The Polestar 2 is a five-door hatchback electric car capable of almost 300 miles on a charge. Polestar is an EV-focused offshoot of Volvo, and this is its first serious attempt at giving Tesla something to worry about as the Polestar 2 is going head-to-head with the Tesla Model 3. In this post, we will give you a detailed 2021 Polestar 2 review.
Contents
2021 Polestar 2 Review
1. Performance
Power comes from two electric motors, one up front, and another outback, providing an all-wheel drive. Each produces 201 horsepower and 243 pound-feet of torque, for a total system output of 402 horsepower and 487 lb-ft of torque. The result is an impressively quick hatchback that zipped to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds and sped from 50 to 70 mph in 2.2 ticks during our testing. Our example was equipped with the Performance Package that includes 20-inch wheels and summer tires, stiffer suspension components as well as adjustable Öhlins dampers, and upgraded Brembo front brakes. This combination contributed to the 2’s 0.90 g of cornering grip and 157-foot stopping distance from 70 mph. Polestar also provides three levels of regenerative braking, with the strongest capable of bringing the car to a complete stop without touching the brake. While the aforementioned kit caters to the enthusiast crowd, we’re convinced the 2 will ride better on the base suspension. The standard all-season tires should improve their driving range, too.
2. Interior
The Polestar 2 offers a fundamentally good driving position; 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.
While the Model 3 displays crucial information, such as your speed, on its central touchscreen, the Polestar 2 has a separate 12.3in digital instrument display right in front of you.
Its small rear window limits your view out the back of the Polestar 2. However, large rear side windows aid over-the-shoulder vision, forward visibility is excellent, and the list of standard equipment includes bright LED headlights with high-beam assist front and rear parking sensors and a 360deg camera that provides a bird’s-eye view of the car.
A nice mix of squishy dashboard materials and plush inserts give the Polestar 2’s interior a high-quality, sophisticated feel, and it’s noticeably more premium-looking than the Model 3’s interior.
You may recognize the steering wheel and buttons from modern Volvo models, but the design and layout are different. The rising center console leads up to an 11.0in touchscreen infotainment system that was developed with Android and, essentially, operates like Android Auto. Features like Google Maps and Google Assistant, for natural speech voice control, are included as standard. You can’t watch Netflix or play computer games, though, as you can in a Model 3, and, while the Polestar 2’s system is very responsive, it’s not as slick to look at or use as the Model 3’s screen.
3. Passenger and boot space
Space is not an issue upfront; even tall drivers will have plenty of room, and there’s decent storage, including a couple of cup holders, a central cubby under the armrest, and slim door bins.
There’s a generous amount of legroom in the rear, too. However, while the standard panoramic glass sunroof makes the interior feel nice and airy, a six-footer sitting in the back will be less impressed that their head is touching the ceiling. In addition, a large hump on the floor makes life uncomfortable for a central rear passenger.
The Polestar 2’s rear seats fold in a 60/40 configuration and are dropped manually via pulleys in the seatbacks. It has a hatchback-style boot opening, as opposed to the Model 3’s saloon aperture, so loading long and bulky items should be easier in the Polestar 2, but its overall boot capacity is quite a bit smaller.
Under the rear boot floor, there’s some underfloor storage that’s ample for charging cables, and there’s another small boot under the bonnet upfront.
4. Fuel economy and real-world MPG
The EPA estimates the Polestar 2 has a driving range of 233 miles. On our real-world highway route, which is a 200-mile loop that we travel at a steady 75 mph. Our 2 traveled 190 miles on a full charge, which aligns with the Audi e-Tron and Chevy Bolt we’ve tested, but behind the Model 3 Long Range that managed 230 miles. The government also lists the Polestar’s combined MPGe at 92.
In conclusion, this is the full 2021 Polestar 2 review for you to consider.
