2024 Polestar 2 Hatchback

　　

2024 Polestar 2 Review

byJared GallCorrespondent

　　Jared Gall started his career in the auto industry in 2001 with an internship at Car and Driver. He has written and edited many thousands of car reviews, technological deep-dives, industry analyses, and personality profiles. He is a correspondent at zzdcar and still has the 1969 Chevrolet C20 he dragged out of his parents' barn and drove until Car and Driver started giving him cars to evaluate.

　　Polestar is Volvo's electric sub-brand, which means the Polestar 2 shares a lot with the Volvo XC40 Recharge electric SUV. (Polestar calls it the 2 because it's the brand's second vehicle; guess what they named the third one?) The proportions toe the line between car and crossover, and Polestar doesn't help clear up the confusion, calling its compact five-seat 2 a "liftback." That's a self-conscious word for a hatchback with sloping rear glass — similar to what Audi calls a Sportback.

　　

Polestar 2 EV Insights

Trim:2 Long Range Single Motor

　　Long Range Single Motor 4dr Hatchback (electric DD) - $49,900 MSRPLong Range Single Motor Plus 4dr Hatchback (electric DD) - $52,100 MSRPLong Range Dual Motor 4dr Hatchback AWD (electric DD) (Most Popular) - $55,300 MSRPLong Range Dual Motor Plus 4dr Hatchback AWD (electric DD) - $57,500 MSRPLong Range Dual Motor Performance Plus 4dr Hatchback AWD (electric DD) - $63,000 MSRP

　　

Range

　　320 miles

　　EPA Estimated Range

　　EV batteries lose 1-2% of range per year. Est. range for this car is 272 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

　　No rebates available in 58067

　　

Cost to Drive

　　$62/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.

　　

zzdcar spotlight: More power, more range

Polestar made significant changes last year and it's doing the same for 2024. The most affordable 2 now has its single motor mounted on the rear axle instead of the front, and its battery pack grows from 78 kWh to 82 kWh. Dual-motor models keep the 78-kWh pack. New electric motors are both more powerful and more efficient; output for the single-motor rises from 231 horsepower and 243 lb-ft of torque to 299 hp and 361 lb-ft. The dual-motor now makes 421 hp and 546 lb-ft, up from 408 hp and 467 lb-ft. Range increases for the Polestar 2 too. The EPA rates the single-motor at a max 320 miles versus the 2023 model's max of 270 miles, while the dual-motor tops out at 276 miles, up from 260 miles.

　　

Competitors to consider

Its high-riding stance puts the Polestar 2's silhouette between the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y. Depending on equipment levels and drivetrains, it can line up against a variety of other EVs, from the Hyundai Ioniq 5 to the Subaru Solterra/Toyota bZ4X twins, and from the Kia EV6 to the BMW i4. Whew. That's a lot of desirable vehicles.

　　

Which 2 does zzdcar recommend?

Polestar offers both the single- and dual-motor 2s in either base form or with a Plus package. Its longer range and faster DC charging capability make the Long Range Single Motor our choice, and a minimal upcharge for the additional comfort and safety features makes the Pilot package a no-brainer.

　　

Polestar 2 models

Polestar somewhat misleadingly labels all 2024 Polestar 2 trim levels, both the single-motor and dual-motor configurations, as "long range." There is no shorter- or standard-range option. So don't read that phrase and think you overlooked something. You did not.

　　Long Range Single Motor

　　The entry-level version of the Polestar 2 includes the following standard equipment:

　　Single electric motor Rear-wheel drive 82-kWh battery pack EPA-estimated 320 miles of driving range 11-kW onboard charger DC fast-charging capability (up to 205 kW) Adjustable one-pedal drive (releasing the accelerator brakes the car to a stop) 19-inch wheels LED headlights 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster Keyless entry and starting Vegan interior with textile upholstery and floor mats Dual-zone climate control Heated front seats Power liftgate Four USB-C ports 11.2-inch infotainment screen Navigation Bluetooth Google built-in infotainment system Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Wireless chargingEvery Polestar 2 comes with a comprehensive suite of advanced driver assist systems, including:

　　Forward collision mitigation (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios) Lane departure mitigation (warns you of a lane departure when a turn signal isn't used and can automatically steer to maintain lane position) Blind-spot intervention (automatically steers the car back into its lane if you try to change lanes while a car is in the vehicle's blind spot) Rear cross-traffic warning (warns you if a vehicle behind you is about to cross your path while you're in reverse) Surround-view camera (gives you a top-down view of the 2 and its surroundings in tight parking situations) Parking sensors (alert you to obstacles that may not be visible in front of or behind the vehicle when parking) Rear automatic braking (applies the brakes automatically to avoid an imminent collision with an object behind the vehicle) Driver attention warning (issues an alert if sensors determine you are becoming fatigued)Several option packages are available to upgrade the Polestar 2 with additional equipment:

　　Plus Pack Heat pump to improve driving range in cold climates Upgraded interior lighting WeaveTech vegan synthetic leather upholstery Wood interior trim Power front seats Panoramic sunroof Heated rear seats Heated steering wheel Heated windshield washer jets Digital key (allows you to use a paired smartphone as the vehicle's key) 13-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system Pilot Pack Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Polestar 2 and the car in front) Lane keeping system (makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane) Emergency braking system (detects an unresponsive driver and brings the vehicle to a stop) Adaptive headlights with Pixel LED technology (swivel with a turn of the steering wheel to better illuminate curves) Cornering LED foglights An optional Tow package brings the Polestar 2's maximum towing capacity to 2,000 pounds.

　　Long Range Dual Motor

　　In addition to all of the standard equipment from the Single Motor, the more powerful 2 also includes the Pilot pack. Otherwise, the only differences are in the battery and motors:

　　78-kWh battery pack Dual electric motors (421 hp, 546 lb-ft) All-wheel drive EPA-estimated 276 miles of range DC fast-charging capability (up to 155 kW)In addition to the Plus Pack, the dual-motor Polestar 2 is available with a significant improvement in performance:

　　Performance Pack Software upgrade good for 455 hp and 546 lb-ft of torque 20-inch forged aluminum wheels Performance tires Sport suspension tuning with manually adjustable dampers Brembo four-piston brakes with ventilated and drilled front discs Gold exterior and interior accents

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