2023 Polestar 2

Polestar is an all-electric brand that offers the Polestar 2 sedan, Polestar 3 SUV, and Polestar 4 coupe SUV EVs. Its vehicles have a lot in common with Volvos, both of which are owned by the Geely conglomerate. Polestar started out as a company that tuned Volvos to be sportier and was eventually acquired by Volvo itself—kind of like BMW M and Mercedes-Benz AMG. In 2017, Polestar became an independent company and started producing its own vehicles. The Polestar 2’s choppy ride and cramped interior did not impress us when we tested it, but newer models seem to be aimed at a broader audience. Originally, Polestar vehicles were sold online and through showrooms, but the automaker is now opening traditional dealerships.

The Polestar 2 is a tall hatchback from Volvo's electric-vehicle sub-brand. It’s based on the XC40 SUV, and is Volvo's first pure EV. Its 78-kilowatt-hour battery has an EPA-rated range of 233 miles for the dual-motor AWD version, which is not impressive by today’s standards. It takes over 10 hours to charge the battery from near empty. The Polestar is quick and handles nimbly but the ride is very stiff and choppy. The interior is drab and suffers from a cramped driving position and a tight back seat. At least the car’s hatchback layout aids cargo-carrying versatility. The Google-based infotainment system is extremely distracting, thanks to the convoluted menu structure. Standard active safety features include FCW, AEB with pedestrian detection, BSW, and RCTW. New for 2022, is a single-motor front-wheel drive version with an estimated 265-mile range. The AWD has a slightly increased range of 249 miles. Apple CarPlay was added for 2023. Only one version of the Polestar 2 is available for the 2025 model year -- the dual-motor AWD model. Also of note, packages and features that were optional for the previous model year (Pilot, Performance, Plus, and Climate) are standard. The 2025 Polestar 2 has an EPA range of 254 miles.