Used Polestar 2 Review (2020 onwards)

Introduction 

The Polestar 2 has been around since 2020, so was one of the very first cars we tested on Electrifying.com. We were excited because it was a proper rival to the Tesla Model 3, and even back then people wanted an alternative, although not necessarily for the same reasons as now…. Take a bow, Elon.

It’s a bit of a mash up between Scandinavian design and Chinese EV tech, with a style which is sort of half-way between an SUV and a saloon.

One of the big attractions was the slightly raised ride height, which makes it look a bit SUV-ish, and the fact it has a hatchback rather than a boot. That’s quite a big bonus if you like to do lifestyle things like cycling, or having children.

Now you can get a nice three year old car for less than half its new price. It’s slightly cheaper than an equivalent Model 3 - but that’s not the only reason it’s an attractive proposition.

The two wheel drive 2 has 220HP which is plenty in the real world, but the twin motor is either 408HP or a daft 469HP with the Performance Pack. But there no such thing as too much power, in my anyway! 

What’s the real-world range of a used Polestar 2?

The earliest cars came in single-motor or dual-motor guises. The single motor had front wheel drive and the two motor model has all-wheel-drive, and the battery capacities were either 64kWh or 78kWh - the bigger one is called the Long Range. 

When they were new, the official figures suggested you could go nearly 400 miles in the Long Range single motor - a record at the time. Even the smaller battery versions could manage around 300 miles, depending on the spec. 

in 2023 the 2 had some massive changes under the skin - but looked almost the same. The single motor car went from being front wheel drive to rear drive, and everything got bigger batteries, more power and extra range. Oh and faster charging too - up to a maximum of 205kW.

How long will the battery on the Polestar 2 last?

 A lot of Polestars have been used as company cars and will have done a lot of miles, rapid charging on the way. But our friends in the trade say the batteries tend to hold up well, with most having a health score north of 95% at the 3 year/30k miles mark. If you have a look on the Electrifying.com used car marketplace you’ll see our preferred dealers and Polestar’s official outlets include independent battery checks so you can see the battery condition. 

There was a recall for the battery control module for some model years, but that will almost certainly have been done to all the Polestar 2s by now.

​How reliable is a used Polestar 2 and what are the common problems?

Mechanically speaking the only thing we’ve heard of are creaky suspension top mounts. It’s more annoying than dangerous, but is just worth listening out for on a test drive.

There have been a few recalls and updates, so check they have been done, especially if the car hasn’t been serviced at an official Polestar workshop. 

Which is the best version to buy?

The earlier two wheel drive 2 has 220HP which is plenty in the real world, but the twin motor is either 408HP or a frankly daft 469HP with the Performance Pack. 

The Performance Pack is a bit complicated too. On the first cars it was an upgrade which gave you more power, race-car style adjustable dampers, Brembo brakes, larger 20-inch wheels, and some gold colour trim on the brake calipers, seatbelts, and valve caps. But later on you could just buy the power upgrade as an over the air update. Which is a bit nuts really, to those of us who remember when you had to change exhausts and air filters to get more power. Now you can just do it with an app!

Just to confuse things even more there was a BIG refresh in 2023 when all 2s had some massive changes under the skin - but looked almost the same. The single motor car went from being front wheel drive to rear drive, and everything got bigger batteries, more power and extra range. Oh and faster charging too - up to a maximum of 205kW.

You should also look out for cars with the extra Pilot Pack and especially the Plus Pack. The Pilot Pack is nothing to do with flying; it adds adaptive cruise control with steering assistance, a 360° camera, Blind Spot Information System and Pixel LED headlights. 

That’s nice stuff but the Plus Pack has stuff you can see like a panoramic roof, Harman Kardon sound system, electric front seats, an energy-saving heat pump, LED front fogs, and a power tailgate. It was a £4,000 option when new. 

The best value model has to be - deep breath - the Single Motor 78kWh Long Range. It offers a solid balance of range and performance. And try to find one with the Plus Pack - treat yourself!

If you can stretch to slightly more or don’t mind a few more miles, the later 2023 model year cars are better to drive and have an even longer range. 

How long is the warranty?

Polestar only has a three year, 60,000 mile warranty on the car and eight years for the battery. That’s a bit stingy compared to rivals - and a lot of the Chinese and Korean brands have much better cover. So if you are buying from a dealer, make sure you get decent cover in case of any extra issues. If you buy direct from Polestar, it will give you a minimum of 24 months.

What are the ownership and running costs of a Polestar 2

The Polestar will be cheaper to insure than a Tesla, but it is in a higher group than some other rivals so check if that will be an issue if you are a younger driver. Servicing costs are reasonable with 18,000 mile intervals.

The bigger wheels look great but you will pay when it’s time to replace the tyres. You’ll also need to be careful of the alloys on kerbs - they are diamond cut and expensive to repair.

What other cars should I consider?

The obvious rival is the Tesla Model 3. There are plenty on the market and some of them look good value, but you can afford to be picky. The main benefit is unrestricted access to the Supercharger network. 

You might also want to have a good look at the Koreans, with Hyundai’s IONIQ 5 and 6 plus the Kia EV6 all being strong competition with long warranties and super quick charging. 

The other curve ball we’d suggest trying out is the Volkswagen ID.7 - it’s huge, and great to drive.

Otherwise there are plenty of SUV-shaped rivals to choose from, including the Volvo XC40 which shares a lot of its mechanicals with the Polestar 2.

Like the idea of a used Polestar 2? Try this...

Used Tesla Model 3 Review (2019 - 2024)

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