Star turn

James Batchelor takes an in-depth look at a strong performer in our Towcar of the Year competition

The Polestar 2 boasts impressive acceleration

One electric vehicle with which we’ve been mightily impressed is the Polestar 2 – in fact, both the Long Range Single Motor and Dual Motor versions have picked up awards in recent Towcar of the Year competitions. Let’s take a more in-depth look at the latter.

While some carmakers have dipped their toes into the world of electric cars in recent years while still selling a range of petrol and diesel models, Swedish brand Polestar is all-out electric (putting aside its ultra-exclusive plug-in hybrid coupe called Polestar 1).

Up until 2024 and the launch of the larger ‘3’ SUV and ‘4’ coupe-SUV, it was the Polestar 2 that solely propelled the brand (whose parent company is Volvo) in the electric car space. It’s chiefly known as the first true rival to the mighty Tesla Model 3, and while more car brands have joined this mid-sized saloon/hatchback market, the Polestar 2 arguably still manages to cut a more premium, aspirational character.

The Swedish firm gave the 2 a mid-life update in 2023, with the only real exterior modification being to the ‘grille’, replacing the earlier black one with a sleeker, body-coloured version that featured a ‘SmartZone’. It’s a panel that hides the car’s radar and sensors for the advanced safety features, which also heats in winter to allow the tech to work should it be covered in snow.

Under the skin the changes were far more comprehensive. The 2 shares a platform with the Volvo XC40, and when the electric version of that car switched from front- to rear-wheel drive, so did the Polestar 2. It promoted a more engaging driving experience (with the dual motor four-wheel drive models also getting a more rear-biased power set-up), but more importantly brought big efficiency gains.

Comfort – 72%

Rear seats can be heated if you have the optional Climate Pack

Polestar hasn’t played with the interior, however. The cabin looks as good as it did when the 2 launched four years ago, trumping its key rivals both in terms of quality and functionality. As is the norm now, the vast majority of the car’s features are controlled via the 11in touchscreen and, while that would normally draw criticism from me, there are two reasons why I’m not moaning. Firstly, the menus are all simply laid out, the typography is beautiful and the icons (mostly) are bold. Secondly, and more importantly, the operating system is Google-based, so it works quickly and hand-in-hand with Google Maps and Google’s voice command system – both of which are a cinch to use.

The interior is packed with great design touches (the Polestar logo projected onto the standard-fit glass roof is a favourite) and everything is vegan-friendly (although animal welfare-traced Nappa leather can be had as an option), but you may wonder about space. A Tesla Model 3 feels more airy while the Volkswagen ID.7 has lots more knee room (you can blame the 2’s hump in the floor for a lot of this – a downside to the car pinching the XC40’s platform).

The boot, though, is of a decent size; the boot divider that flips up to separate items even features hooks on which you can hang shopping and bags. Desirable options are neatly packaged in bundles. The Climate Pack is worth the £900 Polestar charges as it adds heated front and rear seats, heated steering wheel and headlight nozzles, as well as a heat pump – the latter crucial to eke out the car’s range if you’re towing in winter months. A partially electrically deployable towbar is a surprisingly pricey £1,200, while the maximum towing capacity is 1,500kg.

Driving – 75%

Smart cabin with 11in touchscreen

Regardless of which model you go for, the ride is a little on the firm side. Go for the Pro pack or Performance pack with their 20in wheels and adjustable Öhlins suspension, and things improve somewhat. But a firm ride translates into decent body control, and when you’re towing, a very settled outfit.

The steering may not be the sharpest, but this is an easy car to drive. In Dual Motor Performance set-up, the car absolutely flies – it has 469bhp and 0-62mph takes four seconds. The simpler Long Range Dual Motor, tested here, makes do with ‘just’ 416bhp, which translates into a 0-62mph sprint time of 4.3 seconds. Compared with the Volvo XC40 Recharge/EX40, the power feels better deployed and more suited to a lower-to-the-ground hatchback than an SUV. It’s a very pleasant car to drive, if a little noisy on the motorway.

Towing – 80%

Folding towbar with electric release

If you need four-wheel drive then this Long Range Dual Motor is the pick, but if you can do without then the Long Range Single Motor could be the better option as Polestar says it has a range of over 400 miles (when driving unhitched).

If you can forgo the extra traction that comes with dual motors, then the rear-driven single motor car really is the natural choice when you bear in mind how towing affects electric range. In normal, unhitched driving in early autumn, I found the Long Range Dual Motor could easily manage 3.5 miles per kWh (or 28.3kWh/100mi) which equates to 273 miles (note that Polestar says this model can do 344-369 miles). In a test carried out separately from this review, I got 1.7 miles per kWh, or 133 miles, towing a regular 1,500kg trailer. When you do the sums, going for the model that has a stated 400-plus miles of solo range makes sense.

This very car was used in the 2025 Towcar of the Year competition, and the judges were hugely impressed by its turn of speed and how it deployed its power. When towing a 1,500kg caravan, it’s incredibly smooth and feels very balanced, with very little tugging from the rear end.

There were a couple of practical niggles related to towing. Firstly the wing mirrors; while nicely designed, they are unusual in that they operate in a different fashion from most mirrors on cars.

When adjusting, the whole mirror moves rather than the glass. There’s no bezel, so the only towing mirrors that can be attached are ones that fix by suction to the glass, therefore rendering the main glass unusable. Secondly, the car’s sloping roofline and chunky C-pillar means reversing when hitched is a little trickier than it could be.

Verdict – 76%

Stylish front lights

The Polestar 2 is a very likeable car – it’s stylish, feels classy, is good to drive and can travel long distances unhitched before needing to be topped up with electricity. It’s also a great towcar – stable and very refined. It’s not perfect but we are big fans.