POLESTAR 2 remote single motor
Powertrain and economy: single motor, 170kW/330Nm, FWD, claimed range of 540 km (WLTP).
Important stats: Length 4606mm, width 1859mm, height 1479mm, wheelbase 2735mm, trunk capacity 405 liters, 20-inch alloy wheels.
We like: excellent manufacturing quality, nice look, good driving experience
We didn't like it: the price of the remote single motor version (tested) could be better, and the steering and throttle felt a bit numb
Polestar has arrived in New Zealand, and while we missed out on the great plug-in hybrid Polestar 1, the Swedish company offered us a real Tesla Model 3 competitor in the form of a Polestar 2.
What the hell is Polaris?
Polestar is here, and it's not messing around.
Polestar used to be Volvo's performance arm, just as the RS was for Audi, the AMG for Mercedes, and the M for BMW. It became its own brand in 2017, similar to Cupra and Seat, producing in-house hybrids and electric vehicles.
The 2017 Polestar 1 was its first model, a 2+2 coupe with a plug-in hybrid system from Volvo that produces 450kW and 1000Nm of torque. It looked great, obviously like hell and we never got it in New Zealand. sad.
We missed out on the great PHEV Polestar 1, but the all-electric Polestar 2 was brilliant in itself.
But, thankfully, Polestar is not a pony that plays tricks. Two years after the release of the Polestar 1, the Polestar 2 was released, a four-door sedan based on volvo XC40's CMA platform. There is also no combustion here, and depending on the specifications, the two have one or two electric motors. It may not be a supercar killer like 1, but it looks absolutely great and more importantly, people are actually able to buy it.
Apparently, Volvo's head of exterior design, Maximillian Missoni, put extra effort into taillights, grilles and wheels to distinguish the Polestar 2 from its Volvo relatives, especially considering that it came from one of a set of Volvo concepts and the other ended up as the XC40.
Okay, so it's electric Volvo?
Not Volvo. see? Just ignore the "Quake" headlights and volvo platforms.
Not far away. It's based on Volvo's skeleton and has some Volvo interiors, but other than that, it's all Polestar. It's actually the volvo car group (excluding the other Geely brands, Volvo's parent company) of the first pure electric car, so it really is breaking new ground.
Somewhat oddly enough, using a CMA platform means that there is a raised hump in the middle of the rear floor, often hiding the drive shaft or exhaust pipe. Since the Polestar 2 is electric, there's actually no need for tunnels here, but according to Polestar executives in 2019, it was retained to increase the comfort of rear passengers.
Another area where Polestar differs from some of its competitors is the motor. Specifically, long-range single motors and standard series single motors, which use only one motor but are mounted on the front axle. The starter versions of competitors like the Tesla Model 3 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 mount the motor on the rear axle, which I do prefer, but it's clearly a personal preference.
This does mean that polestar 2 may be slightly understeered when pushing, especially in wetlands, but given that understeering is easier and more natural to correct, this decision makes sense.
So does that mean it drives like a hot hatch?
It does have about the same power as the Golf GTI, but it weighs a lot heavier, claiming a curb weight of 2123 kg, compared to about 1450 kg. While the two are not comparable at all, the Polestar 2 can use some work in the steering and throttle areas, aside from which axle to drive and how much to drive – at least in the single-motor version.
The polestar 2's sculpted body hides some impressive technology.
The throttle will feel sluggish, especially if regeneration is open. Sometimes it may be necessary to pedal to get things moving. But dialing back to regen will do, although then you will lose the ability to drive on a single pedal.
At the same time, steering can feel very numb and very electric because it has a lot of artificial counterweights. Great for things in town, but it's not the best electric frame for AC. Keep in mind that you need to spend more money to get a better steering system.
However, that's not to say that the Polestar 2 is a bad car to drive. In fact, when you get used to its weaknesses, it's great.
It could be a front-wheel drive car in the rear-wheel-drive EV world, but the weight is well maintained and light, which means it's handling great.
The weight is low, which means there's hardly any body roll, and while the suspension is a bit sturdy, it does a good job of keeping everything pointing in the right direction. Adding a $4,000 Performance Pack gives you a manually adjustable suspension, so you can spend a day tweaking and setting it up correctly if you wish.
And, all in all, the Polestar 2 is a faster car than the Tesla Model 3, and although the Americans have more power, they're introducing corners into the equation. I'll let it hang.
But Polestar is new and relatively inexpensive, so does that mean quality suffers?
The interior is filled with sustainable materials.
Of course not. Polestar's biggest strength is how well it's assembled, and how gorgeous it is.
Keep in mind that this is Volvo's cousin, which means that quality assurance is second only to almost worrisome security (by the way, the European NCAP rating is five stars).
There aren't any wayward panel gaps in the metal panels, and I particularly like the subtle stickers on each front door that indicate what powertrain is on board, as well as the rimless rearview mirrors. I don't need to go on talking about appearances because there are pictures, each of which tells a thousand words.
The optional skylight even features a projected Polestar logo.
The interior is full of sustainable materials that easily feel as good as anything else on the market, and the Polestar 2 is the first car to ship with Google's operating system, and it's great.
Everything is minimal and won't overheat — google systems have a 12.3-inch portrait touchscreen cassette that controls everything about the car, but there's also a digital dashboard behind the steering wheel with typical vehicle readings and a full-screen navigation map.
The test model here did add the Plus Pack, which replaced the standard roof with changes such as a fixed panoramic sunroof, heated rear seats, a 13-speaker, 600W Harmon Kardon sound system, cordless phone charging, and power seats. This pushes the total price up to more than $80,000 in discount points.
The driver's seat is a fairly comfortable place and the centre console rises quite high. It does feel like a racing cockpit, though, which is cool.
You can choose from the standard series single-motor version (about 440 km of range, less than 540 km) and add a Plus Pack with a total price of $75,900, or a Pilot Pack of $74,550 if you're willing to give up some features to save money.
As a reference, the standard long-range single motor uses the Pilot Pack as standard equipment, which adds a range of additional safety systems such as adaptive cruise, 360-degree cameras, intersection alarms, and pixel LED headlights.
Should I consider any other car?
The main competitor is the Tesla Model 3, which beats the Polestar in terms of power and endurance, but loses in terms of design, quality and kit. The only Model 3 subject to discounts is the basic rear-drive model, starting at $66,900, while the dual-motor long-range model starts at $82,900.