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Why This Electrical Automobile Is Good for Life within the Netherlands
Apr
Hiya, lovely individuals! Right this moment I’m sharing my trustworthy Polestar 2 evaluation with you and let you know why it turned out to be the right electrical automobile for our life within the Netherlands. In the event you’ve been following me for some time, you may bear in mind method again in 2015 after I wrote about shopping for a 2015 Toyota Prius 3 in Sea Glass Pearl. That was my stress-free automobile shopping for expertise in Florida with Dave negotiating like a champion. Effectively, this time across the automobile shopping for journey was pushed by a totally totally different set of wants, and I ended up with a completely electrical automobile that I completely love.
The Polestar 2 was bought by me. All opinions my very own.
Polestar 2 Assessment: Why This Electrical Automobile Is Good for Life within the Netherlands
From the Prius to the Polestar 2: Our EV Journey
When Dave and I moved to the Netherlands in November 2025, we knew we would wish a automobile that would deal with European roads. I don’t simply imply highways; I imply the slender residential streets, the tiny parking spots on the Albert Heijn, the tight storage entries, and the overall actuality that all the pieces right here is constructed on a a lot smaller scale than what we have been used to in Florida. My beloved Prius served me properly for a decade within the States, however proudly owning an electrical automobile within the Netherlands demanded one thing totally different. One thing secure, one thing that would truly slot in a Dutch parking spot, and one thing with sufficient doorways for Nyx and Amaya to get out and in comfortably.
After weeks of leasing varied automobiles and analysis, evaluating the Polestar 2 vs Tesla Mannequin 3 (neither Dave nor I needed to provide cash to Tesla), trying on the BMW i4, the Hyundai Ioniq 5, and the Kia EV6, I saved coming again to the Polestar 2. It checked each field on my checklist in a method that no different EV might match, which is why I made a decision to jot down a Polestar 2 evaluation.
We additionally tried the Alpine A290, which was cute and tiny. Sadly, its digital camera system was inferior. Whereas check driving it and making an attempt to park the 360 simulated cameras had points. So with out true 360 cameras, it was a go for us.
A Be aware About Renewables
I’ve been in favor of renewable vitality as quickly as I discovered about their existence. In 2000, I believed the USA would lean in on photo voltaic panels and wind farms to cut back dependency on oil. Sadly that didn’t occur. I needed photo voltaic panels on our dwelling in Florida, however then we realized we have been shifting, so we didn’t spend money on them. I knew I needed our subsequent automobile to be absolutely electrical if doable, as a result of fossil fuels are unhealthy for the planet. I consider if as many individuals as doable used renewables over fossil fuels, the world could be a greater place.
Is the Polestar 2 a Good Automobile for Canines?
This may not be the primary query most Polestar 2 reviewers deal with, however you probably have massive canine, it needs to be on the high of your checklist. Nyx and Amaya are commonplace poodles, about 55 lbs every. Once we first arrived within the Netherlands, we leased a Mini Cooper, and whereas it was enjoyable to zip round in, Amaya had actual bother getting out and in of the automobile. The door openings on a two-door automobile just like the Mini Cooper simply weren’t large enough for a full-sized commonplace poodle to navigate with out awkward contortion due to Amaya’s hip dysplasia. It was tense for her and heartbreaking for me watching her battle. Discovering the very best electrical automobile for canine meant prioritizing door measurement and accessibility above nearly all the pieces else.
I knew that no matter automobile we purchased wanted to have a minimum of three doorways, ideally 4, in order that each canine might hop out and in of the again seat with none issue. The Polestar 2 is a five-door liftback (which is absolutely only a fancy method of claiming hatchback), and the rear doorways open huge sufficient that each Nyx and Amaya can get out and in simply. The Polestar 2 cargo area is nice too. With the rear seats up, there may be 407 liters of cargo room, and with the seats folded down, you get 1,097 liters. That’s loads of room for baggage, laptops, or a large haul from the pet retailer. Downside solved.
Polestar 2 Dimensions: Why Width Issues for European Roads
Right here is one thing I didn’t absolutely respect till we began residing right here: most trendy automobiles, particularly electrical ones, are huge, actually huge. My 2015 Toyota Prius was just one,745 mm huge, and after driving it for 10 years, that was my body of reference, a small automobile with glorious flip radius. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is 1,890 mm huge. The Kia EV6 is 1,880 mm. The Tesla Mannequin Y is a whopping 1,921 mm with out mirrors. Even the Hyundai Kona Electrical is wider than you’ll anticipate. If you find yourself making an attempt to park in a Dutch parking storage the place the spots really feel like they have been designed for microcars, each single millimeter issues.
The Polestar 2 width is 1,859 mm with out mirrors, or 1,985 mm with mirrors prolonged. That may not sound dramatically narrower than the competitors, however in actual life, these additional centimeters make a noticeable distinction whereas parking and driving. With mirrors folded, it will get much more manageable. For the tight spots we recurrently encounter within the Netherlands, at buying facilities, and in parking garages (the Q parks are the worst offenders, why the hairpin turns, why no angled parking spots), the Polestar 2 threads the needle the place wider EVs merely can’t. If you’re trying to find the very best electrical automobile for slender European roads, I believe that is the place the Polestar 2 dimensions actually stand out. Loads of the automobiles I initially researched have been just too huge for me to really feel snug driving on slender roads and parking them each day, and I crossed them off my checklist one after the other.
Polestar 2 360 Digital camera: A Should-Have for Tight Parking
This brings me to a different non-negotiable characteristic: the Polestar 2 360 digital camera system. When your parking spots are this small and the roads are this slender, you want to have the ability to see all the pieces round your automobile when maneuvering at low speeds. Not only a backup digital camera. Not simply rear parking sensors. I wanted the complete chicken’s-eye view that stitches collectively feeds from 4 cameras (entrance, rear, left, and proper) to create a top-down view of the automobile and its environment. The cameras have saved me many occasions from tight parking spots!
The Polestar 2 within the Prime specification comes with this as commonplace, due to the included Pilot Pack. 4 cameras present a 360-degree panoramic view centered round a digital picture of the automobile on the 11.2-inch middle show. The system prompts routinely while you put the automobile in reverse, and you can even flip it on manually at low speeds, which I do generally when navigating hair pin turns in tiny parking garages. The digital camera system is correct and it has saved me from scraping in opposition to tight boundaries, posts, and timber extra occasions than I can depend. For day by day parking within the Netherlands, it’s genuinely indispensable for me and Dave.
Polestar 2 Security Score: 5 Stars from Euro NCAP and NHTSA
The primary motive I selected the Polestar 2 was the protection options. I needed the most secure automobile I might get on this measurement class, full cease. The Polestar 2 security score speaks for itself because it has a five-star Euro NCAP score with a 92% rating for grownup occupant safety, 89% for youngster occupant safety, and 86% for security help. It additionally acquired a five-star NHTSA score in the USA, with good five-star scores throughout frontal crash, aspect crash, and rollover safety, however European requirements are stricter and extra complete than the USA, which I didn’t know till writing my Polestar 2 evaluation.
My Polestar 2 automobile is constructed on Volvo’s CMA platform, and Volvo’s heritage in security engineering reveals. The passenger compartment is constructed with ultra-high-strength metal. There are eight airbags, together with a middle airbag between the entrance seats to stop occupant-to-occupant head accidents in aspect impacts. There’s a SPOC (Extreme Partial Offset Collision) block on every entrance nook that deflects objects away from the cabin and battery pack throughout angled collisions. The battery pack itself sits in a strengthened metal and aluminum body, and the high-voltage system routinely disconnects after a collision. Moreover, Dave and I purchased a really secure, robust charging wire that you may actually drive over (on accident) and have it nonetheless be secure and usable.
On the lively security aspect, the Polestar 2 Prime comes loaded. Automated emergency braking with pedestrian and bike owner detection, blind-spot info with steer help, rear collision warning and mitigation, adaptive cruise management, lane-keeping support, Pilot Help for semi-autonomous freeway driving, and cross-traffic alert with automated braking. The auto-assist for driving on the highways and streets is nice to me, I set my cruise management to a particular velocity, and it retains my automobile at that velocity however hurries up or slows down relying on the autos in entrance of me. Moreover, the automobile will hit the brakes to stop a collision.
Pixel LED Headlights
The automobile has Pixel LED headlights that use 84 individually managed LEDs per headlight to shade out as much as 5 areas so you’ll be able to run excessive beams with out blinding oncoming drivers. This characteristic is one thing I take advantage of each single time I drive at night time on the unlit Dutch roads exterior of city, and it’s improbable. I’m grateful to not blind or be blinded by oncoming visitors when driving at night time.
Volvo Roots
Once I was cross-shopping automobiles, I saved coming again to the Polestar 2 as a result of no different automobile on this measurement and width class matched its mixture of lively and passive security options. Volvo has been a founding member of Euro NCAP and has many years of crash analysis behind it. That experience transfers on to the Polestar 2, and as somebody who drives on slender European roads with cyclists in all places (that is the Netherlands, in spite of everything), that degree of safety issues to me each single day.
Polestar 2 Specs: The Prime Specification
I went with the Prime specification, which is basically the absolutely loaded model of the Polestar 2. Prime bundles collectively three separate possibility packs: the Plus Pack, the Pilot Pack, and the Local weather Pack. Here’s a breakdown of the Polestar 2 specs and options that come commonplace with Prime. Moreover, now we have the Efficiency Pack.
From the Plus Pack, I get the panoramic glass roof, the Harman Kardon premium sound system, a powered tailgate (a lifesaver when my arms are stuffed with grocery luggage or canine gear), absolutely electrical entrance seats with four-way lumbar assist, driver seat reminiscence, and the attractive black ash deco inside trim. I might have most well-liked no glass roof, however I didn’t have a alternative in that. I actually dislike how automobile firms gate maintain sure options or tie them to particular packages.
With the Pilot Pack, I get these all-important 360-degree cameras, adaptive cruise management, Pilot Help, blind-spot info with steer help, cross-traffic alert with auto brake, and the Pixel LED headlights with the lively excessive beam know-how.
From the Local weather Pack, I get heated rear seats (Nyx and Amaya approve, as do our associates), a heated steering wheel (important for chilly Dutch winters), and the warmth pump for extra environment friendly cabin heating in chilly climate with out draining the battery as a lot.
With the Efficiency Pack, I get the 50 kW (476 hp/469 bhp) and 740 Nm of torque, accelerating from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 4.2 seconds. It options adjustable Öhlins dampers, Brembo brakes, and a 60/40 rear-biased AWD system for sporty dealing with, although the suspension is agency.
All of this comes collectively in a single tidy package deal. I didn’t must agonize over which choices so as to add or fear about whether or not I used to be lacking one thing vital. All the pieces I needed was already included. That is actually the nicest car I’ve ever owned, with prior autos together with the Toyota Prius Hybrid and Pontiac Aztek.
Polestar 2 Inside and Shade: Magnesium Exterior with Scandinavian Minimalism
My Polestar 2 is in Magnesium, which Polestar describes as a metallic shade however which I might truthfully describe as a lightweight gray that modifications relying on the sunshine. On a brilliant sunny day, it might look nearly white. Below overcast Dutch skies (so, more often than not), it reads as a delicate silvery gray. I see a touch of blue in sure lighting, but it surely’s not a robust metallic paint shade. It’s a little little bit of a chameleon shade and I actually like that about it. It hides dust moderately properly in comparison with darker colours like Void (black) or Midnight (darkish blue), which is a sensible consideration while you reside someplace that it rains continuously. That stated, now that pollen is out in all places, the pollen is sort of seen on the automobile and I would like to scrub it, not that pollen is crucial to my Polestar 2 evaluation.
I might have liked a extra dramatic shade possibility. One thing in a deep teal blue or a jewel tone would have been good (you realize me). However Polestar’s shade palette leans very Scandinavian minimalist, all muted tones and complex (and slightly boring) neutrals. Magnesium felt like probably the most attention-grabbing alternative within the accessible vary, and in individual it has a stunning sparkle within the metallic flake that catches the sunshine properly. I can all the time get it wrapped or get a multichrome paint job sooner or later if I modify my thoughts.
The Polestar 2 inside continues that Scandinavian design philosophy. Clear strains, high-quality supplies, and a contemporary aesthetic that feels premium with out being flashy. The seats are extremely snug, supportive with out being stiff. All the pieces feels solidly assembled. In case you have ever sat in a contemporary Volvo, you’ll really feel proper at dwelling, however with a extra minimalist, performance-oriented edge.
Polestar 2 Google Infotainment: The Greatest In-Automobile Tech I’ve Used
One of many issues that genuinely shocked me in regards to the Polestar 2 was how a lot I like the Google built-in infotainment system. The Polestar 2 was the primary automobile on this planet to characteristic Google built-in, which implies the whole working system is Android Automotive OS. Google Maps is your native navigation. Google Assistant responds to voice instructions. You may obtain apps from the Google Play Retailer proper on the 11.2-inch middle touchscreen. YouTube Music, podcast apps, even audiobook apps are all accessible.
In the event you reside within the Google ecosystem (and I do), the combination is seamless. Google Maps within the automobile already is aware of my saved locations. It adjusts routes based mostly on real-time visitors, although generally I hate this after I need to drive a particular method someplace, as a result of I hate taking place tiny canal streets. It components within the automobile’s battery degree and suggests charging stops on longer journeys. I can say “Hey Google, navigate to Albert Heijn” or “Hey Google, set the temperature to 21 levels” with out taking my arms off the wheel.
The 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel also can show a Google Maps view, so you’ll be able to look on the navigation with out trying on the middle display. Between the 2 shows, you’ve got all the data you want with out something feeling cluttered or overwhelming. There are only a few bodily buttons, however the ones that exist (like the amount knob and steering wheel controls) really feel premium and tactile. I would like extra bodily buttons, however so many automobile producers have moved away from them.
Moreover, I like the Google Maps show that’s behind the steering wheel. It makes it straightforward to look on the map whereas listening to the highway, searching for pedestrians and cyclists.
Apple CarPlay can also be accessible by way of USB-C for anybody who prefers that ecosystem. Whereas I’ve an iPhone, I desire Google Maps and I take advantage of YouTube Premium for my music. It’s really easy to entry my playlists within the automobile.
Polestar 2 One Pedal Driving and How It Drives
The Polestar 2 drives superbly. It’s clean, quiet, and hugs the highway. The Polestar 2 one pedal driving mode is one thing I bought used to throughout the first day, and now I can’t think about driving with out it, I like it a lot! You carry your foot off the accelerator and the automobile decelerates by means of regenerative braking, recapturing vitality for the battery. In metropolis driving, you barely want to the touch the brake pedal. It makes navigating roundabouts (and there are SO many roundabouts within the Netherlands) really feel fully pure. Moreover, you’ll be able to flip off the ‘creep’ characteristic in order that in the event you’re sitting at a stoplight, you don’t have to carry your foot on the brake, you simply take it off the driving pedal.
The hatchback design is one thing I particularly needed. Similar to my previous Prius, the rear trunk door opens to disclose a genuinely helpful cargo space. There may be additionally a small frunk (entrance trunk) beneath the hood for a charging cable or a small bag. For hauling canine crates, grocery runs, or the occasional IKEA journey, the hatchback format is way extra sensible than a standard sedan trunk.
Polestar 2 Charging and Vary: Residing with an EV within the Netherlands
The Netherlands is a improbable place to personal an electrical automobile, and the Polestar 2 vary and charging expertise have been glorious for our day by day life. The charging infrastructure right here is excellent, particularly in comparison with Tampa. There are public chargers in all places, at supermarkets, in parking garages, at motels, fuel stations, and on residential streets. We have now a house charger, and in a single day charging on our common schedule retains the battery topped up with none vary anxiousness. The long-range battery within the Polestar 2 offers sufficient vary for our day by day driving wants with a lot to spare.
For longer journeys, the Polestar 2 charging functionality handles DC quick charging properly. Google Maps components within the battery degree and plans charging stops alongside your route routinely, which takes all of the guesswork out of highway journeys. The automobile helps as much as 205 kW DC quick charging, which means a 10-80% cost takes round 28 minutes beneath superb situations. We have now by no means been stranded or careworn about discovering a charger. The worst half about utilizing a quick charger is having to attend for one to be accessible, often it’s been a 5 minute wait however on one event it was 20 minutes.
Dutch electrical energy can also be more and more renewable as a result of they consider in science and lowering local weather change, which makes driving electrical really feel even higher from an environmental perspective. There are additionally sensible advantages like decrease highway tax (motorrijtuigenbelasting) for electrical autos and free or discounted parking in some municipalities. If I owned my own residence, I might be shopping for photo voltaic panels to assist with my vitality wants. Most houses right here have photo voltaic panels; sadly the house I’m renting doesn’t.
Polestar 2 vs Tesla Mannequin 3: Why I Selected Polestar
Since that is the comparability most individuals need to learn about, right here is my tackle the Polestar 2 vs Tesla Mannequin 3 debate. The Tesla Mannequin 3 is a automobile with spectacular know-how and it prices much less. There is no such thing as a getting round that. However for my particular wants, the Polestar 2 gained out for a number of causes.
First, the Polestar 2 security score edges forward, together with its 360 cameras. Second, the hatchback design provides the Polestar 2 considerably extra sensible cargo area than the Mannequin 3’s sedan trunk, which issues when you’ve got two massive canine and their gear. Third, the Polestar 2 inside feels extra conventionally luxurious, with higher materials high quality, construct high quality, and a hotter cabin really feel. Fourth, I strongly most well-liked the Google built-in infotainment over Tesla’s method. And fifth, the Polestar 2 width is barely narrower than the Mannequin 3, which makes an actual distinction in tight European parking.
The Tesla wins on vary, on value, and doubtlessly on software program innovation. If these are your priorities, the Mannequin 3 is difficult to beat. However for what I wanted, the Polestar was the fitting alternative.
Polestar 2 Reliability: My Lengthy-Time period Proprietor Expertise
I need to be upfront that that is nonetheless comparatively early in my possession, so I can’t converse to Polestar 2 reliability over a number of years. What I can let you know is that thus far, the automobile has been trouble-free. The over-the-air software program updates have been clean. The Google infotainment system sometimes has a short hiccup that requires me to reboot it, however nothing that takes greater than two minutes of persistence. The automobile’s construct high quality feels strong and nothing rattles or squeaks.
Polestar affords a four-year/50,000-mile fundamental guarantee and an eight-year/100,000-mile battery guarantee, which provides me peace of thoughts on the costliest part. The primary three years or 30,000 miles of scheduled upkeep are additionally included, which is a pleasant perk.
Winter Warrior
The Polestar 2 is the very best automobile I’ve ever pushed in winter situations on snow and ice. The automobile nearly can’t lose traction as a result of the computer systems in it instantly modify and proper. It nearly makes you belief it an excessive amount of. I’m not a fan of driving in winter in any respect, however am grateful that I can safely get round when vital.
I’ll replace this part as I accumulate extra miles and time with the automobile.
The Backside Line: My Polestar 2 Assessment
I purchased the Polestar 2 as a result of it was the most secure, narrowest, five-door electrical automobile with true 360-degree cameras that ticked each field on my checklist. Is the Polestar 2 a great automobile? For my particular wants, it’s a nice automobile!
The five-star Euro NCAP and NHTSA security scores gave me confidence. The slender width makes day by day parking within the Netherlands manageable as an alternative of nerve-wracking. The 5 doorways imply Nyx and Amaya can get out and in with out a battle. The 360-degree cameras are a real necessity for European parking for me. The Prime specification means I didn’t must compromise on options. The Google built-in infotainment is intuitive and helpful. The one pedal driving mode is addictive! And it drives like a dream.
Is it good? No automobile is. I want there have been extra thrilling shade choices. The 360 digital camera picture high quality may very well be sharper. The frunk is tiny. And the rear seat headroom is a bit tight for taller passengers. However for what I wanted, which was a secure, sensible, well-equipped electrical automobile that would deal with day by day life within the Netherlands with two huge canine and tight parking, the Polestar 2 is precisely the fitting automobile.
To be trustworthy, it’s the car I’ve had probably the most enjoyable driving in a very long time!
If you’re contemplating an EV for all times in Europe, particularly within the Netherlands the place the roads are slender, the parking is tight, and the infrastructure for electrical autos is excellent, I might completely advocate having a look on the Polestar 2.
I believed it was well timed to share my Polestar 2 evaluation as a result of Polestar is at the moment providing as much as a $21k lease low cost on the 2025 Polestar 3 and as much as 14k off a Polestar 4 for patrons who at the moment drive a Tesla.
Have you ever made the change to an electrical car? What was the deciding issue for you? Let me know within the feedback!
