Polestar 2 220kW 82kWh Long Range SM Prime Review
A beautifully built electric fastback that feels every bit as premium as you’d hope, covers serious motorway miles with confidence, and stays easy to live with once you get home.
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Prime spec highlights
- 19" Aero black diamond cut alloy wheels
- Cruise control with adjustable speed limiter
- Front and rear parking sensors with 360-degree camera
- Google Maps with Google Assistant
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Heated front and rear seats
- Heated WeaveTech multifunction steering wheel
- Fixed panoramic sunroof
- Harman Kardon premium sound system
- Electric tailgate with soft closing
Driving experience
Our test started in Belper, where the car was dropped off in the morning and parked on the local EV charging stand. Later that evening we had a run down to Surrey for a meeting with a new client, heading south on the motorway network with the usual traffic at the lower part of the M1 and then the M25 past Heathrow before arriving at the Hilton in Gatwick.
The drive down was a breeze. The built-in Google navigation is one of the Polestar’s best features — informative, easy to follow and just plain intuitive to use. It’s one of those systems that works so well you stop thinking about it, which is exactly what good in-car tech should do.
The next morning we stopped at GRIDSERVE for a top-up while enjoying a Costa Coffee, then headed around ten miles from Gatwick to meet the client at their warehouse. On those more winding roads the Polestar 2 had no issues at all. Later, on the long run back to Derbyshire, it again proved why so many people like these cars: it’s composed, reassuring and very easy to settle into.
We also used the car several times over the few days we had it, including a drive through the Peak District on more familiar roads. Being rear-wheel drive, it didn’t slip under hard acceleration and it stuck to corners like it was running on railway tracks.
Range, charging & motorway use
The real standout here is the range. On the trip back north we were keeping an eye on things and, by the time we reached Leicester Forest East, it looked like we might need a quick top-up. Unfortunately the charger there was out of order, so we took the gamble and carried on.
We made it back to our house with 5% remaining. That’s impressive enough on its own, but what really stood out was how honest the range felt. Watching the odometer against the predicted range, the Polestar seemed pretty much on par, which is rare for an EV and does a lot to reduce range anxiety.
In our hands it covered almost 500 miles across the few days we had it with minimal electricity added in, which makes it feel like a genuinely usable long-distance electric car rather than something you constantly have to manage.
Family practicality & everyday use
Over the few days we had it, the Polestar 2 proved very easy to live with. There’s plenty of storage, and two kids fitted in the back easily with the relevant car seats in place. That’s important, because this is the kind of car that needs to work both as a motorway cruiser and as something you can use for school runs, shopping and family weekends.
The cabin has that beautiful Volvo-like build quality that makes the whole thing feel solid and thoughtfully made. If you like understated Scandinavian-style interiors, the Polestar 2 absolutely delivers.
The only real tech annoyance for us was Apple CarPlay. We couldn’t get it to work wirelessly and had to fall back to using a cable. We thought this model had introduced wireless Apple CarPlay, but it didn’t seem to work for us on test.
Pros & cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Excellent real-world range with very believable estimates | Wireless Apple CarPlay didn’t work for us |
| Google Maps built-in is genuinely brilliant | Leicester Forest East charger being out of order highlighted public charging frustrations |
| Beautiful build quality with a proper premium feel | Choosing between this and a BMW i4 is not straightforward |
| Easy family car with good storage and rear-seat usability | Some buyers may still prefer Tesla’s ecosystem or charging advantage |
| Rear-wheel-drive handling feels planted and confidence-inspiring | — |
Top accessories I’d pair with the Polestar 2
- Type 2 charging cable (32A) (handy backup for untethered chargers)
- Front + rear dash cam (ideal for long motorway runs)
- USB-C cable for CarPlay (useful if wireless CarPlay plays up)
- Boot organiser (great for cables, bags and family gear)
- Rubber floor mats (Peak District and UK weather proofing)
- Screen-safe microfibre cleaner kit (for keeping that cabin tech tidy)
FAQs
Is the Polestar 2 good for long motorway journeys?
Yes — our run from Belper down to Gatwick and back showed it’s an easy, relaxed long-distance EV with range that feels unusually honest.
How accurate is the range estimate?
Very good in our experience. Watching the odometer against the displayed range, it felt pretty much on par, which is rare and very reassuring in an electric car.
Is the Polestar 2 practical for family use?
Yes — there’s plenty of storage, and two kids fitted easily in the back with the relevant car seats. It’s very easy to live with day to day.
Does wireless Apple CarPlay work?
We couldn’t get wireless Apple CarPlay to work on our test car and had to use a cable instead.
Would you choose it over a Tesla Model 3 or BMW i4?
We can see exactly why many car subscription customers choose it over the Tesla Model 3, and we think it sits on a very similar level to the BMW i4 Gran Coupé. Picking between the Polestar and BMW is genuinely difficult.
Verdict
The Polestar 2 220kW 82kWh Long Range SM Prime is one of those EVs that just gets a lot right. It feels premium, drives with real confidence, has navigation that actually improves the experience, and delivers the kind of range that makes long trips feel realistic rather than stressful.
It’s also properly easy to live with, whether that means carrying the family, heading into the Peak District, or doing a motorway run from Derbyshire to Gatwick and back. The one annoyance for us was the lack of working wireless CarPlay, but that wasn’t enough to spoil what is otherwise a very polished package.
We completely understand why so many subscription customers choose this over a Tesla Model 3. And as for the BMW i4 Gran Coupé? Honestly, it’s neck and neck. We’d find it pretty hard to choose between the two.
