Polestar has given its ubiquitous EV, the Polestar 2, a comprehensive mid-life refresh. Model year 2024 cars will get an all-new look, more power, faster charging and an updated battery pack for range of up to almost 395 miles.

The Polestar 2 has been a notable success for the brand and we’re big fans of it at Discover EV scoring it 4.5 out of five stars. It is, however, three years old and whilst it still holds up against more recent opposition, Polestar has given the 2 a major overhaul for MY 2024 cars.

New design and more standard equipment

With the Polestar 3 on its way and bringing new design language with it, Polestar has seen fit to refine the 2 so the two cars share an obvious brand link. Truth be told, it’s the front end which has been given the once over, gaining the brand’s ‘SmartZone’ which hosts the front-facing camera and mid-range radar. New 20 inch forged alloys can also be had as part of the Performance Pack (a worthwhile addition when specifying a Polestar 2).

Alongside the SmartZone front end which hosts some of the car’s sensors, standard equipment has been upped, making more of the myriad of these devices. All cars now come with Blind Spot Information System with steering support, cross traffic alert with brake support, and rear collision warning and mitigation, as well as a 360-surround camera and auto dimming mirrors. Wireless charging is also standard.

New powertrains with more power

Like the new Volvo XC40 and C40, Polestar has switched single motor versions of the Polestar 2 from front- to rear-wheel drive. A brand-new motor lifts power from 228bhp and 243lb-ft to 295bhp and 361lb-ft – a chunky increase which sees 0-62mph drop by 1.2 seconds, down to 6.2 seconds.

Dual motor versions now have this more powerful motor on the rear axle with a less powerful front motor, offering a rear-biased powertrain for better dynamics. In total, power is up to 415bhp and 546lb-ft for 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds, but perhaps more impressively, efficiency has been improved thanks to the fact that the front motor is only engaged when required.

If that much power isn’t enough, the Performance Pack raises it to 469bhp, dropping the 0-62mph time to 4.2 seconds. Any long-range dual motor car can be upgraded via an over-the-air software update if owners desire.

More range, quicker charging and greener

Long-range versions of the 2 get an upgraded 82kWh battery from CATL with 27 modules and improved cell chemistry to enable charging at up to 205kW DC. The standard-range 69kWh battery from LG Chem can be charged at up to 135kW.

Thanks to the cell improvements as well as power optimisation, Long Range Dual Motor variants can travel up to 367 miles when the front motor disengage function is used. This is over 60 miles more than the previous model. Standard range single motor versions are capable of up to 322 miles, whilst the cruiser of the bunch is the long range single motor version, which tops out at 394 miles on the WLTP test.

Alongside performance improvements, Polestar has brought the car’s carbon footprint down by 1.1 tonnes thanks to the better battery chemistry.

Price and availability

Updated Polestar 2s are available to order now with deliveries starting in the third quarter of 2023. Prices start at just over 50,000 euros or £44,230 – for the standard range single motor. Long range single motors will be around £47,580, long range dual motors from £51,280 or £57,010 with the Performance Pack. These prices may vary once UK specs are finalised