- Doors and Seats
5 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
Perm Magnet, LI
- Engine Power
300kW, 660Nm
- Fuel
40h 0m chg
- Manufacturer
4WD
- Transmission
Red'n Gear
- Warranty
5 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
5/5 star (2021)
2022 Polestar 2 international launch review
Though it may only be a new brand, Polestar is looking to grow fast by catching the surge in demand for electric vehicles. We drive the brand's first fully electric car, the Polestar 2, to see if it has what it takes to compete.
- Sharp design and perceived quality
- Strong performance (in dual-motor guise)
- Ease of operation and zero emissions
- Weighs over two tonnes with a firm ride
- Cramped rear and current lack of Apple CarPlay functionality
- Eight-hour charging time on AC electricity
Polestar is not a company a lot of car-buying Australians will be particularly familiar with. Originally established as a motorsport specialist, it was purchased by Volvo in 2015 and operated as a sub-brand to develop high-performance models for the Swedish carmaker.
Since then, however, it has undergone a complete transformation. Polestar is now a standalone brand in its own right - one positioned in the premium car ranks with its own models separate to those from Volvo.
The focus remains on performance, but with electric drivelines instead of the petrol engines of old. Its first model, the left-hand-drive-only Polestar 1, was a rather expensive but encouragingly convincing petrol-electric plug-in hybrid that set it on the path to electrification.
The car you see here is Polestar’s second model, the electric-powered 2022 Polestar 2. Based on Volvo’s versatile CMA platform, it's the same structure that underpins the XC40 as well as a raft of Chinese market models from parent company Geely. Its aim is to cement Polestar’s standing in the electric vehicle ranks alongside rivals such as the Tesla Model 3, as well as an ever-growing number of electric-powered models from the likes of Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, including the Q4 E-Tron Sportback, iX3 and EQA.
If all goes to plan, the Chinese-built hatchback-cum-crossover will go on sale in Australia through a series of pop-up stores by the end of 2021, with deliveries set to get underway early next year. Prices are yet to be revealed, though the Polestar 2 is expected to be competitively priced against the Tesla Model 3.
You might recognise the 2. It was initially revealed as the Volvo 40.2 concept back in 2016. Given the close working relationship Polestar enjoys with Volvo, it is no surprise to discover similarities to the XC40 in certain exterior design elements.
With crisp and largely unadorned lines, a moderately raised ride height, and a liftback-style tailgate, it places a new spin on the traditional hatchback theme. It's 87mm shorter, 10mm wider and 34mm lower than the Model 3 at 4607mm in length, 1859mm in width and 1479mm in height.
Credit for the new Polestar model’s design goes to former Volvo design boss, Thomas Ingenlath. The 56-year-old German, who has also worked at Audi, Volkswagen and Skoda, was appointed CEO of Polestar in 2017. The move clearly places design at the forefront of the Sino-Swedish company’s priorities – something that is clearly reflected in the 2’s exceptionally handsome exterior.
Open the driver’s door and you discover a largely unique and quite brilliant interior. It is very high on perceived quality and includes some very attractive and agreeable to touch materials, whether synthetic, natural or a mix of both. The standard specification is vegan-friendly, though Polestar does offer the choice of leather upholstery in markets where it is already operating. There is an appealing Scandinavian succinctness to the design and the ergonomics that are first-rate.
There are crisp white, orange and black digital instruments with a choice of various layouts in front of the driver, but the centrepiece is a portrait-style display mounted high in the centre of the dashboard. The 11.0-inch unit boasts impressively high resolution and is quick to react to touch commands. It is also the first to use a Google Android operating system with Google Maps included as the standard navigation system.
You can sync to your Google account to personalise settings and access apps, and there’s also a "Hey Google” voice assistant for verbal internet search. Apple iPhone owners are not being ignored – CarPlay is planned to be made available by the time the Polestar 2 reaches Australia.
The Google system takes a long time to load on start-up, but it works seamlessly thereafter. The vehicle settings and other commands are stored in various menus with pleasingly intuitive operation.
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Key details | 2022 Polestar 2 Dual Motor |
Engine | Dual-motor electric |
Power | 300kW |
Torque | 660Nm |
Weight (kerb) | 2048kg |
Drive type | All-wheel drive |
Transmission | Single-speed automatic |
Power to weight ratio | 146.5kW/t |
Price (MSRP) | TBA |
Further digital technology also features, including a suite of connected services and a function that allows your smartphone to act as a car key. Given the links to Volvo, safety also plays a prominent role. Functions such as Pilot Assist semi-autonomous driving, LED Matrix adaptive high-beam headlamps and automatic emergency braking are included either as standard or as an option depending on the model.
With a wheelbase that is 140mm shorter than that of the Model 3, the interior of the 2 is not exactly overflowing with space. However, a high side window line does provide front seat occupants with a terrific feeling of security from the soft but supportive confines of the driver’s seat.
The decision to base the new Polestar on Volvo’s CMA platform ensures it receives proper footwells instead of the flat floor of many new electric cars. Meanwhile, the predominately dark hues used for the dashboard and trim elements are offset by a standard panoramic glass roof. It floods the inside of the Polestar 2 with sunlight, ultimately making it feel larger than it really is.
The rear is less impressive. The seat squab is flat, headroom compromised by the curvature of the roof, and legroom is rather limited when the front seats are set to accommodate an adult of average height. The relatively small rear side windows also make it feel very enclosed once you close the rear door.
The boot isn’t exactly commodious, either. But it does offer a useful 405L of luggage capacity, and the liftback-style tailgate provides a generous opening for ease of loading. You don’t need to worry about it having to accommodate the charging cable, either. It can be stored in a dedicated cubbyhole in the nose of the 2.
The Polestar 2 comes in three different configurations. The standard-range, rear-wheel-drive, single-motor version delivers 165kW and 330Nm in combination with a 24-module 64kWh lithium-ion battery for an official 0-100km/h time of 7.4sec and WLTP range of between 415 and 444km.
The long-range, rear-wheel-drive, single-motor version gets 170kW and 330Nm, but it swaps the 64kWh battery for a larger 27-module 78kWh unit, bringing the same 0-100km/h time of 7.4sec, but a near 100km extension in range at between 510 and 542km.
Heading the line-up is the long-range, four-wheel-drive, dual-motor version driven here. It uses two motors – one up front and one at the rear - with a combined 300kW and 660Nm, together with the same 75kWh battery as the long-range, rear-wheel-drive version for a claimed 0-100km/h time of 4.7sec and a range that is put at between 455 and 482km.
All three models receive a MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension – essentially the same set-up used by the Volvo XC40. Reflecting its background, Polestar offers the most powerful 2 with an optional Performance Package. It brings 20-way adjustable Ohlins dampers, 20-inch wheels and Brembo brakes – the latter two, like the seatbelts, finished in gold colour.
The Polestar 2 is an intrinsically easy to drive car. It is not terrifically involving in the traditional sense, but it is undeniably quick in dual-motor four-wheel-drive guise, offers a very reasonable range for its performance potential, and carries a welcome precision to its operation that makes it an enjoyable car to steer on most roads.
The appeal begins with the elevated seating. With 167mm of ground clearance, you sit slightly higher than you do in other premium-brand hatchbacks despite the enclosed feel created by the high-set side window line, which provides the driver with good forward vision.
Rear vision, on the other hand, is not a great strength, owing in part to the upsweep of the rear side windows, broad pillars, and the shallow glass of the tailgate. That said, the reversing camera does an excellent job of keeping tabs on the rear at an impressively high resolution. There is also an automatic reverse brake function that slams on the stoppers when sensors detect an impending rear-end collision.
Like a growing number of electric cars we’ve driven of late, there is no starter button. A slight nudge of the brake pedal primes the Polestar 2 so long as the key is within range. Draw the gear lever back and you’re ready to set off. In keeping with the simplistic nature Polestar CEO Ingenlath deems crucial to making electric cars popular, there are no driveline modes to complicate things before you get underway.
At a glance | 2022 Polestar 2 Dual Motor |
Energy consumption (claimed combined) | 19.5-20.3kWh/100km (WLTP) |
Range (claimed) | 450-480km |
Battery capacity | 78kWh |
Tow rating | 900kg braked |
Boot volume | 405L rear, 35L front |
Length | 4607mm |
Width | 1859mm |
Height | 1479mm |
Wheelbase | 2735mm |
Competitors | Tesla Model 3 | Mercedes-Benz EQA |
Performance is never in question, at least not in the range-topping, long-range, dual-motor version, which delivers truly robust real-world pace. It launches from standstill in an inherently urgent fashion. Step-off is particularly strong owing to the instant-on torque characteristics and the excellent traction from the four-wheel-drive system. This includes a torque-vectoring function on the rear axle to provide an individual amount of drive to each of the rear wheels.
Once its considerable 2048kg kerb weight is set in motion, it gathers speed very smartly, and responds instantly to applications of throttle and feeling even more potent than its headlining acceleration figures suggest. The Polestar 2 is every bit as quick as the Audi RS5, BMW M3 and Mercedes-Benz C63 off the line, and while it may not hit 100km/h as quickly as those models, it continues to offer convincing progress well beyond Australian speed limits.
Inevitably, though, it lacks the drama of the German performance car elite. The two electric motors emit a distant whine on a wide-open accelerator but are otherwise silent in operation. They’re eerily smooth too. Still, those who buy into the electric car mantra will argue that character can be built around quietness. It is this quality, more than any other, that distinguishes the Polestar 2’s driveline.
A short run in the long-range single-motor model hints it could be the smart buy of the line-up. It doesn’t deliver the same kick-in-the-back acceleration of the long-range dual-motor 2, but the performance is very suitable for everyday driving and you have the advantage of a long range.
The steering, albeit synthetic and without any great feedback, is very accurate. There are three modes – Light, Standard and Firm – each of which brings its own distinct weighting to the electro-mechanical system. Standard is the best choice for everyday driving, though it is likely most owners will set the steering in their preferred mode once and rarely change it.
The driver can also choose between three different levels of energy regeneration – Off, Low and Standard. Standard offers the highest level of energy regeneration. When you lift off the accelerator, the Polestar 2 uses its electric motors as a generator to harvest kinetic electricity and stow it in the battery to extend the range. So configured, the new Polestar model pulls up rather smartly in a process known as one-pedal driving. You rarely need to operate the brakes yourself, except when you are asked to come to a complete stop.
Although it is based around Volvo’s CMA platform – the same structure used by the Volvo XC40 rather than its own dedicated skateboard-style electric car platform - the Polestar 2’s handling is very well resolved. You’re always aware of the weight and inertia the battery brings during cornering, but with the 245/45 front and 245/40-profile 19-inch Michelin Primacy 4 tyres worn by our test car, there is plenty of grip. Body roll is also well controlled when you demand a sudden change of direction, and sets up appealing, flat and neutral handling.
There is a price to pay for the impressive handling, though. While amiably agile, the 2 boasts a rather firm ride on certain roads. It is fine on smoother surfaces at lower speeds, where it manages to sponge away smaller bumps. Show it a rougher road at higher velocities, though, and it can prove rather unyielding. The damper stiffness that helps to rein in body roll also contributes to quite a lot of vertical movement on rougher roads.
The Ohlins dampers that form part of the Performance Package can be manually adjusted, but they require the twirl of an Allen key. While a nice idea, you have to wonder how many prospective Polestar buyers would really bother, even if they promise to bring an improvement in ride compliance in their most relaxed setting. We’d stick with the standard specification, firm ride and all.
The brakes pull the Polestar 2 up well enough, but pedal feel is not a real strong point. It lacks for feel owing, in part, to the disruption brought by the various energy-regeneration functions.
The new Polestar model can be charged on either a single-phase AC system at up to 11kW or a three-phase DC system at up to 150kW. The former will recharge the 2’s largest battery in around eight hours, with the latter claimed to take around 40 minutes.
We like the Polestar 2. It is not perfect – a firm ride and relatively small interior limit its appeal somewhat. But there are enough positives, not least its eye-catching design and outstanding interior quality, to allow us to recommend it to anyone seeking to make the switch to electric power.
It is pleasingly also simple to drive, performance-car quick in dual-motor guise, and for the most part feels to be a more thoroughly engineered car than the Tesla Model 3. Whether Australian buyers are ready to take a plunge on a new electric car brand remains to be seen. But with Volvo Australia’s dealer network set to take care of servicing and Polestar likely to offer a 100,000km/three-year warranty in Australia, the signs are you will be able to choose the Polestar 2 with a good degree of confidence.