This may be a polar star, but there is a lot of Volvo in the design.
Polar Star
Most of the time voice recognition is the kind of feature that only tests twice. Once out of curiosity, then a second time just to make sure he really is as desperate as he thought. In fairness to it, Siri can be pretty good, but most manufacturer-based voice recognition systems are more troublesome than they are worth. It’s a shame, because being able to control things without taking your eyes off the road or your hands off the wheel is a real boon in a car.
It was with this kind of pessimism that I said “Hello, Google” for the first time in Polestar 2. Moments later, without even an objection, I was taken to my home zip code. Then I said “Hi Google” again, this time more optimistically, and silenced the browser instructions (because I know my way home from five miles away). Heated seats? No problem. Radio? If you insist.
This is the first time that Google has been integrated into a car’s operating system and it really feels like the kind of game changer that will make other manufacturers wobble and catch up. It can also extend beyond the car to your home and office and any other area of your life that is connected to a Gmail account. “Hello Google, turn on the lights in the garage.” I love it.
On the other hand, it is connected to a large touch screen and I have never been a fan of them. Except that on the Polestar 2, it actually seems to work. There are still physical buttons for things you may need quickly, like hazard warning lights and windshield demister. There is also a volume control knob, which is useful. But the screen itself is simple and intuitive, so you can simply look at it and get what you need. The icons you should touch are also large enough so that when you stretch a finger you don’t feel like you’re chasing a lone pea around a plate with a fork.
2021 Polestar 2 has Google technology and impressive road manners
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By the way, I’ve always wondered about the relative merits of portrait and landscape-oriented displays, generally landscape-oriented for aesthetics, but Polestar has championed the benefits of portraiture for the simple reason that scrolling down lists can They are longer and maps can show more of the road ahead (while facing the direction of travel of the car). The second screen behind the wheel is neat, with three simple layout options that show only relevant information like speed and power usage or a large but slightly simplified map.
One more thing in navigation: when you enter a destination, it automatically shows you how much battery charge you will have left when you arrive. This may sound simple, and in fact other electric cars have embraced this technology as well, but I think it will go a long way in alleviating the anxiety new people feel in electric vehicles. Google will also plan your route through charging stations if you want or need it. The claimed range of the 78 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery, which can charge up to 80% in 40 minutes, is 292 miles according to the European WLTP cycle (US EPA numbers are still unknown. ). The test wasn’t long enough to assess how accurate it will be in the real world, so you’ll have to wait another day, but it’s promising.
One thing that will obviously extend the range is regenerative braking and I loved this aspect of driving the Polestar 2. I have rarely been able to complete full trips without touching the brake pedal and it is a curiously enjoyable experience. Regeneration can offer up to 0.3g of braking force, which is sufficient in most situations, and while there is the option of dimming the ride with a pedal from Standard to Light or even Off, I’m not sure why it would. . Initially, it may take a bit of acclimatization and there are some bumpy apps at first, but it’s not as complicated as training your left foot to brake. In fact, I think that the extra-sensitive right foot would be beneficial in other non-electric cars, who knew that a Polestar could improve their throttle control in a 911 GT3?
The portrait-oriented touchscreen is easy to use and the entire cabin is made from vegan materials.
Polar Star
It’s not just about picking up the gas – pushing it onto the vegan mat (more of that in a moment) and you can achieve a 0-62mph time of 4.7 seconds thanks to the two 150-kilowatt motors. That’s not devastating compared to certain other electric vehicles, but it produces more than enough of that instant electric torque free-fall sensation to satisfy most people. Hold the pedal down and you can hit 127 mph, which is wide.
Anyway, back inside. As a standard, the Polestar has a vegan interior. And quite nice, too. It will be interesting to see how well it works with use over time, but directly from the box the textures of the textiles are tactile and warm. The panoramic roof is also standard, which helps give the cabin a light and pleasant feel despite the relatively high shoulder line and reasonably shallow windows.
In fact, the only notable option in the car I drove is the Performance Pack. This costs $ 5,000 and provides you with 20-inch wheels (all 19 are standard), larger Brembo front brakes, gold-colored dust caps (be careful where you park …), gold seat belts, and manually adjustable dual-flow Öhlins Shock Absorbers It’s a lot about cornering performance instead of straight-line performance. Shock absorbers will certainly feel surprisingly firm if you expect the Polestar to drive like a Volvo, but this firmness is largely found in secondary driving, as it still absorbs bigger bumps with aplomb. And of course you can adjust them. The front shocks are relatively easy to adjust, but accessing the rear knob requires a little more effort. It can be done though, and after shifting the car to its comfort setting (18 clicks out of 22 in the front, 20 out of 22 in the rear) you feel more comfortable on bumpy British roads. Still not fancy, but a little less bobbly.
This is an entertaining EV.
Polar Star
The reason for accelerated braking becomes more obvious if you drive with the regenerative brake off. When devoid of its further slowdown, you can feel the 4,681 pound curb weight as you try to stop it. Try driving it like a hot hatch and you can make surprisingly fast progress, but in a neat and orderly manner rather than with any particular engagement or adjustment.
Not that this really matters too much, because I don’t think the Polestar 2 should look like a high-performance car. There’s plenty more to make it interesting and desirable, and as a general package I think the Polestar 2 feels fresh and incredibly well thought out. Yes, it’s heavy, but it doesn’t feel bulky, and it’s not as big as an SUV (it’s shorter than a BMW 3 Series). At a smidgen under $ 60,000 in the US, it feels like fair value too, certainly given that it clearly undermines other premium offerings. If you said, “Hi Google, what does Henry Catchpole think of Polestar 2?” I hope you reply with “Terrific”.
