2024 Polestar 2

Overview

It wears the sophisticated duds of a luxury sedan, like the Volvo S60, but the all-electric Polestar 2 hatchback is built for a gas-free world. Volvo’s EV subsidiary, Polestar, gives the 2 a healthy balance of range and horsepower for its lowest trim level. The base rear-drive Polestar 2 has 299 ponies with a claimed 300 miles of range. Two all-wheel-drive Polestar 2 hatchbacks are available, one with 421 horsepower and the enthusiast-minded Performance Pack model with 450 horsepower. Both have a manufacturer-claimed 270 miles of range. The Polestar 2’s pricing starts far above the base Tesla Model 3's but at least it has more range than Elon's baby. Another thing the Polestar has over the Tesla is a more traditional cockpit, complete with a normal instrument cluster and software backed by Google’s Android. While the Polestar 2 has constantly gained better features, range, and horsepower each model year it needs to keep growing even stronger to be competitive against other blossoming electric cars such as the BMW i4 and Hyundai Ioniq 6.

Where This Vehicle Ranks

1

BMW i4

STARTING AT: $52,995

2

Hyundai Ioniq 6

STARTING AT: $42,715

3

Tesla Model 3

STARTING AT: $44,630

4

Polestar Polestar 2

STARTING AT: $55,000

5

Chevrolet Bolt EV

STARTING AT: $27,495

6

Nissan Leaf

STARTING AT: $29,135

What's New for 2024?

Polestar sweetens its all-electric 2 for 2024 with more range thanks to a larger battery and updated hardware. The previously single-motor front-wheel-drive Polestar 2 is now rear-wheel drive and gets a claimed 30 additional miles of range for a total of 300. Dual-motor Polestar 2 models now get 270 miles of claimed range, which is an increase of 10 miles from last year. Horsepower is up across all levels thanks to upgraded motors. The single-motor Polestar 2 now has 299 horsepower (up from 231) and the dual-motor version is up to 421 horsepower (from 408). We like that. Polestar has also retuned the torque ratio, giving the rear motor priority for output. 20-inch forged wheels that come with the Performance Pack have been updated and Polestar now offers Michelin all-season tires as an option for its 19-inch wheels. The larger battery now supports maximum DC-fast-charging speeds of up to 205 kW.

Pricing and Which One to Buy

The rear-drive single-motor Polestar 2 has plenty of range to forgo nightly charging, and its 299 horsepower makes it quick on its feet. While the Performance Pack feeds the enthusiast flame, it comes at the cost of overall range, so rather than racing to the next recharge, we’d argue that a lower price and better range is worth the gap in maximum Polestar 2 performance.

EV Motor, Power, and Performance

The Polestar 2 chain of command starts with a single motor that delivers 299 horsepower and 361 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels. The motors are doubled for all-wheel-drive models, with a combined output of 421 horsepower and 546 pound-feet of torque. An available Performance Pack exists for thrill seekers, with 455 of peak horsepower for maximum acceleration. We haven’t tested a 2024 Polestar 2 with these updated motors yet, but expect more aggressive performance than last year’s base, single-motor model, which launched to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds. The Performance model also comes equipped with 20-inch wheels and summer tires, stiffer suspension components as well as adjustable Öhlins dampers, and upgraded Brembo front brakes. Polestar also provides three levels of regenerative braking, with the strongest capable of bringing the car to a complete stop without you touching the brake. While the aforementioned Performance Pack caters to the enthusiast crowd, we're convinced the 2 rides better on the base suspension.

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Range, Charging, and Battery Life

Like the gas-powered Volvo XC40 crossover, the 2 rides on the Swedish brand's Compact Modular Architecture (CMA), though the electrified version of the platform accommodates a 75 kWh lithium-­ion battery for all-wheel drive models, and a larger 79 kWh battery for rear-drive single-motor cars. The electrical system supports fast charging up to 205 kilowatts with the big battery, but Polestar claims the 75 kWh battery can be recharged from dead to 80 percent in 40 minutes. The single-motor model has an estimated range of 300 miles, and the dual-motor version is rated at 270 miles of range on a single charge.

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPGe

The 2024 Polestar 2 hasn’t been rated by the EPA yet, but last year’s car, albeit with less horsepower, eked out 190 miles of range on our 75-mph real-world highway route, which aligned with the Audi e-tron luxury SUV but trailed the Tesla Model 3 Long Range sedan, which managed 230 miles. For more information about the Polestar 2's efficiency and range, visit the EPA's website.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

The 2's interior brings together wood, fabric, and plastic in a simple yet artful way. It looks modern, with clean lines, a spartan color palette, and minimal switchgear. The 2 borrows a couple things from its Volvo brethren, like the steering-wheel buttons and knurled start knob, but the overall design reads less busy here. In keeping with the electrified powertrain, Polestar swaths the interior in eco-friendly vegan fabric (though, you can get leather if you really want it). The power-operated liftgate opens to a not-so-cavernous cargo hold boasting 14 cubic feet of space. Need more? There's another cubic foot of storage in the frunk.

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Infotainment and Connectivity

Inside, the driver faces a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster as well as a centrally located iPad-esque portrait-oriented touchscreen. The latter measures 11.2 inches and handles most functions, running Google's Android Automotive OS infotainment system. It's not all that different from other modern interfaces: Picture a box subdivided into four squares, each devoted to a different category of apps, be it navigation, phone, or audio. By grouping similar apps into a specific corner of the screen, Polestar believes users will have an easier time finding what they need, thus minimizing distraction. But what's really great about this whole thing is that it makes Google Maps the integrated nav system and provides useful EV-specific information to the driver, such as where the nearby charging stations are and how long you'll have to sit there once you arrive. Other things worth noting: You'll find two USB ports in the front and two in the rear, satellite radio comes standard, and Harman/Kardon provides the sound.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

The Polestar 2 comes loaded with several driver-assistance and safety features, which should provide added peace of mind. For more information about the Polestar 2's crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:

• Standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection
• Standard adaptive cruise control
• Standard blind-spot monitoring

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

Polestar’s limited warranty sticks to the industry standard, on par with that from Tesla. The company also provides competitive coverage for the 2's electrical components. Surprisingly, Polestar doesn’t offer the same three-year complimentary maintenance program as Volvo, its parent company.

• Limited warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles
• Electrical components are covered for eight years or 100,000 miles
• No complimentary scheduled maintenance

More Features and Specs