Polestar 2 Long Range Single Motor 2023 test, excellent value for money

El Polestar 2 It's a midsize sedan with a propulsion system 100% electric and the first car with these characteristics of the “new” brand of Swedish origin. Its construction is carried out in China. It is also the first to be sold by this manufacturer, owned by Volvo (and in turn by Geely), in Spain. it does from the middle of the year 2022, although it was marketing it as of 2020 in other regions. It competes in the most popular category for this car class and stands out in it for a very high price-quality ratio. It is available for a minimum of $47.190 (Standard Range Single Motor with 231 CV and 474 km per charge). Later this year, there will be several modifications on the Polestar 2 2024.

On this occasion, we have tested the version with a large battery and a single propellant (front-wheel drive), which is the most demanded and, without a doubt, the most rational option in the range. It is called Long Range Single Engine. You have 231 CV of power and 542 km of autonomy approved (the best of the model). Its acquisition cost is $50.190. There is a third configuration, high performance, called Long Range Dual Motor (integral traction). It makes 408bhp or up to 476bhp in combination with a performance package, though it does less distance on a full charge and is more expensive. In any case, it is a attractive product, relatively wide, with good dynamic behavior and plenty of equipment.

A raised, spacious sedan with a very avant-garde design

The Polestar 2 measures 4,61 meters long, 1,86 wide and 1,48 high with a wheelbase of 2,74 meters. Are normal outside dimensions for this type of vehicle. However, its free height between the body and the ground is not so much, with just over 15 cm, which gives it a certain appearance of a raised saloon or a crossover (A term used to refer to cars with an appearance halfway between a car and an SUV). With everything, the driving position is that of a sedan. Faced with its main alternatives, Tesla Model 3, BMW i4 y Kia EV6, is the shortest by far (from 7 to 17 cm).

En este sentido, its design is modern, simple and elegant at the same time as robust and sculptural, with stylistic traits and resources inherited from some of Volvo's current cars. The most peculiar, the horizontal LED strip that joins the rear optics at the bottom, almost where the bumper begins. It could also be considered unobtrusive, but during our testing we found that it could easily draws the attention of pedestrians and other drivers. Above all, it is an original product.

inside there is five seats and enough space for four adults up to 1,80 meters tall to travel in a remarkable level of comfort, since the central rear seat is only appropriate for short journeys (the amplitude in the rear area of ​​the passenger compartment is scarce for three people). If more length is needed in the second row, an EV6 is much more recommended. The height of the cabin is, simply, acceptable. The panoramic glass roof, which is fixed and not sliding, takes away too much freedom from the heads of the longest occupants.

It is also not more than correct the trunk, with a volume of 405 liters to which are added 41 of a front compartment intended for storage of charging cables (under the hood where, in a conventional thermal car, the combustion engine would be installed). There is also a double bottom in the big one. Without ceasing to be practical and despite the fact that the rear seat backs are folding, it has the worst capacity in its segment. Here the KIA counterpart stands out again, with 490 liters behind and an additional 52 in front. In return, the Polestar It has good solutions for the separation of the load and an electric gate with automatic operation as standard..

Volvo heritage: superior finishes and lots of easy-to-use technology

The exterior appearance is not the only thing that the Polestar 2 receives from certain Volvo modelsand XC40. It also looks like them on the inside. The shape and distribution of the interior elements, as well as the quality of the ornamentation, are similar and close to luxury. maybe, Although the perception is very similar, the type of materials used for its manufacture is somewhat inferior. This may be because some are recycled. However, even leather, which is synthetic, doesn't look worse. Yes, the adjustments between pieces are significantly lower without being able to be considered mediocre. On our test unit the center armrest came loose and we were unable to reattach it.

This cabin, moderately refined while being open-plan, bright, ergonomic and not at all motley, has front seats with an outstanding balance between firmness and comfort.. Of course, in the most powerful version, they could have a little more lateral support. Also, it's a well-insulated cab, which generates the sensation of going on board a safe and well-built vehicle. For reference, its ride quality is not higher than that of the BMW i4, but it is higher than that of the Tesla Model 3. In general, the presentation of the product is smart and its user experience is pleasant if not pleasant, something that we explain below.

Despite its apparent simplicity, this electric car has a high technological load. It's probably not better than its rivals, but it does have one positive difference: all functions (very numerous) are intuitive and particularly easy to use. Most rely on the central, vertical and touch screen of the multimedia equipment, whose operating system is the work of Google and works in an extraordinary way. This is 10 inches and is complemented by another 11, dedicated to instrumentation and located behind the wheel. Both have good resolution and quick response. There is no Head-Up Display option nor is it necessary, although we consider an error that Apple CarPlay cannot be activated without cable.

As for the rest of the standard equipment, nothing is missing. If it occurs, it is allowed to install two packages with a high extra cost (Pilot Lite, to extend driving assistance for 2.500 euros, and Plus, to improve comfort and aesthetics for 4.500 euros), although not many concessions to customization beyond six paints for the body and two sets of wheels up to 20 inches. Without paying more than the strict base price, the Polestar 2 already has half a dozen active safety aids, ISOFIX anchorages in three of the five seats, front and rear parking sensors with rear view camera, LED headlights, 19-inch wheels, frameless, anti-glare mirrors, fully manually adjustable steering wheel and seats, dual zone climate control, fabric upholstery, four USB-C sockets, eight speakers, integrated browser and two charging cables on board, among others.

231 CV and 542 km WLTP: power to enjoy and autonomy to travel

The Polestar 2 Long Range Single Engine, Which is the version on which we will focus this article because it is the most demanded and because it is the one we have analyzed, has a fully electric propulsion system consisting of a permanent magnet synchronous drive. installed in the front axle (only drive)yields a maximum of 231 CV of power and 330 Nm of torque. These figures allow you to accelerate from 0 to 100 km / h in 7,4 seconds and reach a top speed of 160 km/h, electronically limited in order to guarantee a minimum of autonomy. It is not, therefore, a superb level of benefits, but it is more than enough to overtake safely and even have fun behind the wheel from time to time. In fact, they are good data for a saloon that, in running order, far exceeds 2 tons in weight.

The previously mentioned propellant is fed by a battery which, in this case, has 78 kWh of gross capacity (75 net), the largest offered by the manufacturer for the model in question (the small one has 69). It is not, even so, especially heavy or bulky considering what already exists on the market. However, its energy management and the high efficiency of this battery-motor combination allow the Polestar 2 to travel 542 km per full charge according to WLTP combined cycle. In practice, it seems very difficult to perform more than 450 without exhausting the accumulator, but we can affirm that we have traveled from Madrid to Valencia (a journey of 350 km) without needing to recharge and at normal speed, with a surplus of 12% at destination. The theoretical average consumption is 17,1 kWh / 100 km. We have achieved 20,3 in almost 900 km.

Said battery consists of a conventional chemistry based on lithium ions and accepts loads up to 155 kW in direct current or 11 in alternating. Full DC power is useful in 2023, but it will become mediocre in a few years, when the charging infrastructure grows along with its qualities. If compared to that of the Model 3 or the EV6, the biggest (most direct) competitors of the Polestar 2, is low, since these can recover power at 250 and 350 kW respectively. Fortunately, a number of changes in the range of the "Swedish" model for 2024 will improve on this without actually outperforming its alternatives: 205 kW has been announced, which translates to 32% faster recharges with the proper terminal. Of course, the brand will ask for more money for it (it will not be the only modification).

Driving impressions: remarkable (the outstanding is taken by another version)

Having tested a unit of the Polestar 2 in his configuration with large battery and single motor, we are absolutely certain that it is the most sensible and recommended option of the product. On a dynamic level, it is a very good vehicle that gracefully hides its obvious overweight, due to its electrical nature. We are not facing a car with sporting aspirations but one with a excellent balance that, in any case, gives comfort a little more priority over agility (If you are looking for excellence in this line, it is better to purchase the most powerful version with the Performance package). Of course, it has some flaws, but they are minor, far-fetched, and will probably be fixed with the model update in 2024, which, among other things, will have more autonomy, more power and rear-wheel drive in versions that, like this one, only have two driving wheels.

Already in 2023, roughly speaking, it is a car with a chassis that provides a high degree of comfort to the occupants without resorting to unusual suspension elements. A deformable parallelogram rear structure and some sets of Very good quality front spring-shock absorber They hold the body great and work better than average in both rebound and compression. So the Polestar is capable of absorbing a greater number of irregularities with solvency. Surely, only the BMW i4 is even more stable without sacrificing the same level of comfort, but it is a much more expensive saloon and few customers will know how to appreciate what that extra cost means in terms of behavior. On the contrary, The steering is as artificial as usual in this class of sedans, but it allows you to regulate its resistance to turning. We recommend always taking it in the heaviest mode, except for driving in urban environments that may require many manoeuvres.

It is also a car stops quickly if emergency braking or hard deceleration is necessary during aggressive driving. Of course, no matter how good the brakes are, their typology makes them not recommended for this type of use, since they are easily saturated and lose effectiveness. When the left pedal is pressed, the feel seems quite homogeneous despite there being two sections of travel for regenerative braking (which can be adjusted when the accelerator is released) and for mechanics, so that modulating it is pleasant and does not require adaptation compared to a thermal car. No different driving profiles, but the available power is automatically reduced when the battery charge drops below 10%. Also, being slightly raised, we find it a vehicle with particularly comfortable access and with visibility that, without being the best, has been taken care of.

All in all, the Polestar 2, even in this heavy-battery, basic-power, front-wheel-drive version, is an almost round car that provides well-being and satisfaction regardless of the pace at which it is driven. If done fast, it will allow the driver to enter it into corners quite easily, although with a certain tendency to understeer when the limit of grip is reached. Should you have to stop it, it will do just as well as an equivalent product with a combustion engine (for example, a Volvo S60). Two aspects to improve in the 2024 edition are the noise of the air conditioner and the excessive prominence of the active security systems at certain times. All in all, it is a car that we liked a lot, taking into account that its price, as we will see in the next section, is relatively low or at least adjusted.

Polestar 2 2023 price: more than adequate in these times

The acquisition cost Polestar 2 part of 47.190 euros, but the version we have examined costs a minimum of 50.190 euros. The benefits are identical, but the 3.000 euros of difference are worth it in order to have 68 km more WLTP range and a 25 kW higher charging power (keep in mind that the Standard Range Single Motor version charges a maximum of 130 kW). In the long run, the divergence between those figures can mean a lot less time connected to a charger. In other words, we consider that the Long Range Single Motor version is more versatile and gives the possibility of traveling with greater relief.

Compared to its category rivals, it is one of the cheapest purchase options that exist in 2023. BMW asks 57.350 euros for its i4 eDrive35 (RWD, 286 hp and 482 km WLTP); KIA, a worse positioned brand in terms of luxury, also requests more money for its EV6 Air 77 kWh (RWD, 228 CV and 528 km WLTP): 55.490 euros. There is only one cheaper alternative with a similar level of performance and because of which we doubt whether this Polestar is "the best" in its class in relation to quality and price.. This is the Tesla Model 3, which in its basic version (RWD, 283 CV and 491 km WLTP) can be obtained for 46.200 euros.

Conclusion: no electric car offers more for less... except one?

think of a electric car. Now do it in one that also has a family oriented, but not an SUV. Then suppose you have a budget less than 60.000 euros and that, for that money, you need a first vehicle that covers all your needs, even to enjoy at their controls or to travel far when the holidays arrive. The truth is that you have left very few options having applied all those filters. The cheapest is the Model 3.

However, Tesla's midsize sedan doesn't have the best interior settings, its cabin is too bland and digital, it has too firm a suspension and a battery that can't theoretically go more than 491 miles per charge. Then it appears in your mind Polestar 2, its nemesis: better equipped, better built, more comfortable, more original and with greater autonomy for only 4.000 euros more. No one offers more for less. That simple

Polestar 2 2023 Photo Gallery (LR-SM and Grey)


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