An fast, smooth and elegant new family electric car
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I have the new and rather exciting 2022 Polestar 2 Long Range Dual Motor for testing. It is an elegant looking fully electric five-seater car. Now you may not have heard of Polestar. They are a sporty, electric-only offshoot of the Volvo brand which I am hoping may make great family-friendly luxury vehicles that I am looking forward to putting through our BabyDrive testing…
Well the fully electric 2022 Polestar 2 EV definitely does not disappoint! It looks fantastic on the outside and I particularly like the front grille and wide grin mouth underneath it. This model has the Performance pack which adds touches like the special orange brakes to the exterior…
… and orange seatbelts to the interior, which are both fantastic accenting details.
The interior seats are upholstered with a vegan fabric which is THE BEST! If an award could be given for the car with the most family-friendly seat upholstery then the Polestar 2 would definitely win! It is so easy to wipe down child spills etc, it retains its shape after having a child seat on it for a week and it feels really nice to sit on, not getting too hot or sweaty like leather sometimes can.
Now back to the child seats! Polestar 2 is a versatile five-seater SUV and you can fit two Infasecure child seats across the back row! Now you do need to pick your child seats carefully and check they fit first but we could fit the Infasecure Attain More and Aspire More across the rear seats.
The rear seats are easy for installing child seats into and I found two Infasecure child seats fit really nicely in the back. The Polestar 2 is a quite narrow car so I found three child seats didn't fit across. I installed the Infasecure Aspire More forward-facing and Attain More rear-facing.
There are ISOFix points in the two outer seats, within plastic guides and nice and easy to connect to.
There are top tether anchorages on the back of all three seatbacks but I did find it a little tricky to post the top tether straps through to the boot as there is no space underneath the rear headrests.
Legroom is fantastic in the Polestar 2 and we found a 186cm driver can sit in front of a rear-facing child seat! Making it a great electric vehicle for taller families.
Passengers in the front have a beautiful interior experience too. It is really minimal, clean and modern with minimal but functional storage.
There are two good size cup holders, one is hidden in the central console box so if you are travelling solo you only need to use the one and the other is hidden.
There is a wireless charging pad and the glovebox holds an iPad and wallet with the manual as well as having the trademark Volvo handbag hook fo the front passenger footwell. As well as shelves for storing phones or glasses  in either side of the central console.
Front door bins will hold a refillable water bottle and wallet fits too.
In the back storage is more minimal and the door bins will only hold a 600ml water bottle.
The map pockets are net so anything stored in them is on display. There are aircon vents in the back of the central console to keep the rear passengers comfortable while you are driving along.
Storage in the boot of the Polestar 2 is really generous and practical for families, it will hold 14 shopping bags when empty which is impressive and the same as a lot of big SUVs.
A twin pram fits in the boot easily with four shopping bags along side it.
The Polestar 2 has a Volvo like boot divider that folds up from the floor and you can divide your boot in two with the ability to hold two shopping bags on hooks.
A medium size dog would travel really comfortably in the boot as well.
We tested the dual motor, long range variant which we found does about 400km to a full battery charge. I found the charging was really easy.
There is an easy to use screen within the media screen for monitoring and controlling your charging…
…Â as well as getting the info on the screen in front of the driver too.
One of my favourite features of the Polestar 2 EV is when you put a destination into the navigation it tells you how much battery you will have when you arrive there. This is gold and takes away the range anxiety you feel for some journeys especially when you have small baby on board.
The Polestar 2 is a really elegant and pleasant car to drive around town and supermarket as well as being fantastic out on the open roads. Being fully electric you can drive your little ones to sleep or you can sit while they sleep in the back with the air-conditioning on and it won't pollute the environment or chew through fuel.
Having the sports pack on this model it apparently goes 0-40km/h in 4.7seconds which is epically fast! It does have a bit of a sportier, harder ride but I didn't find it a problem with my little ones on board.
I found the Polestar 2 to be a narrow  car which makes it is easy to park an manoeuvre around town and school and supermarket carparks.
The media system in the Polestar 2 is quite different and it took me a bit of getting used to. It doesn't have Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.. There is Google Maps and assistance which is good in the media touch screen system.
You can control the heated seats and climate through the media screen as well.
I particularly appreciate the Volume screen which allows your to customise the level of volumes throughout the car especially the individual sound of the distinctive tick indicators.
In reverse the camera image is shark mouth shaped, like in the Volvo XC40 EV Recharge, as well as  having a beautiful 360degree clear camera view.
You can easily turn the paring sensors on and off on the screen.
I really like the Polestar 2, the minimal interior, elegant, smooth and speedy drive and practical boot space make it a great car for a family of four.
The Polestar 2 scored a 5 star ANCAP safety score and has seven airbags as standard.
Dual frontal, side chest-protecting and side head-protecting (curtain) airbags are standard. A centre airbag which provides added protection to front seat occupants in side impact crashes is also standard on all variants.
BabyDrive Indepth
BabyDrive Indepth - Storage
How big is the boot of the 2022 Polestar 2 EV?
The 2022 Polestar 2 EV has a very generous size boot. From empty, I could fit 14 shopping bags in there.
The twin pram fits in the boot of the Polestar 2 EV with four shopping bags.
The tandem pram fits with five shopping bag.
The single pram fits with six shopping bags.
The boot space and its functionality are really important. I like to have a big boot space and little side wells or areas I can divide things into. So something I don’t want to move around while I’m driving such as Bub’s lunch bag or her wet swimming gear can be sectioned off in a little well where it’s not going to spill or get squashed by the rest of the things in the boot.
Hooks for securing shopping bags to are also favourites of mine, I like being able to secure the bag containing more fragile things like eggs so they don’t move around on the journey.
I measure the boot space in freezer shopping bags, prams and dogs. Not because I think all there is to a mum’s life is food shopping, prams and dogs. (Although it can feel like it sometimes!!) But because these are visually mesurable items we can all associate with. For me, the car company boot measurement of litres is not an amount I can easily visualise and 400L in one car may differ in usability to that in another due to the configuration or shape of the space.
The compact stroller fitted with ten shopping bags beside it. Or you could fit a medium size family dog in there if you remove the parcel shelf!
A panel in the boot floor of the Polestar 2 EV can be folded up to create a smaller boot section so you can put your things in the back of the boot space and they will not roll around all over the boot. There are also two bag hooks on there which are good for holding school bags!
Underneath the boot floor there is a generous size hidden storage space too.
The boot floor is flat, which is good for an emergency nappy change and there is an elastic strap on the side walls good for holding balls etc.
How good is storage inside the 2022 Polestar 2 EV?
Storage in the cabin of the Polestar 2 EV is minimal but practical. In the front there are two cup holders in the central console, one is inside the small central console box. They will hold a re-usable or disposable coffee cup and a large refillable water bottle fits in them too.
Below the media screen is a wireless phone charging dock and USBC ports.
Also on both sides of the central console are phone or glasses storage shelves.
The glove box is a good size, it has a shelf in the top for the manual and the bottom section will hold my wallet and iPad with the manual.
The door bins in the front will hold a refillable water bottle and a wallet fits in them too.
In the back, the door bins are small and will only hold a 600ml water bottle.
There are net map pockets on the back of both front seats, in the Polestar 2 EV, that will hold but not conceal an iPad.
There is a USBC socket in the back of the central console box too for rear phone charging.
In a fold-down armrest in the central seatback are two cup holders. They will hold a disposable or reusable coffee cup or a refillable water bottle fits in them too.
BabyDrive Indepth - Noise
How noisy is the 2022 Polestar 2 EV Recharge?
The 2022 Polestar 2 EV is a graceful and quiet BabyDrive! Being a fully electric vehicle it is silent to start, even these cows didn't notice it glide past!
Like the Volvo XC40 EV Recharge you don't press a button to turn it on, just sitting in the drivers seat turns it on and you move it into gear and off it goes!
The Polestar 2 EV is lovely to drive. It is smooth and quiet, you are cocooned from a lot of the usual exterior road noise and stimulation when driving which is great. The model I tested is the long range, dual motor variant with the sports pack added, giving it the orange seat belts and brakes. It also gives it a firm, sportier and slightly harder ride which we didn't find was a problem and the family all enjoyed it!
It also meant the Polestar 2 is incredibly fast! Doing 0-100km/h in 4.7seconds! Making accelerating into roundabouts etc a cinch!
The media system in the Polestar 2 EV is a large portrait touch screen which took me a bit of getting used to, I'm sure if you owned the car then you'd soon get used to it!
The controls for most things in the car that would usually be controlled by buttons and dials on the dashboard and central console are within the media screen. Like the climate controls and heated seats.
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The Polestar 2 doesn't have Apple CarPlay or Android Auto so I found accessing and using my phone more difficult while driving. Instead it has Google maps and you can add Apps like your Spotify account etc.
One of my favourite screens in the media system is the volume screen where you can customise the volume of most things which is great if you have noise sensitive kids or adults!! The Polestar 2 has a very distinctive sound for it's indicator. My little one kept saying “what's that noise mummy?”
There is a Range Assistant screen which tells you your estimated battery range, what your consumption is etc while driving and also allows you to minimise your climate usage and optimise your range which I found helpful on some journeys.
There is also a charging screen, where you can set a charging schedule etc.
Charging the Polestar 2 EV is simple plug in at the end of each day ready for the morning with our daily family school drop off and office commute usage.
The screen in front of the driver is concise and clear to let you know when it will be charged by, so you can plan for the next day.
I also found the navigation to be really well integrated so it would show me how much battery I would have when I arrived at a destination which is really useful to take the range anxiety out of longer or unknown journeys.
The Polestar 2 has a crisp and clear 360degree birds-eye camera image which is great.
However when you put it into reverse the view is much smaller and shark mouth shaped which is disappointing.
You can easily control the parking sensor beep on the screen too.
Becoming a parent I soon realised there are some noises and sounds I feel are unnecessary and I could happily live without if it meant my baby stayed asleep!!
That often the distraction of my screaming, distressed baby is more dangerous when driving than not having a lane departure warning for example.
If it is the lane departure warning beeping that creates distress with my baby then which is safest?
It’s where I think we need to be able to strike a balance and choose when we can mute the warnings or swap them to a vibration in the steering wheel or flashing light perhaps?
A lot of these noises come with the increase in technology and especially linked to safety features and alerts. For me these all have their place.
Another thing I have realised is I spend my time in a lot more places where small children roam, parks, beaches, play gyms, swimming lessons, daycare centre etc. I have become more aware that when I’m reversing or manouvering in the car parks I have to tripple check for small children running around behind me or being in my blind spot when reversing. For this I LOVE reversing cameras, I just don’t like their beeping sounds!!
I have become so much more aware of safety and potential accidents or hazards since having a child and so I love the peace of mind that I get from the cameras and sensors combined with my own vision from windows and mirrors as I don’t trust cameras alone.
BabyDrive Indepth - Car Seats
How many child seats fit in the 2022 Polestar 2 EV?
There are three top tether anchorages in the back of the Polestar 2 EV's rear seat backrests. The outer two are clearly marked and easy to connect to through the boot.
The central top tether anchorage in the Polestar 2 is below the hatch door and not marked but nice and easy to connect to. The same as in the Volvo XC40 EV Recharge.
There are ISOFix points in the two outer rear seats of the Polestar 2 within plastic guides, they are nice and easy to connect to.
Two Infasecure child seats fit really comfortably in the back of the Polestar 2 EV, forward-facing or rear-facing in the cars outer seats. I installed the Infasecure Aspire More forward-facing and the Achieve More rear-facing.
Legroom is really good in the Polestar 2 EV and we could fit a 186cm driver in front of a rear-facing Infasecure Attain More child seat.
Posting Bub into their child seat from inside and outside the car is really nice and easy in the Polestar 2 EV. The doorways are nice and wide and although the ceiling is lower than in an SUV there is still good height to post Bub into their seat.
Australia being a country of weather extremes; blazing sun and torrential rain, mean you may find it easier to put Bub into their seat from inside the car sometimes. If it’s hot you can get the air-con going, cool the car down and not stand out in the sun while you fasten them in or shelter from the rain and not get soaked yourself whilst you’re doing it. So it is important to test whether Bub can be easily installed from either direction!
There is plenty of room to feed bub in the back if you only have one child seat installed.
BabyDrive Indepth - Drive & Comfort
How comfortable is the 2022 Polestar 2 EV? And How good is the 2022 Polestar 2 EV to drive?
In the front of the Polestar 2 EV, the cabin is beautifully minimal.
The front seats are very comfortable with adjustable base length and electronic adjustments.
The Polestar 2 seats are upholstered with a vegan fabric which is THE BEST for families. I am sure it is unintentional but they are so easily wiped clean from any child spill and look like new again. They only have minimal panelling and I love the highlighting orange seatbelts, part of the sports pack.
For a mum travelling in the back with Bub, the seats are comfortable at the sides but in the central seat I could feel the firm back caused by the drop-down armrest.
I could not fit between two child seats in the back but in the side seat I find the back of the Polestar 2 EV very comfortable to travel in with a generous amount of legroom.
For the first year of my baby’s life when we would go out as a family, if I wasn’t driving, I would travel in the back with Bub so it’s important to check the back seat comfort as you may be spending a lot of time in them! They were never something I gave any thought to before but I definitely notice a good or bad back seat now!
The steering wheel is fully adjustable in/out and up/down.
Cruise control is incredibly accurate in the Polestar 2 EV and the controls are nice and simple to use.
There are four air-conditioning vents across the front dashboard; one at either end and behind the central media screen.
There are aircon vents in the back of the Polestar 2 EV which is great for keeping rear passengers the right temperature. There are also rear heated seat controls and a USBC socket for rear charging too. The controls for the aircon are within the media screen and are quite simple to reach and use while driving.
Visibility out of the windows is good in the Polestar 2 EV and I especially like the 360degree camera when parking and manoeuvring.
One thing I have noticed since being a mum is I hate it when I reach a destination or get home from being out and Bub has either done really well in the car or she is screaming her head off and I have done really well to keep it together for the entire journey (usually the latter!!) and it takes 10 minutes to park the car! It can be really stressful. Usually I dread parking new cars as they take longer in our tight apartment block carpark, but the Polestar 2 was easy to park.
Aesthetically the Polestar 2 EV is an elegant electric car, it looks distinctive on the outside and the interior is calm and minimal and somewhere that is enjoyable to spend time. It is incredibly practical for families, with the large boot space and excellent legroom even when using rear-facing child seats. As well as all the benefits of being fully electric.
For Child Occupancy protection the Polestar 2 EV scored 87%.
ANCAP said of the testing: In both the frontal offset and side impact tests, protection was GOOD for all critical body areas for both the 6 year and 10 year child dummies.
The Polestar 2 is fitted with lower ISOFix anchorages on the rear outboard seats and top tether anchorages for all rear seating positions.
Installation of typical child restraints available in Australia and New Zealand showed most child restraints could be accommodated in most rear seating positions, however the Type A capsule could not be correctly installed in the rear outboard seating positions, one of the selected Type A convertible seats could not be correctly installed in rearward facing mode using the ISOfix anchorages, and one of the selected booster seats could not be correctly installed in the centre rear seating position.
Seven airbags come as standard;
Dual frontal, side chest-protecting and side head-protecting (curtain) airbags are standard. A centre airbag which provides added protection to front seat occupants in side impact crashes is also standard on all variants
Some of these safety features are also features that drive me crazy as a mum! Like the lane departure and forward collision alert or the parking sensor beeping sound. I want all the safety technology AND to be able to mute the sound when Bub's asleep!
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