Polestar 2 Review (2022)

Read Caroline’s Polestar 2 review for everything you need to know about the brand’s new premium electric car in Ireland.

Polestar is the latest brand to enter the Irish new car market. Their first car to market here is the Polestar 2. I went to the Irish press launch in Dublin to find out more about the brand’s new electric car and drive it for the first time.

The new Polestar 2 goes on sale in Ireland priced from €49,500, including the grant from the SEAI. It will be available in three variants: dual- and single-motor powertrains with long- and standard-range battery options.

Polestar was established as a new, standalone Swedish premium electric vehicle manufacturer in 2017. Founded by Volvo Cars and Geely Holding, Polestar cars share technology and engineering with Volvo Cars.

The new Polestar 2 will be available to order online soon and the first customer cars are expected to arrive in Ireland in June.

Styling

The Polestar 2 is pitched as an ‘electric performance fastback’. It has the practicality of a hatchback combined with the elevated ride height and attitude of a crossover. The design is solid and minimalist. The enigmatic Polestar emblem will not be immediately recognisable on Irish roads for some time. This new model from Polestar will enter a competitive segment populated already by such cars as the Tesla Model 3, the Ford Mustang Mach-E, BMW i4, Kia EV6 and the Hyundai IONIQ 5. Polestar 2 is new and interesting enough to command attention in this company with its elegant and refined good looks – without being a show off. A subtle colour palette fits perfectly to that end. 19-inch wheels, signature LED light designs front and rear, and Polestar’s signature frameless mirrors, make all variants largely indistinguishable from eachother.

Interior

Inside, the Polestar 2 delivers on the car’s premium billing. It’s a cool, minimalist design but with plenty of soft touch materials and just enough apparel to give it personality and atmosphere. From the driver’s seat, the high centre console offers a snug and sporty feel from behind the wheel. The centre console itself remains uncluttered with the most striking feature being a beautifully designed drive selector with the Polestar emblem. Built in China, the material quality is just beautiful throughout giving the car the premium finish customers deserve at this price point.

The driver gets a full digital instrument cluster, while an 11″ portrait style touchscreen controls takes centre stage. It’s easy to use and switch between menus. The Polestar 2 was the first car in the world to feature Google built-in through the car’s Android Automotive OS infotainment system – including the Google Assistant, Google Maps with support for electric vehicles and the Google Play Store. It responds to voice commands with high accuracy and is a delight to use.

Practicality

The Polestar 2 has five doors and seating for five with a hatchback-style opening boot. In the rear there is a prominent centre tunnel, which gives the car the feel of an elite sports sedan. But it means that two people will be most comfortable back there. Still they get large footwells and a central armrest. Headroom is okay, even with a panoramic glass roof fitted.

The boot opens like a hatchback to reveal 405 litres, giving decent volume and access. There’s a handy divider that is easy to slide up from the boot floor to separate items. A powered tailgate comes as standard. Under the bonnet there is a 41 litre ‘frunk’ for storing charging cables for example.

Battery, Power and Range

In Ireland, the Polestar 2 model range will include three versions, offering a mix of performance and range.

The Standard range, single motor version is front wheel drive and features a 231 hp / 330 Nm electric motor and a 69 kWh battery pack, giving a WLTP range of up to 474 km. This model is priced at €49,500.

The Long range, single motor version is front wheel drive and increases battery size to 78 kWh, with a corresponding jump in WLTP range of up to 542 km. This model is priced from €53,245, where the SEAI grant applies.

The Long range, dual motor variant is all wheel drive and has the best performance of the range. It has two electric motors and the same 78 kWh battery, with a total power output of 408 hp and 660 Nm, and 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.7 seconds. The WLTP range is up to 482 km. This model is priced at €61,900.

Charging

Polestar 2 comes equipped with an 11 kW onboard charger, which gives more flexibility in AC charging. DC fast charging is available up to 150 kW, for an 80% charge in 35 minutes. It will take about 11 hours to charge the Polestar 2 at 7 kW from a wallbox installed at home for example.

On the road

The new Polestar 2 is based on Volvo Car Group’s adaptable Compact Modular Architecture platform (CMA), which is also used by the Volvo XC40. The battery pack is integrated into the floor and contributes to the rigidity of the chassis as well as improves the car’s noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels. The brand says road noise has been reduced by 3.7 dB compared to a traditional chassis.

The Polestar 2 moves over the tarmac effortlessly, with a well-judged ride and a modulated throttle pedal giving a superb natural feeling to this car. Refinement is good on the move with very little noise from the electric motor entering the cabin. It’s easy to drive the car smoothly, as intended. One pedal driving is possible, which means the car will gently come to a stop when you lift off the accelerator without having to touch the brake. You can also adjust the steering feel. It handles country roads very well, behaving in an agile and predictable way.

I was driving the Polestar 2 Long Range, single motor version. This model is front wheel drive. On sitting into the car, the range on the dashboard indicated 440 km at 100% charge of the 78 kWh battery. With 231 hp, it feels lively on the road when you want it, with 0 to 100 km/h in just 7.4 seconds.

Equipment

Standard equipment is generous including 19″ alloys, 11″ touchscreen, 12.3 digital instrument cluster, premium stereo with 8 speakers, front- and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera.

There are three optional packages – Pilot, Plus and Performance – adding more equipment.

The Pilot Pack includes enhanced safety and driver assistance features, such as Pixel LED headlights, LED front fog lights, Adaptive Cruise Control, Pilot Assist, a 360-degree surround view camera, all-round parking sensors,  Blind Spot Information System with steering support, Cross Traffic Alert with brake support, and Rear Collision Warning.

The Plus Pack adds a full-length panoramic glass roof, premium Harman Kardon audio system with 13 speakers, WeaveTech upholstery, Black Ash deco panels, fully-electric heated front seats with memory, heated rear seats, steering wheel and wiper blades, and a new heat pump.

The Performance Pack is available for the Long range, dual motor model only and adds manually adjustable Öhlins Dual Flow Valve dampers, 4-piston Brembo brakes, forged alloy wheels and Polestar’s signature gold detailing inside and out.

Other options include ventilated Nappa leather upholstery, metallic paint, 20-inch alloy wheels and a semi-electric folding tow bar.

Anything else?

Buying a Polestar car is a slightly different model to going to the traditional dealership. The cars are purchased online through a 100% digital process.

But there will be a Polestar retail store ‘Polestar Destination’ opening in Sandyford, Dublin, later in 2022. The idea is to allow consumers to interact physically with the brand, meeting with Polestar Specialists to explore the car in more detail, including test drives.

In terms of servicing, this can place in the workshops of the already well-established Volvo dealer network around Ireland.

Consumer test drives will start with a four week roadshow in Dublin, Kilkenny, Cork and Galway, from 9^th May.

Summary

The Polestar 2 arrives in Ireland and should cause a stir in a market that has never been so receptive to electric vehicles – and premium ones at that.

The brand has plans to launch more models, including new SUVs which will no doubt broaden the brand’s appeal even more.

This is a mighty fine car on first impressions that delivers a long range, wonderful cabin and premium driving experience.

The brand may be a mysterious presence on Irish roads for a while as it gains momentum here, but there is something reassuringly familiar and conventional about this car too that really appeals.

The Polestar 2 will soon be available to order here from the Polestar Ireland website.

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Written by Caroline Kidd

Founder and Editor of Changing Lanes