2024 Polestar 2

Polestar is Volvo's electric sub-brand, which means the Polestar 2 shares a lot with the Volvo XC40 Recharge electric SUV. (Polestar calls it the 2 because it's the brand's second vehicle; guess what they named the third one?) The proportions toe the line between car and crossover, and Polestar doesn't help clear up the confusion, calling its compact five-seat 2 a "liftback." That's a self-conscious word for a hatchback with sloping rear glass — similar to what Audi calls a Sportback.

Its high-riding stance puts the Polestar 2's silhouette between the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y. Depending on equipment levels and drivetrains, it can line up against a variety of other EVs, from the Hyundai Ioniq 5 to the Subaru Solterra/Toyota bZ4X twins, and from the Kia EV6 to the BMW i4 Whew. That's a lot of desirable vehicles.

Polestar made significant changes last year and it's doing the same for 2024. The most affordable 2 now has its single motor mounted on the rear axle instead of the front, and its battery pack grows from 78 kWh to 82 kWh. Dual-motor models keep the 78-kWh pack. New electric motors are both more powerful and more efficient; output for the single-motor rises from 231 horsepower and 243 lb-ft of torque to 299 hp and 361 lb-ft. The dual-motor now makes 421 hp and 546 lb-ft, up from 408 hp and 467 lb-ft. Range increases for the Polestar 2 too. The EPA rates the single-motor at a max 320 miles versus the 2023 model's max of 270 miles, while the dual-motor tops out at 276 miles, up from 260 miles.