As a car person having a manual adjustable dampen setting on a consumer product is wild. I would expect stuff like this on a more performance enthusiast product. Seems a little odd in this sort market.
Yeah when he showed how to adjust them I thought "Nobody buying this Volvo will ever do that, they'll leave it on whatever setting from the factory and it'll never change".
@@Sizukun1 and so, as it isn't a Volvo but the more entusiast Polestar, maybe it tries to distinct itself from Volvo in general. It's not meant to be mainstream, still, making it that hard to adjust.... why not have it at the top end under the hood and some caps in the rear?
I'm surprised seeing them include them and then not include an easy adjustment solution in the back seat or something. Having to take the whole fender off everytime is brutal. Even just an easy access hatch in the fender liner would be better.
As a car person, watching Alex/anyone from Ltt, review a car is very intriguing to see from a completely different perspective than automotive journalist.
I like Alex reviewing cars because he knows all the numbers and manufacturer talking points. BUT he also get appropriately annoyed at things like a cupholder or arm rest situation. I've test driven lots of cars, and the deal breaker is usually something like the mirror position, or passenger seat adjustment. The little annoyances are super important when thinking about a spot you'll be sitting in every day, and these reviews seem to call out all of those details.
Idk the whole arm rest thing felt ridiculous to include. Who the hell actually uses them the way he was describing?? If you're holding the steering wheel in any decent way, it's not a problem
Totally agree! Love Alex’s reviews on cars. -ray your wrong hes a Mechanic in his personal life lol -jabba arm rest and cup holders are exactly the things i use daily 🤦🏼♀️
I watched countless videos on the polestar before I bought one and you’re the only one that mentioned the weird ass ergonomics of the cabin, comfort wise and getting in and out of the damn thing, didn’t notice on the test drive (too giddy I guess) but these are very noticeable. So thank you for pointing them out for anyone else in the future
Indeed. Was a bit surprised he didn't mention how the gear knob surround crowds your knee though - that was even more annoying for me than the armrests.
I sat in one at a mall and it was dog crap. Ha hadn't watched a single video about it and I came to my own conclusion that it was crap. Funny to hear the exact same things in the video.
I've had mine since Oct 2020. Apart from the left arm rest issue mostly everything is spot on. The centre issue is easily solved, I left my wife so we don't have to fight over the 2nd cup holder. Back to the arm left rest - I've done 18k miles in and not a had a problem, but if you did then definitely one for people to try out before buying one. Doesn't seem one size fits all. Best feature is Google maps.
Having been a passenger in one of these during a serious crash that involved the whole right wheel and suspension being ripped off. I can confirm they are very safe cars. Got out without a scratch.
In Ireland and UK we dont really use the door arm rest because we're sitting on the other side, we mainly use the centre arm rest for left arm while the right hand is on the wheel. Youre just driving on the wrong side of the road 😂
One test that would be good for you guys to test in these EV reviews is whether the brackelights function properly in one pedal mode. i.e whether they turn on under a partial lift off. Some don't!
Little late to the party but when using the engine Break (is there a separate english term?) Doenst trigger the brake light, so when lifting it a little it acts like a engine break so i guess that would be an explanation
@@IR-MaNu you are correct that it is effectively engine breaking and so they aren't required by law to have the break lights come on. However EVs can decelerate much faster than ICE vehicles under engine breaking due to regen-breaking on one pedal mode which can be very aggressive on some models.
You don't need to "press" the handle first to unlock, just put your hand in the handle and wait for like 0,2s before opening and it will unlock. The only time you need to use the touch button is when locking. ;)
I'm sure you guys already know this, but you should probably either repair or replace the sensor on the camera that was used here. There is a dead pixel in the lower left corner. Great auto review BTW. Loving it.
Aging Wheels did great coverage of the car, one of the biggest issues is that not all volvo dealerships can work on the car, it can only be worked on at official Polestar support dealerships, which are pretty rare
I get questions about my Polestar 2 all the time. People have stopped next to me in traffic jams just to ask what car it is. I can't do a border crossing without at least one border guard asking what brand it is. It's honestly the least anonymous car i've ever driven, i'm surprised LMG had a different experience!
@@slyffr8268 Only on highways do I trust this cars autopilot. Anything with lots of intersections, mixed traffic and redlights is a no go. But then again, I first didn't even want to spec the pilot package except for the safety features and the 360 camera. Tesla don't make me feel safe either, btw. It works quite a bit better but I still wouldn't trust it with my life.
I do own one, with the excellent Napa leather interior, performance pack, etc. Your review is pretty much spot on. A real drivers car, but finding that comfortable position can be a challenge, especially for taller drivers where your knee scuffs against the very high center console and the accelerator pedal is too far to the right, no room to rest your foot when using cruise. Yes, damper adjustment really should be electronic. Rears are not as bad as you demonstrate, you don't need to remove the liner as there is a velcro like section You just separate. Appearance inside and out is much nicer than the Tesla. I am glad I bought mine, but also understand why many buyers might prefer the Tesla.
Interesting point few people would consider. Makes it logistically easier, just offer an electric power train option, but weight distribution and functional design features for one power train might make zero sense for another. Like a battery filled frunk would probably handle terribly. 😬
You say that, but I sit right next to a dual clutch 7 speed in my car and it's not even remotely close to that size. That said, I can't think of literally any market that cares about cup holders like America does. In most countries, you use them maybe for a takeaway coffee on occasion or like you have a water bottle on a longer road trip, we don't tend to use all of them all the time
@@helplmchoking Eeeeh, at least in Sweden most people I've ridden with always use their cup holders. Or they don't technically use them but there's always an old bottle or something in there so it's always in use
Put me down as a happy owner of a 2021 (launch edition) Polestar 2 without the Performance Pack. Mine has the ventilated leather seat and I don't have any dampers to adjust. I also applied the Performance Software Upgrade so mine has the extra 68hp and is now even faster. I'm on the shorter side of drivers and for me, the seats and seating position (including armrests and knee position) are completely comfortable. While there are a few small things that Polestar didn't get 100% right, I still find it a much more enjoyable overall package than its main competition (Tesla Model 3). No complaints and it still puts a huge grin on my face even for short drives to the grocery 🙂
I rented one for a month, it’s great. I drag raced so many people at stoplights. I drove it from Virginia to Kansas and back, I ripped it through the West Virginia backroads and it felt so planted with the wide tires and weight on the floor.
I rented a baseline spec polestar two, maybe a little bit higher than that, and I found it to be a very pleasant rental car. For the android automotive system, I actually found that the voice controls worked very well. I was very confused by moving around the touchscreen system. However, it seemed like it was difficult to find things and you kept going around in a circle to get back to stuff, a little weird. My biggest issue with the car was how it decides that it’s ready to start or stop. Instead of using the key fob or a regular key, which I know nobody wants to use regular keys anymore. Whatever, the seat is the button. So if you have the fob in your pocket or it’s in the car, and then you sit in the front seat, then the car is available to you to start listen the radio, whatever. That was confusing at first, but I got used to it pretty easily. What was more confusing was getting out of the car and hoping that it would Turn off. It did, but it wasn’t confidence inspiring that the car would actually shut off and lock when you left it. Several times I had to wait to make sure that the vehicle actually was locked and power down. I don’t recall having the comfort problems that were noted in this review. I’m pretty sensitive to uncomfortable elbow issues. I did feel like the car was very Enveloping. Like everything seemed higher up than in other cars I’m used to. I didn’t use cupholders in there like that, so that may all be true. But the one thing that this car absolutely excelled in, and it was not the top spec, Was in acceleration. Especially on the freeway. Going from 40 or 50 mph to 70 or 80 mph was ridiculously powerful. It was very confidence building to make passes. I never felt like I was waiting for anything, the surge of power was just really intoxicating. It worked really really well. I also didn’t have the sunroof, which I appreciated, I’m not a big fan of the current crop of glass roofs that seems to be the trend. I don’t really want the sun on my head all the time. Nobody sat in the back, so I don’t have any impressions of that, but I did have a passenger and they had no complaints either. Charging worked reasonably well, no problems that occurred had anything to do with a pole star, there were some issues with charging stations that didn’t seem to initiate or whatever, but they didn’t have any to the pole star. But, the feature that told you were charging stations that were compatible Could be found work very well. I never felt like I wouldn’t be able to get to where I needed to go, even when they were problems with finding a charging station that was fully functional. And using the built-in, GPS navigation meant that I could say where I was going, and the system will give me several options for how to make sure I had enough charge to get there. I rented this for a trip from Los Angeles to San Diego and back, with one or two stops along the way each way. I never felt like I was going to be without charging, although I did end up at one mall where the mall itself closed while I was charging, and that caused me to have to walk all the way around the mall in a very strange way. But that wasn’t the fault of the car.
with so many electric cars being so tech forward i really like these reviews. stuff is pointed out that an enthusiast like myself wouldn't consider or car youtubers might not consider. i drove a polestar 2 and although the armrest wasn't an issue for me, i never considered the cupholders! still one of my preferred electric cars though
Cup Holders is less of an issue, open up the center bit, then you have two its honestly not the issue I thought it was. More of an issue is on very long trips the center console being so large hurts my knee so I put a pad against it, daily driving or trips under 4 hours you don't notice it so much.
Good looks mean nothing if you're basically being *PUNISHED for driving it day-to-day* with probably the worst ergonomics in the EV market (even the poorly made VW ID's are much better on that front) and tech that's >5 years behind Tesla in addition to slipping reliability (Volvos have become very UNreliable following the Geely buyout)... 😮
@@odeiraoloap I didn't argue with the ergonomics, they were clearly presented as sub-par in the video. And yes, the software definitely needs an update as well. Haven't heard anything about reliability-issues but nonetheless, nothing of that takes away from the looks of the car, and that's all I commented on.
@@odeiraoloap I guess if depends on your size or something. I have no issue driving it from ergonomics point of view. I believe VW is pretty well build mechanically and Polestar build quality is pretty solid also. Things do not rattle like in many Teslas and generally Tesla is way way worse in reliability/quality, while having excellent drive train and fast infotainment.
It's worth knowing the Polestar 2 was based on the Volvo 40.2 concept which debuted next to the 40.1 concept that would go on to be the XC40. While the production version of the 40.2 concept (the S40) was cancelled, it was then picked up by Polestar. Hence the smaller size
Absolutely agreed. The seats are more comfortable, and i have honestly never had any discomfort from my arm rest whatsoever. My only ergonomic complaint would be that i'd like a little more travel in the steering wheel adjust, but it's already pretty industry stadndard.
We bought one earlier this year. It’s way better looking than a Tesla in my opinion, and the performance pack really rocks. Sure, it’s had some software hiccups, but it’s a new product, so I don’t really mind because it works so well.
Agree, cant beat auto dimming mirrors. And yet what is stupid is how simple they are, a reactive tint with an electric wire and a switch (a sensor). Swedish cars have had them for decades and honestly I have always been surprised they were not more mainstream.
Have a PS2. Great car. Nitpicks are spot on. I live in the SF Bay Area and Tesla’s are everywhere, so it’s nice having a different premium EV. It’s a fun car and perfect for our needs.
The things like interior position and materials are the things that make you love or hate a car over the long run. Excellent review of why I won’t be buying this car - and I personally LOVE the looks and came looking considering to buy, but I’ve passed on others cars in the past (Audi TTRS looking at you!) for things like unusable arm rests - no matter how good the car is to drive, if you can’t get comfortable it’s junk.
My neighbour has one, and loves it. It definitely looks nice than the Tesla. They do however use the frunk, its something you get used to opening once you've done it a couple of times. Really interested to see what the EX30 is like.
I've had mine for two years and I never experienced any problems sitting in the driver seat (on the door side), It can get a bit uncomfortable on the other side when using the front cup holder (I'm 190cm / ~6'2"). It probably depends a lot on driving style etc.
I've spent a lot of time in a Polestar 2 hire car recently, my main concern was charging, which was terrible (didn't work with a lot of chargers in the UK). I think a software update may have resolved these issues because the charging support I spoke to said they didn't have many problems with Polestar usually. The second downside for me is that the windscreen is very low - compared to the Model 3, it's almost like you're sitting in a cave, especially combined with the dark interior. Also the non-haptic play and hazard light buttons are annoying and I accidentally hit both several times. Although the Model 3 and Polestar 2 are pretty similar on paper, I highly recommend trying both if you're considering a purchase. The m3 interior is minimalist and airy, the p2 is dark, like a cockpit, with surprisingly little headroom (non sunscreen version).
I own one, I love it, and this review is spot on with many of the nitpicks and grievances. I would buy one again but for anyone considering, it's definitely worth a test drive as they can be polarising. Plenty of opportunity for them to touch up some areas, and excited to see them re-make the whole thing on a bespoke EV platform at some stage.
I have been in this car for multipe roadtrips across Europe that took 24-48 hours each and i was mostly sitting in the back and it was absolutely fine for me.
It's a performance sports sedan with a timeless design. It's a sensible car and when you need some power and fun, it has it. I wonder if Polestar will come to my country though
I’ll be honest - I LOVE the amount of car reviews you guys are putting out. They are really well done, and showcase tons of EVs I would never have heard of otherwise. Please keep it up!
I got myself a Polestar 2 LRDM performance, Midnight colour... Named the car "Threat Level Midnight". 🙈 Fun as heck to drive (on smooth roads preferably!) Can confirm, would buy again.
I actually own a Polestar 2 but the single motor version with less hp. still a really nice driving car. Totally agree with Alex tough on all the complaints, espacially th armrest. Took me 10k kilometers to ge use to them. Would still buy one again but with more power 10/10 :D
I normally like your reviews but some research helps - Polestar doesn't need android auto as its native system IS android (and google) (Android Automotive) - all android phones connect seamlessly with Polestar (And new Volvos) including your google account, and the contacts, play store...it's navigation IS google maps and also syncs with your google maps....
@@TheZoenGamingactually Geely in China is the parent company. They bought Volvo from Ford in 2010. Polestar used to be a name applied to Volvo’s high performance models. Geely is stated to be more hands off than Ford was. That’s a good thing as the Volvos designed under Ford’s ownership weren’t their best work.
Even the Canadian Government website does not include armrests as an aid to a better driving position and in the UK it would be considered bad control of the vehicle with poor hand positioning on the wheel. I'm sure they must be taught the same in Canada. If not I'm surprised.
Incredible car, but the only things I didn't like about it was that the A-Pillar limits the vision to the front sides a little to much and that apple car play only worked with a cable (at least the version I drove (2021/22 model))
Spot on review Alex! I had one of these for a long road trip around Norway. I agree with everything you mention but I must add that the center console is a real deal breaker for me. It's so frickin huge! My right knee was scuffed after the long road trip... Really weird designchoice. Probably batteries in there or something.
Polestar 2 owner here as well. Definitely can agree with most of the points in the video (and I did offer them mine almost a year ago!). The biggest pain point is definitely the cup holder, but that was covered. Something that isn't shown here, probably due to filming, is that the car is getting access to Waze, UA-cam, and other big hitters that other brands have sat on for a while. Also looking forward to a nice update when the P*3 drops.
@@Lethaltail yes hold it. or are you too lazy to hold a drink lol. and if you drive why do you feel the need to take something to drink in the first place. just focus on driving. you people and your cup holder. i am 33 years old never EVER did i need a cup holder in a car. the most useless thing in a car you can imagine.
@@Reahreic well my parents had 3 kids me and my 2 sisters. we never needed a cup holder even if we had 4 of them. never used it once in any car we owned. but maybe its just me. then again we always bought bottles so we could screw the top on again.
Google (and Apple) really needs to start pushing for automakers to use their digital key (with UWB) so that someone other than BMW has that. The car basically runs on Android and they can't get them to use this feature. Also I've read that Polestar's own digital key stuff is not great.
The best review of this car no other videos i watched had all those small things shown like adjusting suspension or sucky cupholders or the door hand rest.
@@pavelmusiyenko literally two years ago ua-cam.com/video/DWgPlAX3Ar0/v-deo.html. And if you've never seen a Kris Rifa review then you have NOT watched all reviews.
@@suvann540i no person on this earth will watch millions of UA-cam channels to find right review. People have fav CH they watch and they stick with them. I wasn't searching for reviews I was watching CH I like. People have jobs and lives outside of UA-cam. So if someone didn't see something you don't have to be a smart ass. I just said what exp I had that's it.
Oh my god I have a 2007 Volvo and my biggest gripe is the driver armrest situation. Same as in this, the door armrest is way too small and has exactly zero padding, and the right "armrest" is just the center console which is extremely far back. It sounds impossible but I have in fact gotten used to it, but any time I drive a car besides mine and go back to it it takes a few trips to get back into "no armrest" mode mentally. Volvo is a company that does most things very well but some really random things very not well and those random things have been strikingly consistent over the years.
Polestar 2 is a very simple choice over the Tesla Model 3. Especially with depreciation. We bought a 3 year old ex-lease Polestar 2 Long Range Dual Motor Pilot Plus earlier this year for £22,000. A third of list price. Insurance is literally a third the price of insuring a Tesla Model 3, too. Ergonomics and build quality are off the chart compared with Tesla too, and as for performance, all wheel drive, 400+ BHP, great for country roads and highways. Lovely little niceties too like Harman Kardon audio, Auto High Beam which dynamically creates a gap in the high beam avoiding oncoming vehicles, the list goes on. It's a beautifully well thought out and implemented vehicle from top to bottom. Except the cup holders. Honestly... What were they thinking. 9/10. It'd get a 10 if more of the interior surfaces were softer and the cup holder situation wasn't so bizarre.
Just had one as a rental car. Drove amazing. But the lack of cup holders, center arm rest, and width for my legs with the center waste of space was rough.
It’s true. I got a Tesla 2 weeks ago. I loved the look of the Polestar and wanted to want one, but Supercharging is a huge selling point. I’ve read too many horror stories of non-Tesla charging that I just couldn’t go with another brand right now. In a few years when the infrastructure is better and other companies have better charging, I’m sure I’ll go with another brand EV
This is my favorite car. Had a model 3 and model y. NO COMPARISON. Fit and finish is excellent. So much better And although it is a personal thing, so much more beautiful. I also enjoy the fact there are not 20 of them on my block.
I love mine. The leather package is a must. It makes the interior SOOOO much more comfortable. The center console could be better and some of the technology could be better compared to Tesla.
As someone who does the school run where teachers open the door for students, regular door handles are a must, or risk paint damage caused by their rings as they flaff around figuring how to operate the door!!
Complaining so hard about the armrest is wild to me bc I've never used a cardoor armrest in my life. In fact I just learned that's meant to be an armrest.
The polestar’s comfort is definitely a duality. As someone who’s 5’2” it’s the most comfortable car I’ve ever driven as I find I don’t have to stretch out weird like in most cars
I saw one of these in person the other day. I really like the look of it! Reminds me of the Scion tC, just stretched out a little. Which works pretty well!
I really loved drinving the Polestar 2, but my wife absolutely hated the arm rests. They were deal breaker bad. We got an XC40 Recharge instead which has all of the good bits from the Polestar plus tons more storage which is super useful since it's our only car. Anyway, that arm rest, it's so bad it really makes me wonder how they even made it to production
I can't see it at 1080p, but I got it at 2160p. Which is weird, because I have a 1080p display. Edit: nevermind, at 1080p it pops in and out sometimes. I suppose this is an artifact of youtube video compression.
I own one :D not the full equipped like the one here tough (2022 SMLR Plus) One thing not mentionned in the video, is the foot well floor for the driver is not flat. It's so strange to me comming from a Corolla, and it's hard for me to find a comfortable position while using Cruize Control But yeah, I tried a full quipped car two weeks ago, and everything there is spot on, the kick of the acceleration is really impressive!
Yeeesss another issue, I think the raised floor are for batteries. I guess the CMA platform is kind of SUV oriented and when they tried to lower it, that's the only way to do so. Would be interesting to ask someone with XC40 or C40 to see whether those models have raised floors as well, I bet they don't.
@@fnj1017 I think that some of the space in the floor is used by batteries It's not a dealbreaker, it just doesn't help. It still is a great car, nothing is perfect ;)
A few comments. First this is a very good review. But you have to take a few things with a grain of salt. I own a 2023 Polestar 2, and it is hands down the best car I've ever driven. I've had it for a year, and here are my impressions: 1) First, it handles like a dream, just like Alex says in the video. I have driven luxury sedans, very wimpy cars like the Prius, and "sporty" vehicles. Nothing has given me the pickup and confidence that this vehicle does. It takes corners sharply and the acceleration on my 2 motor is insane. While there are Tesla models that can do 0-60 in less, 4.2 seconds is very spry for such a heavy vehicle. 2) As for comfort, Alex looks to be quite a tall person. I am 5'9", and I feel like the car was made for me. The lumbar support hits me in just the right place in the small of my back, and even if it didn't the driver's seat adjustments are all electric and allow you to move just about every dimension of the seat you could want. I used to dread very long drives because my back would start hurting after a couple of hours but I have never once had this problem in my Polestar 2. In short, maybe Alex is just a bit too tall to fit perfectly in this car, but I wish he had fiddled a little more with the seat controls to get it just right for him. 3) Fit and finish, the interior is quiet, after a year nothing is rattling around. As opposed to a comparable Tesla, there is no condensation inside the taillights and all the exterior panels tolerances are very tight. Personally, I think the car looks amazing and when I first got it people were stopping me as I got out to ask me what it was. And this was in a good way--not the mixed bag you get from something like a Cybertruck. I love sitting inside my Polestar 2, because it has a sunroof that has just the right about me tinting that makes it so you don't feel the sun beating down on you but somehow that blue glass makes for a perfect driving experience. It's like I'm in a quiet, top-floor room in an apartment on a Sunday afternoon just cruising down my favorite stretch of asphalt. Perfect. If it sounds like I'm being too complimentary of my Polestar 2, well, maybe I just haven't experienced true luxury before. I can't afford something like a Rolls Royce Ghost and I would never try to claim this car comes anywhere close in terms of build quality or luxury. But for me, it's just the right mix of practical daily driver and metal-glass work of art that makes me find excuses to go for another milk run or volunteer to "let's take my car" for local adventures.
Am really surprised how the car industry hasn't thought things out about what makes a great car a great car. So many cars come out with so many weird mistakes that seem like they could've been avoided easily had they thought things through.
I still don't quite understand how we went from 30-ish K luxury cars like 15 years ago to 77K "still lacking a lot of features" cars today 😅 That car is literally 1/4th the price of our house. It should be the most perfect vehicle on the road at that point :x
They're too expensive new, but right now they're a fantastic deal used (in the US). Planning on getting one in September after a vacation where we're renting one for a "test drive". I'm so stoked!
There are only 3 problems whit the polestar 2... 1 it should be lowerd a little, 2 there should not be Black plastic. And 3 most important ly, it should have been a Volvo s40 polestar edition. Wich is why Even thoug i love them, and work on them every day, i got the Xc40 instead. And orderd an ex30 yesterday 😁💛
If you want to test one, Hertz car rental has these at a lot of locations. I was temped once in Houston, but choose the Tesla as my first electric car I had ever rented or driven. Figured it was the safe choice at the time. But now I want to test one on the next opportunity.
Finally he tries the Polestar 2 ! I almost bought one too, I didn't not because of anything in the car, just that it was so bad to deal with Polestar Vancouver that I bought an other car
10:40 In these times of cars being packed with technology, most car owners have given up on fixing stuff as simple (or what was once simple) as changing a light bulb. There is no way that more than 1 out of 10 owners of an electric car like that can, or want, to change the settings like that. In other words, they let the garage set it once, and never change it again.
@@coledeko I like ShortCircuit, but for everything that is car reviews I just come in, watch 30 seconds, dislike the video and move on (or leave a couple acid comments). I like Alex videos, but he doesn't belong in car review videos.
I like the Polestar 2 a lot, I’m a dyed in the wool Volvo guy with a love for wagons. I recently saw CarWOW do a preview of the upcoming EX30 which is like the older off-road brother based on a Smart car. That to me seems even better because it’s more practical than the P*2, a sedan, even if it isn’t quite as long as a *2.
@@mho0 I understand, the P*2 is quite stocky and tall, but isn't that large inside. A v70 is low slung, long, and as roomy as a Grand Voyager without the height. I'm more excited for the EX30, I was watching some videos that imply it could be a hair faster than P*2 with more versatility.
@@Pressbutan P2 was originally planned to be 40-series Volvo to my understanding = not a big car. So anybody is looking for 'more/maximum' space, P2 is not that. EX30 seems to be amazing offering from Volvo. Price being biggest surprise for me and also 0-100. But I personally would still pick P2 as it is more sporty to drive. I btw had also 2001 V70 and it was/is very practical car. I still have V60 PE and while it is roughly same size as V70, V60 feels much smaller.
I didn't realize that people used the rest on the door. I just assumed everyone drove with their left hand and rested their right on the center console.
@@MaximilianZ96 I didn't even realize it was an arm rest. I just thought it was there to house the controls at a usable angle and a place for the handle used to pull the door closed.
As someone who drives a Tesla Model 3 Performance, I take issue with you saying Teslas are boring 😂 0-60 in 3.1s never gets old. I was considering a PoleStar 2, but like you mentioned, the cabin just doesn't look and feel good. The tablet looks like a 2013 Galaxy Tab eyesore. Also, it's hard to recommend the PoleStar when the Model 3 undercuts it by thousands nowadays and you can get a Model Y for the same price. It's in a weird position
I'm tired of so many manufacturers being completely unable to figure out driver ergonomics. It's the most important part of a vehicle interior, if the driver isn't comfortable, nothing else matters.
Doesn’t a model 3 performance (or even the boosted long range) blow the doors off this in a 0-60? How can the tesla feel weaker when being objectively more forceful and moving faster?
Sir after watching this video for 2:49-16:00 of this video im already in love with this car totally. Wish it would be under 19k which i dont think electric vehicles will be cheap.
Tall ppl tend to be pround of being taller than most, then get confused that everything isnt made to their specifications. If ur in the top 95 percentile maybe ur not a priority for mass market products, swings n roundabouts tho- i am average n can hardly reach top shelf in new fridge freezers
It's a nice looking car. I see them on the road and I'm thinking this is the car that everyone thought the Ioniq 5 would actually look like. In the end, the Ioniq 5 which was top of my list for ages, looks very meh IRL. I would get a Polestar 2 at the drop of a hat if I could install a home charger.
This thing is avg at best, it feels great if u test drive this car coming in from a 10 year old ice car, but if you test drive 4-5 other EVs same week, it just falls apart. At first it appeared to tick all the boxes, hatchback, styling, range, power. It was more cramped (especially in the back) than my old Civiv, plastics on back door were hard and cheep, the fake wood was just really cheep plastic with a grain pattern on it, material in the boot was super cheep same as my old civic but that was 18K when new, and the "leather" is not even in the same league as the ionic5, seat comfort avg at best. Accelerator pedal was weird, kept changing the way it worked, on parking had to press 80% just to go a bit which freaked me out as i thought that was going to slam into the other cars parked across it. For 402hp it felt very underpowered compared to Kia EV6. Brakes & steering with catastrophically numb. Suspension was avg at best and small amount of cargo storage with seats up. I did like the touch screen, it was ok and well laid out, glass roof was nice, and the touch reading flood lights were really cool. Price quoted to me was 20K usd higher than a the AWD ev6 Kia, which had better range, so its a pass.
I wonder, who actually uses cupholders outside of the US? I've never really seen anyone use one in real life to store anything other than some coins or some mints
I sometimes use them on longer drives but even then the bottle would be in the way and I'd rather ask my passenger to keep the bottle in the footwell and hand it to me when Im thirsty.
Polestar 2: after driving more than 4000 kms these are my impressions: The good: handling; power. The average: built quality; infotainment; The bad: consumption; real life range; charging curve; price for the extras. In the end, I bought a Tesla.
NGL as as Mach E owner , I do love the Polestar it would be perfect if it had apple car play, EMG charging 800v, and maybe 5-10K cheaper and better 300 MI range
It probably has the best implementation of apple carplay on the market. down to showing apple maps in the gauge cluster with remaining range. he also literally mentions it in the vid.
Love the loads of sarcastic quips in the review…perfect way to give homage to the hundreds of hours that the Polestar engineers spent to finally deliver this product.
Hundreds of hours making a bad product is still a bad product. Simply sitting in the cockpit many problems are so painfully obvious its sad they did that
Okay and? Should we ignore all the issues that someone might have with a product? I'm 5'11" and would experience many of the same problem Alex has so If I ever buy a ev then I will definitely use his reviews as one of my sources. He looks at cars in a very similar way to me. Cars are one of the expensive things that people use the most in their lives (at least in the US) that any little problems can easily be magnified because you have to deal with it all the time. At least with Alex's review, the engineer or designers can actually improve on the design if they want to use his input (like for example: never use piano black for anything people touch).
I rented one of these from Hertz and the car was nearly new. I enjoyed the car but as mentioned the interior was pretty bad. The material was stained and dingy because of the usual rental abuse, but the material seemed very difficult to clean. It kind of just absorbed whatever landed on it. I drive an EUV and I never thought the EUV's interior would be better than a Polestar.
As a car person having a manual adjustable dampen setting on a consumer product is wild. I would expect stuff like this on a more performance enthusiast product. Seems a little odd in this sort market.
Yeah when he showed how to adjust them I thought "Nobody buying this Volvo will ever do that, they'll leave it on whatever setting from the factory and it'll never change".
@@Sizukun1 and so, as it isn't a Volvo but the more entusiast Polestar, maybe it tries to distinct itself from Volvo in general. It's not meant to be mainstream, still, making it that hard to adjust.... why not have it at the top end under the hood and some caps in the rear?
I'm surprised seeing them include them and then not include an easy adjustment solution in the back seat or something. Having to take the whole fender off everytime is brutal. Even just an easy access hatch in the fender liner would be better.
@@jeremymoller1038 yeah I would at least hope to see some remote adjuster knobs in the trunk and engine bay like I have on my personal car.
As a car person, watching Alex/anyone from Ltt, review a car is very intriguing to see from a completely different perspective than automotive journalist.
I like Alex reviewing cars because he knows all the numbers and manufacturer talking points. BUT he also get appropriately annoyed at things like a cupholder or arm rest situation. I've test driven lots of cars, and the deal breaker is usually something like the mirror position, or passenger seat adjustment. The little annoyances are super important when thinking about a spot you'll be sitting in every day, and these reviews seem to call out all of those details.
As a mechanic Alex doesn't know shit about cars, and regurgitates shit they find on bs articles online
Idk the whole arm rest thing felt ridiculous to include. Who the hell actually uses them the way he was describing?? If you're holding the steering wheel in any decent way, it's not a problem
Totally agree! Love Alex’s reviews on cars. -ray your wrong hes a Mechanic in his personal life lol -jabba arm rest and cup holders are exactly the things i use daily 🤦🏼♀️
@@TooMuchInfoSir Being a mechanic as a hobby doesnt mean shit in the industry
@@TooMuchInfoSir cup holders are bad for sure. Arm rests felt a little too vehement for what it was
I watched countless videos on the polestar before I bought one and you’re the only one that mentioned the weird ass ergonomics of the cabin, comfort wise and getting in and out of the damn thing, didn’t notice on the test drive (too giddy I guess) but these are very noticeable.
So thank you for pointing them out for anyone else in the future
Totally this. I love my Polestar 2, but the ergonomics is the worst thing about it.
Indeed. Was a bit surprised he didn't mention how the gear knob surround crowds your knee though - that was even more annoying for me than the armrests.
I sat in one at a mall and it was dog crap. Ha hadn't watched a single video about it and I came to my own conclusion that it was crap. Funny to hear the exact same things in the video.
I noticed it during my test drive and it was one of the reasons I crossed it off my list.
Just out of curiosity, would you have refrained from buying it, had you known?
I've had mine since Oct 2020.
Apart from the left arm rest issue mostly everything is spot on.
The centre issue is easily solved, I left my wife so we don't have to fight over the 2nd cup holder.
Back to the arm left rest - I've done 18k miles in and not a had a problem, but if you did then definitely one for people to try out before buying one. Doesn't seem one size fits all.
Best feature is Google maps.
Bruh just left his wife over a cup holder😭
💀💀
i had a right chuckle at the left arm rest point hahahah.
A yes. You left your wife. That also solves the problem with it being insanely expensive.
Same for me. Oh, no rear wiper, but most EV's delete this now 🤣
Having been a passenger in one of these during a serious crash that involved the whole right wheel and suspension being ripped off. I can confirm they are very safe cars. Got out without a scratch.
I am glad you weren't harmed and I'm not disputing that it's safe, but this proves nothing.
@@NoOne24 ^ THIS BUT IN CAPS
He's not trying to proof anything other than he confirms it is safe.
Also: The guy who was torn in half in an accident was unable to comment.
@@NoOne24 I mean, Volvo's X years of producing safe cars proves plenty?
In Ireland and UK we dont really use the door arm rest because we're sitting on the other side, we mainly use the centre arm rest for left arm while the right hand is on the wheel.
Youre just driving on the wrong side of the road 😂
One test that would be good for you guys to test in these EV reviews is whether the brackelights function properly in one pedal mode. i.e whether they turn on under a partial lift off. Some don't!
I see someone watches Technology Connections
@@lger2010 Brethren 🙏 Some of the brake light implementations are near criminal
I actually just checked this on my 23 Polestar last week. The brake light does function in one pedal drive.
Little late to the party but when using the engine Break (is there a separate english term?) Doenst trigger the brake light, so when lifting it a little it acts like a engine break so i guess that would be an explanation
@@IR-MaNu you are correct that it is effectively engine breaking and so they aren't required by law to have the break lights come on. However EVs can decelerate much faster than ICE vehicles under engine breaking due to regen-breaking on one pedal mode which can be very aggressive on some models.
You don't need to "press" the handle first to unlock, just put your hand in the handle and wait for like 0,2s before opening and it will unlock. The only time you need to use the touch button is when locking. ;)
I'm sure you guys already know this, but you should probably either repair or replace the sensor on the camera that was used here. There is a dead pixel in the lower left corner. Great auto review BTW. Loving it.
haha, i saw that and thought crap, my new monitor has a dead pixel.
Thank god I found this comment.
Aging Wheels did great coverage of the car, one of the biggest issues is that not all volvo dealerships can work on the car, it can only be worked on at official Polestar support dealerships, which are pretty rare
I get questions about my Polestar 2 all the time. People have stopped next to me in traffic jams just to ask what car it is. I can't do a border crossing without at least one border guard asking what brand it is. It's honestly the least anonymous car i've ever driven, i'm surprised LMG had a different experience!
I couldn't agree more. I've never had a car that gets so much attention. I love my Polestar 2.
Same here! I feel Tesla's are pretty much ignored these days, there's just too many of those.
@@Havanu81 but does it drive itself
@@slyffr8268 grrrrrr RAWR 😡
@@slyffr8268 Only on highways do I trust this cars autopilot. Anything with lots of intersections, mixed traffic and redlights is a no go. But then again, I first didn't even want to spec the pilot package except for the safety features and the 360 camera. Tesla don't make me feel safe either, btw. It works quite a bit better but I still wouldn't trust it with my life.
I do own one, with the excellent Napa leather interior, performance pack, etc. Your review is pretty much spot on. A real drivers car, but finding that comfortable position can be a challenge, especially for taller drivers where your knee scuffs against the very high center console and the accelerator pedal is too far to the right, no room to rest your foot when using cruise.
Yes, damper adjustment really should be electronic. Rears are not as bad as you demonstrate, you don't need to remove the liner as there is a velcro like section You just separate.
Appearance inside and out is much nicer than the Tesla. I am glad I bought mine, but also understand why many buyers might prefer the Tesla.
The fat center console is because the polestar 2 is based on a gas power platform, the same as the Volvo xc40, so you have a transmission tunnel there
Interesting point few people would consider. Makes it logistically easier, just offer an electric power train option, but weight distribution and functional design features for one power train might make zero sense for another. Like a battery filled frunk would probably handle terribly. 😬
it's still super fat, even compared to non-EVs lol. It's just too crowded
You say that, but I sit right next to a dual clutch 7 speed in my car and it's not even remotely close to that size.
That said, I can't think of literally any market that cares about cup holders like America does. In most countries, you use them maybe for a takeaway coffee on occasion or like you have a water bottle on a longer road trip, we don't tend to use all of them all the time
@@helplmchoking Eeeeh, at least in Sweden most people I've ridden with always use their cup holders. Or they don't technically use them but there's always an old bottle or something in there so it's always in use
Yeah why you need transmission hub in the ev? The 2nd row seats look weird knowing it’s an ev
Put me down as a happy owner of a 2021 (launch edition) Polestar 2 without the Performance Pack. Mine has the ventilated leather seat and I don't have any dampers to adjust. I also applied the Performance Software Upgrade so mine has the extra 68hp and is now even faster. I'm on the shorter side of drivers and for me, the seats and seating position (including armrests and knee position) are completely comfortable. While there are a few small things that Polestar didn't get 100% right, I still find it a much more enjoyable overall package than its main competition (Tesla Model 3). No complaints and it still puts a huge grin on my face even for short drives to the grocery 🙂
I rented one for a month, it’s great. I drag raced so many people at stoplights. I drove it from Virginia to Kansas and back, I ripped it through the West Virginia backroads and it felt so planted with the wide tires and weight on the floor.
I rented a baseline spec polestar two, maybe a little bit higher than that, and I found it to be a very pleasant rental car. For the android automotive system, I actually found that the voice controls worked very well. I was very confused by moving around the touchscreen system. However, it seemed like it was difficult to find things and you kept going around in a circle to get back to stuff, a little weird. My biggest issue with the car was how it decides that it’s ready to start or stop. Instead of using the key fob or a regular key, which I know nobody wants to use regular keys anymore. Whatever, the seat is the button. So if you have the fob in your pocket or it’s in the car, and then you sit in the front seat, then the car is available to you to start listen the radio, whatever. That was confusing at first, but I got used to it pretty easily. What was more confusing was getting out of the car and hoping that it would Turn off. It did, but it wasn’t confidence inspiring that the car would actually shut off and lock when you left it. Several times I had to wait to make sure that the vehicle actually was locked and power down.
I don’t recall having the comfort problems that were noted in this review. I’m pretty sensitive to uncomfortable elbow issues. I did feel like the car was very Enveloping. Like everything seemed higher up than in other cars I’m used to. I didn’t use cupholders in there like that, so that may all be true.
But the one thing that this car absolutely excelled in, and it was not the top spec, Was in acceleration. Especially on the freeway. Going from 40 or 50 mph to 70 or 80 mph was ridiculously powerful. It was very confidence building to make passes. I never felt like I was waiting for anything, the surge of power was just really intoxicating. It worked really really well. I also didn’t have the sunroof, which I appreciated, I’m not a big fan of the current crop of glass roofs that seems to be the trend. I don’t really want the sun on my head all the time. Nobody sat in the back, so I don’t have any impressions of that, but I did have a passenger and they had no complaints either. Charging worked reasonably well, no problems that occurred had anything to do with a pole star, there were some issues with charging stations that didn’t seem to initiate or whatever, but they didn’t have any to the pole star.
But, the feature that told you were charging stations that were compatible Could be found work very well. I never felt like I wouldn’t be able to get to where I needed to go, even when they were problems with finding a charging station that was fully functional. And using the built-in, GPS navigation meant that I could say where I was going, and the system will give me several options for how to make sure I had enough charge to get there. I rented this for a trip from Los Angeles to San Diego and back, with one or two stops along the way each way. I never felt like I was going to be without charging, although I did end up at one mall where the mall itself closed while I was charging, and that caused me to have to walk all the way around the mall in a very strange way. But that wasn’t the fault of the car.
with so many electric cars being so tech forward i really like these reviews. stuff is pointed out that an enthusiast like myself wouldn't consider or car youtubers might not consider. i drove a polestar 2 and although the armrest wasn't an issue for me, i never considered the cupholders! still one of my preferred electric cars though
Cup Holders is less of an issue, open up the center bit, then you have two its honestly not the issue I thought it was. More of an issue is on very long trips the center console being so large hurts my knee so I put a pad against it, daily driving or trips under 4 hours you don't notice it so much.
One of the best looking EVs out there to me personally. Very excited for the other cars Polestar has planned.
Good looks mean nothing if you're basically being *PUNISHED for driving it day-to-day* with probably the worst ergonomics in the EV market (even the poorly made VW ID's are much better on that front) and tech that's >5 years behind Tesla in addition to slipping reliability (Volvos have become very UNreliable following the Geely buyout)... 😮
@@odeiraoloap I didn't argue with the ergonomics, they were clearly presented as sub-par in the video. And yes, the software definitely needs an update as well. Haven't heard anything about reliability-issues but nonetheless, nothing of that takes away from the looks of the car, and that's all I commented on.
@@odeiraoloap I guess if depends on your size or something. I have no issue driving it from ergonomics point of view.
I believe VW is pretty well build mechanically and Polestar build quality is pretty solid also. Things do not rattle like in many Teslas and generally Tesla is way way worse in reliability/quality, while having excellent drive train and fast infotainment.
It's worth knowing the Polestar 2 was based on the Volvo 40.2 concept which debuted next to the 40.1 concept that would go on to be the XC40. While the production version of the 40.2 concept (the S40) was cancelled, it was then picked up by Polestar. Hence the smaller size
He should have driven one with the ventilated leather, the interior is extremely comfortable so you don't have the scratch arm wrest issue
It’s also better than sitting on what feels like a wetsuit
Absolutely agreed. The seats are more comfortable, and i have honestly never had any discomfort from my arm rest whatsoever. My only ergonomic complaint would be that i'd like a little more travel in the steering wheel adjust, but it's already pretty industry stadndard.
@@chton The center console part is so stupid and such a big turnoff tho
It's just a bit of poor design. It shouldn't be "scratchy" at any trim or option, some prefer cloth too lol
You're right. I have the napa leather in mine which really helps to brighten up the interior.
We bought one earlier this year. It’s way better looking than a Tesla in my opinion, and the performance pack really rocks.
Sure, it’s had some software hiccups, but it’s a new product, so I don’t really mind because it works so well.
Agree, cant beat auto dimming mirrors.
And yet what is stupid is how simple they are, a reactive tint with an electric wire and a switch (a sensor).
Swedish cars have had them for decades and honestly I have always been surprised they were not more mainstream.
Have a PS2. Great car. Nitpicks are spot on. I live in the SF Bay Area and Tesla’s are everywhere, so it’s nice having a different premium EV. It’s a fun car and perfect for our needs.
The things like interior position and materials are the things that make you love or hate a car over the long run. Excellent review of why I won’t be buying this car - and I personally LOVE the looks and came looking considering to buy, but I’ve passed on others cars in the past (Audi TTRS looking at you!) for things like unusable arm rests - no matter how good the car is to drive, if you can’t get comfortable it’s junk.
My neighbour has one, and loves it. It definitely looks nice than the Tesla. They do however use the frunk, its something you get used to opening once you've done it a couple of times.
Really interested to see what the EX30 is like.
I've had mine for two years and I never experienced any problems sitting in the driver seat (on the door side), It can get a bit uncomfortable on the other side when using the front cup holder (I'm 190cm / ~6'2"). It probably depends a lot on driving style etc.
Really enjoying the car videos alongside all the other content!
I got mine in December and it's been great. All Alex's criticisms are accurate and warranted, but not dealbreakers for me.
I've spent a lot of time in a Polestar 2 hire car recently, my main concern was charging, which was terrible (didn't work with a lot of chargers in the UK). I think a software update may have resolved these issues because the charging support I spoke to said they didn't have many problems with Polestar usually. The second downside for me is that the windscreen is very low - compared to the Model 3, it's almost like you're sitting in a cave, especially combined with the dark interior. Also the non-haptic play and hazard light buttons are annoying and I accidentally hit both several times.
Although the Model 3 and Polestar 2 are pretty similar on paper, I highly recommend trying both if you're considering a purchase. The m3 interior is minimalist and airy, the p2 is dark, like a cockpit, with surprisingly little headroom (non sunscreen version).
EV is woke junk. Absolute nonsense. GOD never mentioned there was an issue with "climate" in the BIBLE. End this woke nonsense
I own one, I love it, and this review is spot on with many of the nitpicks and grievances. I would buy one again but for anyone considering, it's definitely worth a test drive as they can be polarising. Plenty of opportunity for them to touch up some areas, and excited to see them re-make the whole thing on a bespoke EV platform at some stage.
I have been in this car for multipe roadtrips across Europe that took 24-48 hours each and i was mostly sitting in the back and it was absolutely fine for me.
It's a performance sports sedan with a timeless design. It's a sensible car and when you need some power and fun, it has it.
I wonder if Polestar will come to my country though
I’ll be honest - I LOVE the amount of car reviews you guys are putting out. They are really well done, and showcase tons of EVs I would never have heard of otherwise. Please keep it up!
I got myself a Polestar 2 LRDM performance, Midnight colour... Named the car "Threat Level Midnight". 🙈
Fun as heck to drive (on smooth roads preferably!)
Can confirm, would buy again.
Likewise
naming your car could be the most cringe shit I've ever heard lmao
@@brapbrapskattappgangang5945 tell me you're not a gearhead without telling me you're not a gearhead
Me too although I'm also considering a Polestar 4.
I actually own a Polestar 2 but the single motor version with less hp. still a really nice driving car. Totally agree with Alex tough on all the complaints, espacially th armrest. Took me 10k kilometers to ge use to them.
Would still buy one again but with more power 10/10 :D
I normally like your reviews but some research helps - Polestar doesn't need android auto as its native system IS android (and google) (Android Automotive) - all android phones connect seamlessly with Polestar (And new Volvos) including your google account, and the contacts, play store...it's navigation IS google maps and also syncs with your google maps....
I hope they review the Volvo EX30. At $34k USD it’s the first time I’m actually considering buying an EV.
The Polestar 2 looks great! Test drove one a week ago, just wish there was a smaller cheaper version - not 74k aud.
All I've learned from this video is that I will never ride with Alex because he tries to keep both hands off the wheel.
All I’ve learned from this vid that this is the worst car sveden has ever made
@@abelmogyorosi4007 LOL Volvo may be the parent company, but the Polestar is made in China.
@@TheZoenGamingactually Geely in China is the parent company. They bought Volvo from Ford in 2010.
Polestar used to be a name applied to Volvo’s high performance models. Geely is stated to be more hands off than Ford was. That’s a good thing as the Volvos designed under Ford’s ownership weren’t their best work.
Even the Canadian Government website does not include armrests as an aid to a better driving position and in the UK it would be considered bad control of the vehicle with poor hand positioning on the wheel. I'm sure they must be taught the same in Canada. If not I'm surprised.
@@morstyrannis1951 So. why did you respond to me and not abel? They're the ones who claimed it was made in Sweden.
Incredible car, but the only things I didn't like about it was that the A-Pillar limits the vision to the front sides a little to much and that apple car play only worked with a cable (at least the version I drove (2021/22 model))
Spot on review Alex! I had one of these for a long road trip around Norway. I agree with everything you mention but I must add that the center console is a real deal breaker for me. It's so frickin huge! My right knee was scuffed after the long road trip... Really weird designchoice. Probably batteries in there or something.
yeah. there are batteries.
Never had a problem with knees on the center console. Either you are very tall/big or you didn't adjust the seat/steering wheel properly.
Polestar 2 owner here as well. Definitely can agree with most of the points in the video (and I did offer them mine almost a year ago!). The biggest pain point is definitely the cup holder, but that was covered.
Something that isn't shown here, probably due to filming, is that the car is getting access to Waze, UA-cam, and other big hitters that other brands have sat on for a while. Also looking forward to a nice update when the P*3 drops.
who cares about a cup holder in a car lol.
@@metalvideos1961 people who intake fluids
@@Lethaltail yes hold it. or are you too lazy to hold a drink lol. and if you drive why do you feel the need to take something to drink in the first place. just focus on driving. you people and your cup holder. i am 33 years old never EVER did i need a cup holder in a car. the most useless thing in a car you can imagine.
@@metalvideos1961 People with spouses!
That said, I Still love mine. (The P2 an the spouse)
@@Reahreic well my parents had 3 kids me and my 2 sisters. we never needed a cup holder even if we had 4 of them. never used it once in any car we owned. but maybe its just me. then again we always bought bottles so we could screw the top on again.
Google (and Apple) really needs to start pushing for automakers to use their digital key (with UWB) so that someone other than BMW has that. The car basically runs on Android and they can't get them to use this feature. Also I've read that Polestar's own digital key stuff is not great.
I did buy a fully-loaded Polestar 2. Way prefer it over the competitors.
The best review of this car no other videos i watched had all those small things shown like adjusting suspension or sucky cupholders or the door hand rest.
you kidding? everyone complains about the cupholders rofl. I say this as a very satisfied owner who has printed his own for the car thank you.
@@suvann540i maybe now days but when car just came out 2 years ago or so no one said anything about them or how bad materials on the door etc
@@pavelmusiyenko literally two years ago
ua-cam.com/video/DWgPlAX3Ar0/v-deo.html. And if you've never seen a Kris Rifa review then you have NOT watched all reviews.
@@suvann540i no person on this earth will watch millions of UA-cam channels to find right review. People have fav CH they watch and they stick with them. I wasn't searching for reviews I was watching CH I like. People have jobs and lives outside of UA-cam. So if someone didn't see something you don't have to be a smart ass. I just said what exp I had that's it.
@@pavelmusiyenko you made blanket statements that needed correction. that is all.
Oh my god I have a 2007 Volvo and my biggest gripe is the driver armrest situation. Same as in this, the door armrest is way too small and has exactly zero padding, and the right "armrest" is just the center console which is extremely far back. It sounds impossible but I have in fact gotten used to it, but any time I drive a car besides mine and go back to it it takes a few trips to get back into "no armrest" mode mentally. Volvo is a company that does most things very well but some really random things very not well and those random things have been strikingly consistent over the years.
I got super scared about that red dot, thought my monitor gave up a pixel 😱
Polestar 2 is a very simple choice over the Tesla Model 3. Especially with depreciation. We bought a 3 year old ex-lease Polestar 2 Long Range Dual Motor Pilot Plus earlier this year for £22,000. A third of list price. Insurance is literally a third the price of insuring a Tesla Model 3, too. Ergonomics and build quality are off the chart compared with Tesla too, and as for performance, all wheel drive, 400+ BHP, great for country roads and highways. Lovely little niceties too like Harman Kardon audio, Auto High Beam which dynamically creates a gap in the high beam avoiding oncoming vehicles, the list goes on. It's a beautifully well thought out and implemented vehicle from top to bottom. Except the cup holders. Honestly... What were they thinking. 9/10. It'd get a 10 if more of the interior surfaces were softer and the cup holder situation wasn't so bizarre.
2:47 Red pixel stuck in the video not on your monitor, spooked me for a min
Just had one as a rental car. Drove amazing. But the lack of cup holders, center arm rest, and width for my legs with the center waste of space was rough.
This is a great review. Very thorough. Hopefully car manufacturers see this for future models.
Did you guys have the wheel well mic’d up? Or is the road noise seriously that bad while driving?
There's a random red pixel in the video (confirmed not my monitor). At 3:33 you can see it on the car's shadow on the left.
It’s true. I got a Tesla 2 weeks ago. I loved the look of the Polestar and wanted to want one, but Supercharging is a huge selling point. I’ve read too many horror stories of non-Tesla charging that I just couldn’t go with another brand right now. In a few years when the infrastructure is better and other companies have better charging, I’m sure I’ll go with another brand EV
This is my favorite car. Had a model 3 and model y. NO COMPARISON. Fit and finish is excellent. So much better And although it is a personal thing, so much more beautiful. I also enjoy the fact there are not 20 of them on my block.
I love mine. The leather package is a must. It makes the interior SOOOO much more comfortable. The center console could be better and some of the technology could be better compared to Tesla.
Polestar 2 is actually really popular in europe
As someone who does the school run where teachers open the door for students, regular door handles are a must, or risk paint damage caused by their rings as they flaff around figuring how to operate the door!!
Perfect timing, I might have to go car shopping soon considering my job requires quite the drive.
I am maybe the only one, but i actually love the volumeknop position :)
Just rest my hand ontop of the gearshifter and turn :) Love it
Complaining so hard about the armrest is wild to me bc I've never used a cardoor armrest in my life. In fact I just learned that's meant to be an armrest.
As somebody who drives a 23 polestar 2 (same one he is reviewing.) I absolutely love it and have 0 issue. Besides the storage.
The polestar’s comfort is definitely a duality. As someone who’s 5’2” it’s the most comfortable car I’ve ever driven as I find I don’t have to stretch out weird like in most cars
Some very unique criticisms. Never
heard anyone complain about most of the things you did.
I really like these car reviews. Alex is great at them!
I saw one of these in person the other day. I really like the look of it! Reminds me of the Scion tC, just stretched out a little. Which works pretty well!
Im not sure but Alex just might be Canadian
I really loved drinving the Polestar 2, but my wife absolutely hated the arm rests. They were deal breaker bad. We got an XC40 Recharge instead which has all of the good bits from the Polestar plus tons more storage which is super useful since it's our only car. Anyway, that arm rest, it's so bad it really makes me wonder how they even made it to production
Why is there a red pixel broken at 3:55 on the arm-thingy?
Thought i had a dead pixel on my screen
I can't see it at 1080p, but I got it at 2160p. Which is weird, because I have a 1080p display.
Edit: nevermind, at 1080p it pops in and out sometimes. I suppose this is an artifact of youtube video compression.
I own one :D not the full equipped like the one here tough (2022 SMLR Plus)
One thing not mentionned in the video, is the foot well floor for the driver is not flat. It's so strange to me comming from a Corolla, and it's hard for me to find a comfortable position while using Cruize Control
But yeah, I tried a full quipped car two weeks ago, and everything there is spot on, the kick of the acceleration is really impressive!
Yeeesss another issue, I think the raised floor are for batteries. I guess the CMA platform is kind of SUV oriented and when they tried to lower it, that's the only way to do so. Would be interesting to ask someone with XC40 or C40 to see whether those models have raised floors as well, I bet they don't.
@@fnj1017 I think that some of the space in the floor is used by batteries
It's not a dealbreaker, it just doesn't help. It still is a great car, nothing is perfect ;)
@@MrEradash You're right. Just think it another way, they lowered the front floor so we got more spaces.
3:15 - dead pixel on camera around alex forearm
A few comments. First this is a very good review. But you have to take a few things with a grain of salt. I own a 2023 Polestar 2, and it is hands down the best car I've ever driven. I've had it for a year, and here are my impressions:
1) First, it handles like a dream, just like Alex says in the video. I have driven luxury sedans, very wimpy cars like the Prius, and "sporty" vehicles. Nothing has given me the pickup and confidence that this vehicle does. It takes corners sharply and the acceleration on my 2 motor is insane. While there are Tesla models that can do 0-60 in less, 4.2 seconds is very spry for such a heavy vehicle.
2) As for comfort, Alex looks to be quite a tall person. I am 5'9", and I feel like the car was made for me. The lumbar support hits me in just the right place in the small of my back, and even if it didn't the driver's seat adjustments are all electric and allow you to move just about every dimension of the seat you could want. I used to dread very long drives because my back would start hurting after a couple of hours but I have never once had this problem in my Polestar 2. In short, maybe Alex is just a bit too tall to fit perfectly in this car, but I wish he had fiddled a little more with the seat controls to get it just right for him.
3) Fit and finish, the interior is quiet, after a year nothing is rattling around. As opposed to a comparable Tesla, there is no condensation inside the taillights and all the exterior panels tolerances are very tight. Personally, I think the car looks amazing and when I first got it people were stopping me as I got out to ask me what it was. And this was in a good way--not the mixed bag you get from something like a Cybertruck. I love sitting inside my Polestar 2, because it has a sunroof that has just the right about me tinting that makes it so you don't feel the sun beating down on you but somehow that blue glass makes for a perfect driving experience. It's like I'm in a quiet, top-floor room in an apartment on a Sunday afternoon just cruising down my favorite stretch of asphalt. Perfect.
If it sounds like I'm being too complimentary of my Polestar 2, well, maybe I just haven't experienced true luxury before. I can't afford something like a Rolls Royce Ghost and I would never try to claim this car comes anywhere close in terms of build quality or luxury. But for me, it's just the right mix of practical daily driver and metal-glass work of art that makes me find excuses to go for another milk run or volunteer to "let's take my car" for local adventures.
Am really surprised how the car industry hasn't thought things out about what makes a great car a great car. So many cars come out with so many weird mistakes that seem like they could've been avoided easily had they thought things through.
Corpos are not humans
@@anishj.2390 Never insinuated that they were. They are made of people tho and that's something a lot of people forget.
I still don't quite understand how we went from 30-ish K luxury cars like 15 years ago to 77K "still lacking a lot of features" cars today 😅 That car is literally 1/4th the price of our house. It should be the most perfect vehicle on the road at that point :x
You don't need the word "literally" in your sentence; the fact that it's 1/4 the price of your house implies that it's literal.
@@JustMe99999 it's function is emphasis in this sentence. But yes, if you want to be strict about the rules you could leave that word out.
They're too expensive new, but right now they're a fantastic deal used (in the US). Planning on getting one in September after a vacation where we're renting one for a "test drive". I'm so stoked!
"It's piano black, so it'll collect dust from all over the known universe and actually suck your fingerprints off from across the room!" - Ashens
Waiting for my polestar 2 to be delivered currently.
There are only 3 problems whit the polestar 2...
1 it should be lowerd a little,
2 there should not be Black plastic.
And 3 most important ly, it should have been a Volvo s40 polestar edition.
Wich is why Even thoug i love them, and work on them every day, i got the Xc40 instead.
And orderd an ex30 yesterday 😁💛
Ah yes, the car you said would be getting a review _”soon”_ in the Volvo XC 40 review 2 years ago. Nice.
If you want to test one, Hertz car rental has these at a lot of locations. I was temped once in Houston, but choose the Tesla as my first electric car I had ever rented or driven. Figured it was the safe choice at the time. But now I want to test one on the next opportunity.
Finally he tries the Polestar 2 ! I almost bought one too, I didn't not because of anything in the car, just that it was so bad to deal with Polestar Vancouver that I bought an other car
10:40 In these times of cars being packed with technology, most car owners have given up on fixing stuff as simple (or what was once simple) as changing a light bulb.
There is no way that more than 1 out of 10 owners of an electric car like that can, or want, to change the settings like that.
In other words, they let the garage set it once, and never change it again.
Ah yes we only waited a full year for the review 😂
And it's still a bad one.
@@Dranzell amen i forgot to unsub
@@coledeko I like ShortCircuit, but for everything that is car reviews I just come in, watch 30 seconds, dislike the video and move on (or leave a couple acid comments).
I like Alex videos, but he doesn't belong in car review videos.
@@Dranzell Damn, that’s a pretty lame thing to do.
@@Dranzell are you angry for some reason? You don't have to watch, don't need to be so negative
I like the Polestar 2 a lot, I’m a dyed in the wool Volvo guy with a love for wagons. I recently saw CarWOW do a preview of the upcoming EX30 which is like the older off-road brother based on a Smart car. That to me seems even better because it’s more practical than the P*2, a sedan, even if it isn’t quite as long as a *2.
9:49 that’s about as heavy as a 2000 Volvo V70. In a car thats about a third as practical.
Volvo, what the fuck
@@Pressbutan well ... just quite differnt cars. No reason to compare.
@@mho0 I understand, the P*2 is quite stocky and tall, but isn't that large inside. A v70 is low slung, long, and as roomy as a Grand Voyager without the height. I'm more excited for the EX30, I was watching some videos that imply it could be a hair faster than P*2 with more versatility.
@@Pressbutan
P2 was originally planned to be 40-series Volvo to my understanding = not a big car. So anybody is looking for 'more/maximum' space, P2 is not that.
EX30 seems to be amazing offering from Volvo. Price being biggest surprise for me and also 0-100. But I personally would still pick P2 as it is more sporty to drive.
I btw had also 2001 V70 and it was/is very practical car. I still have V60 PE and while it is roughly same size as V70, V60 feels much smaller.
I didn't realize that people used the rest on the door. I just assumed everyone drove with their left hand and rested their right on the center console.
Same. I think I’ve never touched the left armrest in my life.
@@MaximilianZ96 I didn't even realize it was an arm rest. I just thought it was there to house the controls at a usable angle and a place for the handle used to pull the door closed.
I rest my arms on the door and drive with the same hand. I guess my arms are just long
@@squidwardo7074 with your hand at 12 o'clock?
@@BloodDjimon614 why would you hold the wheel at 12 o'clock position ? Good luck if the airbag goes off.
I've been renting this and am pleasantly surprised. The acceleration and handling is impressive. I would ALMOST buy this too.
As someone who drives a Tesla Model 3 Performance, I take issue with you saying Teslas are boring 😂 0-60 in 3.1s never gets old.
I was considering a PoleStar 2, but like you mentioned, the cabin just doesn't look and feel good. The tablet looks like a 2013 Galaxy Tab eyesore. Also, it's hard to recommend the PoleStar when the Model 3 undercuts it by thousands nowadays and you can get a Model Y for the same price. It's in a weird position
I'm tired of so many manufacturers being completely unable to figure out driver ergonomics. It's the most important part of a vehicle interior, if the driver isn't comfortable, nothing else matters.
Doesn’t a model 3 performance (or even the boosted long range) blow the doors off this in a 0-60? How can the tesla feel weaker when being objectively more forceful and moving faster?
Higher Torque and probably how is delivered
@@PresidentJackBauer that makes sense actually. I wonder why they tune it like that though if it ultimately doesn’t actually push you as far.
Tesla model 3 accelerates slightly faster than the ps2, but only slightly. But for some reason the ps2 still feels better.
@@MCasterAnd 3.1 is not “slightly” faster than 4.2. That’s a big difference side by side
It's the throttle mapping, Polestar's mapping comes on stronger.
Sir after watching this video for 2:49-16:00 of this video im already in love with this car totally. Wish it would be under 19k which i dont think electric vehicles will be cheap.
Dude, i'm sorry to tell you it's 68k
Tall ppl tend to be pround of being taller than most, then get confused that everything isnt made to their specifications.
If ur in the top 95 percentile maybe ur not a priority for mass market products, swings n roundabouts tho- i am average n can hardly reach top shelf in new fridge freezers
It's a nice looking car. I see them on the road and I'm thinking this is the car that everyone thought the Ioniq 5 would actually look like. In the end, the Ioniq 5 which was top of my list for ages, looks very meh IRL. I would get a Polestar 2 at the drop of a hat if I could install a home charger.
I really hope LMG pays Alex well. He has such expensive taste in... everything.
This thing is avg at best, it feels great if u test drive this car coming in from a 10 year old ice car, but if you test drive 4-5 other EVs same week, it just falls apart.
At first it appeared to tick all the boxes, hatchback, styling, range, power.
It was more cramped (especially in the back) than my old Civiv, plastics on back door were hard and cheep, the fake wood was just really cheep plastic with a grain pattern on it, material in the boot was super cheep same as my old civic but that was 18K when new, and the "leather" is not even in the same league as the ionic5, seat comfort avg at best.
Accelerator pedal was weird, kept changing the way it worked, on parking had to press 80% just to go a bit which freaked me out as i thought that was going to slam into the other cars parked across it. For 402hp it felt very underpowered compared to Kia EV6.
Brakes & steering with catastrophically numb. Suspension was avg at best and small amount of cargo storage with seats up.
I did like the touch screen, it was ok and well laid out, glass roof was nice, and the touch reading flood lights were really cool.
Price quoted to me was 20K usd higher than a the AWD ev6 Kia, which had better range, so its a pass.
I wonder, who actually uses cupholders outside of the US? I've never really seen anyone use one in real life to store anything other than some coins or some mints
I sometimes use them on longer drives but even then the bottle would be in the way and I'd rather ask my passenger to keep the bottle in the footwell and hand it to me when Im thirsty.
Polestar 2: after driving more than 4000 kms these are my impressions: The good: handling; power. The average: built quality; infotainment; The bad: consumption; real life range; charging curve; price for the extras. In the end, I bought a Tesla.
We had Model 3 for 4 weeks and then ordered this :)
NGL as as Mach E owner , I do love the Polestar it would be perfect if it had apple car play, EMG charging 800v, and maybe 5-10K cheaper and better 300 MI range
It does have CarPlay fwiw. I got mine for 38k with only 8k miles on it. They depreciate like rocks.
It probably has the best implementation of apple carplay on the market. down to showing apple maps in the gauge cluster with remaining range. he also literally mentions it in the vid.
@@JoshIsReallyAwesome any electric depreciates fast mainly because of maintenance cost and battery life.
Love the loads of sarcastic quips in the review…perfect way to give homage to the hundreds of hours that the Polestar engineers spent to finally deliver this product.
Gonna cry?
Hundreds of hours making a bad product is still a bad product. Simply sitting in the cockpit many problems are so painfully obvious its sad they did that
Lol what do asses and opinions have in common? Everyone has one.
You could spend 100s of hours polishing a piece of shit and it'd still be a piece of shit...
Okay and? Should we ignore all the issues that someone might have with a product? I'm 5'11" and would experience many of the same problem Alex has so If I ever buy a ev then I will definitely use his reviews as one of my sources. He looks at cars in a very similar way to me. Cars are one of the expensive things that people use the most in their lives (at least in the US) that any little problems can easily be magnified because you have to deal with it all the time.
At least with Alex's review, the engineer or designers can actually improve on the design if they want to use his input (like for example: never use piano black for anything people touch).
I rented one of these from Hertz and the car was nearly new. I enjoyed the car but as mentioned the interior was pretty bad. The material was stained and dingy because of the usual rental abuse, but the material seemed very difficult to clean. It kind of just absorbed whatever landed on it.
I drive an EUV and I never thought the EUV's interior would be better than a Polestar.
Polestar looks way better than a Tesla