Polestar 2 Standard Range Single Motor

Overview

The 2024 Polestar 2 Standard Range Single Motor marked a cool shift for the Swedish electric liftback, flipping to rear-wheel drive for a more engaging experience. As an entry point to Polestar's sharp Scandinavian design and Google-powered tech, this specific trim offered a compelling package. Although its production run was brief (2023-2024) and it's now discontinued new, it delivered a solid blend of style and performance. On the used market, you might snag one for around €34,999 in Europe, making it an attractive nearly-new EV proposition.

What's New for 2024?

For its 2024 model year iteration, this Polestar 2 Standard Range Single Motor got a significant powertrain overhaul compared to its FWD predecessor. The headline news was the switch to a punchier rear-wheel drive setup, powered by a new permanent magnet synchronous motor. This upgrade boosted output to a lively 200 kW and a hefty 490 Nm of torque. Visually, it adopted the updated Polestar front-end featuring the "SmartZone" panel, housing camera and radar tech, aligning it with the rest of the refreshed lineup for a sleeker, more modern look.

Design & Exterior

This Polestar 2 struts a distinctly Scandinavian, minimalist design that's both sharp and sophisticated. As a five-door liftback, it blends avant-garde looks with practicality. Key dimensions are 4606 mm in length, 1859 mm in width (mirrors excluded), and a height of 1479 mm, giving it a planted stance. The Standard Range Single Motor trim typically featured stylish 19-inch alloy wheels and the signature Thor's Hammer-esque LED headlights, along with the full-width rear light bar, ensuring it turns heads without shouting too loudly. It’s understated cool, personified.

Interior, Tech & Cargo

Inside, the Polestar 2 Standard Range Single Motor boasts a premium, vegan-friendly cabin with a focus on sustainable materials and minimalist design. It comfortably seats five. Dominating the dash is an 11.2-inch tablet-style touchscreen running Android Automotive OS with Google built-in (Maps, Assistant, Play Store), plus Apple CarPlay. A 12.3-inch digital driver display keeps vital info clear. Cargo-wise, you get a practical 407 litres in the boot, expanding to 1097 litres with seats down, plus a handy 33-litre frunk for charging cables or small bags.

Performance & Driving Experience

The switch to rear-wheel drive transforms this Polestar 2! With its 200 kW PMSM motor delivering a stout 490 Nm of torque, it zips from 0-100 km/h in a brisk 6.4 seconds, reaching a top speed of 205 km/h. This single-motor setup provides a more traditional, engaging driving feel – think crisp turn-in and a nicely balanced chassis. The ride is typically firm yet well-controlled, offering a good compromise between sporty handling and daily comfort. Strong regenerative braking with a one-pedal drive mode makes city driving a breeze.

Range, Battery & Charging

This Polestar 2 variant packs a 67 kWh usable battery capacity, delivering a Green Cars Compare calculated real-world range estimate of around 449 km – pretty decent for daily duties and some longer trips. Energy efficiency is rated at a solid 6.7 km/kWh. For charging, it supports up to 11 kW AC, meaning a full top-up takes roughly 7 hours. Hook it up to a DC fast charger, and it’ll gulp down electrons at up to 135 kW via its CCS Type 2 port, getting you from 10-80% in about 32 minutes.

Safety & Driver-Assistance Features

Safety is a Polestar strong suit, and this model scored a top-notch 5-star rating from Euro NCAP. Standard kit typically includes forward collision warning with autonomous emergency braking (for vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists), lane keeping aid, oncoming lane mitigation, and road sign information. For more advanced features like adaptive cruise control with Pilot Assist, a 360-degree camera, blind-spot monitoring, and cross-traffic alert with brake support, buyers usually needed to spec the optional Pilot Pack, enhancing its already robust safety credentials.

Warranty & Maintenance Coverage

In Europe, Polestar typically backs its vehicles with a comprehensive new car warranty, often for 2 years with unlimited kilometres, though specifics can vary by market. The crucial high-voltage battery is covered for 8 years or 160,000 km, whichever comes first, guaranteeing at least 70% of its original capacity. Many European markets also benefit from included scheduled maintenance for the first 3 years or 50,000 km. Given its EV nature, routine maintenance is generally simpler and less frequent than with combustion engine cars.