Polestar 2 Standard Range Single Motor Review: Sleek Swedish Efficiency

What we like:

Premium materials, feels well put together

RWD!

Fine balance of comfort and sportiness

Increased power and efficiency at the same time

What we dislike:

None that we can think of at the moment!

When the Polestar 2 was first launched, I thought it symbolised all that was ‘cool’ in the world of EVs. You see, Polestar was the name that accompanied the hot Volvos of its time – anything that adorned the Polestar name was sure to promise a certain degree of excitement and ice cool Swede presence.

With its cutting-edge yet minimalist Scandinavian design, advanced technology, and focus on sustainability, the line up of Polestar EVs offered certainly promised that. And the same can be said about the facelifted Polestar 2 Standard Range Single Motor (SRSM) we had for a couple of days.

Multiple variants of the Polestar 2 have been offered since it was first introduced, both in single and dual motor variants. The Standard Range Single Motor variant serves as the entry to the Polestar 2 line up, followed by the Long Range Dual motor variant.

Just like the Long Range Dual Motor variant we covered earlier in the year, the SRSM receives the same light touch ups to its exterior. Most noticeable is its body-coloured front facia that replaces a conventional black grille which Polestar calls the ‘Smart Zone’.

But the key differences between this facelift model and its predecessor are mostly found beneath the surface, in its drivetrain.

Instead of a front wheel drive set-up, the Polestar 2 SRSM is now rear wheel driven. The rear bias nature of the car, coupled with its relatively direct steering feel, makes this variant just that bit more enjoyable to pilot. Just like the car we have been used to, the car is nimble through the corners and bakes in an element of ‘fun’ on spirited drives.

Power and torque have also been bumped up from 227 bhp to 268 bhp and 330 Nm to 490 Nm respectively (a massive increase in our minds!) helping this new model shave just over a second off the sprint to 100 kph.

The other noticeable improvement is in the battery and range department. Whilst its battery size remains the same at 69kWh, the facelift Polestar 2 is now more efficient.

Range, on paper at least, has increased from 470 km to 546 km. Whilst this may not be of top concern given the size of our island nation, any bump in figure is definitely helpful in reducing the number of trips to the charging station on the whole.

Charging speed is also up, as the latest version now supports faster charging of up to 135 kW, making the Polestar more suitable for long distance journeys.

On the inside you get the same high quality fit and finish, and minimalist Scandinavian design. As always, its cabin is a genuinely lovely place to spend time in. Operated through its large and crisp 12.3 inch touch-panel display, its Google-powered infotainment system is a breeze to operate and there is now a Chrome browser available, that allows you and your passengers to surf the net on the go!

The landscape BEV space has certainly become more vast and competitive in recent times. Despite having to put up with a multitude of rivals since its launch in 2021, I daresay that the Polestar 2 still remains as a worthy competitor. Polestar’s approach to design and take on a BEV seems to be an evergreen one – one that is fresh and relevant to this day. Even with this lightly touched facelift, the Polestar 2 Standard Range remains a compelling option as a premium BEV.

Photos by Joel Foo and James Wong

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