Polestar 2 Review: long in the tooth or up there with the best electric cars?
Car changing is a big deal
The Polestar 2 has been around for six years. Senior reviews writer Mario Christou gets behind the wheel to see if it’s still worthy of your cash, or if it’s been left behind by newer alternatives
Polestar is one of my favourite brands at the moment, not for any family history or past affiliation, but because it’s just so…cool. The Polestar 2 is no exception, and the stylish electric saloon-SUV-hatchback turns just as many heads now as it did when we first laid eyes on it back in 2020.
I recently spent a week with a Long range Single motor version of the Polestar 2, after only having driven the bonkers Dual motor performance. That meant no 20-inch alloys or big, yellow brake calipers, but that didn’t stop me from admiring the Polestar’s handsome, chiselled styling. The low, flat roofline and sloping tail are oh-so-elegant.
The interior looks great, too, though it’s not without its quirks. The 11.2-inch portrait display is Google-powered, quick to respond and features lovely graphics, but the menus are a bit of a pain to wrap your head around. Having to delve into the infotainment to adjust the climate is a nuisance, though it’s not a Polestar-specific issue.
On the other hand, the built-in Google Maps, Spotify and – for my fellow rave enthusiasts – Soundcloud means I didn’t feel the need to connect to Apple Carplay, saving my phone’s battery.
Polestar’s seats are some of the best in the business, but otherwise the ergonomics are a bit questionable. The steering wheel is enormous, the centre console is a bit too tall, the built-in door pulls are strange (the grab handles aren’t easy to grab) and the single cupholder is in a frankly awful position. I don’t want to decide between having an armrest or a safe space for my cup of coffee, Polestar.
Overall the interior feels quite narrow for a car of this size. Rear legroom is good, but headroom is a myth if you’re particularly tall. The 405-litre boot is okay but nothing more, though the pop-up shopping divider is genius. You also have a 41-litre storage space under the bonnet, but the one on my test car seemed to trap moisture – a single mark against the Polestar’s otherwise excellent fit-and-finish.
But you’ll forgive the stylish Swede for most of its transgressions from behind the wheel, because it really excels in some regards. Around town the light steering and slightly-elevated seating position make it easy to bop about tight roads, but it feels like there’s a lot of input required in the steering wheel, with seemingly endless turns from lock-to-lock.
I tend not to use one-pedal drive modes, but it’s nice to know the Polestar 2 can come to a full stop if you so choose. With regenerative braking turned off it coasts particularly well, almost as if it defies the laws of friction, which led to an excellent battery efficiency of 4.3mi/kWh on a motorway journey.
That meant a real-world range of 340 miles with its 79kWh (usable) battery, or 83% of its claimed distance. You’ll see even more if you mainly drive around town or on dual-carriageways.
It’s not all that comfortable, though. The Polestar is less compliant over bumps and through potholes than a BMW i4, though not miles behind a Tesla Model 3 Premium. You feel the benefit on a twisty road because it’s great fun to drive – even in non-performance guise. There’s very little body lean, the brakes are sharp and it gives you the confidence to carry speed through corners.
The awkward interior space and stiff suspension around town may lose the Polestar 2 some points, but I’d choose one over a Tesla Model 3 based on style alone. A BMW i4 is better to drive, but again, a harder pill to swallow when it comes to styling, so in that case – I’d flip a coin, and be happy on whichever side it lands.
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*Savings are made up of the maximum dealer discount off RRP – subject to dealership, location and trim. Prices correct at the time of writing.