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Living with the Polestar 2: initial impressions
By Rory FH Smith | 12 October 2023 | Cars & Yachts, Motoring
We take the all-electric Swedish saloon for a spin in the Capital
The car
Bursting onto the electric vehicle scene in 2020, the Polestar 2 is Sweden’s answer to the Tesla Model 3. The second car to be released by the Scandi-chic Polestar brand, the 2 follows on from the ground-breaking, plug-in-hybrid sports tourer, the Polestar 1. Designed for the mass market, it was the first fully-electric, family-sized car from Polestar, with five seats and a front and back boot thanks to its more compact electric underpinnings freeing space up front.
Available in four guises, from a standard-range single-motor, to the flagship long-range dual-motor with Performance pack, our Polestar 2 occupies the middle ground – a long-range, single-motor model. While it’s slightly down on performance compared to the nippy, top-spec Polestar 2, it’s no sloth. The 0-62mph falls just under seven seconds, with 220kW (295 bhp) of power coming from a 82 kWh lithium-ion battery to drive the front wheels. Boasting the biggest range of the model line-up, the long-distance single motor lists a 320 – 341 miles range (WLTP).
Initial impressions
Very few cars are ideally suited to London life but, after a few weeks of getting to know the Polestar 2, it might just be one of them. The Capital’s increasingly congested roads make driving a chore much of the time and the opportunities to get above 20 mph are few and far between.
Quiet, smooth and small in comparison to London’s glut of oversized SUVs, the Polestar 2 can dart around town with ease. The immediacy of the electric powerplant is well-suited to city life, smoothly cruising through the constant stop-start conditions, without the need to kick-start a combustion engine every time the lights turn amber. With our Polestar equipped with 19” rims, the ride suffers slightly over London’s many lumps, speedbumps and potholes. It’s a harder ride than a lot of similarly priced SUVs but it’s by no means a deal breaker.
While the ride airs on the hard side, the serenity that comes with an electric car is second to none. Previously, silent driving was reserved to the likes of Rolls-Royce and Bentleys but now, with engine rumble all but eradicated, electric cars like our Polestar 2 can offer a similar experience for a fraction of the price. The Polestar does this brilliantly, aided by its spectacular build quality, which renders it free from interior squeaks and squeals.
On the outside, the Polestar 2 doesn’t suffer from the awkward styling that plagues so many electric cars. It’s solid, stylish and subtle exterior exemplifies the refinement and restraint of Scandinavian styling, meaning it seamlessly slots into all areas of the city, from the depths of Soho to South Hampstead and beyond. It subtly makes a statement while proudly standing apart from the legion of Teslas that crawl London’s streets.
Check back next week for more adventures in Living with the Polestar 2.