2022 Polestar 2

　　

2022 Polestar 2 Review

byRyan ZumMallenContributor

　　Ryan ZumMallen has worked in the automotive industry since 2012. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Ryan has also contributed to Road & Track, Autoweek, Trucks.com and more. In 2019, Ryan published his first book, Slow Car Fast, on the millennial generation and its unique take on modern car culture.

　　, rating written byRyan ZumMallenDirector, Vehicle Testing

　　Jonathan Elfalan has worked in the automotive industry since 2005. As a director of vehicle testing at zzdcar, Jonathan has tested and reviewed thousands of cars and written thousands of car-related articles over the course of his career. Jonathan got his start testing cars for Road & Track magazine as a newly minted mechanical engineer grad from University of California, Irvine, and has also contributed to Motor Trend and the Associated Press. He likes to say he learned to drive a manual transmission in a rear-wheel-drive mid-engine vehicle but often omits it was his family's 1991 Toyota Previa minivan.

　　The Polestar 2 is the second vehicle to debut under the Polestar brand, a division of Volvo that prioritizes electrified performance. Last year's debut 2021 model made a splash as a strong new rival to the Tesla Model 3, and for 2022, changes are coming. The Polestar 2 adds a less expensive single-motor version with increased range, and a reconfigured trim structure for the dual-motor model allows for a greater level of customization.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below

　　

Polestar 2 EV Insights

Trim:2 Long Range Single Motor

　　Long Range Single Motor 4dr Hatchback (electric DD) - $45,900 MSRPLong Range Dual Motor 4dr Hatchback AWD (electric DD) (Most Popular) - $49,900 MSRP

　　

Range

 zzdcar TESTED

　　289 miles

　　zzdcar Tested Rangezzdcar begins with a full battery charge and drives the vehicle on a mix of city and highway roads (approximately 60% city, 40% highway) until the battery is almost entirely empty. (We target 10 miles of remaining range for safety.) The miles traveled and the indicated remaining range are added together for the zzdcar Tested Range figure.

　　EV batteries lose 1-2% of range per year. Est. range for this car is 246 miles after 8 years.Electric cars typically experience 1-2% of range loss per year with slightly faster degradation over the first 50,000 miles as the car settles into its long term state, according to Recurrent's study of 15,000 EVs.

　　Estimated range mapThis map is a visual representation of the possible one-way and round-trips by this vehicle (on a full charge) from the geometric center of Rutland, North Dakota. The depicted ranges are based on the estimated new vehicle range value provided by the EPA, rounded down to miles for one-way and miles for round-trip. Actual range will vary depending on the condition of this vehicle’s battery pack, how you drive, driving conditions and other factors.Map display generated using: © openrouteservice.org by HeiGIT | Map data © Recurrent contributors | Recurrent

　　from 58067

　　

EV Battery Warranty

　　8 yrs or 100,000 milesThe federal government requires that EV batteries be warrantied for a minimum of eight years or 100,000 miles. The EV battery warranty includes replacement if your battery capacity drops below a certain percentage of the original capacity.

　　

Charging at Home

　　8 hours

　　Total Charging Time (240V outlet)

　　SAE ComboStandard port for most electric models. Supports Level 1, Level 2, and DC Fast charging.

　　Plug Type

　　

EV Tax Credits & Rebates

　　$400

　　Available Rebates. Restrictions apply.

　　Utility EV Charger Offer

　　$400

　　Restrictions: Otter Tail Power offers EV owners a rebate of up to $400 towards the installation of a Level 2 charging station. To qualify for this rebate, the customer and/or charging station must meet the following requirements: Receive electricity from Otter Tail Power.

　　To learn more, visit Recurrent

　　

Cost to Drive

　　$67/mo

　　2

　　vs

　　$165/mo

　　Car Avg.

　　Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　

Am I Ready for an EV?

　　EV ownership works best if you can charge (240V) at home or at work This typically means a 240V home installation, but you could also have a similar setup at your office or other places your car is already parked for several hours each day. Don't expect a regular household outlet (120V) to suffice unless you've got a plug-in hybrid, in which case overnight charging at home is feasible.

　　If you can’t charge at home, charging at a charging station could take at least 10x longer than at a gas station With public charging infrastructure still in its infancy, the user experience can be maddeningly inconsistent. Tesla owners tend to rave about the reliability and speed of the company's proprietary Supercharger stations, but rival DC fast options have thus far been plagued by technical issues and overcrowding. It's an evolving landscape and our best advice is to do your research on the available options for the EV you want to buy.

　　Adding a 240V home charging system could cost up to $1,600 or more If your existing electrical service can handle the additional demands of EV charging, you may be able to add Level 2 charging at home for less than a grand, including installation. But your costs will multiply if you need to upgrade your electrical panel or add a dedicated circuit.

　　There's a lot to like about the Polestar 2. It's exciting and comfortable to drive, and it has a lot of personality for a fully electric vehicle. The infotainment system powered by Google Android is another bright spot. There are some downsides, including tighter interior dimensions and a less efficient battery than some other EVs. The field of electric vehicles is also seemingly growing by the day, with models such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Ford Mustang Mach-E also deserving of your attention. Is the Polestar 2 best for you? Check out our test team's Expert Rating below to help you decide.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Good

　　7.8

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

8.0/10

　　How does the 2 drive? For the most part, we like the way the Polestar 2 drives, no matter how many motors it has. Single-motor models are front-wheel-drive. Acceleration, unfortunately, is underwhelming. Our test car needed 7.2 seconds to get from 0 to 60 mph. That's about 3 seconds slower than the Polestar 2 Long Range Dual Motor and still off the pace of single-motor rivals such as the Tesla Model 3.

　　Elsewhere, the Polestar 2 shines. Its steering may not have quite the quick and immediate snap of the Tesla's, but it zips around turns with confidence. When you just feel like cruising, the Polestar is a smooth operator, delivering the easy and quiet acceleration we've come to expect from an EV. Emergency braking is trouble-free, with short distances, and the Polestar 2 offers easy one-pedal driving. Lifting off the accelerator brings about strong regenerative braking to slow you down, so you don't need to use the brake pedal for most situations.

　　

Comfort

8.5/10

　　How comfortable is the 2? Polestar has done an excellent job of making the 2 comfortable. The ride is compliant without being overly soft, and overall the car is smoother over bumps than some Teslas we've tested. It's quiet, too, with only a mild amount of wind and road noise apparent at highway speeds. The front seats have enough cushioning and support to make long drives comfortable.

　　All Polestar 2 models come standard with dual-zone automatic climate control, and our test vehicle was equipped with heated front and rear seats. The climate control system works quickly, though some may not like that the controls are tied entirely to the touchscreen.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below