Polestar 2 Review 2025

It's a reflection of how long the Polestar 2 has been on sale that its visual links with Volvo models, both inside and out, are far more obvious than with newer cars from the standalone brand. Yet age hasn't dimmed its appeal in spite of an onslaught of newer rivals in the electric SUV market. Find out why it should be on your shortlist with our full Polestar 2 review.

Yes, the Polestar 2 is promoted as an SUV due to its elevated ride height, regardless of its 'is it a hatchback or is it a five-door coupe' tail-end styling. It's a curious blend of the chunky and the slinky which ensures its looks set it apart from newer rivals, of which there are a growing number.

This slow slung SUV look is the chosen approach of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and its close cousin the Kia EV6, yet they don't look like each other or the Polestar. Neither is there a resemblance to the box-fresh DS No8, further dispelling naysayers' claims that there's an homogenised appearance to SUVs.

Should you fancy something that offers a greater degree of carrying capacity, the Ford Mustang Mach-E trades sleekness for a slightly taller and longer roofline.

Then there's the omnipresent Tesla Model 3 to consider. The Tesla isn't an SUV but unlike the Polestar or the other alternatives mentioned, it's a traditional four-door saloon with a separate bootlid, not a large tailgate for accessing the rear boot space.

Although the Polestar 2 was given an update in 2023, with the most obvious external revision being its blanked-off front grille, its Volvo heritage remains obvious both outside — those Thor's Hammer daytime-running lights are a giveaway — plus plenty of shared switches, buttons and instrumentation. 

While in isolation that's unlikely to be off-putting, compared with the stronger, more independent visual identities of the recently launched Polestar 3 and Polestar 4, the Polestar 2 feels less contemporary, which could be a source of showroom FOMO. 

Still, the Polestar 2 has much in its favour, including impressive levels of build quality, interestingly appealing blends of textiles and materials inside and, since that facelift, improved battery technology for longer driving ranges.

Four levels of all-electric power are available for the Polestar 2 with a pair of battery sizes, although the smaller of them is only available with the least powerful, rear-wheel drive motor. Everything's relative, of course and in this instance 'least powerful' is a euphemism for 272PS and a 6.2-second 0-60mph time.

For the lustiest 476PS version of the Polestar you essentially upgrade the all-wheel drive Long Range Dual Motor version with the optional Performance Pack rather than choose a model in its own right if you crave squirting from 0-60mph in four seconds flat.

It's a similar story when it comes to different levels of equipment as there are no trim levels for the Polestar 2 in the traditional sense. Instead you can choose to build on the standard fixtures and fittings with other option packs — or combinations of them — including Prime, Pilot, Plus, Pro and Climate.

There's a cosy sensation inside the Polestar 2, in part due to the level of the side window sills, but also due to the elevated centre console and the pinched-in roof towards the rear. Neverthless, four tall adults can sit inside very comfortably, although a fifth passenger in the rear will make matters feel snug. 

There’s plenty of storage space with a 407-litre boot to the rear with the back seats in use and a handy 41-litre compartment under the front bonnet, which is big enough for more than just charging cables.

Overall, the Polestar 2 is an appealing package with prices starting at a little over £45,000 for the entry-level Standard Range Single Motor version. Just be mindful of how the costs escalate with extra performance, driving range and equipment.

Polestar 2: Range and charging times

Only the least-powerful Polestar 2 is available with the 70kWh Standard Range battery where it's officially rated as providing up to 344 miles of driving range according to the WLTP testing regime.

All other versions of the Polestar 2 are fitted with the 82kWh Long Range pack with the Single Motor model delivering the greatest driving range at 409 miles. Upgrading to the Dual Motor version pares it down to 370 miles, while adding the optional Performance Pack trims it further still to 352 miles.

Polestar only quotes AC charging at an 11kW rate rather than the 7.4kW maximum of most UK residences where a domestic wallbox is fitted. This is the preferred method of charging EVs as it allows you to also take advantage of cheaper off-peak electricity rates from a variety of suppliers. 

Based on the 11kW times, we estimate a flat to full recharge using a 7.4kW connection will take 10 to 11 hours for the Standard Range battery and 13 to 14 hours for the Long Range.

On occasions when you're forced to use more expensive DC public charge points, there's a difference in the energy flow rates for the two batteries. With its 180kW on-board charger the Standard Range option requires 26 minutes for a 10-80% energy replenishment, yet despite its larger capacity the Long Range only requires two minutes more as it can recharge at up to 205kW.

Like almost all aspects of the Polestar 2, it’s clear that it’s been designed and developed by people who understand what makes a good car.

So that means all the controls are responsive and offer decent levels of feedback . With drive going to either the rear wheels (Single Motor versions) or all four (Dual Motor types), it benefits from good balance and plenty of traction for safe, predictable progress.

Luckily driving the Polestar 2 smoothly is something that comes easily. Sure, there’s a decent shove in the back to be had if you nail it away from the lights, but the car rewards progressive inputs. The accelerator and brakes are simple to modulate and you don't need to saw left and right at the wheel.

Overall it's civilised on motorways, reasonably well accomplished on winding A- and B-roads yet also wonderfully mild-mannered around town, making it a doddle to live with day-to-day.

While the Polestar 2's ride quality is generally comfortable, we'd hoped further tuning of the suspension's damping might come its way as part of the 2023 facelift. Over the sharpest of road surface ruts and expansion joints it can feel unsatifactorily harsh — that could have been reduced without making the Polestar wallowy or prone to excessive leaning through sweeping bends.

As that didn't happen, stick to the standard 19-inch alloy wheels for the chunkiest tyre sidewalls to help cushion more of the road's blows.

In effect there are four levels of fully electric power available to Polestar 2 buyers, although the differences between the first two are relatively modest.

Whichever version you choose its top speed is electronically governed to 127mph to avoid unnessary wasting of the battery's energy reserves.

Entry-point to the Polestar 2 range is the Standard Range Single Motor which, as the name suggests, as one electric drive unit, which is nestled under the boot floor driving the rear wheels. It's no slouch thanks to power and torque outputs of 272PS and 490Nm, resulting in a 6.2-second 0-60mph acceleration time.

While the Long Range Single Motor model primarily benefits from a larger battery pack, there's also a slight increase in power to 299PS although torque remains unchanged. Despite hauling around an additional 39kg of lithium-ion battery beneath its floor, it's quicker from a standstill to 60mph at 5.9 seconds.

Faster yet is the Long Range Dual Motor which benefits from a second electric drive unit up front providing all-wheel drive traction. Here the ante's upped sizably, with power now at 421PS and torque rated at 740Nm — together with amplified levels of grip this Polestar's 0-60mph time drops to 4.3 seconds.

Should you wish you can dial-up the Polestar 2's credentials further still with the optional Performance Pack for the Long Range Dual Motor. Once more torque remains unaltered but power's eked-out to 476PS, the overall result being a 4.0-second 0-60mph time.

As you’d expect of a car with Volvo heritage the Polestar 2 has a comprehensive suite of safety kit. Every version has eight airbags, including inner side bags to create a protective cushion around its occupants.

In 2021 the Polestar 2 earned a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating reflecting the capabilities of its driver asisstance systems and its inherent structural strength. Individual categories were rated at 93% for adult occupant protection, 89% for the child equivalent, 80% for other vulnerable road users and 83% for its safety assist package.

We're giving a shout-out specifically for the Polestar 2's automatically adapting main beam LED headlights, which operated superbly on test and didn't garner a single angry main beam flash-back from oncoming drivers.

To ward off potential trouble, there's the optional Pilot Pack assist upgrade, the details of which are explored below in the Specifications section.

A semi-electric deployable tow bar is an optional extra across the Polestar 2 line-up. 

Regardless of battery size or power levels, all versions are homologated to tow braked trailer loads of up to 1500kg, 100kg adrift of the best of the BMW i4 and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 ranges.

Part of the Polestar 2's aesthetic appeal is its play on Scandinavian minimalism — it is, after all, a Swedish brand, even though the car itself is shipped from a Chinese factory.

That paring back is especially noticeable with its rear-view interior and exterior door mirrors, all of which are frameless, with the whole assembly moving and not just the reflective glass in the case of the latter. Physical controls provide their adjustment in the Polestar 2, unlike the Polestar 3 and 4 where the operation is touchscreen-controlled.

If you’re concerned that the Polestar 2 is more about style than substance, then don’t be. Its front seats are very supportive without being too firm, with plenty of room for heads, legs and arms despite its cosiness compared with rival cars of a similar size.

As standard the front seats are partially electrically adjustable, with a broad range of adjustment for both them and the manually positioned steering wheel. Although the window sill level seems slightly high and the windscreen's roof pillars are thick, forward visibility is nonetheless fine, with no blind-spots created to make you feel vulnerable.

Two tall adults can easily sit in the back behind front seat occupants of the same stature, again with good amounts of room for heads and limbs. Matters are somewhat less successful when a third passenger's introduced to the centre of the rear bench.

Although the position itself is wide enough for average-sized adults, the cushion is elevated relative to the outer positions, forcing the incumbent to sit higher, their head closer to the roof lining.

There's also a high central tunnel on the floor, with the back of the front centre console above it, meaning the centre passenger has no option but to straddle it, their feet vying for space in the footwell with those of the people sat either side.

Due to the way the rear of the Polestar 2 tapers, both vertically and horizontally, shoulder and elbow room is also at a premium with three abreast on the back seat. Best to think of it as an occasional five-seater if you regularly plan to ferry adult passengers around.

Thanks to its large tailgate — which disappointingly isn't fitted with a wiper — access to its 407-litre boot space is good, although there is a lip between the sill and the boot floor. That volume includes the 43-litre space beneath the floor where you can hide your charging cables away.

Opt for the Plus pack and further practical aids abound including hooks in the boot area for shopping bags and a panel that folds upwards, dividing the boot floor in half to reduce the risk of delicate items being hurled around as much.

While it's a useful size, the Polestar 2 lags behind several rivals in terms of carrying capcity. The BMW i4 can swallow 470 litres, the DS No8 between 560-620 litres while the Hyundai Ioniq 5 splits the difference at 520 litres.

Longer items can go through the Polestar 2's ski hatch or you can fold the 60/40-split rear seats over, although they don't lie completely flat, for 1097 litres of luggage capacity when loaded to ceiling height. Once again it's trumped by the BMW i4 (1290 litres) and Hyundai Ioniq 5 (1580 litres) and could well also be bested by the No8 although DS doesn't quote a figure in this configuration.

Pop the Polestar 2's bonnet and there's a further 43 litres of frunk space, more than ample for a backpack-sized piece of luggage.

Storage space in the passenger area is fine but nothing exceptional with the usual fare of roomy door bins, a decently proportioned glovebox, a wireless smartphone charging pad beneath the multimedia touchscreen and a small cubby below the hinged front armrest.

That also contains the second front cupholder, with only one otherwise apparently available. It seems an awkward solution, especially given how annoying it can become to the driver when a beverage is sited there.

There's further space beneath the centre console for small items, although its access is awkward and best reserved for items you're unlikely to require until your journey's over.

Fans of reverse-parking will doubtless be pleased to learn that the Polestar 2's charging port is towards the back of the car, on the passenger side's rear wing. This makes it far simpler when using public charging stations with heavy, tethered cables.

There's little to gripe about when it comes to the quality of materials used inside the Polestar 2. You really have to hunt in the lower reaches of the cabin to find plastics that don't reek of upmarket substance, with all of the physical controls enjoying a well-damped, long-lasting feeling to them.

There's an interesting and appealing mix of materials on display, particularly on Polestar 2s with fabric upholstery, although less reliance on darker greys for many of the surfaces would be welcome, if only to make the interior feel somewhat airier.

Central to the Polestar 2's multimedia system - accessed via an excellent voice control system and an 11.2-inch portrait-aspect touchscreen - is its Android Automotive operating system.

Not to be confused with Android Auto smartphone mirroring, this package essentially operates as though it's an Android tablet computer and includes integrated Google Assistant and Maps. It all works quickly with sharply rendered graphics, although enlarged icons would be welcome.

That the climate control settings are also adjusted without physical switches or dials is less welcome, although the voice control system can perform that task for you. It's hardly a chore turning a knob a few clicks this way or that, though. 

Earlier Polestar 2s weren't compatible with Apple CarPlay and while that's long since been remedied, with a neat on-screen interface, it's disappointing that neither it nor Android Auto can connect to the multimedia system wirelessly. 

Immediately ahead of the driver beneath a conventional looking instrument hood is a shared-with-Volvo 12.3-inch display screen. It's suitably clear and easy to read but its limited range of customisaton ages it somewhat.

Audiophiles have cottoned-on to the fact that Polestars often have enviable sound systems and the Polestar 2's no exception. Its standard 250-Watt eight-speaker package has two potential upgrades available. Within the Plus Pack is a Harman Kardon package with a 600-Watt amplifier and 13 speakers or, available as a standalone option, is a 1350-Watt, 14-speaker Bowers & Wilkins alternative. 

Not that the standard package is in any way disappointing, the upgrades are astonishing in terms of clarity and sound reproduction, so worthwhile if your budget permits.

Prices for the Polestar 2 start at a reasonable £45,160 for the Standard Range Single Motor version that is the line-up's gateway, but it's important to note how quickly the costs escalate as additional performance and battery capacity is woven into the mix.

Take the Polestar 2 Long Range Single Motor which is the next model up — an extra 27PS of power and 65 more miles of driving range tot-up to a £4000 increase to £49,160.

If yet more speed is your thing, the 2 Long Range Dual Motor delivers it, again for a further £4k, pushing the price to £53,160. Go one step further with the optional Peformance Pack and the Polestar weighs in at £58,160.

As Polestar operates a single trim level policy, rather than climbing another rung up the specification ladder you are encouraged to plump for various equipment bundles depending on what you fancy — these are explored in greater depth in the Specifications section below.

How do those prices compare with rivals before the cost of their extras are factored in? The BMW i4 will cost you between £51,730 and £71,000, the DS No8 rather boldly isn't far off that at £50,790 to  £68,790, while the Hyundai Ioniq 5 ranges from a very tempting £39,995 to £65,100 for the flagship Ioniq 5 N.

Providing you can charge your Polestar 2 at home — or work — it will prove to be more cost-effective to run than a combustion-engined car offering similar levels of performance, even if you don't switch to an EV-friendly energy tariff. With a larger Long Range battery, a full domestic recharge will cost you less than £20.

Changes to vehicle tax rules in April 2025 mean that EVs are no longer exempt from VED Car Tax, their owners now facing the same rate from year two onwards as combustion-engined models, presenty costing £195 per year.

All Polestar 2s also cost in excess of the £40,000 ceiling for the Expensive Car Supplement which means that at today's prices a further £425 will be required from years two to six of ownership.

It's not all bad news on the taxation front, particularly for company car drivers who can take advantage of EVs' 3% Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) taxation rates. Just be sure that the Polestar 2's listed among your firm's options before you get too excited.

Across the Polestar 2 range is a single, unnamed trim level regardless of battery size or electric motor number. Instead of the usual specification hierarchy, Polestar instead offers option pack bundles which we outline below.

Standard features for the Polestar 2 include:

• 19-inch Aero diamond cut and gloss black finish alloy wheels
• Automatic LED daytime-running, head and tail lights
• Automatic main beam
• Automatic windscreen wipers
• Frameless, heated, electrically adjustable and folding door mirrors
• Ground lighting in all four exterior door handles
• Keyless un/locking and starting/stopping
• Electrically operated tailgate
• Front, side and rear parking sensors
• Rear-view camera
• 12.3-inch driver's display screen
• 11.2-inch multimedia touchscreen interface
• Integral Google Play apps including Google Assistant, Google Maps and Spotify
• DAB digital radio
• Bluetooth and Wi-Fi device connectivity
• Wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring
• High-performance audio system with 250-Watt amplifier and eight speakers
• 15-Watt wireless smartphone charging pad
• 4x USB-C sockets, two each front and rear
• Heated, partially electrically adjustable front seats with lumbar adjustment
• Embossed textile upholstery in Charcoal
• Black seatbelts
• 3D Etched deco interior theme
• Dual-zone climate control with air filtration system
• Adapative Cruise Control
• Lane Departure Warning
• Lane Keeping Aid
• Driver Alert Control
• Rear Collision Warning and Mitigation

Polestar 2 option packs

Solely available for the Polestar 2 Long Range Dual Motor is the Performance Pack:

• 20-inch Performance alloy wheels
• Continental SportContact 6 tyre upgrade
• Swedish gold tyre valve caps
• Brembo brake upgrade with Swedish gold-painted calipers
• Ohlins Dual Flow Valve manually adjustable suspension dampers
• Power output increase to 476PS
• Performance software upgrade
• Swedish gold seatbelts

Extra features of the Pro Pack include:

• 20-inch Pro graphite alloy wheels
• Swedish gold tyre valve caps
• Black seatbelts with Swedish gold stripe

Opting for the Climate Pack adds:

• Efficiency boosting heat pump for the high-voltage battery
• Heated windscreen washer nozzles
• Heated outer rear seats
• Heated steering wheel

Choose the Plus Pack if you fancy:

• LED front foglights with cornering function
• Digital key hardware which allows designated smartphones to be used as a key
• Hands-free opening and soft-closing electrically powered tailgate
• Full-length panoramic glazed roof with projected Polestar logo
• Fully electrically adjustable front seats
• Bio-attributed MicroTech upholstery in Charcoal
• Black Ash deco interior theme
• Harman Kardon premium sound system
• High level interior illumination
• CleanZone air quality system with particulate filters
• Liftable boot floor with bag hook

Go for the Pilot Pack to add:

• Auto-dimming door mirrors
• 360-degree parking camera system
• Pilot Assist
• Driver Awareness monitor
• Emergency Stop Assist
• Blind Spot Information System with Steer Assist
• Cross Traffic Alert with Brake Support

For further convenience, the Prime Pack comprises:

• Dark-tinted rear privacy windows
• Climate Pack
• Plus Pack
• Pilot Pack

With additional comfort in mind is the Nappa Upgrade consisting of:

• Ventilated front seats
• Bridge of Weir Nappa leather upholstery in Zinc or Charcoal
• Light Ash deco interior theme
• Storage nets on front seatbacks