Read Tom’s logbook from six months with the Polestar 2: www.chasingcars.com.au/reviews/large-cars/polestar-2-long-term-review/

I really really enjoyed this review. So honest and in depth, with some very valid criticisms. Bravo.

I have to say. After having a TeslaM3 and MY my polestar 2 with performance, pilot and plus packages is MY FAVORITE CAR ever. Love it’s look, build quality and performance!!

Thanks for a great review. I've got the dual motor, non-performance pack with the 20" wheels. I'm in the UK where the roads are a mix of quality and have found the ride absolutely fine. So if you're in the UK, I wouldn't rule out the P2 because of this review. I've had it for 2years and have enjoyed driving it enormously.

A few viewers have asked how I'd spec a Polestar 2 if I was ordering now. Clearly, I'd skip the performance pack, as mentioned in the video, as the ride is just too firm for Sydney's broken-up concrete roads. Instead, I'd buy either the: * Long range single motor, with no packs ($71K driveaway at the time of writing), or * Long range dual motor + plus package + cooled nappa leather ($92K driveaway at the time of writing).

Very detailed and comprehensive report on the PoleStar 2. Technical to the nth degree. Kudos on your deliverance. Impressive.

Very interesting review. I have to suspect that suspension stiffness is a personal taste issue: I test drove the dual motor performance pack PS2 on some rough Perth suburban streets & the freeway and just loved it as did my kids. Supportive in every way but not overly hard for me. I would've ordered the performance if I had the $ but a standard dual motor is on its way soon. I'm pretty happy to hear your comments on standard seats being better for heat, though.

Hmm we own a polestar 2 riding on the stock 19s and the ride is fine! No it’s not the plushest car I’ve ever been in, but it’s nothing to complain about on Sydney roads.

First trip in my new car. A short trip to the Barossa. My car is a dual motor unit with plus pack and standard wheels. 2 points ..a) I did not find the ride harsh at all. My Giulia is more stiffly sprung b) The car returned 17.7kWH/100km. It was a just over 100km round trip including rural windy roads on the way there and the freeway on the way back.

19” wheels dual motor without performance pack is the efficiency sweet spot for the dual motor version. Very happy with mine.

Single motor long range with no extra packs owner for 6 months, and love it. For me, it’s not about how fast you go. For a day to day drive it’s so much fun and a pleasure to drive. Yes the car is heavy and you notice the weight as it plonks over a speed hump, but which condition do you build for? I’ve had no dramas apart from a couple of Optus(Singtel) network outages, but all that really affects is your Spotify, and does not stop your ability to drive. As my step into the EV world from a 2009 Mitsubishi Outlander, it’s an easy transition as it feels familiar and simple to operate. Cleaning is super easy and my average consumption rate is 15.4Kw/100kms on a mix of daily drives and regular long drives including Newcastle to Glen Innes and back (1000kms and no cost to get there except for food). Coming up on 13000kms travelled so far. As with every car, none are perfect and every buyers wants and expectations are different. Reviews are good to make you aware of things but go out and test drive some different cars (NRMA EV drive days etc), talk to owners and choose what you can live with and of course can afford.

My cousin Wing Lu works in a Chinese polestar factory. They stand for 13 hrs a shift and are paid low wages. Some of the staff are recruited from rural areas with low literacy rates.

Well done Tom. Great honest review!

Those are some whacky option packages. How is adaptive cruise control not standard on a pricey electric car? Before paying $6000 for napa leather seats to solve the sweating issue, I'd look at cheaper options such as custom fitted sheepskin.

Excellent assessment Tom. We agree.

Great review mate. The lack of range is a massive problem. I am so appreciative of this honest and open review

36 ball storage? Pfft was hoping for 40 ball storage, but I'm glad you're catering all metrics for our US and international friends

I agree about the over simplificztion of the option packs. Ive ended up ordering both the Plus and Pilot Lite which is expensive. It arrives January 23.

im about a week away from getting my ps2 awd base model. and i still cant believe for 70 grand CAD that you dont get blind spot monitoring or 360 camera as stock...but im still really excited about this car vs other brands and their waiting times

Thanks for an excellent review. I just bought the long range dual motor with pilot and plus. I have the leather seats. I'm very pleased with my purchase. As a former multiple Saab owner, this car reminds me a lot of my Saabs, especially the 9-3. It even looks like a 9-3 from the side profile. Sadly I'm going to have to sell my former daily driver, a 2011 Mazda MX-5, to help pay for the Polestar. Driving the Mazda, I'm very used to, and prefer, a stiff suspension with feedback from the road surface and I get that same sporty feel from the Polestar. (The roads are equally potholed in many places here in California even in suburban streets due to America's notorious reluctance to invest in its infrastructure. ) The only complaint I have in ride handling is that the Polestar has a little too much body roll around the bends at speed, but not in an unsafe way as it does stick to the road. I felt just a tad nauseous after putting the car through its paces around the winding back roads the other day. I can live with that, though as the car is gorgeous in every other respect.

I have purchased a dual motor Polestar 2. I get delivery in about a week. Tesla was never an option for me. The Hyundai and KIA twins were options, but availability and wait times on those are ridiculous. That ruled them out, but I think the Polestar 2 is a way cooler car anyway. I do have the plus pack so I hope you are exaggerating about the heat retention in the seats. (Maybe some wool seat covers if it really proves to be a pain.)

Great review. Leasing a 2022 P2 with Plus and Pilot Pack and Napa leather seats. Not going to track the car so didn’t see the need for Performance. Agree with your findings. Have gotten used to the stiffer ride. Maybe it has settled in (6 mos). Such a fun car to drive. Piano Black surfaces are annoying. CarPlay was a nice addition. (Waze). AC seem finicky at times. P3 looks nice. But not pleased with the weird rollout. LIDAR ‘sometime’. Happy to hold onto the P2 and see what’s available in 2 yrs.

I have had Tesla 3 and Tesla Y, also drived the Tesla S for 1 month. I upgraded to polestar after renting one in France from hertz. Polestar 2 2024. Best car I have ever owned or drived. Orderd the Polestar 3 last week. Polestar is a car you can be proud to own.

Great echidna shot. Love that walk 😂

I got my DMpilot plus P2 last month with 20 inch wheels and our roads in California I guess are much better then Australia. I haven’t noticed a ride problem at all but I certainly was expecting it. I have a had an Outback, EOS, Forrester XT and it the ride is certainly much smoother then those but it’s not a Lexus or Caddy. This car is amazing though and I am always looking for excuses to drive it somewhere. It handles like a dream and I have I have lost a lust all other vehicles.

New 2023 P2 owner here with the latest SW (i.e. efficiency) updates. Only Plus & Pilot packs with the standard wheels. After 1 month of driving 70% suburbs and 30% highway in mild (60F) weather, I’m averaging 26-28 KWh/ 100 mi. This maps to approximately 270-280 miles of range from the usable battery, which is pretty much on target with the US EPA rating. Very happy with mine. Owned a Tesla S before and yes, the P2 is much smaller but is so much better put together. No more creaks from the god awful plastic interior, or dealing with Tesla’s absolutely shit service system.

I have had my Polestar 2 since January and I do not have the performance pack but I do have the pilot and plus with Napa and I have literally no idea what you’re referring to about ride quality. That has to be an Australian thing and something to do with your roads because I think the car rides spectacularly and I have zero clue what you are talking about or referring to. I’m 55 and I have owned 30+ cars and P2 one of the top rides I’ve ever had in a car. I love the P2. Have recommended it to many people. Thorough review though. 😊

SInce you bought the Performance Pack it would be interesting to know if you did adjust the damper for comfort since you said they were too firm. Those awesome Öhlins dampers have an incredible range of manual adjustment. Much more range than an electronic damper. If you have a jack it doesn't take more than 15 min to adjust all 4 of them if you have done it before.

I own a p2 dual. Without the performance pack. My previous car was a BMW x2. I thought my BM was as good a handling car as I could get. The polestar is so much better. I don't know what this guy's talking about re suspension. My avg usage is high 18s to low 19 kw/hr We also have the new Y and it's is absolutely jittery in comparison.

I dont know if anyone has mentioned this yet, but the self centering on the steering wheel you describe is due to the "toe" adjustment of the front wheel of a car. Typically you want some level of "toe-in" to help keep the car centered while travelling straight

I have driven the single motor long range mdl. and I actually think it's a better car than the dual motor. It´s ligther and much more efficient. I got 442km on a single charge.

This was on my shortlist along with the Q4 eTron, eV6 and iX3. I went with the BMW iX3. The drive and interior feel is simply superior and felt a notch above all of these. Especially in this review where you say the drive/ride quality is poor, the BMW smashes it out the park and is a joy to drive. Polestar 2 v2 will hopefully improve on the issues you described.

I have 2022 P2, fully loaded. Same color. I wish they'd released it in Swedish racing blue. I think the comfort package is must-have and Plus as well. Performance I could have left off but I gotta say it has a high fun factor. ;) It was worth the 6 month wait. Also, I don't have the same ride quality complaints as the tester.

This was a great video to watch. Definitely feel the same when it comes to limited options between different packs. Definitely starting to think its better value for money to buy a Volvo recharge

Renting one right now. It's fun. Fast and very smooth. I usually drive a Leaf though.

That was Brutal, regarding the suspension... 🤔

I have a long range single motor with no packs, 8 months old. I'm getting 16.3KWh/100Km with average driving and climate always on in Brisbane. On a long trip to the Blue Mountains I calculated I could have gotten over 520km on a charge but I didn't need to stretch it this far. (calculating range achieved over percent used). I guess the battery is outperforming the specification a little. This is a big disparity to Tom's range but I guess when you have a the dual motor option you drive like you have two motors.

Good review Tom. At this cost and car level the problems you mention should be overcome with adjustable suspension as in like DCC as standard. Removing the Matrix lights and putting the price up wasn't helpful either. I live in Queenstown and on my 120km test drive of the DRLR non PP this wasn't going to get over 350km in summer on a charge with the 100kph roads and gradients. Winter would obviously be even worse. So I still can't see why this is value for the money yet at $107k here or worth getting over a Cupra Formentor VXE at $72k, which is pretty much the same class, size, performance and comparable vehicle spec wise.

I have owned mine for about 6 weeks now, and went knowingly into some of it's issues, because it's the cheapest EV to offer 4wd and a 1500kg towing capacity (Norwegian market). The rear hatch is also a definite win against the Model 3. I knew it was hard to see out of, so I got the Pilot Lite package with the 360 degree camera, and I knew the efficiency was poor, but I can live with that 360 days a year (towing a caravan will be an adventure next summer) The crashy ride on bad roads at low speeds was a surprise though. Especially when coming from a 10 year old Civic hatchback which weighs only just over half as much. It reminds me of older German cars like my '88 Audi 100 Quattro (which also had a similar low roof and high ground clearance) and a '90 BMW 525IX. Much like the Polestar the suspension seems to be tuned for higher speeds, and can't cope with low speed bumps.

Its really nice that the new 2024 model changed to RWD and put in some brand new efficient motors.

Great review. Love the yellow seatbelts though the main screen looks like a dust magnet. Great looking sedan.

I live in Miami and the weavetech is fine!! The pano roof is NOT causing all that heat. It's the other SIX windows, get them tinted!! Also you can turn on the AC via the app, if it's still too hot for your "I don't sweat much" back, lol!! Did you try the medium/firm steering feel in the settings?? We have no issues with the ride, no "jiggles". You are the only "reviewer" that has complained about the "jiggles".

Good objective cristicisms. Sat inside a non moving display at a shopping mall, found the interior cramped in the driver seat, left leg kept banging on the the centre console. Looks nice though.

Love the static shot with the car parked across the double yellow lines on the bend. Very edgy. Somewhat relieved to hear later in the video that you were on a test track but figured it had to be something like that. 😂

Polestar 2 is a great car. Drove it for a week on hire from Hertz. Amazing. Polestar now need to start producing a base model Polestar 2 LR RWD that's affordable, with fast charging capabilities, trustworthy battery warranty, and mass produce it. Then I'll buy one.

Polestar 2 will be my next car for sure. Regarding the suspension I disagree with you though, I would like it stiffer and lower.

I am more interested in the watch you wearing 😂 but as always great review

Tom I’m ruinous about two things. 1. What would you compare the boot size to? A Kia sportage? A golf? 2. What is the screen like the bezels always look huge to me

All the usual niceties in the boot except a spare of any kind? Not really irrelevant in a country like Aus. Is that a standard omission with EVs because of the need to maximise range? worth mentioning.

Just optioned a long range single motor with pilot lite & plus packs. Comes to $83,930. With the stamp duty abolished in NSW that would bring it down to $80,930.

Did I hear you say stopped 5 times for charging between Sydney and Brisbane

Nice shot with the baby porcupine ❤️

Thanks for review. Planning to buy either Polestar 2 LR single +package, or Tesla 3 LR dual. It's a hard choice. Polestar 2 feels like a real car, but then it's 30% less efficient and 150-300kg more heavy. The heat pump and glas roof are not standard. It achieves the range by adding more battery cells. When we were test driving the polestar, I recognised why there is no comfort/sports button? the dealer answered its part of the design philosophy. I suspect budget cuts. For relaxed driving, the pedal was two responsive accelerating decelerating. Suspension could be also hooked to a mode dial. Basically all mid-upper cars have this kind of feature. Tesla 3 LR dual has everything standard, own top one extra engine and charging network vs Polestar requires optional +package. Tesla 3 on the downside has no cockpit and some extra buttons which really would make it so much more a drivers car increasing safety - purely for cost cutting; the trunk accessibility is one of the worst I've ever seen. And every looks and feels more plastic. In the Tesla you can chose between sport or comfort. My wife would drive much more cautiously and in comfort then while I would drive alone, makes such a mode dial important. Nowadays both have 250kW fast charging.

Wasn’t there a software update that significantly improved the efficiency during the time you reviewed the car? Also, you didnt even mention the addition of Apple CarPlay. The car seems to have improved with software upgrades.

As with any car with racing bones, the Polestar needs to be set up properly. I have been driving German-built high-end cars most of my adult life--an affection inherited from my father. When I drove the Performance Polestar, I thought it was much too stiff and difficult to feel the road. I didn't notice the instability this reviewer did but I knew enough that this set-up wasn't for me. I preferred the regular Polestar with the two other packages but with proper 20' wheels that come with the Performance. I added the performance package but *without* the suspension and brakes and it rides much better. Better road feel, less stiff, better agility. Again, the Polestar needs to be carefully set up, but once this is done, it's simply a great car for the money. Much better driver than our Tesla or even BMW.

I was getting so pissed off that Polestar has yet to have a presence in SA for test drives or to even see the car - as I love the look of the thing and I thought it could make a good daily driver. But your review of the abysmal ride quality has immediately ruled this car out, no matter how cool it looks. In other news I recently test drove a Giulia Veloce. FANTASTIC ride quality, amazing handling, lovely interior with the Lusso pack and very very good looking. My shortlist for a daily to sit next to my 981 GT4 are - 2023 Civic Type R, depending on reviews, ride quality in comfort mode and pricing /// Giulia Veloce 2020-21 model that still has adaptive dampers and tilt adjust on the seats (these have been removed from 2022 models). /// Or if I get brave, a lightly used AMG A45s - I was surprised how liveable this car was in comfort mode, and it was IMO a way better car than the new RS3 I test drove. RS3 chassis felt undercooked, unstable under hard braking, and the seats were too squidgy - not enough lateral support. I can see why many people would love the RS3 but it's chassis was too underdone for me. The AMG was locked into the road and felt like a modern take on an EVO 9, but with a beautful interior and awesome optional bucket seats. Very impressive car.

The ride quality was ok on my test drive.

Loving your content guys. Hard to find hot climate reviews of EVs. I've been looking at the Polestar, but still thinking of SUV styling XC/C40, Ioniq 5 or Model Y.

I'm really interested in purchasing this car, but find some key features missing and impossible to configure to my liking. Unlike other EV's in the market, the P2 doesn't have "dog mode" to keep the hvac on when quickly popping into a store. This is a bummer since it can be easily implemented with software. I also wish you can omit the glass moon roof regardless of the plus package being selected.

So glad I got the base Tesla model 3 rwd. You really need to spec the Polestar 2 very high to get something you would be happy with in 2022. We got the basic Tesla and we don't feel like we are missing out. Keeping the close to $15k difference between the two cars in my back pocket feels even better. Plus the model 3 is more efficient 😅

I’m from America, one thing definitely wrong with is the wheel is on the wrong side.

I think the self centering is pretty good. I have absolutely no complaints.

Yeah thanks for telling it like it is about that suspension. I was shocked how harsh the perfomance model I test drove was over a bad section of pavement and ruled this car out for me. The other major no was that counsole between the seats made the space for my legs feel really cramped and I am not even a big guy. I like a lot of other things about this vehicle including its looks and size so was disappointed about these things. Incidently I found the EV6 in the sportiest GT trim to have a comparably comfortable ride and may get one despite its range limitations. No reason Polestar couldn't do something similar with its suspension.

Huge center console make the front, in my opinion, somewhat “claustrophobic” vs being “roomy”. You say you’re 6’ tall as I am , however, I had to twist myself into a pretzel and still had difficulty getting into the back seat.

This is a great review.

I disagree on the ride quality. If you believe this to be terrible, then my previous 2016 340i m-performance would have been complete garbage. my p2 DMLR is wayy more comfortable to drive than that car. So I'm a bit confused to say the least on how you feel about the ride quality of the P2s.

I've seen a few 2021 and 2022 used for sale; wonder if it was worth buying used at the 20k-30k price range; btw I am in the states

All wonderful until you realise that when you have to rely on public charger networks, all the different Apps, RFID cards, maps and pricing makes it a massive nonsense

I am interested in this car and the Mach e. Any suggestions on which is a better car? 🚙

Strange... normaly the suspension and ride quality score pretty good (comparing to most competition, especially the model 3)

Hello from Canada. I checked a couple out, looked ok with price but it works out to be the same price as a Tesla Y $70,000 Canadian.

Owned Polestar 2 few months, comfortable to drive with it, looking good, BUT!!! there many issues, I had return it to service within first month for no internet issue and the paint Hard coat is too thin Bird poop very easy damage the paint, then WINTER TIME NOW!!! windshield Popping noise occurred when weather getting cold and also rattling noise came from all windows as well in cold weather. And you can search online most of the owner had same issues.

Suspension stiffness can be manually adjusted on the performance package. So you can choose the ride you want on a grade of 0 to 20 on each suspension arm. I ordered my Polestar fully equipped in May, it should arrive in 2-3 weeks.

Completely opposite to my perception trying the car in Europe, in multiple country roads.. very good suspension tuning. Only perhaps some vague steering, but nothing really bad at all My other car is a 2021 Macan GTS, in theory the reference to all medium size cars, and honestly, the P2 was relatively close in all sensations, but steering, where Porsche is in another league

Hey guys, in case you don't know, it's 2022. Please add time stams.

the plus pack is indeed a problem because it’s very expensive and it includes thing you don’t really need with upgraded audio and better and full electric seats plus heat pump. and for that you are forced to take the whole 6000k pack. and if you already took a LDRM plus the pilot the price is becoming quite huge. so i gave up the plus and only took a pilot pack with LRDM. i hope the basic sound will be decent enough. otherwise great car

I took a base model for a test in melbourne and came away unimpressed with the ride quality after only half an hour. I know its a heavy car but they need a fix for this

Great review. Comes across as a playboy vehicle for the Wealthy; I.e. those who could purchase whatever package and not worry about whatever package they are purchasing because paying close to 100k for an Ev is nothing.

Just asking..why not US designed chinese built forTesla but Swedish designed chinese built for polestar..🤔🤔

If your poor, is the BYD Atto3 a good opinion? Stay safe and healthy 👍🏼👍🏼

Stunning car

It's the 20 inch wheels and the Ohlins dampers that are the cause of the harsh ride.

Decided for the 3rd Model 3. Was a hard decision but the 180 km/h max speed of the Polestar and the high consumption at 150 km/h was the deciding factor. I love the high speed range with my m3 LR. Minior points are that the Polestar has less space with 2 kids and the infotaiment is not developed far enough. Also the WeaveTec sweatgenerator is on the same level a the stupid model 3 seats. If you have your focus on long range highway and country road trips there is no electric car over the model 3 if you need space for 4 people in my opinion. I also considered the ID 5 GTX. But this car is insane bullshit regarding range, chargespeed, power and infotaiment...

Thanks for the video. Over here in BC Canada I have a 23 P2 single motor on order. No packages. Est delivery March or April 2023. Here the single motor still qualifies for the most EV rebates so it brings the price down. The dual motor qualifies for federal $5000 CAD rebate only. Looking forward to taking delivery.

I personally think that EVs should quote City and Country cycle range, because there's virtually no regeneration when travelling on rural roads and motorways. This is the inverse of what we are used to with ICE vehicles.

Excellent detailed review. Next time, take everything out of your front pockets.

Thanks Tom - I didn't test drive the car for long enough to get those comprehensive views but a couple of additional points I'd add. The rear door entrance was small and I did find the rear seat room cramped and I'm not a big guy. The steering was vague even in my city test drive, especially compared to the Model 3. I'm going to give them a pass on ride quality because Polestar is supposed to be Volvo's performance division. Having said that, my 2022 Model 3 RWD is a much better, more comfortable ride while still handling particularly well. Even hitting potholes at 100km/h I havent had the suspension bottom out, and I actually think the RWD is the pick of the Teslas. As it's a Volvo, I was disappointed that safety features were optional. And really the cost of the option packs turned me off as a potential buyer. The Model 3 basically had all those features (Pilot and Plus) as standard with the exception of the pixel LED headlights which are no longer included in the lite pack and the sound system. And it goes further on a smaller battery than the LR Polestar 2. Efficiency may even surpass range as the most important EV feature.

Teslas are becoming the new PT cruiser, remember how you saw them everywhere, then nowhere? This style reminds me of the Subaru outback, way better looking, but stance wise.

I wish they made a wagon version

No apply CarPlay ?

Bro the roads here in Sweden are mostly terrible hahaha Outside of the big cities, which we have like…. 3 of, the roads are terrible. They’re very thick grain so even in a silent car you have heaps of road noise, and then once you get off the highway it’s mostly forest roads that are maintained like once every 100 years. Holes and cracks are shit everywhere.

You complain about the suspension 'harshness' but since you have the performance pack with the Ohlins dampers, you don't mention what setting the suspension is set to...

Very early days in my Polestar 2 ownership ... but ... I have no issues with the weavetech seats, I have no issues with the economy, I have no issues with heat though the glass roof (maybe this needs to be revisited in the middle of summer) ... so all the negatives mentioned just are not valid IMO. The idea that 20kWH/100Km is as good as it is possible to get just does not gel with me. I am on 17.6 in my first few days of ownership and I have definitely been trying out the performance. Also the harsh ride ... it is not harsh at all and comparable to many high end cars. Compare to a 3 series to see what a harsh ride is. However it is not all smooth sailing. The audio output on my media system just stopped working. I have no idea why. Everything stopped including the indicator sounds. After resetting the system it is working again, but that is not filling me with confidence.

Echidna at 8:14 :)

I agree completely.

I've had a 22 P2 for 4 months and its been in the shop 3 times for defective TCAM problems. I like the car but the quality is mediocre. I'm leasing so not too worried about it but I'll get the P3 next. I think stylingwise it looks completely plain which I wanted but it's looking kind of dated now and sits way too high. You also didnt mention the disaster of an interior. Cupholder design is unusable and extremely annoying. The tablet also looks like it's from 2015 with those huge bezels and dated graphics.

I bought the Long Range Single Motor with no packs but optioned with roof racks and the tow package and have owned it for only 12 days. The ride and handling are excellent in this configuration and I got 15.1kW / 100 km efficiency which equates to about 516.5 km range on my last trip according to the trip computer. I recently had an issue with the passenger side LED lights blinking continuously, so pressed the connect button to get Polestar Roadside Service (1st 5 yrs free) who organised a mechanic who came in about 15-20 mins to look at my issue. It turns out it was NRMA they used which was good to know. Now I am waiting for Polestar to book in my service to fix the issue most likely at a Volvo Service Centre. Love everything else about the Polestar 2 and would recommend not to go for any other packs as I think I have choosen the sweet spot for a good balance in handling, comfort and efficiency.

I recently test drove the dual motor performance and I thought the suspension was fine. Miles and miles away from the closing comment of finding it difficult to continue driving it. Is your test car faulty?

As you said you need to pay allot to get some of the things you really want and it ends up in the same class as Tesla model Y or even S. I rather get Tesla to be honest.

Parking the car on a traffic lane and worse, at the peak of a curve has amazed me. There may be some safety advance warning arrangement for both directions, but do you have to do this presentation this way?