Polestar 2
2020 onwards
My drive in the Polestar 2 was as part of a convoy on a 'test drive experience' from Farnborough Airport. We arrived at our allotted time, had coffee and a pastry, listened to the talks and then (after some checks) went out on our drive.
We set out from an aircraft hanger and followed the lead car out and away from the airport, taking a journey that involved some outer town roads, the M3 motorway and some country roads.
Much as with the Tesla drives, there were two destinations in the Sat Nav to get you to the halfway point and then back.
The guys at the airport were incredibly enthusiastic about the Polestar 2, as you'd expect. It was a high tempo introduction and there was a lot of quite intense interest coming back from the people who had come for test drives. As far as I could tell, I was the only lone driver. The others all came as pairs and the impression was that, in most cases, one person would drive the first leg and the other would bring the car back to the airport.
That did mean that I was going to benefit from more time behind the wheel than most, but then it would still be less than I was used to on test drives.
On the Road
The Polestar 2 has a coupe like look to the body, although it is definitely a five door car. So, it looks quite sporty and low slung. It is built on the same platform as the Volvo XC40 and C40 electric vehicles, but they are both chunkier looking vehicles. It is quite possible that this gives the Polestar a sportier ride and better handling, but that really wasn't evident from the relatively short test route we were on.
Given that I have had the XC40 Recharge for nine days and the C40 Recharge for about a week, a relatively short spin in the Polestar wasn't enough to get the full experience.
That said, the Polestar did feel quite good on the road and I had no concerns about it. It was a firm ride, but not uncomfortable. The car felt quite swift, but it didn't feel as quick as the Volvo XC40, even though they (according to the stats) had identical 4.7 second 0-60 times. Yes, that's right, 4.7 seconds is pretty damn quick and is quicker than an awful lots of exotic performance cars.
The car did perform well, but as I'm a very big chap, the cabin was really tight. I mentioned that, under the skin, the 2 is pretty much the same car as the XC40 and C40 Recharge models. The thing is, that as both those Volvos are much taller cars, they don't feel as cramped. For me, this was a big negative for the Polestar.
Range and Charging
The Polestar has, according to the company, a range of up to 406 miles, for the long range single motor car. The one I drove was the long range twin motor car, which has a stated range of 367 miles. To achieve these numbers you would need to be driving conservatively, in mild weather. That said, you should be able to drive quite some distance before needing to recharge and, in all honesty, you should be stopping before you run out of juice in order to stretch your legs and refresh yourself anyway. I would generally want to be stopping for a toilet break and a coffee after a couple of hours, so the range is more than adequate.
When you do stop to charge at a public rapid charger, the 2 can accept charge at a rate of up to 149kW DC, which is effectively adding up to 320 miles per hour. That is a far slower charge speed that many modern cars, especially some from Korea and Germany that can charge at more than twice that speed. Even the Volvo XC40 Recharge, built on the same platform, can charge at 205kW.
The Interior
The quality of the interior was really good. It's a relatively new brand, but it has the ability to create a good following with the quality of the interior and the way it is set out.
Unlike the Tesla Model 3 and Y, the Polestar does have a traditional instrument binnacle, but it also has a nice big touchscreen in between the two front seats. Right in front of that big screen is the gear lever, which really looks as if its been pinched from Volvo; no surprise really.
Make no mistake, the driver's and front passengers seats of the Polestar 2 are very nice places to be... as long as you aren't 20+ stone and therefore in need of extra space.
In the rear, you get some comfortable seats and decent ventilation. What I'm not so sure about is how the headroom is for taller passengers. If you're looking at buying this car, I would strongly recommend that you do place the front seats in the position you would have them if you were sat in them, and then sit behind those seats in the back. How does it feel? That's how your friends will be feeling if you offer them a lift...
The rear seat passengers have, depending on individual specification, heated seats and there is a flap concealing two USB-C ports. These sit just below a pair of rear facing air vents.
Many EVs disappoint with the failure to provide additional storage space in the front, under the bonnet, in what is commonly know as the 'frunk'. I've seen threads on social media and in owners groups about creating such a space in cars, including in the MG5 that I own and run on a daily basis.
The Polestar 2 does have one though and it seems like a decent size.
Verdict
The Polestar 2 is very obviously a quality product and I'm sure that owners are likely to be very happy with their choice. It has a comfortable interior, drives well and has a reasonable range. It just isn't, in my opinion, as good as the Volvo XC40 and C40 Recharge models.
But these things are subjective and, especially if you're not massively overweight like me, I'm sure most people would be impressed.
The ranges stated in the above table are approximations based upon the combined cycles (city and main roads) in the cold and in warmer weather. These are not guarantees and they are not based upon the experience from my test drive.
You can find lots of information about electric vehicles, past and current, at http://www.ev-database.org
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