Isn’t it weird how rapidly and how far your opinions about a car can change? Such thoughts flooded my mind after spending some time in Matt Prior’s long-term Polestar 2, a £60,000 dual-motor, full-house edition.
The point at issue was that when we first drove this car on its optional £5000 Öhlins sports suspension, early reviewers – including me – complained loudly and long about its uncomfortable ride. Lumpiness was again evident when I started to drive Prior’s Polestar, but the further I went, the more I began to enjoy the unimpeachable body control, supreme body rigidity (manifesting itself in quiet, one-impact bump absorption) and complete lack of pitching – a particularly infuriating fault with many current rival EVs.
This car’s excellence was cemented when the Steering Committee and I returned from a 400-mile drive and agreed, as we turned into our drive, that its unique combination of superbly sculpted seats, grippy ‘sustainable’ seat materials and taut ride made it a supremely comfortable car for long drives. For me, what’s more, that £5000 suspension would now be a must.
Tuesday
World Rally Championship star Elfyn Evans proved his status as an all-round good bloke by showing up at this year’s CAT Awards (that’s Car Aftermarket Trader, part of the same stable as Autocar) as a special guest.