S90 D5 Polestar, quick question - is it a dedicated mode?

[jotka]

hah. I have installed this today to my D5.
The difference can be seen in any mode (well, I have tried Comfort and Dynamic). There's also a separate "Polestar" mode.
What a fun to drive No regrets.

[VOLVOL0VER]

Originally Posted by jotka

hah. I have installed this today to my D5.
The difference can be seen in any mode (well, I have tried Comfort and Dynamic). There's also a separate "Polestar" mode.
What a fun to drive No regrets.

I guess there's some confusion in your comments some misunderstanding probably... there's no such thing. there's mode Polestar Engineered that replaces dynamic depending on your car software updates. If you still don't have the latest updates... then you will Confort and Dynamic after you did polestar optimisation. but not dynamic and Polestar Engineered modes together in drive modes screen.

[volvocat]

I'm no technical expert (far from it!) but, having had Polestar on five of my eight Volvos (so far), for what it's worth, my understanding - and experience - is that it affects all modes but, being a performance enhancement, is only noticeable when called upon in Comfort and Eco; when you mash the loud pedal, the response is greater than it would be without P*, otherwise the modes behave as normal.
In other words, if you find you need instant extra power for an unplanned/unexpected manoeuvre like an overtake, but don't have time to change drive modes, the car will respond in Polestar fashion.
Not much point in having it if you have to manually switch it on in all circumstances every time you need it.
In Polestar mode (and Individual if you have 4C), the sharpened throttle and gearbox responses are more noticeable all the time and are more readily available across a wider rev. range, as you'd expect.
Hope that helps...?

[Moonlanders]

Originally Posted by volvocat

I'm no technical expert (far from it!) but, having had Polestar on five of my eight Volvos (so far), for what it's worth, my understanding - and experience - is that it affects all modes but, being a performance enhancement, is only noticeable when called upon in Comfort and Eco; when you mash the loud pedal, the response is greater than it would be without P*, otherwise the modes behave as normal.
In other words, if you find you need instant extra power for an unplanned/unexpected manoeuvre like an overtake, but don't have time to change drive modes, the car will respond in Polestar fashion.
Not much point in having it if you have to manually switch it on in all circumstances every time you need it.
In Polestar mode (and Individual if you have 4C), the sharpened throttle and gearbox responses are more noticeable all the time and are more readily available across a wider rev. range, as you'd expect.
Hope that helps...?

I have no idea whether you are right or not, but that sounds extremely logical to me and how I would expect it to work. Unfortunately not really had any cause to use mine yet - Mainly pottering around town on electric only. Will we ever get back to the days of driving for fun and not just essentials? I can dream.

[VOLVOL0VER]

Originally Posted by volvocat

I'm no technical expert (far from it!) but, having had Polestar on five of my eight Volvos (so far), for what it's worth, my understanding - and experience - is that it affects all modes but, being a performance enhancement, is only noticeable when called upon in Comfort and Eco; when you mash the loud pedal, the response is greater than it would be without P*, otherwise the modes behave as normal.
In other words, if you find you need instant extra power for an unplanned/unexpected manoeuvre like an overtake, but don't have time to change drive modes, the car will respond in Polestar fashion.
Not much point in having it if you have to manually switch it on in all circumstances every time you need it.
In Polestar mode (and Individual if you have 4C), the sharpened throttle and gearbox responses are more noticeable all the time and are more readily available across a wider rev. range, as you'd expect.
Hope that helps...?

What do you mean? Polestar optimisation lowers the car even more than in normal dynamic mode without P*?

[laundryman]

As Volvocat writes:
'if you find you need instant extra power for an unplanned/unexpected manoeuvre like an overtake, but don't have time to change drive modes, the car will respond in Polestar fashion.' ie it affects the engine power,steering, gearbox & brake response immeadiately. The suspension takes a few seconds to change so I am not seeing it lowered.

[volvocat]

Originally Posted by VOLVOL0VER

What do you mean? Polestar optimisation lowers the car even more than in normal dynamic mode without P*?

Sorry, no idea - mine's a V90CC - as I understand it, it's only SUV suspension that alters ride height - and even then, I thought it was just when stationary to aid access. I don't think Polestar affects suspension settings. Open to correction but, as I say, I have no experience of 4C on XC60/90.

[volvocat]

Originally Posted by laundryman

As Volvocat writes:
'if you find you need instant extra power for an unplanned/unexpected manoeuvre like an overtake, but don't have time to change drive modes, the car will respond in Polestar fashion.' ie it affects the engine power,steering, gearbox & brake response immeadiately. The suspension takes a few seconds to change so I am not seeing it lowered.

As I understand it, Polestar does not affect suspension - if you want a stiffer setting, you have to go to Individual drive mode which will 'switch on' whatever settings you have pre-set.

[jotka]

Originally Posted by volvocat

my understanding - and experience - is that it affects all modes but, being a performance enhancement, is only noticeable when called upon in Comfort and Eco; when you mash the loud pedal, the response is greater than it would be without P*, otherwise the modes behave as normal.

Yes, but I also think, that the whole gearbox response is also modified in Comfort mode. The car reacts slightly faster to what I'm doing with the pedal.
Switching to "Polestar Engineered" changes the characteristics totally

[volvocat]

Originally Posted by jotka

Yes, but I also think, that the whole gearbox response is also modified in Comfort mode. The car reacts slightly faster to what I'm doing with the pedal.
Switching to "Polestar Engineered" changes the characteristics totally

Yes, as it should!
OK, perhaps you've noticed more difference in Comfort 'lower down' than I have - we're talking principles here; but in practice it's bound to vary slightly from car to car and driver to driver - your S90 D5 compared to my V90CC T6. But that difference will always be very obvious under more demanding conditions. 😎