2023 Polestar 2 Long Range Single Motor
Another relative newcomer to the new car market is Polestar, and the company finds itself in a similar situation to the Cupra brand and its relationship with parent company SEAT. Polestar started out as the performance sub-brand of Volvo, but now it has been given its own autonomy and unique designs. In 2021, Polestar shifted more than 4,000 examples of the 2 hatchback, no doubt amplified by the super cheap company car tax benefit-in-kind rates that the Government is using to persuade business users to adopt pure electric as power for their next vehicle.
POLESTAR 2 ON TEST
Up until last year, there was just one version of the Polestar 2, a dual motor edition that shared its drivetrain with the electric Volvo XC40. Now, there’s cheaper front-wheel drive single motor editions in standard and long range, too. We got our hands on the latter for the purpose of this test.
Climb aboard, select drive using the interesting toggle-like gear selector and you’re off, but not in a frenzied way like the dual motor car can be, with this single motor edition delivering more down to earth performance.
It still feels quick, but in a more managed way. There’s settings on the menu that gives you the ability to drive the 2 largely with just one pedal, and for us, that’s the best way to experience it. The steering is pleasingly weighted, whether tackling back roads or the urban sprawl, and the Polestar handles tidily through a series of challenging bends. It feels planted, reassured, with minimal body lean when cornering, and there’s excellent grip, despite not having the all-wheel drive system of the dual motor edition. At a motorway cruising speed there’s a little more road noise than we would expect, however, the overall serenity of the package may be giving a false impression, while wind flutter is virtually non-existent. Ride comfort is on the firm side around town, though at faster speeds it becomes much more pliant and comfortable.
The cabin owes much to Swedish design and mimics what we have seen in Volvos for many years. And far from being a criticism, it’s actually a compliment. A large tablet-like display sprouts from the centre console, powered by Google in this iteration. It’s a user-friendly system with the home screen split into four areas. Things like the heating and ventilation are all contained on it, but it’s easy to operate and doesn’t require much thought and concentration to alter items like the temperature, unlike some rival systems.
Storage space is good, with a useful area underneath the touchscreen, big door pockets and a decently proportioned glovebox. Head and legroom are generous both front and back, though use of the middle rear chair is hampered by a sizeable hump that runs through the centre of the car, so it’s probably best as a two-seater back there. Boot space appears more generous than the raw figures suggest at 405 litres, and this can be extended further by folding the rear seats down flat and opening up to 1,095 litres.