Used 2022 Polestar 2

The 2022 Polestar 2 all-electric midsize car dances on the lines between crossover and hatchback, and between luxury and mainstream. All-wheel drive is available, adding to the crossover credentials, while a lot of standard equipment pushes the Polestar 2 toward luxury territory. Yet the pricing is similar to new electric vehicles from Kia and Hyundai.

Of course, we’ve all heard of Kia and Hyundai. But Polestar is a whole different box of toys. This used to be the tuning house that specialized in hot-rodding Volvo cars. Then it became part of the company and eventually repurposed as a sub-brand of Volvo making electric vehicles (EV) and plug-in hybrids, which is the limited-edition Polestar 1 coupe (awesome car, by the way).

This is now the second year of the Polestar 2’s existence and the number of cars in the lineup doubles. To two. Last year, it was just the Dual Motor model with all-wheel drive. This year sees the debut of the Single Motor version with front-wheel drive.

The Volvo connection naturally brings safety innovations for both cars. In the front seats are new inner side airbags that prevent the occupants from colliding in the event of an extreme side impact.

Another new feature also debuts for 2022, a mechanical heat pump, available in the optional Plus Pack. It scavenges heat from outside — including the drivetrain, and even on cold days. It’s said to improve range up to 10%.

Polestar uses sustainable materials wherever possible, from both environmental and ethical standpoints. For example, the company only uses cobalt suppliers (cobalt is required for the battery pack) who follow responsible mining practices, including fair treatment of workers.

The Polestar 2 also benefits from over-the-air updates of systems ranging from the infotainment array to the brakes.

Polestar reckons the new Single Motor variant can run from standstill to 60 mph in 7 seconds flat. Given that electric motors are celebrated for serving up their maximum thrust right from the get-go, 7 seconds is not exactly breathtaking. But then 243 lb-ft of torque is modest for the class.

The Dual Motor’s 487 lb-ft is far more entertaining, able to make that all-important 60-mph sprint in 4.45 seconds. Its all-wheel-drive system also maximizes traction.

To be fair, though, the Single Motor is quicker than it seems, because the lack of engine noise reduces the drama considerably. It can still pull away from a standstill at a decent rate while keeping some punch in reserve for passing vehicles on the freeway.

Both versions have three levels of brake energy regeneration, with the most extreme enabling one-pedal driving. This is particularly useful in city traffic where the right foot would otherwise be swapping between the throttle and brake pedal at an annoying rate.

The feel of the brake pedal itself isn’t quite identical to a conventional equivalent, but it’s easy to modulate pressure. And the extra element of force from the regeneration is often a welcome addition.

For driving in a variety of conditions, setting brake regeneration to low and steering feel to standard results in a pleasant setup. This is all done through the infotainment touchscreen that does a great job of keeping the button count low, but it’s best to choose parameters before setting off.

Ride quality tends toward the firm side. It means superb composure through quick corners as well as on long, curving freeway ramps. But if cushioned comfort is a top priority, give this aspect a lot of attention during your Polestar 2 test drive.

When those quick corners are encountered, the Single Motor model is nicely predictable. Go in too hot and the front end relinquishes its grip gradually and progressively. A swishing sound from the tires comes before any squealing. Just ease off the accelerator pedal and the car moves back onto its desired line.

A Performance Pack for the Dual Motor model adds Brembo brakes and Öhlins shock absorbers. Both of these third-party suppliers are renowned for their high-quality products, often developed at the highest levels of motorsport. The shocks are adjustable manually, but Polestar rightly figures that the kind of enthusiast who would choose these would enjoy the process of finding their ideal settings.

The Polestar 2 “wakes up” as soon as the driver’s door is opened and the driver gets behind the wheel. Just put the (interestingly odd-looking) gear selector into Drive and the car is ready to go. It’s a generally quiet place, but there’s still some road noise at freeway speeds.

Occupants sit in a classy and uncluttered cabin that uses a lot of sustainable materials, like wood trim that’s essentially compressed sawdust. Polestar calls it a vegan interior because no animal products are used. Non-vegans may also order Nappa leather upholstery from the options list. Even this stuff doesn’t use chromium in its tanning process, because that’s a problematic substance as well.

Between the raised driving position and the relatively low roof, it can feel as if the headliner (made of yet another sustainable material) is an inch or so too close while the leading edge of the roof comes down a fraction too far. And this comment comes from an adult male of average height.

Legroom up front is plentiful, however. Although that will affect an already limited maximum of 34 inches of rear legroom. Rear headroom is similarly tight and it’s easy to bump one’s head getting out — the first couple of times, at least.

Cargo space goes from about 13 cubic feet (plus 1.4 cubic feet under the floor) to 38.7 with the 60/40 rear seats folded flat. There’s also under-hood storage of 1.2 cubic feet.

If there’s one extra we’d really like to see in the Polestar 2, it would be a digital rearview camera mirror. The regular reflecting kind has its image hindered by a small rear window and the rear headrests. A camera mirror would show a clearer and wider view of what’s behind.

Because the Polestar 2 puts its battery pack in the floor, this results in a slightly raised ride height. So there’s a crossover vibe to the design. Some people’s boats may not float, but we think it looks sufficiently upscale overall to compete with the established premium marques.

Buyers can opt for 20-inch alloy wheels, although the standard 19-inchers don’t seem too small.

What isn’t visible, but absolutely crucial, is the safety cage around the occupants made of high-strength steel. And up front are two aluminum blocks, or Severe Partial Offset Collision Blocks, to use their proper names. They deflect impact forces away from the front footwells and battery.

INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM
This Google/Android Automotive-based system can actually learn the driver’s voice and phrases, allows users to create their own apps, and the Google Maps app is optimized for electric vehicles. Drivers can say, “Hey Google, take me to the nearest charger” and a route will be set up in the navigation function.

ACTIVITY KEY
This is a waterproof key, allowing users to go surfing or whatever and not get their usual key wet. Jaguar charges extra for a similar feature, but this is standard in the Polestar 2.

As the most affordable car in the 2022 Polestar 2 lineup, the Single Motor version still comes with luxury car levels of standard equipment. There are 19-inch alloy wheels, rain-sensing wipers, adaptive LED headlights, LED daytime running lights, LED rear light bar, keyless entry/start, waterproof activity key, heated/power-adjustable front seats, 12.3-inch digital driver information display, dual-zone automatic climate control, self-dimming rearview mirror, hands-free powered tailgate operation, and two charging cables.

Safety features include forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking plus pedestrian/cyclist detection, active lane-keeping assistance, front/rear parking sensors, road sign recognition, post-impact braking, and an Acoustic Vehicle Alert System.

Although the infotainment setup uses an Android Automotive/Google operating system, Apple iPhones are compatible. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Google Maps, four USB-C ports (two front, two rear), an 11.5-inch touchscreen oriented vertically, and an 8-speaker/250-watt audio system are also included.

Buyers may choose the Dual Motor version with all-wheel drive and a tempting boost in power. Both models are eligible for Plus and Pilot packages.

Plus adds (among other things) the new mechanical heat pump, heated steering wheel, heated rear outboard seats, panoramic roof, wireless charging, and a 13-speaker/600-watt Harman Kardon audio system.

The Pilot Pack completes the array of driver aids, bringing active blind-spot monitoring, cross-traffic alert with brake support, rear collision warning/mitigation, adaptive cruise control, Pilot Assist (throttle, braking and steering assistance up to 80 mph), 360-degree camera system, self-dimming side mirrors, and upgraded exterior lighting.

The Dual Motor model is also offered with a Performance Pack that includes 20-inch alloy wheels, grippy Continental SportContact summer tires, Brembo brakes, and Öhlins adjustable shock absorbers.

Among the individual options are metallic paint, perforated Nappa leather upholstery, and a partially powered folding tow bar.

Starting with the new Polestar 2 Single Motor, this model has just one AC synchronous permanent magnet electric motor. It powers the front wheels only and is energized by a 75 kilowatt-hour (kWh) lithium-ion battery pack. Actually, its ultimate rating is 78 kWh, but 75 is the useable capacity. Those other three are held back to preserve battery life.

For anyone just getting to grips with electric vehicles, this kind of metric may not mean a whole lot. But most of us understand 231 horsepower and 243 lb-ft of torque, which is what the Single Motor model generates.

The Dual Motor model, quite naturally, adds another identical motor to drive the rear axle, creating an electric version of all-wheel drive. Same battery, but total energy increases to 408 horsepower and 487 lb-ft of torque.

Charging times depend on the source of electricity. With a 240-volt supply, going from completely empty to full takes about eight hours. When connected to a DC fast charger, topping up from 10% to 80% happens in around half an hour.

In December 2022 the automaker announced dual-motor Polestar 2 owners could upgrade from 408 horsepower to 476 horsepower via an over-the-air software upgrade for a one-time fee of $1,195.

AC synchronous permanent magnet electric motor (Single Motor)
231 horsepower
243 lb-ft of torque
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 113/100 MPGe
Range on a single charge: 270 miles

AC synchronous permanent magnet electric motor x 2 (Dual Motor)
408 horsepower
487 lb-ft of torque
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 94/84 MPGe
Range on a single charge: 249 miles