Polestar 2 Review 2026

The Polestar 2 is the first all-electric vehicle from the recently-launched car maker. Owned by Chinese firm Geely, which also owns Volvo, the Polestar 2 goes head-to-head with the Tesla Model 3 in the rapidly emerging mid-range EV market. But is Polestar’s latest offering any good?

Well, that depends on your point of view. Critics will argue that the Tesla Model 3 beats the Polestar 2 on paper. That’s because the higher spec Model 3 is faster than the Polestar 2 and is also almost a full second quicker in the 0-62mph dash. The Tesla also boasts better range.

But that doesn’t tell the whole story. While the Tesla looks better on paper, the Polestar 2 is a much more complete package in the metal. Build quality is higher with better panel gaps, good standards of overall fit and finish. Drivers also don’t have rely on tablet glued to the centre of the dash for the speedo, either.

While a centre-mounted tablet seems to have become the hallmark of a ‘proper’ EV, the Polestar 2 also has a much more conventional digital dash that can display all the info you need – road speed, charge remaining in miles, even navigation directions.

And that leads us on nicely to look at the 2’s tech. You see, while Polestar is a new brand, the 2 is also the first car to use Android Automotive (not to be confused with Android Auto). And that means the car’s infotainment operating system is light years ahead of its rivals. Using the command ‘hey Google!’ you can go on to control and adjust various things like the air con, heated seats, and demisters. There is a drawback though – connectivity for Apple CarPlay won’t arrive until 2021, which can make for a slightly clunky experience for those of the iPhone persuasion.

Still, you’ll have more than enough tech to keep the kids occupied – and more than enough space, too. While the sharply-styled coupe lines do mean you lose some head room, there’s enough leg and shoulder room for two adults in the back, and more than enough for two kids.

There’s plenty of storage, too, with 411 litres of space available via the rear hatch – although there is a slight lip on the boot to be aware of. Meanwhile, the front trunk gets 35 litres, which is just about enough to carry a backpack. There’s plenty of secure fastening points as well.

This is a bonus as once you’re in the driver’s seat it’s hard not to make the most of all that power. With just over 400PS driving all four wheels, the Polestar 2 is quick enough and still able to deliver a powerful ‘shove’ in the back when you press the throttle (although it’s not quite as hard hitting as a Tesla). Through the bends, there’s minimal lean and the car’s composure allows you to make the most of the road conditions, although the Performance Pack fitted to our car offered better dampers, bigger brakes and 20in wheels that made it feel overly firm at time.

Still, if you’re spending close to £50k on a car it’s nice to have the option to press on, even if doing so will hammer your range. Going from 0-80% at a quick charger takes just under 40 mins, while an overnight eight-hour charge from a domestic wallbox will fully charge the battery and give you about 270 real-world miles. However, the new single motor long range model promises up to 335 miles, making it one of the longest-range electric cars around. 

If you’re into EVs but weren’t too impressed with the Tesla Model 3, we reckon you’ll be quite taken with the Polestar 2. Not only does it look great, it’s sensational to drive and offers build quality that’s superior to its rival – even if it can’t quite match the Tesla’s pace. We reckon it's one of the best electric cars you can buy. 

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 (well, as much as any electrically assisted steering can when pressing on). With drive going to all four wheels, there’s plenty of grip available and you’ll certainly run out of talent long before the car if you drive it smoothly.

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 – rather than sawing at the wheel.

So it’s pretty accomplished on B-roads but wonderfully mild-mannered around town, making it something of a joy to live with day to day. And, unlike some EV rivals like the Nissan Leaf, it doesn’t run out of steam at motorway speeds.

If we had one criticism, it would be rear visibility which is heavily compromised by the tiny rear windscreen. Luckily, the 360 degree camera helps you out a lot here and makes parking much easier.

Some reviewers have complained that the performance pack made the ride feel crashy. Perhaps it’s been adjusted since their review and before out time with the car, but we didn’t find it too bad. Yes, it’s firm but it’s sure footed and actually around town it behaves itself. Ride quality is often subjective so be sure you book in a test drive to see for yourself.

There’s currently only one version of the Polestar 2 available. Its 78kWh battery offers a WLTP range of 292 miles but expect to see anywhere between 250-270 miles, depending on the kind of driving you do. Basically, the more you enjoy the power, the less far you’ll go.

As with all EVs, there’s no gears to race though or turbos to wait for so all the power is there whenever you need it. The Polestar 2 boasts 413PS and 660Nm… or about the same as a Mercedes C63 AMG.

The official 0-62mph time is 4.7 seconds, but our test car definitely felt quicker. And, of course, all that is readily available in the crucial 30-60mph range, which makes light work of nipping past a truck or overtaking a caravan going uphill on a crawler lane.

Newly added to the range is a cheaper, less powerful single motor model. We've yet to try it, however. 

Stylish touches include the ‘Thor’s hammer’ front lights and the wrap-around brake light at the rear. The proportions – and the stubby front end – almost give it a muscle-car vibe, which is offset by clean creases and clear shutlines.

Open the doors and from the driver’s seat you’ll noitice a couple of things. One is the frameless rear-view mirror, which matches the frameless door mirrors. This means that the whole assembly moves, rather than just the plate glass. It’s cool, but you’ll probably only get excited by it if you also found the wrap-around screen on the Samsung Galaxy sexy. Personally, we’re just worried about how much they cost to replace.

If you’re worried that the Polestar 2 is more about style than substance, don’t be. The five-door hatch layout gives you access to a decent boot with 411 litres of space. There’s a slight boot lip, but access is great. Longer items can go through ski hatch or you can split the 60/40 rear seats (although this doesn’t give you a flat loadbed).

Like the rest of the car, the boot has been well thought out with hooks and thether points aplenty. There’s even a panel that folds up, splitting the rear boot in half and making sure your shopping doesn’t slide about. There’s some storage underneath for cables while the front trunk is backpack sized.

The quality of materials used is good overall, although if you hunt around the car’s lower echelon’s you’ll find some lower quality plastics. It does feel like it’s been built to last though (as also evidenced by the panel gaps), especially compared to the Tesla Model 3.

Arguably the biggest talking point of the interior is the infotainment. If you’re of a non-tech disposition this could well make you feel a bit quesy, but the key takeaway is that there’s no Apple CarPlay integration until mid-2021.

Why does that matter? Well, it means that if you’re used to running iphone apps like Waze for navigation and Music for – er – music then that’ll be off limits for a while. You can stream music via Bluetooth from you phone, but it’s clunky and involves deep menu diving, which isn’t a sport you want to get into. So you’ll have to make do with Spotify and Google Maps – both of which are perfectly acceptable if a little inconvenient.

This pro-Google infotainment system is the first car to use Android Automotive. That means you can issue commands like ‘Hey Google! Set the cabin temperature to 20 degrees’. True, it’s probably quicker to do it yourself but when you’re bored in a traffic jam… Also, hats off to Andriod Automotive – it’s incredibly effective, unlike systems from rival car makers. That said, we would like to see the app icons made bigger as they’re very easy to miss when you’re jabbing your first finger at the XXX inch tablet.

At least you do get a digital dashboard. Doesn’t sound like the sort of thing you’d miss, but having to crane your neck to look at the centre of the dashboard every time you want to see your speed in a Tesla Model 3 ain’t great.

Another incoming feature is the digital key, which means you can use your phone to unlock the car. This will be recognised by the vehicle, which will then automatically adjust the vehicle set-up for you, remembering things like seat positions

As this is such a new, low-volume model then don’t expect there to be much haggling at the dealer. In fact, you don’t even have to go to a dealer to buy one because you can buy a Polestar 2 online. Once you’ve configured it online, you then have a two week window to adjust the trim and spec. Happy? Place your order with a refundable deposit.

The car is then delivered to your doorstep and you’re given a full handover that’ll walk you through the tech and all the key points. If you’d like to see one in the metal, then you’ll need to head over to Polestar Westfield London – think more of a space than a dealership, although the team can still help you place your order.

When it comes to running costs, electric vehicles speak for themselves. In the case of the Polestar 2, a full charge at home overnight costs roughly £8.50, which gets you 277 miles. Not sure how much petrol you’d need to put in your Audi to get that, but pretty sure you won’t get any change from £40.

Is the Polestar 2 the most efficient EV? No, but it’s also not the most boring either. At this early stage of electric cars, we should make the most of having all that power instantly available (something Tesla do brilliantly) because there will come a time when EVs are much less fun to drive … or just drive themselves.

But back to charging. If you need to make use of a quick charge on the motorway, then you’re looking at going from 0-80% in just under 40 minutes. Thinking of plugging into a three pin at home? Don’t. There’s all manner of reasons why this isn’t a good idea but the notion of a 40-hour charge should be enough for you to put that out of your head.

When it comes to insurance, the Polestar 2 is definitely at the top end and lives in Group 46.

They’re also quite likely to hang on to their value as low-volume means it will take a while for them to filter on to the used market.

With only one trim level available, the Polestar 2 has pretty much everything you need.

The 300kW motor is roughly equivalent to 408hp with 660Nm of torque and that puts it squarely in Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG territory.

The there's also pilot assist, which covers off the lane-keeper safety system and adaptive cruise control. It'll help you stay in your motorway lane, but it won't change lanes for you like a Tesla. 

Speaking of Tesla, the 78kWh battery capacity is more than Model 3. In black and white terms, this is the maximum power it can deliver – 78 kilowatts per hour – but normal day-to-day driving uses much less than that.

There's also a dual-motor (one driving the front wheels and one driving the rear) which means four-wheel drive. Like all EVs, this is hooked up to an automatic gearbox.

But what about the fun stuff? There’s pretty much everything you could ask for. Dual-zone climate control, heated front and rear seats, windscreen washers with heated nozzles, rain sensing wipers, keyless entry with hands-free boot opening (which actually works), electric driver’s seat with memory function.

You don’t get a spare wheel though – just a tyre repair kit and a jack (this was missing from the test car, but we’re assured they’ll be supplied with customer cars).