedish brand, Volvo. These days, Polestar is very much its own entity. Ultimately, Volvo and Polestar are owned by Chinese manufacturing giant, Geely. However, the brand is now producing stylish, all-electric cars for international markets with sustainability at the core of its message.

The Polestar 2 is not the brand’s first release, but it certainly is their most popular. It is a fully electric fastback saloon with bags of style, power and desirability. It is available with a variation of battery sizes and motors.

The Polestar 2 looks like a saloon, but could be more aptly described as a fastback. The larger opening of the boot really helps with access compared to the Tesla Model 3. The car also appears to sit higher that a traditional saloon thanks to the flared wheel arches, kick plate cladding below the doors and a very high window line.

The styling is quite angular and aggressive. The front is adorned with what looks like a traditional grille. However, being all-electric, this is simply aesthetic and only houses a small sensor. The bonnet sits high up and creases around the ‘Thor Hammer’ headlights.

Around the side, flared wheel arches bulge from the body of the car and are adorned with a black trim. They’re filled out nicely by the 19” alloys. You can trade up to 20” rims with the Performance pack, but more on that later.

At the back, the Polestar 2 rear end is dominated by the light bar that runs all the way around the tail lights and across the whole boot. It really stands out at night time. The boot sits high up, making the rear window relatively small, but we didn’t find visibility an issue.

The inside of the Polestar 2 is very comfortable. It is appointed quite well, with quality materials that have been sourced sustainably. Although very comfortable, the interior does not conform tightly to what people typically think of as luxurious. It’s a much edgier and fresher feel that makes some of its competition seem a bit dated. The materials are vegan, and you can spec different types of trim as you see fit.

The cabin is set up to feel more like a cocoon than the open and airy feel that is so popular in big SUVs these days. The centre console is high and wide. It rises up to meet the large portrait touch screen. The seats are electrically adjustable with variations on lumbar support that we found very comfortable. The optional panoramic roof gives a welcome sense of airiness and openness.

In the back, there is easily enough space to house four adults of 6ft in height. The centre seat won’t be as comfortable as the Polestar 2 retains the transmission tunnel we associate with combustion cars. Boot space is an adequate 405 litres, but is helped by an extra bit of space under the false floor and a 35-litre frunk.

The Polestar 2 has, at entry-level, an impressive 170kW motor that puts out 231PS and 330Nm torque. It has a fairly brisk acceleration of 7.4 seconds in the 0-100 km/h sprint.

We had the Long Range Dual Motor on test for the week. This has two motors. One at the front and one at the back to drive all four wheels simultaneously. In total, there is 300kW of power available, the equivalent of just over 400hp, and 660Nm torque. You will get to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds, and continue on to a 205 km/h top speed.

In cornering, the car feels very planted. The suspension is necessarily firm to handle a car of this size taking corners at speed. But there is enough give that you don’t get a pain in your back going over ramps. Although there is an incredible amount of power on tap, the car doesn’t feel jumpy, rather it is well-behaved and poised. The accelerator pedal responds gradually. A light touch will get you up to speed slowly, but plant your foot and have your innards pressed hard against your rib cage.

What is the range of the Polestar 2?

There are two main options when it comes to your battery pack in a Polestar 2. You can choose the Standard Range or the Long Range. The Standard Range has a 67kWh usable battery. The WLTP range is up to 474km. However, that’s quite optimistic and we see something like 370km to 400km being realistic.

The Long Range version has a larger 75kWh usable battery. WLTP indicated range goes up to 551km. This is the model that we had on test for the week, and we would say that a figure of around 400km to 450km is realistic in most circumstances. Of course, if you drive down the motorway at 120 km/h then the range figures will drop. Also, if you opt for the Long Range Dual Motor then you can probably knock off around 5%.

The entry-level Polestar starts off at €52,135 including grants and delivery charges. For that, you get the Standard Range Single Motor. If you take a step up from the entry, all of the options fall outside of the grant threshold so there is quite a jump in price.

The Long Range Single Motor goes up to about €62,000 as a result. You get the same power but only about 40km or so extra real-world range. The fun starts when you decide to upgrade to the Dual Motor with the bigger battery. You get 408PS instead of 231PS, plus the added benefit of All Wheel Drive. For this, you only pay an extra €4,000

Beyond that, there are a few options such as the Plus Pack, and the Performance Pack which boosts power by 68 horsepower and reduces your 0-100 km/h down to 4.4 seconds.

For us, the two best options are the entry-level Polestar 2 or the Long Range Dual Motor. The entry-level is a superb car, great fun to drive and has plenty of power. Opting for the Long Range just isn’t worth it for us as you pay nearly €10,000 extra for about 40km extra. And if you are going to step up, then you might as well spend the extra €4,000 to get the Dual Motor, which is bonkers fast and great fun.

The Polestar 2 scored 5 out of 5 stars in the EURO NCAP test. It received an impressive 93% for Adult Occupant, 89% for Child Occupant, 80% for Vulnerable Road Users and 83% for Safety Assist.

Safety features include collision avoidance systems, lane keep assist, post-impact braking, driver alert control and plenty of airbags. Overall, it’s a very strong result for the Polestar and definitely gives you confidence.

For more information, visit Polestar Ireland