This is the new and improved Polestar 2 - and it’s been handed a huge range boost which means it can now travel for up to 395 miles between charges.
There are other changes, too, including to the kit fitted as standard.
And this ‘major’ refresh means the Polestar 2 continues to breathe down the neck of its nearest rival, the Tesla Model 3.
All versions of the Polestar 2 have been given upgraded lithium-ion batteries, and all subsequently now enjoy a better range.
The base Standard Range Single Motor model gets a 69 kWh battery while the remaining trio - ‘Long Range Single Motor’, ‘Long Range Dual Motor’ and range-topping ‘Long range Dual motor with Performance Pack’ all get a larger 82 kWh unit.
And in terms of range, the Standard Range Single Motor version is now capable of up to 322 miles, an increase of 25 miles, while the Long Range Single Motor variant can now achieve up to 395 miles, a boost of 52 miles. Need your EV to go the distance? You can read all about official v. real-world battery range in our guide.
To put those numbers into perspective, the Tesla Model 3 with the best range - the Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive - can travel 374 miles between charges.
How has the Polestar 2’s improvements been achieved? The Swedish brand says new electric motors and inverters have been fitted to improve both efficiency and performance while the single motor variants are also now driven from the rear wheels.
There are quicker charging times, too, with a rate of up to 205 kW DC for long-range batteries and 135 kW for the standard-range battery.
And there’s more good news - because Polestar is promising ‘substantial increases in both efficiency and performance’.
The Long Range Single Motor Polestar 2 now has power of 299 hp, up from 228hp, while torque now stands at a very healthy 490 Nm. It means this particular model will get from 0-62ph in just 6.2 seconds - an increase of 1.2 seconds.
Power for the Long range Dual motor Polestar has been upped from 402 hp to 421 hp, with the 0-62mph sprint going by in 4.5 seconds.
If you choose to tick the optional ‘Performance Pack’ box - which also unlocks 20 inch forged alloy wheels - the power goes way up to 476 hp and it’ll reach 62 mph from a standstill in 4.2 seconds.
A Polestar spokesperson adds:
“Changing from front- to rear-wheel drive in the single-motor variants, and re-calibrating the torque ratio in the dual-motor variant for an increased rear-wheel drive feel, elevates the Polestar 2 driving experience to a whole new level.
“The updated Polestar 2 is an even more playful and agile car, retaining its compactness and complete sense of control, while at the same time becoming more mature with added comfort.”
When it comes to standard equipment, the Polestar 2 now comes with a blind spot information system with steering support, cross traffic alert with brake support, rear collision warning and mitigation tech, a 360 degree camera, and wireless phone charging.
And in terms of how the Polestar 2 looks, there’s a subtle new ‘SmartZone’, high-tech front end ‘that reflects the design language premiered by Polestar 3’.
Polestar CEO, Thomas Ingenlath, says:
“Typically in the car industry, a facelift introduces superficial visual changes that often destroy the original intention of the car’s design theme. With the new model year Polestar 2, we rather went below the surface and upgraded substantial tech and mechanical components of the electric drivetrain. This is the best Polestar 2 yet, and with the updated front design with the new SmartZone, the best looking one, too.”
The Polestar 2 is priced from £44,950 to buy outright - which is just a shade more than the entry-level rear-wheel drive Tesla Model 3, which has a range of up to 305 miles between charges.
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