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In-depth reviews

Polestar 2 review – design

So clearly Scandinavian and just about distinct enough from Volvo to warrant the new badge, it looks substantial, high-tech and, crucially, interesting on the road

Evo rating
  • Excellent range; progressive rear-drive balance; calm motorway manners
  • Unyielding ride; lacks dynamic edge

The Polestar 2’s design might well be defined by the odd tall-riding hatchback proportion set it was given, but there’s no doubting the quality of execution and aesthetic sensibility. The surfacing is full, Teutonic in profiling and much more attractive in the flesh than in pictures. Especially around the rear end; instead of being dominated by the rear light bar, the Polestar 2 is instead defined by the aggressive rear arches and crisp detailing around the windowlines and bootlid that make it distinctive, without being particularly extroverted. 

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When specified with the Performance Pack and in a bright metallic finish, the Polestar 2 looks expensive without being showy, distinctive and different without jarring, and worth every penny of its price point.

It’s been an impressive turn of events at both Polestar and Volvo in a design sense, with a clearly evident confidence in an aesthetic that’s perhaps as clear and authentic as it gets in the wider car industry right now. Like the rest of the package, the Polestar 2’s design is far more assured than its convoluted body shape would lead you to expect.

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