Polestar 2. Source: ANCAP
The Polestar 2 has achieved a five-star top safety rating from independent vehicle safety body ANCAP, gaining marks of at least 80% across all key safety factors.
As the fifth battery electric vehicle to be tested under the 2020-2022 version of the Australasian New Car Assessment Program, the electric fastback from Volvo’s high-performance brand Polestar did particularly well on adult occupant protection.
“Today’s consumers are looking to purchase vehicles with top safety and environmental credentials. The well-rounded Polestar 2 ticks these boxes and adds to the suite of 5 star rated EVs now available to Australasian consumers,” said ANCAP boss Carla Hoorweg of the report.
In side and far-side impact tests, it gained a 6 out of 6 score, and close to full marks on frontal offest, full width frontal, oblique pole, and whiplash protection. It also gained full marks for rescue and extrication, but was marked down for the potential to cause injury in occupants of other vehicles.
On child occupant protection, the Polestar 2 also scored full marks on dynamic front and side safety. Child restraint installation was also marked highly, noting the vehicle is “fitted with lower ISOFix anchorages on the rear outboard seats and top tether anchorages for all rear seating positions.”
However, the safety body remarked in its technical report that, as “the Type A capsule could not be correctly installed in the rear outboard seating positions, one of the selected Type A convertible seats could not be correctly installed in rearward facing mode using the ISOfix anchorages, and one of the selected booster seats could not be correctly installed in the centre rear seating position.”
Vulnerable road user tests garnered the Polestar 2 a score of 80%, with full marks for lower leg impact. thanks to effective reactions using its autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system. Cyclist scenarios scored a “good” rating from the safety body which said it avoided or mitigated collisions in most situations.
The technical report also gave credence to the Polestar 2’s “active bonnet”. In explanation, it says, “Sensors detect when a pedestrian is struck and actuators lift the bonnet to provide greater clearance to stiff components in the engine bay.” However, tests did not include the pedestrians behind the vehicle as the AEB system does not include braking in reverse.
Lastly, the safety body gave the Polestar 2 a score of 82 out of 100 for its safety assist features, including seatbelt reminder, driver monitoring, speed assistance, lane-keeping assist, AEB/emergency steering and junction assist.
Top marks were gained for its junction assist feature, which can automatically stop the car to avoid a crash if turning into the path of an oncoming vehicle.
Its lane support system was marked “adequate”, reducing head-on and one-car crashes by 30%, and the Polestar’s ability to monitor driver drowsiness, and also to inform the driver of the local speed limit or allow the driver to set it themselves was also noted.
For a full technical report of the Polestar 2 safety ratings, visit ANCAP.
Keyword: Polestar 2 electric fastback gets top ratings on safety