Updated dual-motor Polestar 2 boasts extra range and greater power

Polestar, it seems, is still pretty contented with what its designers had arrived at with the curious-looking car it unveiled to the world back in 2021.

"[A] facelift introduces superficial visual changes that often destroy the original intention of the car's design theme," proffers the brand in its press release for the facelifted Polestar 2. Rather than go down that route, it's taken a different tack of tweaking what's "below the surface" - not with what you can immediately see, but what's supposed to not-so-slowly unravel itself to you as you get behind the wheel of this largely familiar, yet also quite significantly revised car.

Space age - slightly amplified    

Faithful to its maker's claim, this updated Polestar 2 might require a more trained eye to be distinguished from the original version that first graced our shores.

Unless you're a longtime Polestar fan, you won't notice that those 20-inch multi-spoke rims on those wheels are new, but something about car's new front grille - or lack thereof - should stand out to you. Instead of resembling a dark Royce-chocolate bar, the car's nose has now been completely smoothed out with the exception of a tiny, yet very conspicuous camera.

This change is as functional as it is aesthetic, since the grille now houses the "SmartZone" - a dedicated area where all of the car's necessary sensor systems are clustered - such that the car now 'sees', rather than 'breathes' through it. In effect, this has only elevated the Polestar 2's space age design further. 

Two years after its release, the car's original raised fastback silhouette continues to elicit drawn-out stares at traffic lights, and elongated necks as other drivers walk past in the carpark.

It's a fascinating mixture of elements still not typically found on other cars - from its raised fastback body style to its large wheel arches; its frameless side mirrors to its chunky door handles; its Thor Hammer-shaped headlights to its uninterrupted, bracket-like taillight bar. The intrigue only continues when those less in the know peer closer... and are left feeling even more puzzled when the logo on the bonnet perhaps fails to immediately ring a bell.

Previously an option, this long range dual-motor variant of the Polestar 2 is now also kitted out with the Performance Pack as standard, whose upgrades include four-piston Brembo front brakes painted over in bright yellow (apart from said 20-inch rims) - adding yet another dimension of wonder to an already fascinating package. 

Scandinavian sustainability and minimalism - wearing well

Polestar hasn't meddled with the car's cabin in this update, but then again, it hasn't really needed to.

Whether it's the soft, white glow of the cove lighting, the woodgrain texture of the centre console, or the fabric-finished dashboard, door cards and seats, one's senses are thoroughly soothed in this completely vegan interior. In another car, golden seatbelts may come off as garish, but here, they contrast delightfully against the darker, general colour theme. A persisting highlight is the invitation to go (Pole)star-gazing; the brand's logo is projected upwards onto the tinted, full-length glass roof.

Minimalism may be the cabin's most apparent quality at first, but spend just a bit more time in here and its focus on ergonomics and user-friendliness shines through just as brightly. As mentioned in previous reviews, there is an undeniable intentionality in how the space has been crafted to be driver-centric despite the Polestar 2's outwardly futuristic feel; an attention to detail that hasn't aged, and hasn't really needed changing with this mid-life facelift. 

You know an interior has been done right when you already find yourself reaching out to the centre console and changing the volume - without hesitation and without taking your eyes off the road - on just your second day with it. With the car's "cockpit" built as if to wrap around the driver and front passenger, both the gear shifter and infotainment screen fall easily within arm's reach. Speaking of the latter, diving into the different menus and interfaces is kept to a surprising minimum too across the 11.2-inch infotainment 'tablet' and 12.3-inch driver's display. 

Even if you're an iPhone user, the Android Automotive operating system is dead-easy to navigate, and its functionality has continued to expand (apps such as Spotify and YouTube are offered natively), thus reducing the need to call Apple CarPlay into action (although you can still do that if you insist with a cable). Perhaps the sharpest edge Google has over Apple - Google Maps - sparkles in full, with even details such as the car's estimated state-of-charge as well as charging stations reflected as you're planning your route. 

If there are any weaknesses to the Polestar 2's fastback body-style, it's that its sloping roofline will leave rear passengers above 1.75m tall wanting for headroom. A large transmission tunnel also means that the Polestar 2 still works best as a four-seater on the regular. Utilised as such, however, legroom is generous for all occupants, while the wide aperture of the car's 405-litre boot and small frunk should ensure even the most aggressive grocery-shoppers won't be left hanging. 

Surprising performance - taken more than a notch higher

It's on the go, however, that this new Polestar 2 puts the most distance between itself and its predecessor - and on the most literal level too.

On top of extra capacity squeezed out from its battery (82kWh versus 78kWh previously), the car's ability to disengage its front motor completely now when not needed gives it more range on a single charge. Even the lead-footed shouldn't find eclipsing 400km on a single charge too difficult - especially if they utilise the One Pedal drive modes to recuperate energy.

But the other big story in this range-topping variant is that its two new electric motors are now capable of significantly more power: 469bhp and 740Nm of torque, against 402bhp and 660Nm in its previous equivalent. (Its century sprint timing has now slid a not-insignificant 0.5s, to 4.2s.) Performance-wise, that's squarely in the territory of the Audi e-tron GT and Merc-AMG's EQE 43 - cars you wouldn't normally associate with the Polestar 2. 

The numbers don't lie, and as currently iterated, the dual-motor Polestar 2 inches closer than ever to the brand's official premise as a maker of electric performance cars. It's not just about the immediate reservoir of torque that is unleashed when you floor the accelerator, too, but the car's ability to sustain this momentum longer than one might imagine. For legal reasons (or otherwise), most drivers will probably find their right feet backing off well before they start to feel the power plateauing.

While the car's steering feel still will not quite match the weight found on other performance compacts even in "Firm", its responsiveness, coupled with the firm ride (by default) on those Ohlin dampers, should easily satisfy keener drivers. You may sit just slightly above the driver of the family sedan next to you at the red light - but this all-wheel drive Polestar 2 is all but guaranteed to take the next bend flatter, and with more confidence.

Still, if one prefers a more relaxed manner of moving around, this Polestar 2 will not bite.

The notably large amount of travel on the accelerator pedal (especially compared to the brake pedal) means you're not suddenly flying off the line with the slightest prod. And while a poorly-paved road will make itself very evident in the moment as you're driving over it, the suspension settles very quickly thereafter.

That, coupled with the relatively well-insulated cabin, means that cruising around in relaxed silence is still a task the car can tackle quite naturally. 

The question of the Polestar brand mission

In many aspects, the Polestar 2 has always striven for the rare and narrow point where experimentation and sensibility meet. And on many counts, it has largely succeeded. 

Executed with minimalism (in lowercase) as an overarching theme, a futuristic get-up and wealth of tech have been essential tenets of its image - yet it is also the intuitiveness that binds all this together that makes the car so easy to appreciate. Apparently, three days is all it takes to forget that not every car has screens that fall easily within reach, or weight-sensing seats that automatically power the car up and down.

Taken in this context, however, one cannot help but feel that the extra performance provided by this dual-motor variant of the updated Polestar 2 plays the role of a supporting actor instead of lead (ahem) star. More power is never unwelcome, but against the car's more luminous assets, it's likely to slip quietly into the background, instead of taking centre stage - as per what Polestar seems to have intended to achieve with this facelift. To the average driver - especially in Singapore - anything beyond a necessary baseline of power is excess anyway.

Contrarily, it's not hard to imagine the single-motor variant - which drops the Performance Pack, still has plenty of power, and crucially, is now rear, rather than front-wheel driven - being more amenable to the masses. It doesn't lose any of the Polestar 2's best qualities, but will come with a less shocking price tag. 

That's not to say that this updated dual-motor variant has no place in Polestar's lineup or on our roads. If the second half of Polestar's brand mission - of building electric, performance cars - has felt harder to grasp than the first half thus far, the car you see in these pictures evens things out more than before. That makes the Polestar 2 even more compelling an option for those seeking thrills in a combustion-free package.

ALSO READ: Singapore to receive the Polestar 2 BST edition 230

This article was first published in sgCarMart.