ID.4 vs Polestar 2
More and more, drivers are making the switch from gas-powered vehicles to electric. The benefits are obvious, both for the good of the environment and your own wallet.
And as EVs become more popular and public charging stations more normalized, the ease of use and possibilities for longer drives are ever-expanding. Whereas electric cars used to have shorter battery lives and be limited to a relatively short range with charging stations infrequent and inconvenient, there are now well over 130,000 in the US, with that number growing rapidly.
In other words: There has never been a better time to own an electric vehicle.
It makes sense — you’re saving money on gas, lowering your emissions and fossil fuel footprint, and the barriers to use are decreasing by the day.
Here we’re going to look at two different electric vehicle models that are often considered together, the Volkswagen ID.4 and the Polestar 2.
Table of Contents
· Exterior features and handling
· Interior and safety features
· Car-Net
Model Options
Each has a few different model options: The Polestar 2 comes in single motor and dual motor trims, as well as a long-range version of both, while the ID.4 has trim levels Standard, Pro, and their top trim S, plus an all-wheel drive version of each.
Price, Size, & Space
Let’s talk about how much you’ll pay and the vehicle size and space that you’ll get for that price.
We’ll start with the most straightforward:
· The Volkswagen ID.4 starts with an MSRP of $40,290
· The Polestar 2 starts with an MSRP of $47,200.
The size you’re getting for each isn’t a perfect comparison since the Polestar 2 is considered a hatchback unlike the ID.4, which is a compact SUV. Still, the two are quite comparable and have similar uses despite technically being two different — albeit related — classifications.
· Exterior: The exterior dimensions are the same other than height, with the respectively. ID.4 being seven inches taller than the Polestar 2 at 65 inches and 58 inches tall, Otherwise, both vehicles are 181 inches long and 73 inches wide.
· Interior: In the interior, you’ll find the ID.4 with more legroom in the rear seats while the Polestar 2 has just a bit more legroom in the front. That’s because the ID.4 has 41.1 inches of legroom in the front versus the Polestar 2’s 42.2 inches of front legroom, but with 37.6 inches of rear legroom to the Polestar’s 33.9 inches.
Range & Charging Time
This, of course, is a big factor when it comes to electric vehicles. Reasonably, a common reservation to hear from people who haven’t made the switch from traditional gas car to electric is a worry about longer drives, charging time, and availability of chargers in more remote areas.
Luckily, almost all the trims for both ID.4 and Polestar 2 outperform the average EV range of around 220 miles. The standard ID.4 is a bit below that with a 208 mile range, but otherwise you’ll see the following ranges for ID.4 trims:
· ID.4 Pro: 275 miles
· ID.4 All-Wheel Drive Pro: 255 miles
· ID.4 Pro S: 275 miles
· D.4 All-Wheel Drive Pro S: 255 miles
Polestar 2 comes with both single and double motor options, as well as long range versions of each:
· Polestar 2 Single Motor: 270 miles
· Polestar 2 Dual Motor: 249 miles
· Polestar 2 Long Range Single Motor: 292 miles
· Polestar 2 Long Range Dual Motor: 280 miles
Of course, charging time is another consideration. With a home charger, the Polestar 2 charges in around eight hours with a standard charger, while the ID.4 tends to average between seven to 11.5 hours. And with access to certain fast-chargers, both vehicles can be charged to 80% in a fraction of this time.
Exterior Features & Handling
Among the perks of both these cars are a couple nifty features for improved handling and driving experience.
· Tires: Both come standard with all-season tires to help ensure a certain level of traction and versatility year-round in inclement weather.
· Heated mirrors: you also get heated mirrors on both the ID.4 and Polestar 2. This feature is something that’s easy to overlook (or not even think to consider) when researching for a new car — but in practice it’s a small detail that can make a huge difference if you live in a northern, colder, wet climate like we do in the Pacific Northwest.
If you’ve ever started your car early to defrost it in the morning only to then realize your mirrors are still opaque and useless when backing up, you know how useful heated mirrors would be. Beyond convenience, this has very real safety implications that provide you with maximum visibility of all your surroundings behind the wheel.
Interior & Safety Features
Here again both the ID.4 and Polestar have fantastic offerings.
This includes matching safety features, such as:
· Blind spot monitoring systems
· Adaptve cruise control
· Lane keep assist
· Parking sensors
Beyond these key safety tools, both cars also provide features for comfort and convenience:
· Mobile sync: This includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capabilities that allow the driver to sync their mobile device and operate it through the control panel touchscreen system.
· Hands free entry
· Keyless ignition
Car-Net
One feature exclusive to the ID.4 is Volkswagen’s Car-Net technology.
Among other things, this allows you to access certain convenience and safety features from your phone; that includes remote engine starting, locking and unlocking doors, and honking the horn or flashing the lights.
Car-Net also provides mobile diagnostic updates if something needs attention or a repair, and with their complimentary Safe & Secure subscription you get stolen vehicle location assistance, automatic crash updates, anti-theft alerts, and emergency assistance.
Maybe the biggest lifesaver from Car-Net, however, is parking spot assistance through the partnership with Parkopedia. If you’ve ever spent 30 minutes circling the block looking for parking or forgotten where you last parked — and who hasn’t? — this is a lifesaver. Parkopedia can help you locate your car and even find you a parking space well in advance.
Conclusion
Overall, both these EVs are similar vehicles that will perform great for the needs of a compact SUV or hatchback driver. Whichever you prefer really comes down to what you prioritize in a car.
If you do end up deciding on the ID.4, we at Carter VW would love to help you in that process. The Carter team has been serving residents of Seattle and the greater Puget Sound for generations, and we take pride in being a part of this community.