Release date: Available Now
Price: From $47,200
Power: Dual motor, AWD
Battery range: 270 miles
0 to 60 mph: 4.5 seconds
Smarts: TV video streaming, CarPlay , Android Automotive OS, collision warnings, blind sport monitoring, adaptive cruise control
Polestar has been made something of a name for itself after making the move to electric cars, and with good reason. Volvo's sister company is one of several automakers that has proven electric cars don't need to sacrifice performance. What's more, they don't all have to look the same.
While there are more Polestars coming in the future, including the Polestar 3 SUV, right now the Polestar 2 is still the automaker's shining star — no pun intended. It's even the basis for the automaker's snow-friendly rallying prototype, the Polestar 2 Arctic Circle.
The Polestar 2 has been available for a while, but that hasn't stopped the automaker from making improvements to the latest models
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Sure, Polestar lacks the brand recognition of Tesla, or some other automaker with several decades of brand recognition under its belt. But it makes up for with its unique styling. Some people hate it, while we think it looks fantastic.
The LED lights are great, and at the rear offer breaking lights across the whole width of the car. It’s one of those vehicles that will genuinely turn heads, arguable more than the far more common Teslas on the road.
2022 Polestar 2 cost and release date
The 2022 Polestar 2 is available to order right now, with a fully-refundable $500 deposit. At the time of writing the FWD model is expected to be delivered in February, while the AWD model is expected to arrive in late December.
The 2021 Polestar 2 has a starting price of $47,200 in the U.S. However, this is for the new single-motor version of the car. The dual-motor version will cost you $4,000 more at $51,200. Both those prices include the $1,300 destination charge, but obviously the optional extras will cost you more.
Those two variants differ by more than just the number of motors, however. The single motor has better range, up to 265 miles but suffers performance wise in comparison. Meanwhile the dual motor version lowers its range to 249 miles, but gets better acceleration in the process.
The single motor model has slower 0-60 speeds of 7.0 seconds, compared to the 4.5 second time on the high end dual-motor model. The dual motor model is also tow bar certified, in case you need to do some hauling.
2022 Polestar 2 design and features
The Polestar 2 is a hatchback, which may offer some benefits over Tesla’s Model 3 sedan/saloon design. There’s also a frunk under the hood with enough space for a small grocery shopping load.
The Polestar is very much driven by Android. It’s built into the car, giving you access to some Google Play apps as well as Google Maps and Google Assistant. Apple CarPlay will, interestingly, be added to the car in a software update later this year.
Expect good quality audio, with the option to upgrade to a Harman/Kardon audio system if you’re prepared to pay extra. There are also upgrades for features like blind spot monitoring, collision warning and mitigation and adaptive cruise control. On the existing car, these are included in the price. They’re optional with the cheaper models which will add significantly to the price you pay.
Polestar has also developed a video streaming service for the car, which displays content on the 11-inch center display. Designed to be used while parked or charging, the service won't incur any additional data costs, and will incorporate TV feeds from a range of European broadcasters at launch. More will be added at a later date.
A performance pack is an optional extra on all versions of the Polestar 2 and includes design updates like gold Brembo front calipers, Öhlins Dual Flow Valves shock absorbers and gold seatbelts. We dare say this won’t be a huge priority for many people looking to buy this car.
2022 Polestar 2 battery and range
The Polestar 2 currently comes with a 78kWh battery in the U.S. made up of 27 modules. It offers up to 270 miles of EPA range. EV Database has more real-world estimates of range, and claims that the lowest possible range is 175 miles (tested at -10 celsius) and the maximum of 350 miles in perfect conditions (low-speed city driving, 23 celsius with no climate control).
However the dual motor version, as mentioned before, loses 16 miles of range as a result of having that second motor and AWD capabilities. But it can still handle 249 miles of EPA range. Both models carry the same 78kWh battery.
2022 Polestar 2 performance
The fastest Tesla Model 3 smokes the fastest Polestar 2, which is the dual-motor model. That reaches 60mph in just 4.5 seconds, 1.4 seconds slower than the fastest Tesla Model 3. Meanwhile the single motor model is slower still, managing to hit that speed after 7 seconds.
Power on the single motor car is 170kW or 228 bhp. The dual motor offers around 400 bhp. Naturally, being electric, both cars offer instant torque that you'd find on every battery-powered motor.
2022 Polestar 2 feature updates
It’s not just Tesla that is committed to pushing new features out to cars once they’ve rolled off the production line. In May 2021 Polestar announced that an update would allow owners to use their phone as a digital key. The beta feature uses 18 Bluetooth sensors on the far to determine if you and your phone are close.
Polestar also added other new features in this update that allow you to pre-heat the battery before setting off, which improves range during cold weather and better software to calculate the expected range of the vehicle when you’re driving.
You’ll also be able to check your battery charge level in the app as well as lock the car remotely and fire up the climate control from afar — very useful in hot or cold climates where getting the car to a sensible internal temperature can reduce the need for power-hungry climate controls during your journey.
2022 Polestar 2 outlook
The Polestar 2 in its 2022 variants look like they could be incredibly tempting for those currently pondering a Tesla.
A Polestar would suit someone not especially interested in the incredible 0-60 times offered by new Teslas, especially if you opt for the similarly-priced performance Model 3, which currently costs $56,990 and has a 0-60 speed of 3.1 seconds.
But love or hate the Telsa, we can all agree that it isn’t for everyone. The Polestar 2 offers an experience that’s more like a high-tech standard car than a spaceship and for many people that’s more appealing.
The refinement of the Polestar 2, from it’s stunning looks through to refined interior means that this car troubles Mercedes, BMW and VW a bit more than it will annoy Tesla. But its affordability means that this car has plenty to offer anyone who wants an EV.
