Overview
It wears the sophisticated duds of a luxury sedan, looking similar to the Volvo S60, but the 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 even in its lowest trim level. The base rear-drive Polestar 2 has 295 ponies with a claimed 320 miles of range. Two all-wheel-drive Polestar 2 hatchbacks are available, one with 416 horsepower and the enthusiast-minded Performance Pack model with 449 horsepower. Both have a manufacturer-claimed 276 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 the 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. Even so, the Polestar 2 is an excellent choice for buyers in the electric car segment, and a 2024 Editors’ Choice honoree.
What’s New for 2024?
Polestar sweetens its 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 an additional 30 miles of claimed range for a total of 320 miles. Dual-motor Polestar 2 models now get 276 miles of claimed range, which is an increase of 16 miles from last year. Horsepower is up across all levels thanks to upgraded motors. The single-motor Polestar 2 now has 295 horsepower (up from 231) and the dual-motor version is up to 416 horsepower (from 408). We like that. Polestar has also retuned the torque ratio, giving the rear motor priority for output. The 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.
EV Motor, Power, and Performance
The Polestar 2 chain of command starts with a single motor that delivers 295 horsepower and 361 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels. Dual motors are on board in all-wheel-drive models, with a combined output of 416 horsepower and 546 pound-feet of torque. An available Performance Pack exists for thrill seekers, with 449 peak horsepower for maximum acceleration. At our test track, the single-motor Polestar 2 Plus we tested hit 60 mph in 5.5 seconds. We haven’t tested a dual-motor version with these updated motors yet, but Polestar says it’s capable of hitting 60 mph just 4.1 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 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.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPGe
Just like the overall driving range, the 2024 Polestar 2’s EPA-estimated MPGe ratings vary depending on equipment. The single-motor Polestar 2 gets 115 MPGe combined, 124 city, and 106 highway according to the EPA. The Dual Motor is only slightly worse, getting 106 combined, 112 city, and 100 MPGe highway respectfully. 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 of things from its Volvo brethren, such as 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.
