It looks good without really attracting attention and is self-confident enough not to hide its engine wiring with letters and numbers in a model name, but rather to tell you what it has to offer when requested. At the bottom of each of the two front doors there is a sticker that looks quite cheap: Polestar 2, 78 kWh / 335 kW. In the USA, where engine power is measured slightly differently, this corresponds to the 350 kW / 476 hp that the Polestar 2 is capable of producing at its maximum in Europe. This electric power is powerful for a mid-range model, which as a petrol or diesel engine usually produces little more than 200/250 hp on one or two drive axles. But the 4.61 meter long Polestar should attack Tesla’s model 3 in particular from 2020, and it is precisely this one that is not stingy with either engine power or electric range.
While many car manufacturers opted for an SUV for their first electric models, the Geely subsidiary Polestar opted for a sedan with a short rear as its electric Volvo counterpart. Looks good, the proportions are right and certainly a good choice, especially for the main market in the USA. That may also be the reason why people are surprisingly often asked about the Polestar 2 when reloading. No matter whether in the UCLA underground car park, in downtown Pasadena or in Costa Mesa – the electric model not only seems to open its own doors and not to build walls around itself and its driver. Many here in the American Saubermann state of California know Polestar, some even know the corresponding model and ask bluntly whether it comes from China? Yes and no is the nuanced answer, because the Swedish chic of the four-door car is mandatory inside and out, but it is the Chinese Geely Group that is behind the Polestar brand and so the customer gets what appears to be the best of two worlds: design, chic and value from Sweden with a special focus on the topic of sustainability, while the Chinese influences bring great advantages in terms of drive and networking.
Because the Polestar 2 drives well and with so much torque and ultimately engine power, the all-wheel drive version – regardless of whether with 310 kW or 350 kilowatts according to the European calculation method – is the right choice, but not the only one. For many customers, the so-called long-range version with 220 kW / 299 hp and a still impressive 490 Nm of torque is ideal. The electric rear-wheel drive car also has a top speed of 205 km/h and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in a dynamic 6.2 seconds. Its maximum range of 650 kilometers is reduced by around 100 kilometers despite the large 78 kWh battery pack in the all-wheel drive vehicle. The loading speed does not set any records; But with a maximum of 205 kilowatts it’s definitely decent. The fast charging stations on the Californian coast often deliver at best 150 or 175 kW anyway, so a higher charging speed as is usual with Tesla, Audi, Kia or Hyundai would not have a positive impact. The standard consumption of just under 16 kWh per 100 kilometers was a long way off, even despite manageable speeds on US highways and smaller country roads, because the electric all-wheel drive consumed just over 20 kWh / 100 kilometers.
What the most powerful series version with the European 350 kW / 476 HP and immense 740 Nm maximum torque offers, however, is a huge boost at all speeds. These are jet feelings at full throttle. It’s good that you can hold the steering wheel firmly in your hands and the comfortable leather seats not only give you comfortable long-distance travel, but also the necessary contours when driving at a brisk pace. Particularly important for tall occupants: the extendable thigh support – unfortunately it can only be operated manually. The space at the front and back is okay, because even if it’s not opulent, you can travel sensibly with four people. Provided you save yourself the fifth person who doesn’t have room in the Polestar 2. The ambitious drive of the Polestar 2 Dual Motor Performance, which costs at least 61,705 euros, is matched by the very tight chassis set-up with direct steering and an overall package that is undoubtedly too tough for poor roads, and the adjustable dampers are missing, especially on the broken city streets of Los Angeles – and how.
The networking and the operating concept are in a class of their own in China-Sweden, because Volvo was happy to give that up, not least in view of the enormous costs and the speed of the IT industry. The Google Android Auto system works just as well in the USA as it does in Europe. Apps, music streaming, films and smartphone integration – it’s that easy to make if the car manufacturer doesn’t necessarily want to keep the customer data to itself. But despite all the splendor of the screens and voice control, the Polestar 2 has exactly two operating weaknesses. On the one hand, it does not offer a head-up display, which should at least be optional in this price range. On the other hand, the digital instruments behind the wheel are at best middle class in size and clarity. Others can do this more modernly, better and more easily. What the four-door model also lacks is the panoramic roof, which is also available with the Plus package, which costs 4,800 euros and cannot be shaded either at the push of a button or with a blind. Even if the UV rays stay outside, the cheeky sun peeks past your sunglasses and no one wants to look outside when it rains. Sun protection is therefore missing in many operating states of the vehicle. But otherwise the Polestar offers a really strong everyday performance. The 405 liters of cargo space behind the electric tailgate are also sufficient.
