[Venkatesh]

Polestar has recalled all of its Polestar 2 electric vehicles to fix a software glitch that could cause the vehicle to lose power while driving. The issue affects nearly 2200 vehicles worldwide, and Polestar says it can be fixed with a software update.

We issued a voluntary safety recall for Polestar 2 after we investigated, verified, and developed a solution for an issue reported by a small number of customers. A fault in the logic of the Battery Energy Control Module requires a manual software update to be rectified. A total of 2189 potentially affected registered customer vehicles in Europe and China are being recalled.

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a3...r-2-ev-recall/

[volkman10]

Volvo Polestar 2 scores gets 5 star rating in EURO NCAP tests:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcER...ature=emb_logo

[Venkatesh]

Polestar 2 review by TopGear

https://youtu.be/gY9VVmbM2J8

[kiku007]

I test drove the Polestar 2 Long Range Dual Motor with Performance Pack and here's what I have to say about it.






What's cool?

• Effortless and comfortable Point-A to Point-B transportation in an EV that is not a Tesla Model 3. There's so many Model 3s around and the novelty has long gone.
• Looks unique but not in a weird way.
• The spec sheet looks great from the range and power perspective. If one is after a sub 5 second 0-100 kmph number to brag about then, sure yeah it will do.
• The ride was comfortable with the Öhlins Dual Flow Valves shock absorbers and 20 inch wheels.
• Perceivable Volvo like build quality. Only time will prove it though.
• The frameless ORVMs look cool!

What's not cool?

• Even with the A$8000 Performance pack included the handling didn't blow me off. It is ok for a heavy and tall sedan.
• Polestar doesn't have a Sales/Service Centre in my city as yet and they don't know when we'll have one. I suppose they'll use the Volvo facility for service support.
• The non-Volvo parts.
  • Basic safety technology like BLIS and Cross traffic alert are not offered as standard equipment. It is a Volvo for god sake.
  • Form over function: Rearward visibility for the driver is almost nil. This is quite frankly dangerous if the car isn't equipped with the "Pilot" package that offers the assisted safety technology.
  • Change for the sake of it: The car turns ON/OFF by detecting the key and the driver being in the driver seat. The downside is that the car just turns off when the driver walks out. If the driver steps out briefly then, passengers sitting inside will loose the aircon or even the ability to lower/raise the windows. They have to push the media button to make the accessories work.
  • The recycled interior materials are not good to touch and feel.
• Pricey: The "Pilot", "Plus" packages and leather add A$17000 to the bill and it'll cross the $100K mark with the addition of the Performance pack. High price to pay for exclusivity I guess.

It is interesting how perspectives and expectations change. I was blown off by the Tesla Model S in 2018 with its technology and straight line performance. I was disappointed with the Model 3 due to its quality issues and the lack of basic features (BLIS and a driver instrument console). It is 2022 and the Polestar 2 didn't really excite me. I hope Ford brings the Mustang Mach E to Australia. We need more competition in the EV space.

The add-on packs:






The panoramic sun-roof was a pain on a hot day. The car was heating up and the sun rays were just making it uncomfortable to drive.


360 camera was of below average quality:


Poor rearward visibility:


That's how much the rear windows will lower:

[volkman10]

2022 Polestar 2 awarded five-star ANCAP rating.

Five-star rating awarded to all variants
Good marks across all areas of testing
Some areas still rated adequate or poor, despite top marks

High scores were achieved by the Polestar 2 in all crash tests, with full points awarded for adult and child occupants in the side impact category, which simulates the effects of a T-bone crash. Overall, for adult and child protection the car notched up 35.22/38 points and 43.03/49 respectively.

In the adult category some issues were raised, including protection offered for the lower-leg in the frontal offset test, rear passenger chest in the full width frontal, and driver’s chest in the oblique pole being dubbed just ‘adequate’.

The Polestar 2 also scored well in the assessment area of vulnerable road user protection, achieving an 80 per cent mark of 43.54/54 – though it was ‘adequate’ and even ‘poor’ in some areas, such as near the windscreen pillars and the base of the windscreen.

With an active bonnet, ANCAP said the Polestar 2 provides increased protection to struck pedestrians, and its autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system is also effective in reacting to pedestrians and cyclists. However, the authority added that the AEB system does not react to pedestrians in reverse, so was also considered ‘adequate’, and AEB backover tests were not carried out.

Good scores were also shown in far side impact tests. The Polestar 2 was however penalised for vehicle-to-vehicle compatibility, as it was shown to provide a “high risk of injury to occupants of a collision partner vehicle when struck”.

Link

[mobike008]

I'm in the market for a 2nd car and thinking strongly to get an EV. Since, I don't need it right off the bat, I decided to enjoy myself by driving everything that is out there in the market to get a feel before taking the plunge.

My benchmark in EV is the Tesla Model 3 or Model Y Performance. If any of new entrants can meet the same thrill and excitement of Tesla then I can pull the trigger.

First, I decided to look at this new baby in the market- Polestar 2

I scheduled a TD with them last Friday.

My Test drive of the Polestar 2 (Dual Motor and Performance Pack) went off as scheduled on Friday late afternoon.

Rick, my test driver came on time to my home. Before we started, he spent 10 minutes explaining features of the car and post which we went for a 30-minutes drive. I actually convinced him to push it to 45-minutes.

Time for TD was not correct as Friday afternoons there is always heavy traffic and freeways were backed-up so we got off it and took some back-routes so I can get a good feel of the car.

Some Basic Feedback

Interiors

Interiors are nice with soft touch material all over the place but, definitely not very premium as I was expecting it to be. Not a fan of the wood trim as it feels like sitting in a home rather than a car.

I like carbon fiber, leather type of finishes for interiors which according to me suits more inside a car.

Car is roomy in front (Didn’t check the backseat) and comes with golden seat-belts.

Exteriors

The polestar looks lovely from exterior and this blue shade is beautiful. It looks dark grey rather than blue from many angles. The gold brembo brake calipers is the only gaudy look and must say a nice touch to to an otherwise clean and sharp looking body line exteriors. Body shape is like a hatchback on stilts.

Driving Impressions

Like all EV’s these days, you have an option to use one-peddle option wherein the car comes to full standstill when you let your foot off the gas (err, the accelerator pedal). This car drops speeds really fast with this option. Pretty good!

Polestar 2 has a silent cabin and feels solidly built and feels slightly on heavier side. Since I drove the car for over 40 miles on freeways and back-roads, I got a decent impression of it’s handling which is somewhere between soft and crisp.

Steering feel is weighted and feels good to hold and feedback is decent.

This is definitely not an enthusiastic person’s choice of handling which was little disappointing as this brand was created to make performance cars and somewhere they lost track of their vision and now make EV cars.

Power figures of 408 HP sounds impressive on paper but, when you step on accelerator it moves quickly enough but, there is no “WOW” factor like you get from a Tesla Model 3 or Y Performance. This is a bummer as my only criteria for choosing a car is power and handling and both of these criteria were pretty average.

Incidentally, I had some work and took my Bimmer partially on same route immediately after this test drive. Oh My God, the power and handling is at a different level. Just no comparison and this is comparing a gasoline engine with an EV battery. Imagine.

Polestar 2 is struck off the list. On to the next few test-drives of IONIQ 5, EV 6, Mach-E in near future. Any other recommendations from BHPians?

Looks like a fun summer ahead.

I had some fun with Rick. Accelerated on and off with a strong jab to the pedal and he got panicked- Woah, Woah- Slow Down.

https://youtu.be/5H0z6L6Ubwk

[sandeepmohan]

I had the opportunity to drive a Polestar 2 for a couple of hours and for a distance not exceeding 100km. These are some observations from the drive.

The car is the base variant of a Polestar 2. Brand spanking new. Had less than 300km on the odometer. The car provider was Mevo who are a self drive vehicle provider. They have a few gas cars on their fleet. The Polestar 2 is their first electric option. This Polestar 2 is the base variant with a 69kWh battery, single motor front wheel drive and a claimed WLTP range of 470km. 231Hp and 330nm of torque.

From the looks department, they've played it conservative. Nothing WOW here. The proportions are nice and the design is elegant. Its classified as a sedan though it sits higher than one. When viewed from the IRVM of another vehicle, you can mistake it for a SUV due to the high stance. The car has a fairly wide footprint when you look at it. Ingress and egress is easy. I'd say the rear of this car stands out more than the front. The long red light bar on the boot is real class. Those outside frameless mirrors look beautiful. The boot lid opens like a liftback. Heaps of space and depth to take on luggage for four with ease and still have space left for a few soft bags. The windshield wiper arms integrate nozzles for the washer. When you hit the windscreen washer, you see a trail of water as the wiper arm moves across the windscreen. Paint quality is top notch.

The conservative approach continues on the inside. Materials are different. Nothing premium to touch or feel. Its a black and grey interior and looks built to last. Folks expecting German class of interiors are not going to find this vehicle all that appealing in terms of interior appointments. You'll find materials in a Volvo superior to a Polestar 2. I don't think the intention was ever to be flagship grade in this vehicle. Perhaps the higher trim sorts this out to some degree. Even the seats are not your typical Volvo. It appears as though they copied the design (Volvo seats are know for their excellent comfort and support) and stripped a lot of padding in the process. Under thigh support for the drivers seat is okay. I wish the seat base was a bit longer. Drivers >6ft will notice the lack of under thigh support, especially on long drives. Heated front seats are standard. Rear seat space is okay. As with most cars these days, more a 4 seater than a 5.

I'll get two minor negative bits out of the way first. Could be a deal breaker for some.

• I could not find full electric seat operation for the drivers seat. Seat back recline was by the old school rotary knob. There were buttons for memory seats so my guess is, there is a way to adjust the seat back electrically. I could not find it.
  
• I could not figure out how to get auto wipers to work. I did not find an Auto position similar to what was there on the Lights stalk. I had to manual wipe or set to intermittent mode.

Driving Impressions.

All you got to do is jump in, engage D and you move. There is no Start-Stop button. Your drive or gear selector is all there is. When you want to park up, you engage P, hit the electric Parking brake and step out.

This was the first time I was behind the wheel of an electric wheel. Before I meddle with anything, I thought, let me drive it in whatever mode it is and see what it feels like, as that is how most folks will drive. Took a moment to understand what this car will do. There was no movement after I engaged D so I decided to feather the gas pedal and we were off. Its eerily quiet on the inside. It was apparent from the get-go that one pedal driving was set to a high level. I got used to it in a short while. A sense of calm is what you notice first. The lack of any drive train noise or vibrations is to be experienced. I don't believe any gas engine can beat an electric for this. Stop and go acceleration is where this Polestar excels. It fast off the mark. You will be first off the line at any traffic light. It is fun. Floor it and you've built up a gap of over a car length with the car that was beside you. I used Adaptive Cruise even within the City, setting a speed of 50kmph. The car accelerated and stopped all by itself. All I did was steer the car. The software is intuitive. Hit one button on the steering wheel which triggers adaptive cruise with the option of Pilot Assist. Pilot Assist keeps the car within the lane and makes minor steering adjustments. I stuck to the former. On narrow roads with a lot of blind bends, the car tends to slow down a lot more than one would like, especially if there are parked vehicles on the side. I guess its being cautious or the system can't see or detect too far ahead when there are obstructions. Is best to take over driving controls under such situations. I may never give into 100% autonomous driving but something like adaptive cruise is useful in the city cycle too. Makes driving effortless.

Out on the open road, that sense of calm continues. You can play your stereo at lower levels and still hear everything. Its these little things that stand out on a electric vehicle. There is some tire noise that creeps in at motorway speeds. I've been in some Lexus vehicles as a passenger where road noise filters were better. The suspension is taut. I guess with an EV, they need to be. The car rides flat. I won't comment on handling as I never pushed the car into a bend. The 2 ton weight is evident. I don't think this is a car you will want to hustle around, even if you have the power to do it. Braking feels almost natural, like a gas car. With brake regeneration at a high level, you can control this car with limited use of the brakes. Steering feel is good and is light to use. Acceleration at motorway speed is okay. You're not going to snap your neck muscles with 230hp. You'll get ahead of the vehicle in front without the rush. Its a bit ironic as Polestar is (or was) supposed to be the performance wing of Volvo. That isn't applied to this car, or, perhaps the higher horse power version can be true to what a Polestar was meant to stand. I don't think any of this matters though.

I did not explore the Technology side too much. Its a connected car like Tesla. Google comes built-in. There is no need to connect your phone if you want to use Google Maps or Spotify. I guess this is where the main difference is when you compare Tesla to any other Electric car. You're buying into an Ecosystem on a Tesla whereas the likes of Polestar and everyone else piggy back on Google, etc. If you are using Google Maps, the entire map can be mirrored on the Instrument console. Other vital information about the car are kept to the corners of the screen. I'll hold back comments for the Stereo as the source was radio. There is supposed to be some Air Woofer technology placed below the windscreen.

I believe a car like this can take out the stress levels of a daily drive because it is quiet. Once you've experienced an electric vehicle, there is no looking back. Range was the least of my problems. I started off with 35% charge & paid the least amount of attention to the way I used the accelerator. The battery level dipped to 17% and I had 100km range left when I parked. I doubt if you need any more range than this.

Polestar claim a charge time of 7 hours at a Standard AC, 3 Phase, 16 amp outlet. I understand these are manufacturer claimed rates. Even if you managed just 4 to 5 hours on the socket every 4 to 5 days, you'll have plenty of range to keep you going.

Pricing is good for the Polestar 2. In New Zealand, the car retails for $70,000 (NZD). A little less money than a Tesla Model 3. The other prime competitors are the Lexus UX300E, Mazda's MX-30, Peugeot's E-2008 and Hyundai's excellent IONIQ 5. The Lexus and Hyundai sell for $10,000 more! Compared to gas cars, its cheaper than a new 320i by $10,000. For someone shopping for a new vehicle at this price point, there isn't much going for a gas car anymore.

There are currently 22 Battery EV (or BEV) vehicle models on sale in New Zealand. Another 43 are being added over the next two quarters. A sure sign of where the world is headed.

Overall, I enjoyed driving a Polestar 2. If I were in the market for an electric vehicle, this Polestar 2 will be one to consider, highly. I like the looks, it feels solid, is screwed together well and drives nice. This car can be your "do it all". You don't need a gas car in the garage, even for those long road trips.

The only real competition for the Polestar 2 comes from Tesla. Personally; I like the looks of the Polestar 2 over a Tesla. The latter needs a design refresh. The advantage Tesla have over a Polestar is when it comes to Software, their Charging eco system and mind bending performance. This is where it gets to being a hard sell for a Polestar 2. Personally; I like a vehicle where I can jump in and drive (You can do this in a Tesla too). The fancy software bits are of little use to me. This is why I find more appeal towards a Polestar 2. The transition feels natural.

A sedan that sits on SUV sized 19" rims.




An interior that makes you feel right at home. Clocks placed in front of the driver and all the Technology bits focused on the center screen. The center console extends as an arm rest too. Central aircon vents don't move all that much. I guess they can't cause they are already angled towards the roof.


The size of the boot is not very clear here. It can take a lot of luggage. Like a couple of other operational bits I could not figure out, I couldn't get the boot to open with the usual one foot salsa move. The feature is present.


Room at the back is okay. You sit high up which is a good thing. Don't know why an electric vehicle needs a center transmission tunnel. Its got something in there as its huge.

[venom_op]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Polestar 2 didn't impress me as much as the EV6 GT Line.

From a performance aspect, neither car have a 'Wow" factor.

Found something fun that you mind want to check out.

https://youtu.be/tOgS46o2Pv8

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by venom_op

Found something fun that you mind want to check out.

https://Youtu.be/tOgS46o2Pv8

Haha! Thanks for sharing. That was one heck of an amazing video (Saw it completely). That is my style of driving. LOL!

He was hugging the tail of that Ferrari and Porsche throughout the lap and that too with 33% less power since the passenger mentioned its 408 HP engine.

Btw, you are reading my mind. Yesterday, I was again casually building my Polestar 2 and was surprised to note the change in horsepower " Check the screenshot below"

It's now 476 HP. Horrrray !!

What do you think changed to bump up the power?

I think, I may have to seriously reconsider the Polestar 2 once again and get a proper test drive (Not with some nosy salesman continuously talking or some who gets scared if I step on the gas (Polestar 2 salesman was panicking)).

Also, this build with top of the line is coming to $68 grand. Is it worth plonking this type of money on a Polestar 2? Thoughts?

[venom_op]

Originally Posted by mobike008

Haha! Thanks for sharing. That was one heck of an amazing video (Saw it completely). That is my style of driving. LOL!

He was hugging the tail of that Ferrari and Porsche throughout the lap and that too with 33% less power since the passenger mentioned its 408 HP engine.

I would have to say it was an amazing video. From what i learned about Polestar from my brother, they seem to listen to feedback very positively and implement changes/fixes really fast and OTA. So that will be one good things to consider.

Originally Posted by mobike008

Btw, you are reading my mind. Yesterday, I was again casually building my Polestar 2 and was surprised to note the change in horsepower " Check the screenshot below"

It's now 476 HP. Horrrray !!

What do you think changed to bump up the power?

From what i heard in the video, they just need to manage better cooling and they could potentially bump up the power. So it could be that or they just fitted it with a more powerful motor.

Originally Posted by mobike008

I think, I may have to seriously reconsider the Polestar 2 once again and get a proper test drive (Not with some nosy salesman continuously talking or some who gets scared if I step on the gas (Polestar 2 salesman was panicking)).

I'm actually surprised that happened. When my brother test drove it in San Jose, he literally just gave them the keys and told them to check it out. They actually ran an errand and came back. He had no issues. Of course, that was during the pandemic so maybe that played a factor.

Originally Posted by mobike008

Also, this build with top of the line is coming to $68 grand. Is it worth plonking this type of money on a Polestar 2? Thoughts?

Attachment 2311553

So if you want a family car then this will feel like a compromise. It could easily fit our large 2-year-old Goldendoodle in the back but I would guess fitting a child seat in there will be a challenge and not as comfy for the passenger in the front.

There is also a compromise where you can have either one cup holder and an armrest or 2 cup holders.

Other than that I had no complaints with the car. In fact, my very picky 70-year-old dad was surprisingly comfortable despite the stiff ohlins dampers.

If you can accept those, I'd definitely say go for it! I absolutely LOVED the performance. It goes like stink with our 408 bhp. I'm sure with 476 it's probably a completely different beast. Let's be honest, in the US the max I've ever seen is 90 mph. I doubt you'll ever go beyond that. and up to that, this thing can smoke MOST ICE cars and definitely most EVs barring maybe the Plaids and the Performances. Mind you the Tesla Performance modes only do that well in cheetah mode. The rest of the time you should see a similar performance.

Not to mention build quality is genuinely MUCH better than the Y and 3.

Also, I know this makes no difference whatsoever, but teslas are teslas. everyone has them. I'm surprised by how many heads a Polestar 2 turns. I've had people come up to me and ask about what car it is. How we like it. "Never seen one of these! It looks awesome!" These are the comments I'm used to hearing everywhere from the local Whole Foods to the Starbucks near his place.

[venom_op]

Originally Posted by mobike008

the passenger mentioned its 408 HP engine.
Attachment 2311553

Btw the passenger was the head of Chassis development for Polestar. He was there because Misha tried the Polestar 2 previously on the ring and was disappointed because it didn't perform as well.

Also, I love how he was telling him to go faster! "Full Throttle!" "Go faster!"

[Batfreak]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

Room at the back is okay. You sit high up which is a good thing. Don't know why an electric vehicle needs a center transmission tunnel. Its got something in there as its huge.

This is a remnant from the Volvo XC40, that the Polestar 2 shares its platform with. Polestar uses this space to house additional batteries (same as Volvo in the XC40/C40 Recharge siblings):



Source

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by mobike008

He was hugging the tail of that Ferrari and Porsche throughout the lap and that too with 33% less power since the passenger mentioned its 408 HP engine.

The way power is delivered on electric vehicles are such that you can get away with lower horse power and torque and still get ahead of a gas engine car. It makes the experience almost effortless for the driver of the EV.

That video is fast car territory. You don't need to go that far to experience what an EV can do. I had a current generation Nissan Leaf E+ pinned behind my back and it felt like the driver was keeping up in an almost effortless manner, whereas I was bordering on the redline on my 328i. I was shocked at the pace of that Nissan.

Go the whole hog and get the more powerful Polestar 2. The only reason I can think of not considering one is if you have a fast gas car in the garage for company.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by venom_op

Not to mention build quality is genuinely MUCH better than the Y and 3.

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

Go the whole hog and get the more powerful Polestar 2. The only reason I can think of not considering one is if you have a fast gas car in the garage for company.

I think Polestar 2 does not need a sales person. You too are doing a fine job.

Ok, Ok. I have decided to put both EV6 GT Line and Polestar 2 back in contention.

I need to do an unbridled test drive of both as I like to drive my cars as I stole them (especially when I am alone).

Mulling on :

Should I wait for Polestar 3 which is releasing in October? I prefer an SUV over a sedan. My sedan loving days are gone as most of SUV's now drive almost like a Sedan and we don't drive on tracks to feel the minor differences.

Also, I would love to see what EV6 GT brings to the table as I am drooling over the horsepower numbers of it.

[venom_op]

Originally Posted by mobike008

I think Polestar 2 does not need a sales person. You too are doing a fine job.

Ok, Ok. I have decided to put both EV6 GT Line and Polestar 2 back in contention.

Should I wait for Polestar 3 which is releasing in October? I prefer an SUV over a sedan. My sedan loving days are gone as most of SUV's now drive almost like a Sedan and we don't drive on tracks to feel the minor differences.

Also, I would love to see what EV6 GT brings to the table as I am drooling over the horsepower numbers of it.

Originally Posted by mobike008

I think Polestar 2 does not need a sales person. You too are doing a fine job.

Ok, Ok. I have decided to put both EV6 GT Line and Polestar 2 back in contention.

Should I wait for Polestar 3 which is releasing in October? I prefer an SUV over a sedan. My sedan loving days are gone as most of SUV's now drive almost like a Sedan and we don't drive on tracks to feel the minor differences.

Also, I would love to see what EV6 GT brings to the table as I am drooling over the horsepower numbers of it.

I'll be honest, I wasnt sold on the Polestar when i first drove it. But it grew on me and it was so well sorted that i fell in love with it. I did regular runs from the Bay Area to the Trivalley area and it just felt so reassuring to drive. Coming from India, it takes a while to adjust to US driving, but the Polestar definitely made the transition feel seamless.

If SUVs are your thing, it would make sense to wait for the PS3. Mind you, it will be a big car, because they're saying it'll be about the same size category as the Porsche Cayenne. So a size bigger than your X3. Are you in the market for that big a car? Power will not be an issue as they have said it'll definitely be sportier than the equivalent Volvo and will compete with the Cayenne.

the EV6 GT will definitely be a HOT car and I think it'll sell out fast. Delivery times may be an issue. Also, do you want the Sport Bucket seats?

Also here's a unique advantage that only the Polestar can boast of. It has Google Maps integrated into the instrument cluster. I don't know about you, but I felt it was the best thing ever. Nobody uses the built-in sat-nav. it's always google maps via carplay or Android Auto. So it was so good to have that integrated right onto the instrument cluster. Never needed to look at the center screen.

You are so lucky to be in the US. So many options and so much customization. Did you consider the new Mustang Mach E GT? Performance is supposed to be quite good. 0-62 in 3.5s. Although to be fair the motors are less efficient than both the Polestar and the EV6 even in the non GT variant. So i am assuming muscle car efficiency from that EV.