2023 Polestar 2 review

This electric car has more range than any model on sale for less than $100,000, promising to change the way people think about green cars.

Is this the electric car to end range anxiety?

Polestar thinks so. Volvo’s electric car spin-off claims its new sedan is good for up to 654 kilometres of driving, giving it longer legs than any sub-$100,000 electric car.

The only EV with more in reserve than the long-range Polestar is an electric Mercedes that costs almost triple its $77,000 drive-away cost.

The Polestar 2 electric car has class-leading range.

This updated Polestar 2 looks broadly similar to the original model that arrived in 2021, save for a black panel between the headlights that is now body coloured.

But there are huge changes under the skin, including a switch from front-wheel-drive to rear-wheel-drive traction in two-wheel-drive models.

Polestar’s electric sedan benefits from significant changes.

As our European correspondent John Carey put it, that’s like changing from Camry to Commodore hardware during a mid-life facelift usually limited to restyled hubcaps.

Running changes return an extra 114km of range and 60kW of power in long-range Polestar models for $6500 more than the original car.

The Polestar 2’s cabin is packed with sustainable materials.

It also has significantly more equipment as standard, including a wireless phone charger, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a 360-degree camera and Apple CarPlay.

They are added to a long list of carry-over features including a digital dashboard and 11.2-inch central touchscreen.

Apple CarPlay is now standard.

The updated line-up starts at $67,400 plus on-roads (about $73,000 drive-away) for a standard range model with up to 532 kilometres of range from a 69kWh battery linked to a 200kW motor.

Polestar expects customers to pay $4000 more for the long-range rear-drive version with a larger 82kWh battery capable of 205kW fast charging – enough to replenish the range from 10 to 80 per cent in 28 minutes.

The Polestar has a hatch-type tailgate with flat-folding seats.

It’s also faster than the standard car thanks to a more powerful 220kW motor.

You’ll go further in the Polestar than an equivalent Tesla, but the American brand’s all-wheel-drive Tesla Model 3 Long Range is significantly quicker.

Folks who want a punchy Polestar can pay about $85,000 drive-away for a long-range dual-motor model that drives all four wheels.

Polestar’s electric car now has rear-wheel-drive traction.

The result is a combined 310kW of all-wheel-drive traction that returns a 4.5 second sprint to 100km/h, though maximum range drops to 591km.

A performance pack for the dual-motor variant ups power to 350kW, shaves the 0-100km/h sprint to 4.2 seconds and cuts range to 568 kilometres.

The Polestar 2 electric car has a smart-looking cabin.

It also brings big Brembo brakes and manually adjustable shock absorbers from Swedish specialists Ohlins for about $94,000 drive-away – about $5000 more than the Tesla Model 3 Performance.

We tested the Polestar in long-range, single-motor trim with a couple of options including a $3500 pilot pack with adaptive LED headlights, adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assistance.

The model builds on Polestar’s 2021 original.

Our test car also had a $6000 plus pack with a 13-speaker Harman Kardon stereo, panoramic sunroof, premium seats and luxury touches such as electrically adjustable seats and a powered tailgate.

Configured as such, the cabin is a beautifully finished space that feels more premium than most rivals.

Built to a high standard using sustainable materials, the Polestar feels like a high-end European product despite being made in Chengdu, China.

The new car still feels stiffly sprung.

Polestar’s 654 kilometre range claim isn’t easy to match in the real world. A week-long test of the model that included a decent stretch of freeway driving suggests it’s safer to bet on 550 kilometres or so, particularly on the open road.

The switch to rear-wheel-drive returns improved traction at low speed, particularly when turning out of junctions. Steering untroubled by drive shafts feels sweeter and the updated model’s extra punch makes it more fun to hustle along a winding road.

Back seat occupants get air vents and USB power outlets.

The Polestar is quiet on the highway, but the suspension still feels firmer than it should, particularly in a stiffly sprung rear end that thumps over imperfections.

There’s a question mark over its value too, particularly when the options are so expensive. Metallic paint is a $1500 commitment, and the only standard colour is a sensibly named “magnesium” which could easily have been “high-ho silver”.

After all, this car is the long ranger.

The Polestar 2 electric car is an impressive machine.

VERDICT

Faster, better-equipped and easier to live with, this updated electric car makes a strong case for Polestar ownership.

4 stars

POLESTAR 2 LONG RANGE SINGLE MOTOR

PRICE About $77,000 drive-away

MOTOR Electric motor, 220kW/490Nm

WARRANTY/SERVICE 5-yr/u’ltd km, free for 5 yrs

SAFETY 9 airbags, auto emergency braking, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert

RANGE Up to 654km

SPARE Repair kit

BOOT 405 litres

Originally published as 2023 Polestar 2 review