- The only Polestar 2 available for 2025 is the Long Range, Dual Motor AWD version with the Performance Pack.
- That starts at $64,800, before destination fees.
- The Polestar 2 is built in China and this may be in response to new tariffs. The company is also shifting its focus to the Polestar 3 and Polestar 4 models.
The Polestar 2 was one of the first electric vehicles to hit the market that really felt like it could match what Tesla was doing in terms of range, performance and technology. But as Volvo's corporate cousin Polestar continues the fight for EV supremacy, it's changing up its tactics when it steps into the ring for Round Two.
That may be bad news for anyone who has held out until model year 2025 to pick up a Polestar 2, however. The electric sedan will only be available in one trim level and configuration now, the most expensive one in the lineup. As Car and Driver discovered recently, the only 2025 Polestar 2 available to order new will be the Long Range, Dual Motor version with the Performance Pack. That means it will start at $64,800, or $66,200 including destination fees.
It unfortunately represents a sizable pricing jump from the 2024 Polestar 2, with far less flexibility in specs overall. That car could be had in Long-Range Rear-Wheel-Drive form starting at $51,300; Long-Range AWD form at $56,700; or the Long Range AWD Performance Pack that survived intact into 2025. (All prices include destination fees.) Last year, the Polestar 2 got a significant under-the-skin upgrade as well, going from front-wheel drive to rear-wheel-drive while getting upgraded motors, batteries and charging speeds. Those changes made it even better as one of our favorite Tesla alternatives and objectively one of the best sport sedans—electric or otherwise—on the market. And while the Polestar 2 never got to Tesla Model 3 levels of affordability, it did have some very enticing lease deals behind it since it did not qualify for any U.S. EV tax credits.
Gallery: 2024 Polestar 2 First Drive Review
While these changes may be a bummer to some fans, they do make sense. The Polestar 2 is currently made in China, so its pricing appears to reflect the new 100% tariffs applied to EVs made in that country. Presumably, those tariffs caused the automaker to axe all but the most expensive versions of the car because it would've taken an absolute bath on anything else. And the pricing of the Polestar 2 now may mean the company is just eating the current tariffs. (We emailed Polestar representatives for comment and will update if we hear back.) Volvo did something similar with the also-China-made EX30: for now, until that car can be built in Europe, only its more expensive version will be sold stateside and potentially in limited quantities.
And it's also clear that Polestar's strategy is shifting away from the 2 to other models. As good as it is, it's always been a sedan in an SUV world, and sales have not been especially great lately—less than ideal as spent years as Polestar's sole model. Instead, Polestar seems to be emphasizing its future now: the Polestar 3 luxury crossover, and the upcoming Polestar 4 performance coupe-crossover.
Both will help Polestar avoid at least some of the pesky anti-China tariff problems. The Polestar 3 is being built right now in South Carolina alongside its mechanical cousin, the new Volvo EX90, and the Polestar 4 will be made in South Korea. The future of the Polestar 2 feels unclear, but the last we heard is that it could be replaced entirely with a sedan called the Polestar 7. Given how popular sedans are in other markets, including China, it's unlikely Polestar would go all-SUV just for Americans.
The good news is that if you want a Polestar 2, there are outstanding options on the used market right now. You can find a big glut of off-lease Polestar 2 sedans on Cars.com and other marketplaces for under $35,000 or even $30,000 (and if my own gas-powered Mazda 3 ever decides to eat it, I'll certainly be looking in that direction myself.)
And the 2025 Polestar 2 is, at the very least, a lot of car; you get 476 horsepower and 546 lb-ft of torque, max range of 254 miles, a zero to 60 mph time of four seconds flat, charging speeds up to 205 kW and a bunch of included options like Pilot Assist, the panoramic roof, a heat pump with heated seats and steering wheel, and more. Finally, with an adapter, it can now use the Tesla Supercharger network as well.
Is this still a solid deal for the Polestar 2, or would you go used instead?
Contact the author: patrick.george@insideevs.com
