Huge upgrade for Tesla fighter

After close to four years in market, the car that started it all for Polestar in Australia, the pure-electric, mid-size, liftback Polestar 2 has received a substantial upgrade ranging from faster charging for the Standard range Single motor variant, additional optional features, a fresh wheel design as part of the ‘Performance Pack’ and a new exterior colour.  

And the good news for potential buyers is no change to the basic price structure, the only technical change being inclusion of the ‘Plus Pack’ option bundle in the flagship Long range Dual motor Performance model’s MSRP.   

The first tech upgrade is the addition of a Qualcomm ‘Snapdragon’ processor chip for higher download speeds and reaction times for in-car apps, improved centre display responsiveness and smoother performance across the multimedia system.

Then, the entry-grade Standard range Single motor model picks up a (CATL-sourced) 70kWh battery, replacing a 69kWh (LG Chem) pack, the extra juice bringing a modest increase in claimed range from 546km to 554km, both WLTP. 

But the more useful improvement is in charging with peak DC capacity rising from 135kW to 180kW for a 10-80 per cent fill in 26 minutes.

Another change is availability of a 1350-watt, 14-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system ($3500) once the ‘Plus Pack’ ($4700) option box has been ticked.

‘Dune’, “a contemporary metallic colour with a smooth mica finish and a sandy hue” replaces ‘Jupiter’ (silver) in the Polestar palette and a new 20-inch, five-spoke forged alloy ‘Performance’ wheel, said to be the lightest available for the Polestar 2 so far, is now part of the optional ‘Performance Pack’.

Inside, a new ‘bio-attributed’ (mix of renewable and fossil-based materials) ‘MicroTech’ upholstery in ‘Charcoal’ as well as ‘Black Ash deco’ (natural wood grain) is available with the Plus Pack.

According to Australian Electric Vehicle Council data, year-to-date Polestar sales (to the end of July) were up 33 per cent compared to the same period in 2024, thanks largely to the relatively recent introduction of the Polestar 3 and 4.

However, the Polestar 2 is down 48 per cent (537 vs 1040), so clearly these upgrades are timely and Polestar says the 2026 Polestar 2 is available for order now via Polestar.com.

2026 Polestar 2:

Variant	Price (MSRP)
Standard range Single motor	$62,400
Long range Single motor	$66,400
Long range Dual motor	$71,400
Long range Dual motor Performance (incl. Plus Pack)	$85,080

Options	Price (MSRP)
Performance Pack (requires Plus Pack) - Performance software upgrade, 20-inch ‘Performance’ wheels, ‘Polestar Engineered’ chassis tuning, Brembo brakes, Ohlins ‘Dual Flow Valve’ dampers, Swedish gold accents	$8980
Plus Pack - Fixed panoramic glass roof (with projected Polestar symbol), powered front seats including four-way power lumbar, driver seat memory, front cushion leg extension, backrest storage nets, Harman Kardon 600W sound system	$4700
Pro Pack - 20-inch graphite ‘Pro’ alloy wheels, black seatbelts with Swedish Gold stripe, gold valve caps	$1900
Climate Pack - Heated rear seats, wiper nozzles, and steering wheel, plus heat pump	$1500
Leather trim in ‘Zinc’ with light ash deco (requires Plus Pack)	$4800
Leather trim in ‘Charcoal’ with light ash deco (requires Plus Pack)	$4400
Bowers & Wilkins for Polestar (requires Plus Pack)	$3500
Pixel LED adaptive headlights	$1600
Privacy glass on rear windows	$500