OURCARS LivingwithaPolestar2
IT’SESATAR POL
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Among the many fine features in our car, we’re most impressed with the tech and performance
Polestar 2 Stuart Milne
SECOND REPORT Polestars are not yet a familiar sight, but we know a good car when we see one
Polestarfeelslikeit’s buildingsomething verybigandverydifferentfromthe mainstream.Ilikethatit’s fixedon NICEcar–whatisit?It’s thequestion sustainability,too.ButmostlyI’mfinding drivingsomethingslightlyenigmaticis I’vebeenaskedcontinuallysinceI’ve goodfun.Itturnsheadsfortheright beenrunningourPolestar2. reasons,andit’s rarethatacompactexec It’s not aparticularlyunusualenquiry, stopspassers-bydeadintheirtracks. afterall;we’reprivilegedtodrivethevery Somepeoplehave recognisedthename latestnew-carlaunchesonaregularbasis. fromadvertsandmagazinereviews,but Butinthecaseof thePolestar,it’s aneasy, yetnotespeciallyquickquestiontoanswer. haven’t joinedthedots.Perhapsabadge onthebootlid–thego-toplaceforanyone It’s easiertostartwithwhatitisn’t.It’s notaposh Volvo,assomehavesaid.A Volvo wantingtoidentifythecar–wouldbea drivermightrecognisetheoddbit,butthe quickandeasysolutiontoraiseitsprofile. EveryoneI’vespokentoendedupleaving Polestardoesn’t looklikea Volvo,thereare no Volvobadgesanywhereand–unlikewith impressedwiththecar’s stats,andafter 2,600miles,thesearestillimpressingme. newbrandCupraandSEAT’s relationship Chief amongthemisthecar’s 4.7-second –it’s notsoldthrough Volvodealers. 0-62mphtime. Whiletheopportunitiesto Ourinquisitorsusuallywalkaway impressedbythecar’s styling,interior,tech unleashthatpotentialtothefullarefewand farbetween,itmakesovertakingveryeasy. andrawnumbers,mutteringsomething Equallyimpressiveisthe20minutesitcan about Volvo. Whichisashame,because Stuart_Milne@dennis.co.uk
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taketochargethecar’s batteries from20to 80percentcapacity,at150kW. Twothingstonote,though:firstly,I’vebeen onquiteafewlongjourneysrecently,and it’s clearthathookinguptoa150kWcharger doesn’t necessarilymeanyou’llget150kW. That’s assumingyoucanchargeatall,with BPPulsecausingparticularheadacheslately. Thesecondistherange.The2hasapair of displays,eachshowingremainingrange: onthedigitaldialsyou getasolid250 miles prettymucheverytimeyouchargeto100 percent.Thetouchscreenhasamore accuratepredictedfigure, whichdepending onhowthecarisdriven,canshowanything from250to 180miles–butthisis hidden whenyouuseanyof theapps. Withmore
motorwaytrips,myeconomyhasfallen fromaround3.1milesperkWhto2.7,which givesareal-worldrangeof 210miles.It’s not exceptional,buttravelat65mphratherthan at70mph,andyoucanstretchtherange further.Problematic?Notreally.Ithelpsto makejourneysjustalittlebitmorerelaxing. Whilesomeelectriccarscanbedefined bytheirrange,I’m notsurethePolestaris oneof them,becauseithassuchabreadthof talentselsewhere.Itstechissimplysuperb, easytouse,relevantandresponsive,andI’m notmissingAppleCarPlayonelittlebit. Criticisms?I’d likealittlemorerear visibility–and,well,that’s aboutit.Charging infrastructureaside,I’mabsolutelyloving mytimewiththePolestar.
“Driving something slightly enigmatic is fun. It turns heads for the right reasons”
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