Practical experience Polestar 2: new brand, new challenges?

Of course you may wonder how new Polestar really is, after all, the brand can boast of Volvo’s years of experience. In fact, the Polestar 2 is actually a reused Volvo concept car from 2016. In fact, in a report we already exposed how many Volvo genes the Polestar 2 has. This somewhat messy brand history did not stand in the way of good sales: there are almost 8,200 copies driving around in the Netherlands.

Impractical … for a Volvo

When it comes to practicality of use, Volvo has already done well in placing this car with Polestar. “Interior space is limited,” said the owner of a 2020 Polestar 2 Intro, continuing: “The doors are tight to get into, cup holders are more for a few coins. The right knee regularly bumps into the hard plastic of the center console.”

There are several critical comments about these cup holders, including from the driver of a Polestar 2 78 kWh Single Motor: “Hardly any storage space in the center tunnel, two cup holders, one of which is under the armrest, is a miss. Also few compartments in which you can put something.” And what about space? “The volume of the trunk is not large at 405 liters, especially compared to the space I had in the Volkswagen Arteon. But luckily there is a fifth door again, handy for the dog.”

Seating comfort or Volvo’s

Another indicates how the space in the back seat is. “The seats are comfortable, with two Isofix child seats in the back we also have enough legroom in the front. You have to take into account the fact that my wife and I are relatively small. If you are taller than 1.85 meters and have two young children in the back, I can imagine that it is a bit tight. After a short period of getting used to the high floor, the sitting position is very pleasant.”

A tall driver also contributes: “I’m 2 meters tall myself and sometimes I have to adopt positions that don’t make the physio happy, simply to see the traffic light. In the back it is also tight with my height, but fortunately I don’t sit there much. I am used to it and find it acceptable compared to other cars.”

Well, the Polestar 2 is not very practical. Riders are generally satisfied with the seating comfort. “The seats are very comfortable with good adjustment options. They are perfectly adjustable for me and, although I am short, offer sufficient lateral support,” writes a satisfied rider. The extensive adjustment options do have a disadvantage, according to the owner who previously indicated that his right knee sometimes bumps into the center console: “It really took me a long time to adjust the seats so that I am comfortable.”

How does the Polestar 2 drive?

Most driving impressions are written on the basis of ‘thick’ versions with two engines, these four-wheel drive versions deliver 408 hp and a torque of 660 Nm. This driver of such a Dual Motor Launch Edition confirms that the road holding is fine: “The car is rock solid on the road and you can steer it nicely. This is of course due to the high weight, width and long wheelbase. The car is very smooth and all 400(!) horsepower are immediately available under your big toe. You only notice how great the torque and power are when you drive in the mountains, as a driver it is very difficult to judge whether the road is flat, going up or down.” This owner of a Polestar 2 Intro from the same year agrees: “I still love driving it. The performance is gigantic and in particular the flexibility with which you have the power at your disposal is unparalleled.”

For those who 408 hp (300 kW) is not enough, Polestar offers an upgrade that increases the power to 476 hp. An owner has had that upgrade carried out for €1,000 and shares his experience. “First of all, the improvement can be felt and you are especially faster when you are on the highway. It just pulls through well and the response to the pedal is smoother. In our busy country you are sometimes stuck in the right lane and then accelerating at a higher speed without hindering the vehicle behind is nice. Still, I think that it comes into its own in Germany with those speed differences there

The driver of a Single Motor variant with 230 hp, which is still not scantily endowed, touches on another aspect: “What a wonderfully refined car to cover long distances with, the Polestar in particular, the acceleration and straight-line stability inspire a lot of confidence.” Less confidence-inspiring is the way in which the Swede releases the power. “Front-wheel drive combined with 19-inch alloy wheels with fairly low-profile tires, over 2 tons of curb weight and no engine on the nose just doesn’t make for a great experience. For example, I notice that the car is constantly squeezing the power to keep the front wheels from sliding. Not only when taking off, but even when accelerating in a corner.” A feature that Polestar itself apparently also considered negative, because the renewed Polestar 2 Single Motor has rear-wheel drive.

Infotainment and software

The Polestar 2 is the first model on the market to use Google’s Android Automotive. A far-reaching integration of hardware and software with which you can also operate car functions, not to be confused with smartphone projection Android Auto. For this owner it was a purchasing argument: “The best thing remains the system on which I had originally selected the car; Android Automotive. First of all, the built-in Google Maps is really the nicest navigation software you can think of. That the system is always up-to-date was proven several times during the trip.” Other users note in the early stages that few apps are available, such as the popular navigation app Waze and Flitsmeister. These apps can now be installed.

Although users appreciate the software on the car side, that does not apply to the unstable smartphone app. “I don’t have to spend many words on that,” one of them writes. “Or if I had to describe everything that hasn’t worked on it in the past period. Short conclusion: very limited functionality, and even that limited functionality doesn’t work more often than it does.”

Reliability Polestar 2

Is the Polestar 2 a true Volvo in terms of reliability? Most users do not report major problems, but there are a few notable things. For example, several drivers suffer from charging problems in the initial phase. In one case this was caused by a faulty on-board charger, the other time it was remedied by installing a software update.

In addition, several owners report a non-working ignition key, as a result of which they can no longer start the car. Whether this is due to high battery consumption or poor contact is not entirely clear. “After tapping against the paving stones with the key, there was suddenly no problem anymore,” reports a driver who could no longer open his car on vacation.

In addition, cases are reported of Polestars that no longer work even with a working key. In these cases, Roadside Assistance had to come to the scene to disconnect the 12-volt on-board battery. This causes a system reset, after which the car will work again in most cases. Owners experiencing such issues report that they have not recurred after a software update.

More serious are the two cases where the car cut out while driving. “My wife received notifications on the dashboard that the Polestar had to go to the garage as soon as possible,” writes one owner. “Fortunately she just turned into the street, but he stopped right in front of the house.” Another was less fortunate: “A ride from the center of the country to Groningen and back was severely punished by a car that suddenly gave up. Unfortunately for us in an unsafe place, in the middle of an intersection.” Polestar has recalled these cars and equipped them with a new inverter, among other things. This also seems to solve these problems.

Range and consumption

The Polestar 2 is not known as a very efficient EV. Users also notice that: “The average consumption over the first 5,600 km is 23.6 kWh/100 km and that is high in my eyes. Higher than I expected,” writes a driver about his Dual Motor variant. The single engine version seems more efficient. “I now have 2,000 km on it and my consumption is 19 kWh/100 km,” said someone who drives this model. “First two weeks lower temperatures, in the morning around freezing point, last week a bit higher. No Tesla values, but 400 km is achievable this time of year. And I am fine with that.”

In summary, the user experiences of the Polestar 2 are mixed. The seats are good, but the interior appears to be anything but practical. The driving characteristics of the four-wheel drivers in particular are popular, while front-wheel drive models are less refined. New Single Motor copies no longer suffer from this. Android Automotive appears to be a good move, but owners need an improved smartphone app. Most importantly, after some major teething problems and a recall, the Polestar 2 now seems reasonably reliable.