Polestar 2 review

It's impossible to introduce the Polestar 2 electric car properly without mentioning its biggest competitor.

You see, for years the Tesla Model 3 was the default choice for any executive car buyer wanting to go electric and the Polestar 2 is one of its longest-serving rivals.

The Polestar 2 gets off to a cracking start when it comes to range: it's one of the few electric cars that can officially break the 400-mile barrier. And if you don't need to go that far, you can either sacrifice some battery life for extra pace with the Dual Motor Performance Pack version or go for the cheaper Standard Range.

Polestar 2 video review

There are, of course, several credible alternatives to consider. The BMW i4 and Hyundai Ioniq 6 cost a little bit more and have similar saloon-like silhouettes (although the Polestar 2 is actually a hatchback), while the BYD Seal and VW ID 7 are relative newcomers. Oh, and don't forget the Genesis GV60 and Kia EV6.

Read on to find out how the Polestar 2 squares up against the best electric cars in all the important areas, including costs, charging, performance and comfort.

Whichever version of the Polestar 2 you choose, you won't need to worry about sluggish acceleration.

Even the cheapest, rear-wheel drive (Single Motor) variants can do 0-60mph in around six seconds, which is faster than an entry-level Hyundai Ioniq 6 and matches a BYD Seal Design. A Tesla Model 3 RWD is slightly quicker but the Polestar 2 still beats the majority of petrol and diesel alternatives.

If you want sports car performance, you'll need to go for the Polestar 2 Dual Motor, which can do 0-60mph in 4.3 seconds – or 4.0sec if you add the optional Performance Pack. Mind you, a Model 3 Performance can rocket to 60mph from a standstill in just 2.9 seconds.

Understandably, many buyers will be more concerned about range and, on that front, the Polestar 2 is even more impressive. The cheapest Standard Range Single Motor model can officially do up to 339 miles on a charge, with the Long Range Single Motor capable of a massive 406 miles. That's thanks to its huge 79kWh (usable capacity) battery.

For context, the official range of the Model 3 varies from 318 to 390 miles, while the Ioniq 6 can do from 322 to 338 miles officially. Of course, all of those official figures are out of reach in real-world driving. We've yet put the Polestar 2 through our Real Range tests but in warmer weather you can comfortably expect more than 300 miles from the Polestar 2 Long Range.

The car feels reasonably responsive when you turn in to a corner, although there's noticeably more body lean than in the lighter Ioniq 6 and Model 3. The steering is rather slow and numb whichever of the variable weight settings you choose, and the brake pedal doesn't always respond consistently to the pressure you apply, making it tricky to come to a smooth stop.

Ride comfort isn't very good either. You're jostled around too much, with even small road imperfections unsettling the car, especially at town speeds. The Ioniq 6 and Model 3 are more comfortable, although if ride comfort is a top priority and you want an electric car, take a look at the Genesis GV60.

On top of the extra oomph, the Performance pack adds adjustable Öhlins suspension to keep the Polestar 2's hefty weight under better control through corners. To adjust it, you need to get under the car and twist a dial on the damper at each corner (or get your local Polestar dealer to do it).

The Öhlins suspension does improve agility a little, but the car still feels relatively heavy – and ride comfort is even less impressive than in the standard car. The Polestar 2 is noisier than its direct rivals too, with lots of road noise at a motorway cruise.

The driving position in the Polestar 2 is fundamentally sound. The pedals line up neatly with the steering wheel and seat, and there's a good range of electric adjustment for that seat, including for lumbar support (a memory function is available as part of the Plus Pack). That said, we'd like a bit more side support for harder cornering. 

Better news is that you can change the angle of the door mirrors easily using buttons, whereas the rival Tesla Model 3 requires you to delve into its centrally mounted infotainment touchscreen. And while the Model 3 displays crucial information, such as your speed, on its central touchscreen, Polestar has put a 12.3in digital driver's display right in front of you, behind the steering wheel.

Front visibility is decent, so you won't struggle to see out at junctions, while bright LED headlights (with an automatic high-beam function) help light up the road at night. You can upgrade to Pixel LED headlights, which can shape their beam to avoid dazzling other drivers, if you add the Pilot Pack.

Also available as part of the Pilot Pack is a 360-degree parking camera that displays a bird’s eye view of the car on the central touchscreen. You get a regular rear-view camera as standard, along with front and rear parking sensors. And because large rear side windows help make up for Polestar 2's small rear window, backing into a space is never too tricky. 

A mix of squishy dashboard materials and plush inserts gives the interior a high-quality, sophisticated feel, and it's noticeably more premium-feeling than the Model 3's interior. You might recognise the steering wheel and buttons from some Volvo car models but the design and layout are different.

The rising centre console between the driver and passenger leads up to the 11.0in touchscreen, which was co-developed with Android and operates like Android Auto. Features such as Google Maps and Google Assistant (for voice recognition) are included as standard, as is Apple CarPlay.

The icons on the home screen are big and easy to hit but the individual app icons are a bit small. As with all touchscreens, we'd rather have some physical controls to help make the system less distracting to use when you're driving. That's an area where the BMW i4 has a clear edge over the Polestar 2.

The standard eight-speaker stereo can be upgraded to a 13-speaker Harman Kardon sound system (part of the Plus Pack), which is certainly powerful but can be a little bass-heavy at times.

If you’re sitting in the front of the Polestar 2, you won’t feel in the slightest bit cramped – and there’s decent storage, including a couple of cupholders, a cubby under the central armrest, and (admittedly rather slim) door bins.

Rear space is rather less impressive. Most six-footers who try to relax back in their seat and use the head rest will instead bang their head on the ceiling, and there's slightly less leg room than in the back of a Tesla Model 3.

In addition, a large hump on the floor of the Polestar 2 makes life uncomfortable for a central rear passenger. If you want limo-like amounts of rear leg room in the back of your electric car, take a look at the Hyundai Ioniq 6 or Kia EV6.

The Polestar 2 has a hatchback tailgate – as does the BMW i4 – and there's a similar amount of boot space as there is in the i4.

We managed to fit seven carry-on suitcases below the tonneau cover. You'll fit quite a bit more in the Model 3's boot but will have to put up with a smaller, saloon boot opening. The rear seatbacks fold down in a 60/40 split.

There's enough extra storage under the main boot floor for charging cables, plus a front boot under the bonnet – although it's not as big as the Model 3's.

The Polestar 2 is priced roughly in line with the BYD Seal and is a bit cheaper than the BMW i4 and Hyundai Ioniq 6. However, it struggles to get close to the entry-level Tesla Model 3, which costs significantly less.

There isn't much between them for company car tax though, because they all qualify for a low 2% rate.

All versions come with plenty of luxuries, including dual-zone climate control, rain-sensing wipers, heated front seats, a powered tailgate, lifetime over-the-air updates and keyless entry. Individual options are limited to metallic paint, 20in alloys and a semi-electric folding tow bar.

Everything else is bundled into packs. The Plus Pack adds a panoramic glass roof, the 13-speaker Harman Kardon stereo, heated rear seats, WeaveTech vegan upholstery, Black Ash Deco panels and a heat pump (which allows more efficient heating of the interior in cool weather).

The Pilot Pack adds more sophisticated LED headlights, but also LED front fog lights and adaptive cruise control.

The Performance Pack (available only on the Dual Motor variant) includes adjustable Öhlins suspension, more powerful Brembo brakes, forged 20in wheels and signature "Swedish gold" details inside and out.

The charging speed of the Standard Range car is a little disappointing compared with most rivals: it can accept up to 135kW from a CCS charger, for a 10-80% top-up in around 35 minutes. The Ioniq 6 can charge at 220kW and the i4 at 200kW, while the entry-level Model 3 RWD accepts around 170kW.

The Long Range versions have a much more respectable maximum charging rate of 205kW, making a 10-80% top-up possible in around 28 minutes with a fast enough charger. A full 0-100% charge using a 7kW home wall box will take around seven hours in the Standard Range or eight in the Long Range.

The Polestar 2 finished mid-table in the electric car class in the 2023 What Car? Reliability Survey. That was better than the Model 3 but not as good as the EV6. Most Polestar parts are covered by a three-year/60,000-mile warranty, while the Model 3 gets a four-year/50,000-mile warranty. The Ioniq 6 gets a five-year warranty on most components. All three cars come with an eight-year battery warranty.

The Polestar 2 scored the full five stars in its Euro NCAP safety appraisal and did very well for child-occupant protection. You get plenty of active safety aids as standard, including blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.

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