2022 Polestar 2 Single Motor First Drive: Sometimes Less Is Better

It's fair to say we found the 402-hp, all-wheel-drive Polestar 2 Dual Motor electric car a little disappointing. We thought it looked too much like a Volvo, and its high waistline and shallow greenhouse made the interior feel cramped. We were prepared to accept it couldn't match the Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD in terms of range, but we were surprised the Swedish newcomer didn't ride or handle as well, either.

The 2022 Polestar 2 Single Motor still looks like a Volvo, and its interior still feels a little cramped. And, as the name suggests, compared with the Dual Motor model it has half the motivating power and fewer driven wheels. So, it's more of the same, then, only slower.

Not so … er … fast.

Yes, it's slower. With its 231-hp, 243-lb-ft e-motor driving only the front wheels, the 2022 Polestar 2 Single Motor takes about 7.1 seconds to reach 60 mph, about 3 seconds slower than the all-wheel-drive Dual Motor model. But it's not exactly an underachiever. For context, the Single Motor is about as quick to 60 mph as the 272-hp, 280-lb-ft Acura TLX 2.0T, even though it weighs 427 pounds more.

Blame the battery for the avoirdupois. Because the 2022 Polestar 2 Single Motor has the same 78-kWh battery as the Dual Motor (an entry-level version of the Single Motor with a 64-kWh battery pack is available in Europe), the 4,400-pound Polestar 2 Single Motor is just 300 pounds lighter than the all-wheel-drive car. This means a significantly worse power-to-weight ratio than the Dual Motor, each horsepower having to kick 19.0 pounds into motion rather than 11.4.

But that big battery—it has a usable capacity of 75 kWh, Polestar says—delivers an EPA-rated range of 265 miles compared with the Dual Motor's 249-mile rating. And with a sticker price of $45,900 (before federal, state, and utility incentives), the Single Motor will cost $4,000 less than the Dual Motor when it goes on sale in the U.S. late this year.

This translates to more miles for less money, and it makes the Polestar 2 Single Motor worth a second look.

Our biggest beef with the Polestar 2 Dual Motor was its stiff and jittery ride, courtesy of the optional Performance Pack fitted to all the test cars. The Performance Pack added 20-inch forged-aluminum wheels with low-profile 245/40 Continental SportContact 6 tires and motorsport-spec Öhlins dual flow valve manually adjustable shocks. Not merely firm, the Öhlins units also have sophisticated rebound valving that seeks to eliminate almost all secondary body motions. As a result, the Polestar 2 Dual Motor felt like an irresistible force colliding with immovable objects, even over the slightest bumps.

Our 2022 Polestar 2 Single Motor test car was also fitted with the optional 20-inch wheels, though shod with slightly more compliant 245/40 Continental PremiumContact 6 rubber. But it also rode on regular shocks rather than the race-ready Öhlins and felt better for it. They allowed the chassis to breathe over the random humps and heaves you find off the racetrack on real-world roads.

The ride was still firm, especially over sharp bumps, but it wasn't harsh. The Single Motor's standard 19-inch wheel fitted with softer-sidewall 245/45 Michelin Primacy 4 tires would further improve the ride. But even on the 20s, the Polestar 2 Single Motor felt more comfortable and composed than the Volkswagen ID4 we drove previously on the same roads.

The 2022 Polestar 2 Single Motor also steers more concisely than the VW, reacting readily to initial steering inputs. You can lean more on the front end than you can in the ID4, and even though it is front-wheel drive, the Polestar 2 can go to power earlier than in the rear-drive Volkswagen.

Intriguingly, the Single Motor also feels more engaging to drive than the Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric, which shares its 402-hp, 487-lb-ft powertrain, 78-kWh battery, and much of its basic architecture with the Polestar 2 Dual Motor. The Polestar 2 has noticeably better steering and brake feel, and because the wheelbase is 1.3 inches longer than the Volvo's and because it rides an inch closer to the blacktop, the chassis feels more composed, too.

The Single Motor initially seems curiously lethargic off the line for an electric vehicle. The reason: Polestar dialed a degree of nonlinear response into the accelerator to help those with less sensitive right feet drive more smoothly. The trademark EV "swoosh" is still there; you simply must depress the accelerator pedal further than expected to activate it. Enthusiast drivers would welcome a Sport mode setting that sharpens the accelerator pedal response a fraction. But that's one thing you can't change about the way the 2022 Polestar 2 Single Motor drives.

The car icon on the central touchscreen opens a simple vehicle settings menu. You can choose whether to have the car creep forward the moment you lift your foot off the brake, how much regeneration you want when you lift off, and whether you want steering weight that's lighter or firmer than the standard setup. You can also switch the stability control into Sport mode.

Polestar's standard regen setup is very strong and allows for easy one-pedal driving around town, your foot scarcely needing to touch the brake pedal. Even the low-regen setting slows the car noticeably the moment you lift off.

Switch the regen off completely if you enjoy driving, as it allows the Polestar 2 Single Motor to coast the moment you lift off the accelerator. The car feels freer to drive in this setting, especially on the freeway and on country roads, but also even around town. And because all braking events up to 0.30 g are done via regeneration anyway, there won't be extra wear and tear on the brake pads and rotors.

Oh, and keep the steering in the standard setting. The firm setting merely adds more effort without increasing feel, and the light setting makes the transitions as you turn the wheel through the heavily weighted on-center position feel slightly nonlinear.

Although the EPA rates the 2022 Polestar 2 Single Motor's range at a useful 265 miles, as with internal combustion engine vehicles, your mileage may vary. Our test car arrived with 98 percent charge in the battery and showed a range of 260 miles. It returned with 27 percent charge remaining and a displayed range of 72 miles after a 157-mile test loop that included sections of freeway cruising at 70 to 80 mph—with a couple of discrete bursts to 99 mph—plus stretches of fast and slow country-road running and stop-start city traffic. The trip computer showed consumption of 32.7 kWh/100 miles.

Now to the elephant in the room: Tesla. On paper, the Polestar 2 Single Motor lines up against the Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus, the only single-motor Model 3 you can buy. The EPA-rated range for both is virtually identical—the Model 3 Standard Range Plus is rated at 263 miles—but the rear-drive American car is nearly 2.0 seconds quicker to 60 mph, has a 40-mph-higher top speed, and costs $5,000 less.

The Tesla is cheaper, quicker, and faster primarily because it has a smaller, lighter battery it uses much more efficiently to deliver comparable range. In terms of raw numbers, it's hard to argue against it. But the chunky, premium 2022 Polestar 2 Single Motor offers a more luxurious interior with sensible ergonomics and a more intuitive user interface. It also delivers far better build quality throughout, and active and passive safety features engineered by an automaker that knows this stuff better than almost anyone else in the business.

If you find the Spartan Model 3 just a bit crude in terms of its touchy-feely bits, or simply want to stand apart from the Tesla tribe, the 2022 Polestar 2 Single Motor is a worthy alternative.