Flash Drive: 2024 Polestar 2 Single and Dual Motor

Flash Drive: 2024 Polestar 2 Single and Dual Motor

A Major Update with More Power and Range

Polestar recently invited the automotive media to get behind the wheel of its revised Polestar 2 single and dual motor sedan, what Polestar says is a “5-door electric performance fastback.” For brevity, we will stick with sedan. With the Polestar 3 and 4 SUVs coming out next year, the upgrades to the Polestar 2 will allow it to hold its own in an increasingly competitive EV market.

Polestar 2 Single Motor RWD

What is no easy feat–and one we cannot remember any other front-wheel drive car doing–is the Polestar 2 single motor is now rear wheel drive (RWD). This is not a facelift, but a significant change as the driving attributes are noticeably different between front- and rear-wheel drive cars. If you bought a new car over the past 30 years, there was a very high likelihood the front wheels were pulling you down the road. Front-wheel drive (FWD) has many advantages, including good grip in wet and sloppy conditions and when powering through corners.

The Polestar 2 RWD gets a new single motor producing 299 horsepower (hp) and 361 pound-feet of torque (lb.-ft.), with 0-60 mph times of 5.9 seconds. The all-electric range (AER) is now up to 320 miles, a 20% range increase over the 2023 model. The 82 kilowatt-hour (kWh) nickel-manganese-cobalt battery can be charged 10-80% in 28 minutes using a 205 kW DC Fast charger.

Driving from the Halcyon Hotel in Cherry Creek, Colorado (elevation: 5,745 feet/1,751 meters), we headed to Estes Park (7,522 feet/2,293 meters), a good challenge for the single motor with the newly redesigned rear-wheel drive. Setting out on the Peak-To-Peak Scenic Highway along the Continental Divide, which offered the elevation rise with a combination of long sweeping and tight corners, demonstrated why those in-the-know prefer a rear-wheel drive set-up.

The Polestar 2 RWD, with a 4,429-pound curb weight, has a front-to-rear weight distribution of 48:52. The base 245/45 Michelin Primacy 4 all-season tires, mounted on 19-inch alloy wheels, were up to the task of smooth freeway driving and modest attacking of twisties. Optional 245/40 ContiPremiumContact 6 on 20-inch alloy wheels should up the fun factor.

The power coming from the rear wheels was smooth and instant, with the one-pedal driving and adjustable regenerative braking making for seamless cornering where the brake pedal was rarely used. With the front wheels not pulling through a corner the handling is a bit different, but easy to master, aided by the adjustable steering force.

Turn-ins begin gradual, and as the McPherson front and multi-link rear suspension took hold. Single apex corners required little steering input, while the steering wheel on double apex corners only needed small adjustments to confidently power through the corner. There never was a feeling of the rear stepping out as the electronic stability control kept everything tight and planted.

Polestar 2 Dual Motor AWD

Having all four wheels powering the Polestar 2 made handling even more confident. We were on dry roads in 90-degree temperatures, leaving us to imagine how good it would be when it gets wet and sloppy. Remember, Polestar, owned by Volvo, began in 1995 as the Volvo performance tuner, so Polestar engineers are accustomed to using Swedish winters to test handling and performance. The Polestar 2 AWD with the optional Performance Pack comes with adjustable Öhlins valve dampers that are configurable for comfort or performance settings.

The handling on the dual motor versus the single motor Polestar 2 was noticeably different, all in a good way. The dual motor AWD has a 50:50 front:rear weight distribution to handle its 4,641 pounds. The additional 212 pounds between the two cars gives the Polestar 2 AWD a bit more heft and a heavier stance on the road. The low center of gravity with the batteries placed below the floor helps all versions of the Polestar 2 handle flat around corners.

The 2024 Polestar 2 Dual Motor AWD comes in two trims: Long Range and Performance Pack. The Long Range puts-out 421 hp and 546 lb.-ft. of torque that is good for 4.3 seconds in 0-60 times. The Performance Pack cranks-out 455 hp and 546 lb.-ft. of torque and gets to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds. All three models have a regulated top speed of 127 miles per hour.

The Polestar 2 Dual Motor Long Range is rated at up to 276 AER and the Performance Pack up to 247 AER. Polestar has clearly given owners a choice of range versus performance. Neither is the better option, just the one that fits your driving pattern and lifestyle.

Battery and Charging

When slowing or stopping regenerative braking converts kinetic energy into electric energy and stores it in the battery. The level of regeneration can be set on the touchscreen, opting between Light, Standard and Firm, the latter of which we selected in conjunction with the Standard setting for One Pedal Driving with the Creep mode turned off. This combination resulted in strong recharging and a fun way to drive with limited touching of the brake pedal.

Safety

The 2024 Polestar 2 has earned a 5 Star safety rating by the NHTSA, the National Highway Safety Administration. It also comes standard with a robust suite of ADAS (Advanced Driver Assist Systems), including nine airbags, ABS braking and traction control, adaptive cruise control, blind spot warning with steering wheel assist, cross traffic alert, low and high speed collision avoidance and mitigation, and automatic braking.

Pricing

These base prices for the 2024 Polestar 2 include the mandatory $1,400 Destination fee. All Polestar 2 models qualify for the $7,500 federal IRA Clean Vehicle credit when leased, and for HOV lane stickers. See your individual state for details.

•  Long Range, Single Motor RWD         $51,390
•  Long Rage, Dual Motor AWD      $56,700
• Packages
  •  Plus Pack                        $2,200
  •  Performance Pack            $5,500
  •  Pilot Pack                        $3,400 

Warranty

• Basic – Four years/50,000 miles
• Battery – Eight years/100,000 miles
• Motors – Eight years/100,000 miles
• Roadside Assistance – Four years/Unlimited miles
• Corrosion Protection – 12 years/Unlimited miles
• Scheduled Maintenance – Three years/30,000 miles

Observations: 2024 Polestar 2 Single and Dual Motor

Polestar and Volvo were acquired by Geely, a Chinese automobile company, in 2010. Before that, Polestar was founded in 1995 to performance-tune Volvos. Volvo brought them in-house in 2015 when Polestar badging appeared on Volvos designating performance was awaiting the driver. A few years later, in 2018, Polestar became its own stand-alone car company first offering the Polestar 1 plug-in hybrid, and then making the jump to become an all-electric car brand in 2020 with the release of the Polestar 2, single-motor FWD sedan.

The changes and upgrades to the 2024 Polestar 2 gives it a sedan that will go head-to-head with any EV competitor. The handling and power delivery are something to brag about, while it is also efficient and practical. The trunk is large enough to handle all the gear for two on a long road trip, and the fast charging capability ideally will take you minutes before you are off again.

The few hours Clean Fleet Report spent in the single motor RWD and then the dual motor AWD also told us Polestar is readying itself for the launch of the Polestar 3 and 4 SUVs next year, the Polestar 5 luxury SUV in 2025, and then the stunning and sexy Polestar 6 hard-top convertible in 2026.

Don’t sleep on Polestar.

Make sure to opt-in to the Clean Fleet Report newsletter (top right of page) to be notified of all news stories and vehicle reviews.

Story and photos by John Faulkner

Disclosure:

Clean Fleet Report is loaned free test vehicles from automakers to evaluate, typically for a week at a time. Our road tests are based on this one-week drive of a new vehicle. Because of this we don’t address issues such as long-term reliability or total cost of ownership. In addition, we are often invited to manufacturer events highlighting new vehicles or technology. As part of these events we may be offered free transportation, lodging or meals. We do our best to present our unvarnished evaluations of vehicles and news irrespective of these inducements.

Our focus is on vehicles that offer the best fuel economy in their class, which leads us to emphasize electric cars, plug-in hybrids, hybrids and diesels. We also feature those efficient gas-powered vehicles that are among the top mpg vehicles in their class. In addition, we aim to offer reviews and news on advanced technology and the alternative fuel vehicle market. We welcome any feedback from vehicle owners and are dedicated to providing a forum for alternative viewpoints. Please let us know your views at publisher@cleanfleetreport.com.