Polestar 2 Dual Motor Performance (2024) review: Successful facelift?

With the facelift of the Polestar 2 In 2024, we tested the revised version of the 2023 model year, namely the performance model with a large battery and all-wheel drive. We tested the 2023 model here can also test it for you. You can find out what changes and improvements the 2024 model offers in our test report.

tl;dr: A successful facelift

Is the Polestar 2 Long-Range Dual Motor with Performance Pack worth the money? We would say yes. The Performance model is available from €63.490,00 (incl. VAT). For that you get a really good electric car that lacks hardly anything. It sits firmly on the road, has enough power and a usable range. However, the steering assistant is in dire need of an overhaul. The Polestar could also have a bit more trunk space. But that is due to its design. For most people, the dual motor model with the large battery would also be sufficient. This is available from €56.990,00 (incl. VAT).

Design: A new face

Even though it is a rather small change in appearance, you can immediately tell that the Polestar 2 is an updated model variant. The radiator grille is new, and now has a smooth surface in the body color instead of the previous block pattern. This is called the "Smart Zone" and houses the front camera and radar. The design is similar to that of the Polestar 3 and 4 models, which will also be available in Q4 2024. This means that the Polestar 2 fits well into the lineup of new models. Externally, that's it as far as innovations go, but there have been significant improvements in the drive technology.

Interior: Everything as usual

The interior of the Polestar 2 is, as with the previous model, very spacious and offers enough space despite the relatively short vehicle length. However, there are small compromises in the trunk, which at 364 liters (1.054 liters when folded down) is a bit smaller than the competition, such as the Tesla Model 3 with 415 liters. Overall, the workmanship is very good and appropriate for the price of the vehicle. The driver and front passenger again enjoy seat heating and seat ventilation. There is also a heated steering wheel. There is hardly anything to complain about with the infotainment system. It works perfectly and offers a very successful system with Android Automotive. Good charging route planning is also on board, as is a pleasant-sounding Harman Kardon sound system with 13 speakers. The sound can be adjusted to your own needs using a well-designed equalizer. For those who want to know exactly what is happening, the infotainment system offers the option of measuring G-forces and 0-100 times.

Drive and battery: A big step forward

In terms of the drive system, there have been significant improvements compared to the Polestar 2's pre-facelift. The new single-motor models now have rear-wheel drive instead of front-wheel drive. All models, apart from the Longrange Dual-Motor Performance, have seen an increase in power. Another change concerns the larger battery used in all Longrange models. This increases the capacity from 78 kWh to 82 kWh.

Model variants at a glance:

On the road: Lower consumption and greater range

The performance model cuts a fine figure on the road. The chassis, which seemed a little too hard in the last generation, is much more comfortable here. The immediately available 350 kW catapult the car to 4,2 km/h in 100 seconds. With the help of the 4-piston Brembo brake system, the car comes to a stop almost as quickly. The revised drive ensures noticeably lower consumption of just 14,5 kWh (city traffic and country roads). For comparison: the old model had an average consumption of around 17 kWh in our test. This means that one battery charge is enough for almost 500 kilometers - that's impressive. Not much has changed in terms of the assistance systems since then, however. The adaptive cruise control works flawlessly, as it did with its predecessor. There are still problems with the steering assistant, as the car goes off on its own if the guidelines are poorly visible or there is an offset in the lane. In general, the Polestar 2 offers significantly fewer assistance systems than the competition, but scores points with its actual driving behavior.

Another plus point is the swiveling trailer hitch, which can be used to tow up to 1.500 kg with brakes. This means that the car has a significantly higher pulling power than other models in this vehicle class (Tesla Model 3: 1.000 kg with brakes).

Charging performance: Significant improvement

There have also been changes in the charging processes. The maximum charging power with direct current (DC) increases from 130 to 135 kW for the small battery and from 155 to 205 kW for the large battery. On average, the Polestar charges at 140 kW on the fast charger, which makes it significantly faster than the pre-facelift, which charged at an average of 111 kW. Charging from 10 to 80 percent therefore only takes around 30 minutes.

Many thanks to Polestar Germany and Polestar Austria for providing the test car!

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