Polestar 2 2023 review: Long range Single motor - long-term | Part 1

The Polestar 2 is as much a statement as it is a key competitor to the likes of the overwhelmingly popular Tesla Model 3.

While the Model 3 surges ahead in the sales charts, the Polestar 2 with its similar dimensions and pricing structure does things a little differently.

That's evident from its strange lifted sedan body, unconventional design traits, and sporty rear hatch layout.

And the Swedish all-electric Volvo spin-off is using this car to question the very way we build cars, and dares others to be more transparent about how the industry can be better.

Some might say these are lofty, noble goals. Others might question if they are achievable or simply an elaborate attempt to ‘greenwash’ buyers.

But whether you buy into the ethos of the Polestar brand or not, the question remains if this focus on the unconventional makes a car worth living with.

Is the Polestar 2 just a Volvo XC40 spin-off at the end of the day? Do its lofty goals make it more a concept and less a car you would actually live with? Should I recommend one of these to people I like?

We’ve grabbed one to find out.

The Polestar 2 features a lifted sedan body and a sporty rear hatch layout. (Image: Tom White)

Which Polestar 2 is the best, and how much does it cost? Is the Tesla Model 3 better value?

Good questions. We think the one we’ve grabbed for this review is the best, as it happens. It’s the Long Range Single Motor, and it costs from $68,400 before you start ticking option boxes.

We like this one because it has a driving range of 515km on the WLTP cycle and isn’t as expensive as the dual-motor version, which has astounding (but perhaps unnecessary) performance.

Our car has the two available options for this variant, the 'Pilot lite pack' ($3400), which adds the otherwise missing adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert, as well as a very nice 360-degree camera, and the Plus pack which adds a Harmon Kardon premium audio system, panoramic glass roof, and ‘WeaveTech’ synthetic leather seats.

Total price comes to $84,464 (drive-away) in NSW where we’re testing the car.

Our test Polestar 2 has a driving range of 515km on the WLTP cycle. (Image: Tom White)

Straight away, you might notice this isn’t a value match for the base Model 3 ($64,201 drive-away in NSW) which offers slightly less range (491km), but for significantly less cash (plus you don’t have to tick option boxes to get the equivalent safety gear).

In fact, even the Model 3 long range can be had for $77,201 drive-away, and it offers longer range (602km) and higher performance (4.4 seconds 0-100km/h) so you have to love the Polestar to opt for it over its American counterpart.

However, some of these issues will be addressed later this year, when the deeply updated version of this car arrives, with a longer range, a higher degree of standard safety equipment, and a switch to rear-wheel drive.

What are the best things about the Polestar 2? What are your initial impressions?

I love looking at this car. Polestar’s CEO is, unusually, a designer, responsible for some iconic concepts at Volvo which resulted in the brand’s current and seemingly ageless design language.

The 'Pilot lite pack' ($3400) adds a very nice 360-degree camera. (Image: Tom White)

And the promise with Polestar is a brand less constrained by the family-friendly image of its Swedish parent.

As a result this car is unconventional by nature. Is it a sedan like the Model 3? Not really. It rides higher and has crossover-like claddings, plus a lifting hatch rear, more like a fastback.

It also strays from Volvo, if only a little this time around, swapping the abundance of chrome for matt plastics, and a dramatic boot-spanning rear light panel.

Big haunches over the wheels are more aggressive than elegant, as is the stout and squared-off bonnet, tail, and roofline.

If you haven’t already, check out the wild designs of the upcoming Polestar 3 large SUV, and Polestar 4 mid-sizer for the more dramatic direction the brand is moving in.

The rear of the Polestar 2 features a dramatic boot-spanning light panel. (Image: Tom White)

The interior is a dramatic over-commitment to design. On the one hand, driving this car feels special every day.

I’ll admit it’s a much more approachable car than the dramatic EV6 I drove previously, with the Polestar having familiar Volvo switchgear, minimalistic software, and a cosy seating position which isn’t particularly unusual when compared with a combustion vehicle.

There’s nothing which screams ‘I’m an EV’ in your face, and even that subtlety on its own is enough to drive a wedge between the feel of this car and a Tesla Model 3, which feels more like you’re sitting in a portable Apple store.

For the record, both aesthetic approaches are deliberate. The Polestar welcomes driving enthusiasts of old, while the Model 3 looks to attract a more gadget-savvy buyer, one who might not care for a car otherwise.

For front passengers it feels like you’re sitting in a fancy recycled Ikea chair, with the raised console piece serving as a big, convenient armrest, with both the indicator stalk, and big portrait touchscreen being just a flick of the finger away.

The Polestar's seats feature hard cladding and can be grating after an hour or two behind the wheel. (Image: Tom White)

There’s a very pleasing minimalism to everything, and a stylish coherent approach to materials. It’s not premium in the Volvo sense, with many more hard plastics and no leather (aside from the steering wheel) but manages to feel upmarket, nonetheless.

On the other hand, this commitment comes with some unexpected flaws. For a start, there’s just one centre cupholder. Sure, it’s a driver-focused car, but still, really?

It’s surprising how annoying this is, because cupholders are more than just about cups. They hold your phone, your wallet, your sunglasses, and when you only have one, you’re forced to use the little cutaways on either side of the big raise, which are tiny and likely to dump their contents on the floor in the case of aggressive cornering manoeuvres.

There is a second cupholder, but it’s hidden away in the tiny armrest box, so you can effectively choose a padded armrest or a cupholder, but not both. An upsetting proposition. 

The second unexpected inconvenience is driving in shorts. Hear me out. I picked this car up as summer was coming to an end, so shorts were, naturally, worn frequently.

The issue is the hard cladding in Polestar’s signature pattern work which makes up the aforementioned armrest piece is also what your knee sits up against, and it’s grating after an hour or two behind the wheel.

Upfront of the Polestar 2 is a big portrait touchscreen. (Image: Tom White)

Am I expected to wear trousers to the beach? Perhaps you would in Sweden.

What’s the Polestar 2 like to drive?

Now the good bit. I like driving this car as much as I like looking at it. I know it’s front-wheel drive, and I know with just 170kW/330Nm on offer it’s not as powerful as a Model 3, or many other electric offerings, but there’s a determination to this car which shines through.

Tight, accurate steering on a chunky sporty wheel, a stiff chassis, hard suspension, and aggressive tyres make this car an absolute pleasure to carve corners in.

Even the way it sits on the road makes it feel feline, as though it’s ready to pounce the moment you hop on that pedal.

It’s one of these cars which proves electric doesn’t have to be boring, and with little spurts of lag-free acceleration out of corners even on every day commutes, it’s a car which can put a smile on the keen driver’s face every day.

With just 170kW/330Nm on offer, the Polestar 2 is not as powerful as a Model 3. (Image: Tom White)

Now, it’s not perfect. The ride is so hard it’s a bit silly, being a little crashy and noisy, even fatiguing over longer distances.

And if you do really push it, the joy of the adept handling can leave you with a sour taste in your mouth when the inevitable understeer kicks in (something which will be corrected with the incoming rear-wheel drive facelift version).

Obviously, you can spend more and get absurd traction, even more aggressive suspension, and double the performance from the Dual Motor variant, but if you’re baulking at the price, don’t write the Single Motor version off.

I’m enjoying driving it so much that I have to find excuses to pop down to the shops. For an hour. Maybe two.

Is the Polestar 2 energy efficient? Can it match its range claim?

In this first month I can’t answer that second question, but I will get to it with a thorough freeway-based range test, so stay tuned for that in future editions.

The Polestar 2 is a car which can put a smile on the keen driver’s face every day. (Image: Tom White)

In my initial testing, in which I have used this car as a daily driver, with mostly suburban kilometres, some curvy back roads, and the occasional freeway thrown in, the car is reporting 400km of driving range at 80 percent charge.

With my… enthusiasm for driving, I have managed to cover 865km since pick-up, and the car is showing an average consumption over that distance of 15.9kWh/100km, which is actually better than the claim of 17.1kWh/100km, so impressive on that front so far.

Charging has largely not been an issue, although the large battery capacity has resulted in some different charging habits compared to some lower-range EVs I’ve had in the past.

Namely, I’ve found I wait for the car to get to about 100km of range at the 15-ish percent mark, and then just leave it on am 50kW fast-charger for an hour, instead of use more frequent slow-charging to pick up 100km of range at a time.

In the coming months I hope to do a longer-range test, to see if it can hit its 150kW peak charging capacity, at which point it should charge in just over half an hour.

Acquired: April 2023

Distance travelled this month: 865km

Odometer: 8817km

Average energy consumption this month: 15.9kWh/100km