2022 Polestar 2 Long Term Review Car News

I think the 2 is a pretty nice thing too. Polestar’s gaffer is Thomas Ingenlath, a designer, so he probably has to choose who wins all the ‘engineer vs. designer’ arguments we’re told happen at automakers.

The 2 has a high beltline with a narrow window area, thick pillars and a small rear window. I think it looks great from the outside. But, yes, it makes it harder to see. It’s a compromise I’m willing to accept, until I lose sight of another car behind the A-pillar.

It’s inside that you find more of the simplicity I started with. The riding position is upright and easy, with a round wheel with normal knobs on it. There’s a large vertical touchscreen using an Android Automotive and Google system, rather than an automaker’s bespoke software. And while I’d prefer the heating controls to stay on the physical buttons, each icon is big and clear and it’s very intuitive, without being overloaded with features I wouldn’t be able to use while driving anyway.

The map (Google) is quick and comprehensive and for once this is a car whose voice command actually understands me. It will sync with an iPhone but not use CarPlay which brings some limitations (it will receive audio but not allow app commands through the car screen) but that’s usually also good and simple than car systems.

The 2’s 78kWh battery gives an official WLTP range of 292 miles, but I don’t come close. On a full charge, the car typically estimates range at 250 miles, but a secondary “range assistant” is more accurate, downbeat and, at this time of year, tends to predict 200 miles fully juiced. My fag-packet calculations suggest a return of 2.6 miles per kWh on a typical trip, which puts 200 miles on the edge of its limit.

The car suggests charging no more than 90% to preserve battery life; and he’s a brave soul who goes deep into single-digit percentages if they hold their own for a public charger. So the usable range is even less than that, and while the battery can apparently charge at rates of up to 150kW, it tends not to. In short, it is really not enough.