This gorgeous Swedish newcomer packs a punch and is poles apart from all the other EVs out there, writes Philip Nolan
There are all sorts of reasons why we choose the cars we buy. Price is the most obvious deciding factor, and then there is the reputation of the manufacturer, and our past experience – more of us are more brand loyal for life than you might think.
We also consider performance, sportiness, suitability for our needs. And, of course, there’s an emotional factor, the thrill we get from the design.
That makes the Polestar 2 an interesting entrant to the premium electric vehicle space. As a spinoff brand of Volvo, and made in China, the Polestar still has to prove itself in the standalone space.
The good news is that it drives like a dream and goes like the proverbial clappers. For some observers, the design looks like a barely pimped Volvo, but to me it conjured up something else entirely.
Back in the 1970s, every boy wanted a Ford Capri, and there is something of the spirit of that iconic car to the styling of the Polestar 2. It’s by no means an obvious imitator, yet every time I looked at the Polestar I had a similar pang of longing, triggered by a memory long dormant.
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It’s something about the proportion of the bonnet, the short back overhang, the slope from the glasshouse to the rear bumper, the panting nostrils, the thin grille (albeit a fake one in this instance), that just made me want to dig out cowboy boots, flared jeans and a tank top.
There’s nothing late 20th century about the performance. The test car had two 150kW motors, one on each axle, and the 407hp on tap offers sparking acceleration from 0-100km\h of just 4.7 seconds.
Because it’s all-wheel drive, there’s a terrific sense of connection with the road too, though the suspension is a little hard on back roads, and the steering sometimes feels a little light.
The Polestar 2 is never less than fun, certainly not on the motorway, where you happily can wipe the smile off drivers in expensive luxury saloons as you soar past.
You can operate the Polestar 2 in single-pedal mode, if you wish, when simply removing your foot from the accelerator pedal applies the regenerative brake. The feature is very handy in city driving, but less desirable on longer drives.
There’s lots of clever stuff. There’s no start button, because once you’ve got in keyless, the car is ready to go. A large 11-inch touchscreen runs Google OS, but Apple CarPlay is not supported as yet, though it’s on the way.
There’s plenty of storage, increasing to 1,095 litres with the rear seats dropped, and a 35-litre frunk (front trunk) under the bonnet, handy for storing charging cables.
There’s claimed range of up to 480km, and while you might get that about town, I reckon 400km is more realistic in mixed driving. There’s every safety aid you can think of, and the Performance Pack on the test car brought 20-inch, four-spoke alloys to the party, along with Brembo brakes, Ohlins manually adjustable dampers, and gold brake callipers, valve cap and safety belts.
It's a fantastic package, buckets of fun, and bursting with beauty outside and in. This can change by the day but, for now, it’s my favourite EV out there.
SPECIFICATIONS
Model: Polestar 2
Entry-level price (single motor): €61,990
Model tested (dual motor, with options): €74,295
Battery: 78kWh (75kWh useable)
WLTP range: Up to 480km
Power: 408hp
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
0-100km/h: 4.7 seconds
Top speed: 205kph
CO2: 0g/km €120 tax
Boot capacity: 405 litres
