The 2024 Polestar 2 Long Range Single Motor. It’s an electric vehicle that’s hard to look away from when you see one in the flesh. We’d sum it, and its brand, up as the IKEA of the EV world – but that’s not a bad thing.
Think well designed, functional and practical, and oh so Swedish (Polestar is connected to Volvo and Geely after all). Power output is a respectable 220KW to the rear wheels. It does 0-60km/h in a decent 6.2 seconds.
Acceleration is smooth and responsive, it’s quick off the mark, and you’ll never find it wanting for extra grunt. Impressively, its 655km range is outstanding. Regenerative braking takes a little getting used to if you’re not familiar with it though.
Thankfully you can change how aggressive it is, or switch it off completely. The ride gives some really nice sporty vibes and it’s definitely an EV with a personality – something some of the competitors can lack.
Raring to go, whether you’re commuting or travelling, it’s a solid choice for an all-round EV, and never feels like it’s going to cause range anxiety, even when driven spiritedly. Its fast-charge setup also adds to the convenience factor.
The design of the Polestar 2 showcases its minimalist Scandinavian roots nicely, with clean lines and a consistent design language. LED lighting is found throughout. To be specific, the rear light blade contains 288 LEDs.
These feature adaptive brightness based on the lighting conditions. Upfront LED headlights combine energy efficiency and an origami-inspired design, which also adjust. Step into the interior and you’ll find minimalism at its finest.
White vegan leather seats and recycled plastics. It’s a clean layout. You can tell the difference in quality but it’s still nicely done. The cabin is extremely spacious. Central to everything is a large infotainment display, which also houses your climate controls.
The system operates on Android software so already features Google Maps and Spotify, however Apple CarPlay is also available, albeit not wireless, which is disappointing. Still, everything is user friendly.
At the rear, there is 407-litres of boot space available with the seats up. Combined with the lift-back style tailgate, it will essentially fit everything with ease. If you need more, there is some hidden under-floor storage also available.
From a safety perspective, everything that you expect in a car of this class is there. Don’t forget it has the backing of Volvo and the decades of engineering behind that. There are three radar units, five cameras and 12 sensors that monitor 360 degrees around.
It would be incredibly difficult to hit something when reverse parking, that’s for sure. Adaptive cruise control, alerts, advanced driver assistance, front, side and inner side airbags, lane-keep assistance and intelligent lighting are all on hand to keep you safe.
At the forefront of Polestar’s place in the market is the aim to create a sustainable product and one that utilises as much recycled materials as possible – something that goes further than just being electrically powered.
You can see this throughout – but it is all still done with premium quality. With the norm of designing electric cars that look a little futuristic when next to most other cars on the road, the Polestar 2 has positioned itself nicely as an EV that looks good.
A striking, spacious design, a clean well-laid out interior and plenty of practicality combine with the extended range of this variant to ensure the Polestar 2 should be on everyone’s list to test drive.
Starting from $67,400 plus on-roads, it won’t be the cheapest EV you find, but it’s up there as one of the better options. Our test vehicle came with a few additional options though, which bumped the drive away price to $94,149.
The Pilot Pack, which adds matrix headlights and radar cruise control, and Plus Pack (Harman Kardon premium audio, panoramic sunroof, electric heated seats and steering wheel, power tailgate), are essential add-ons though.
Backed by a 5-year unlimited kilometre warranty, and 8-year or 160,000km battery warranty, it’s available in six colours, including Magnesium, Snow, Thunder (our favourite), Jupiter, Midnight and Space.
You can find out more about the 2024 Polestar 2 Long Range Single Motor from their website, or by visiting your local Space (the brand’s take on retailing its cars and not to be confused with the colour). If you’re keen on one and need finance, talk to CreditOne.
Our test vehicle was supplied by Polestar Cars Australia for review purposes.
