Used Polestar 2 2020-present review

If you're in the market for a good-looking and competitively priced electric car with an upmarket interior and swift performance a used Polestar 2 could well be the car for you.

Furthermore, not only is it sired by premium-brand Volvo and technically bang on-trend, it's now widely available to buy used at competitive prices.

In 2023 the Polestar 2 was subject to a mid-life refresh, with new front-end styling and changes to the battery and motors enhancing the car's range.

Performance & Range: The cheapest versions have a single electric motor driving the front wheels, with a choice of two battery sizes – Standard Range or Long Range. Post-facelift, entry-level models became rear-wheel drive.

Alternatively, you can spend a bit more on the dual-motor version, which adds a second electric motor on the rear axle, giving the Polestar 2 more power and four-wheel drive. The dual-motor version is available exclusively with the Long Range battery and has the option of a Performance pack with an uprated Ohlins suspension.

On the road, the single-motor versions of the Polestar 2 won't exactly blow you away with their acceleration. In our tests, 0-60mph took 7.5 seconds, so it's not even as quick as the entry-level Kia EV6 let alone the rear-wheel-drive Tesla Model 3.

If you upgrade to the dual-motor version, you'll see 0-60mph in 4.5sec – making it as rapid as the Jaguar I-Pace – while the Performance pack upgrade reduces the sprint time to 4.2sec.

As for range, the Standard Range model has a 67kWh battery which will officially get you up to 297 miles on a single charge. The single-motor Long Range version (75kWh battery) has an official range of 341 miles, although based on its disappointing efficiency figures in our tests, a range of 220-250 miles is more realistic. The dual-motor version comes with a larger battery as standard and will, officially, cover 301 miles.

The post-facelift cars increased the range, with the Standard Range Single Motor now good for an official 339 miles and the Long Range Single Motor 406 miles.

Ride & Handling: The Performance pack car feels taut and secure as you turn in to a corner, but there's still noticeably more body lean than in the Model 3, so don't expect it to feel like a sports car. The steering is rather slow and numb whichever of the variable weight settings you choose.

Ride comfort isn't very good, either. You're jostled around far too much, with even small road imperfections unsettling the car, especially at town speeds. The Hyundai Ioniq 5, the EV6 and the Model 3 are all more comfortable.

On top of that, the Polestar 2 has a brake pedal that doesn't always respond consistently to how hard you squeeze it, making it tricky to come to a smooth stop, and there's lots of road noise. It's also much less peaceful on a motorway than the Ioniq 5, EV6 and Model 3.

Interior & Practicality: Inside, there's a good driving position. The pedals line up neatly with the steering wheel and seat, and there's a good range of electric adjustments.

A mix of squishy dashboard materials and plush inserts give the interior a high-quality, sophisticated feel, and it's noticeably more premium-feeling than the Model 3's interior. You might recognise the steering wheel and buttons from some Volvos but the design and layout are different.

The centre console features an 11.0in touchscreen infotainment system. The main menu icons on the screen are big and easy to hit, but the individual app icons are a bit on the small side.

Space-wise, there's plenty up front, but rear-seat passengers of six foot or more will find their heads brushing the ceiling. There's also slightly less leg room than in the back of a Model 3, and a large hump on the floor makes life uncomfortable for a central rear passenger.

Trims & Equipment: All versions came from new with plenty of luxuries, including dual-zone climate control, rain-sensing wipers, heated front seats, a hands-free electric tailgate, lifetime over-the-air updates and keyless entry.

Everything else was bundled into dedicated packs. The Plus Pack adds a panoramic glass roof, a 13-speaker Harman Kardon stereo, heated rear seats, vegan upholstery for the seats, Black Ash Deco panels and a heat pump (which allows more efficient heating of the interior in cool weather).

The Pilot Pack introduces LED headlights that automatically shape their beam for maximum illumination without dazzling other road users, LED front foglights and extra safety aids.

If you're interested in finding a used Polestar 2 or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price.

Prices for a used Polestar 2 start at around £19,000 for a 2020 or early 2021 car in good condition with an average mileage for the age. This represents a useful saving on the price of a new one. Spend between £20,000 and £25,000 on a good 2022 car and upwards of £25,000 on a 2023 model. Have a budget of at least £30,000 for a 2024, post-facelift car.

Check the value of a used Polestar 2 with What Car? Valuations

Efficiency

Charging speeds are rather disappointing compared with most rivals, including the Model 3, the EV6 and the Ioniq 5. The Standard Range version can accept up to 130kW from a CCS charger for a 10-80% top-up in as little as 32 minutes. The EV6 can charge at twice that speed, and the Ioniq 5 Standard Range and entry-level Model RWD can accept around 170kW.

The Polestar 2 Long Range can accept a more respectable 155kW of charging power, for a 10-80% top-up of its larger battery in around the same time. Alternatively, a full 0-100% charge at home using a 7kW wall box will take around seven hours in the Standard Range or roughly eight hours in Long Range.

Insurance and servicing

Insurance costs should be kept quite low relative to its rivals thanks to the Polestar's excellent safety record. Expect service costs to be a little higher than average, taking into account the premium brand.

Safety

The Polestar 2 scored the full five stars in its Euro NCAP safety appraisal and did very well for child occupant protection. You get plenty of active safety aids, but blind-spot monitoring costs extra. The Pilot Lite pack adds rear cross-traffic alert and adaptive cruise control.

Warranty

Most Polestar parts are covered by a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty, while the Model 3 gets four years/50,000 miles. The Ioniq 5 has a five-year warranty and the EV6 comes with a seven-year warranty. All four cars come with an eight-year battery warranty as standard.

Reliability

The Polestar 2’s reliability feedback from our annual What Car? Reliability Survey shows a mixed picture. While owners appreciate its cutting-edge electric tech, some have encountered recurring issues, particularly with the infotainment system freezing or needing dealer attention. Electrical faults and battery performance inconsistencies were also highlighted.

Dealer service earned mixed reviews; though staff were often praised for courtesy, repair times could be lengthy, especially for software issues needing multiple visits and when parts delays occurred.

Overall, the Polestar 2’s appeal is somewhat tempered by these concerns.

Visit our dedicated used Polestar 2 reliability page for further insights.

Engine

The single-motor version of the Polestar 2 isn’t the fastest when compared with the likes of the entry-level Kia EV6 or rear-wheel-drive Tesla Model 3 but it’s still plenty quick enough for everyday life. In fact, in our tests it sprinted from 0-60mph in 7.5sec and even felt sufficiently punchy at high speeds.

Specification

With the exception of battery size and number of motors, all Polestar 2s come with the same standard equipment, meaning you always have plenty of toys. To add additional equipment, you’ll want to dip into the option packs, which give you access to everything from an upgraded Harman Kardon stereo system to a 360-degree reversing camera.

Our favourite Polestar 2: 300kW 78kWh Long Range SM

The Polestar 2 has a natural rival in the similar executive-car style Tesla Model 3. A Polestar 2 with the Performance pack fitted will be aimed at people who are considering getting the faster version of the Model 3. Even in non-performance versions, though, the Polestar 2 is beaten by the Model 3 for all-electric performance and range as well as overall desirability.

The Jaguar I-Pace styles itself as an SUV and is a brilliant electric car with a sumptuous interior and a pretty strong real-world range. That plush interior also has an excellent driving position, while the ride is comfy.

The Audi Q8 e-tron is a large SUV that combines those much-loved traditional Audi qualities – including a top-notch interior bursting with plush materials and high-tech goodies – with once unimaginable levels of comfort and refinement. The range on the earlier cars is not as strong as some of its rivals though.

Cheaper single-motor models occupy an even more competitive part of the used car market that includes everything from the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the Kia EV6 to the Audi Q4 e-tron, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 and the VW ID 4.

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here

If you're interested in finding a used Polestar 2 or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to the Used Car Buying pages to find lots of cars listed for sale at a great price.