In September last year, we spied a prototype of the facelifted Polestar 2 showing some small visual tweaks on the outside. At the time, we weren’t completely sure whether the refresh will also bring hardware upgrades but the 2024 Polestar 2 is now here with big improvements all around, making the electric liftback an ever more appealing offering on the EV market.

Starting with the styling, the said spy shots hinted at a revised front fascia and for the 2024 model year, the crossover gets a new grille inspired by the Polestar 3. The closed-off panel is home to the so-called SmartZone, which is where some of the vehicle’s cameras and radars are mounted. There’s also a new set of 20-inch forged alloy wheels, as well as available Michelin all-season tyres for the standard 19-inch wheels.

Gallery: 2024 Polestar 2

The changes under the skin are way more important, though. New electric motors are fitted to both the single-motor and more powerful dual-motor versions. The 2024 Polestar 2 also becomes the first model of the company to be available with rear-wheel drive as the base model is now powered by its rear wheels as opposed to the outgoing FWD entry-level variant. This RWD model has a maximum power of 295 bhp (299 PS / 220 kilowatts) and 361 pound-feet (489 Newton-metres) of torque, up from 228 bhp (231 PS / 170 kW) and 243 lb-ft (330 Nm) on the previous base version. The sprint to 60 miles per hour (96 kilometres per hour) takes 5.9 seconds.

As for the dual-motor Polestar 2, it now has a rear-drive bias and a new rear electric motor which is the primary source of drive. The system output goes up to 416 bhp (421 PS / 310 kW) and 546 lb-ft (740 Nm) versus 402 bhp (300 kW) and 487 lb-ft (660 Nm) previously. If you go for the optional Performance Package, the crossover will be even more powerful at 469 bhp (476 PS / 350 kW) matching the power of the Polestar 2 BST Edition 270 and offering a 0-60 mph (0-96 kph) acceleration in just 4.2 seconds. Interestingly, the front electric motor can be disengaged completely when not needed and when the driver hits the acceleration pedal, it will re-engage instantly to deliver additional power.

Variant

Drivetrain

Battery capacity

Max charging speed, DC

Preliminary range, WLTP

Power

Torque

0-62 mph

Price

Long range Dual motor with Performance Pack

AWD

82 kWh

205 kW

Up to 368 mi

350 kW
476 ps

740 Nm
546 lb-ft

4.2s

£57,950

Long range Dual motor

AWD

82 kWh

205 kW

Up to 368 mi

310 kW
421 ps

740 Nm
546 lb-ft

4.5s

£52,950

Long range Single motor

RWD

82 kWh

205 kW

Up to 395 mi

220 kW
299 ps

490 Nm
361 lb-ft

6.2s

£48,950

Standard range Single motor[2]

RWD

69 kWh

135 kW

Up to 322 mi

200 kW
272 ps

490 Nm
361 lb-ft

6.4s

£44,950

2024 Polestar 2
2024 Polestar 2

There’s a new battery, too. It is installed on the Long-range version and has a capacity of 82 kilowatt-hours, allowing for an expected WLTP range of up to 395 miles (635 km). The maximum charging speed is also improved and in this version, it is now 205 kW. All versions of the 2024 Polestar 2 gain range improvements thanks to the optimisation of power delivery, as well as the front motor disconnect function on the Long-range version.

The Swedish electric performance automaker says there will be more standard equipment to increase overall value. The list includes a standard wireless phone charger for all versions, a 360-degree camera, LED fog lamps with cornering assist, auto-dimming door mirrors, adaptive cruise control, and others.