Polestar 2 Long Range Dual Motor Performance MY24 2023 Review

Apr 07, 2024

Swedish-Chinese electric vehicle specialist Polestar has introduced the first major upgrade to the Polestar 2 since its debut in Australia in late 2021. The big news is the swap from front- to rear-wheel drive and a performance boost for the two single-motor models that kick off the range. However, they’ve still got a way to go to match the pace of the dual-motor all-wheel drive flagship we’re testing here. Also the beneficiary of some technical upgrades, the Polestar 2 Performance is stunningly fast and capable on the open road. But back in the slower-paced real world where most of us live most of the time, it’s a bit lumpy.

Priced from $85,400 plus on-road costs – a $2400 increase over its predecessor – the 2023 (MY24) Polestar 2 Long Range Dual Motor with Performance Pack is the flagship of the four-model electric sportback range.

That pricing places it right in the ballpark of its key electric rival, the Tesla Model 3 Performance, while the larger and more powerful Kia EV6 GT is more expensive.

As its name suggests, this model comes with added performance features over the standard 2023 (MY24) Polestar 2 Long Range Dual Motor, which starts at $76,400 plus ORCs. These include a 40kW power boost to 350kW/740Nm (up from 310kW/740Nm), Ohlins dampers, Brembo four-piston ventilated and drilled discs and new-look 20-inch alloy wheels shod with Continental SportContact 6 tyres.

You also get ‘Swedish Gold’ seat belts and valve caps that do nothing for performance but do sear your eyeballs.

And it’s worth noting that while the torque rating is the same across the two new dual-motor models, it’s 60Nm up on the old Performance Pack and up 80Nm for the standard dual-motor. Power is the same as the old Performance Pack but 10kW up for the standard model.

By the way, you can still simply add the extra power to your standard Dual Motor via an over-the-air update for $1600. But for the full Performance Pack, you’ll have to pay $9000.

The Pack items are added to a substantially upgraded drivetrain that includes new motors and a slightly larger 82kWh lithium-ion battery pack (+4kWh) that delivers a longer claimed WLTP range of 568km (+81km) and faster charging up to 205kW (+50kW) than the previous model.

Energy consumption is rated at 16.0-17.2kWh per 100km (WLTP). On test we were running at 20-25kWh/100km.

Safety equipment gets a boost. Blind spot monitoring with steering support, cross traffic alert with brake support, rear collision warning and mitigation and a 360-degree camera are added, joining well-tuned driver assist systems and eight airbags.

Otherwise, much is familiar about the look and feel of the Polestar 2. The update’s five-door exterior is distinguished by a new ‘smart zone’ (flat panel) grille insert that hosts key active safety including a camera and radar.

Inside it’s as you were in terms of comfort equipment for this model. Vegan upholstery is standard, as is dual-zone climate control and an Android operating system for infotainment, which works through a large 11.15-inch touch-screen and 12.3-inch configurable instrument cluster.

Our test car came fitted with the $6000 Plus Pack that included big-ticket items such as a 13-speaker Harman Kardon stereo, a UV and heat-treated panoramic sunroof and fully powered front seats with weave tech trim (and much more).

The key piece of good news here is the 2023 (MY24) Polestar 2 Long Range Dual Motor with Performance Pack does a great job of delivering on its promise.

Once you figure out how to get going – there’s no start button, you just sit in it and press the brake pedal to fire it up – it’s jet-fast in that typically Ninja EV way, slamming you back into the seat as it whirrs ever-more rapidly forward under full acceleration.

The full fury of the powertrain is only delivered between 70-130km/h, so it’s great for overtaking. The rest of the time it’s just super-fast. A 4.2-second 0-100km/h claim (0.2sec faster than the old model) is justified.

As part of this upgrade the front e-motor is actually disconnected unless you’re seeking strong acceleration. It’s impossible to tell when it’s chiming in and out.

This all-encompassing performance is aided by those Ohlins dampers. At speed, over even nasty potholes, patches and sharp edges, they deliver a reassuring combination of ride compliance and body control.

That means you’ve got the ability to travel rapidly in a straight line and also when the going gets twisty. With the rear-biased AWD also helping out, it’s neat the way this car hunkers down in corners and grips.

The cabin is a nice place in which to travel. It’s well built (in China) and looks and feels premium in that restrained way the Scandinavians do so well. It’s miles ahead of a Tesla Model 3.

Seats are comfortable, sizeable and supportive, storage is good and the driver’s relationship with the various digital controls isn’t too complicated, even though there are few traditional physical buttons and dials.

The Polestar 2 range comes with five years/100,000km free servicing, which is excellent. A five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, five years’ roadside assist and an eight-year/160,000km battery warranty are all par for the premium course.

While the 2023 (MY24) Polestar 2 Long Range Dual Motor with Performance Pack is an impressively fast and capable car, it lacks the connection anyone familiar with internal combustion sports vehicles appreciates.

Without an engine or exhaust there’s no brapping, braying, crackle and pop. And with only a single-speed reduction gear, no gearbox that requires manipulation.

That it weighs in at 2105kg further reduces any sense of lithe connection.

The electric-assist steering system doesn’t provide that much feel, although it is accurate enough and easy to twirl in the lightest of the three modes available. Changing mode adds weight and nothing more.

Regenerative braking can also be dialled through three modes from non-existent to obvious (not their real names). The latter is fully capable of delivering one-pedal driving. Being able to adjust the mode through flappy paddles (like Hyundai and Kia EVs do) and not through a touch-screen would have made this a more interactive and more useful feature to use on the move.

Speaking of braking, the Brembos are impressive but require a substantial push on the pedal to respond – which they thankfully eventually do.

The Ohlins are also much less pleasurable when trundling at round-town speeds. Just about every pebble in the road gets transferred to the cabin. Yes, they are adjustable through about 40 different settings, but they have to be retuned by hand and preferably by someone who knows what they are doing.

Rear seat passengers are a tad short-changed on space and sit notably upright. The exhaust tunnel that limits middle-rear seat foot room is a reminder the Polestar 2 shares its CMA architecture with ICE/EV vehicles such as the Volvo XC40.

The boot is accessed via a functional power tailgate, has a useful pop-up luggage separator, a hidden bin and space is okay (405 litres, expanding to 1095L with rear seats split-folded). But there’s no spare tyre.

Finally, the optional Plus Pack includes stuff that should be standard in any premium EV like a heat pump and a heated steering wheel. An optional $3500 Pilot Pack fitted to the test vehicle includes adaptive cruise control. That, too, should be standard at this price.

The 2023 (MY24) Polestar 2 Long Range Dual Motor with Performance Pack is a focused vehicle that undoubtedly delivers invigorating thrust and sporting behaviour on the open road.

But if you’re planning to spend a lot of time commuting on rough roads, the tough low-speed ride might be too much.

Given it’s so improved, the overhauled single-motor model is probably all the Polestar 2 most people need.

2023 (MY24) Polestar 2 Long Range Dual Motor Performance at a glance:Price: $85,400 (plus on-road costs)Available: NowPowertrain: Permanent magnet asynchronous motor front/permanent magnet synchronous motor rearOutput: 350kW/740NmTransmission: Single-speed reduction gearBattery: 82kWh lithium-ionRange: 568km (WLTP)Energy consumption: 16.0-17.2kWh/100km (WLTP)Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2021)

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