Polestar 2 review - Range, charging and running costs

Polestar says the 2 now consumes up to nine per cent less energy, can travel up to 22 per cent further, and charge up to 34 per cent faster following the batch of updates introduced in 2023. The headline-grabbing figure is the Long Range Single Motor model’s official WLTP range of up to 406 miles – up from 341 miles pre-facelift.

The range kicks off with the Standard Range Single Motor model, which can cover up to 339 miles before its 69kWh battery runs flat. Long Range models get a larger 82kWh battery for the headline range figure of 406 miles in single-motor guise, or 368 miles if you spring for the Dual Motor version. The latter can actually disconnect its front motor while cruising to help with efficiency, but if you add the Performance Pack on top of AWD, the maximum range drops again to 352 miles.

The Polestar 2 hasn’t proven to be the most efficient EV in our own testing, especially compared to its rivals from Tesla and BMW, making its official range figures more difficult to achieve in the real world. It seems like Polestar’s updates have paid dividends though, as the refreshed Long Range Single Motor variant we tested indicated a range of around 330 miles on a full charge. That’s some way off 406 miles achieved in the official tests, but still pretty impressive.

It’ll take a typical 7kW home wallbox roughly 10 hours to fully recharge the 69kWh battery in Standard Range Polestar 2s, and roughly 12 hours to do the same for Long Range versions with their 82kWh batteries. But, if your house has a three-phase energy supply and you get a home charge capable of 11kW, those times are cut down to seven and eight hours, respectively.

The Polestar 2’s rapid charging capabilities never set the EV world alight, but base models will reach 135kW, meaning a 10 to 80 per cent top-up takes just 34 minutes. Meanwhile the rest of the range maxes out at 205kW, with the same charging session taking just 28 minutes if you find a suitably fast ultra-rapid charger.

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The Polestar 2 does cost more to buy than the Tesla Model 3, but the Swede’s starting price is lower than that of the Hyundai Ioniq 6 and BMW i4 at least. Plus, it’s exempt from the London Congestion Charge and road tax (VED) until 2025, and will appeal to company car drivers thanks to its incredibly low Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax rating.

Insurance groups

Insurance ratings for the Polestar 2 vary depending on the battery and motor combo you opt for. The entry-level, Standard Range Single Motor sits in insurance group 40, while the Long Range Single Motor falls into group 41. Adding the optional Plus Pack, with its glass roof and upgraded stereo, doesn’t affect either rating. The more powerful Polestar 2 Long Range Dual Motor lands in group 44, and the same goes for models equipped with the Performance Pack which adds even more power.

The Polestar 2 won’t be the cheapest car to insure then; in fact, the pricier BMW i4 will be cheaper to cover because it attracts lower insurance ratings. But the Tesla Model 3 will incur higher premiums than both its rivals as it occupies groups 48-50. The Tesla was judged by industry testers, Thatcham Research, to only offer ‘basic’ levels of protection for vehicle security, and so incurs higher insurance costs.

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Depreciation

Data suggests the Polestar 2 will be a solid performer on the second-hand market. After a three-year/36,000- mile period of ownership, the Swedish fastback is predicted to hold onto 50 to 53 per cent of its original value, with the Long Range Dual Motor versions delivering the strongest residuals.

In comparison, the Tesla Model 3 is expected to retain an average of 47 per cent, with the BMW i4 keeping between 47 and 54 per cent after the same 36 months of ownership (eDrive35 variants performing the best).

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