Relaxed extravagance

Practical test: Polestar 2 Dual Motor Performance - Relaxed extravagance

It looks good without really standing out and is self-confident enough not to hide its engine line in letters and numbers in a model designation, but to say on request what it has to offer. At the bottom of each of the two front doors, a rather cheap-looking sticker reads: Polestar 2, 78 kWh / 335 kW. In the USA, where engine power is measured slightly differently, this corresponds to the maximum 350 kW / 476 hp that the Polestar 2 is also capable of delivering in Europe. This electric power is powerful for a mid-range model, which normally delivers little more than 200 / 250 hp from one or two drive axles as a petrol or diesel engine. However, the 4.61-metre-long Polestar is set to attack Tesla's Model 3 in particular from 2020, and it is precisely this model that is not stingy with either engine power or electric range.

While many car manufacturers opted directly for an SUV for their electric debut models, Geely subsidiary Polestar opted for a sedan with a short rear end as the electric Volvo counterpart. It looks good, the proportions are right and is certainly a good choice for the main US market. This may also be the reason why the Polestar 2 is mentioned surprisingly often when recharging. Whether in the underground parking garage at UCLA, in downtown Pasadena or in Costa Mesa - the electric model doesn't just seem to open its own doors and build no walls around itself and its driver. Many here in the clean-cut American state of California are familiar with Polestar, some even know the model in question, and ask bluntly whether it comes from China? Yes and no is the differentiated answer, because the Swedish chic of the four-door is obligatory both inside and out, but it is the Chinese Geely Group that is behind the Polestar brand and so the customer gets what appears to be the best of both worlds: Design, chic and value from Sweden with a special focus on sustainability, while the Chinese influences bring major advantages in terms of drive and connectivity.

Because the Polestar 2 drives well and with so much torque and ultimately engine power, the all-wheel drive version - whether with 310 kW or 350 kilowatts of European calculation - is the right choice, but not the only one. For many customers, the so-called long-range version with 220 kW / 299 hp and a still impressive 490 Nm of torque is ideal. The electric rear-wheel drive version is also 205 km/h fast and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in a dynamic 6.2 seconds. Its maximum range of 650 kilometers is reduced by around 100 kilometers despite the large 78 kWh battery pack in the all-wheel drive version. The charging speed does not set any records, but with a maximum of 205 kilowatts it is certainly decent. The fast-charging stations on the Californian coast often deliver 150 or 175 kW at best anyway, so a higher charging speed, as is usual with Tesla, Audi, Kia or Hyundai, would not have a positive impact here. The standard consumption of just under 16 kWh per 100 kilometers was a long way off, even despite manageable speeds on US highways and smaller country roads, as the electric all-wheel-drive vehicle consumed just over 20 kWh / 100 kilometers.

What the most powerful series version with the European 350 kW / 476 hp and immense 740 Nm maximum torque offers, however, is a tremendous boost from all speeds. At full throttle, it feels like a jet. It's a good thing that you have a firm grip on the steering wheel and the comfortable leather seats not only provide cozy long-distance comfort, but also the necessary contour at a brisk pace. Particularly important for tall occupants: the extendable thigh rest - unfortunately only manually operated. The amount of space in the front and rear is fine, because even if it is not opulent, four people can travel reasonably well. Provided you save the fifth person, who has no room in the Polestar 2. The ambitious drive of the Polestar 2 Dual Motor Performance, which costs at least 61,705 euros, is matched by the very firm suspension set-up with direct steering and an overall package that is unquestionably too hard for bad roads, which lacks adjustable dampers - and not just on the crumbling city streets of Los Angeles.

The networking and the operating concept are in a class of their own in the Chinese-Swede, because Volvo was happy to let this out of its hands, not least in view of the enormous costs and the pace of the IT industry. The Google Android Auto system works just as well in the USA as it does in Europe. Apps, music streaming, movies and smartphone integration - that's how easy it can be if the car manufacturer doesn't necessarily want to keep customer data to itself. However, despite all the brilliance of screens and voice control, the Polestar 2 has precisely two operating weaknesses. Firstly, it does not offer a head-up display, which should at least be optional in this price class. Secondly, the size and clarity of the digital instruments behind the wheel are mid-range at best. Others are more modern, better and simpler. What the four-door also lacks is the panoramic roof, which is also available with the €4,800 Plus package and cannot be shaded at the touch of a button or by a blind. Even if the UV rays remain outside, the cheeky sun can still peek past the sunglasses and nobody wants to look outside when it's raining. This is why there is no sun protection in many of the vehicle's operating states. But otherwise the Polestar offers a really strong everyday performance. The 405 liters of cargo space behind the electric tailgate are also sufficient.