Polestar 4 vs. IONIQ 5: Full Comparison, Which One Wins?

Key Points

• The Polestar 4 is developed as an EV from the ground up, while the IONIQ 5 is built by one of the largest auto manufacturers in the world, Hyundai.
• The Polestar 4 offers two configurations with up to 544 horsepower and a target range of over 300 miles, giving it an edge in performance.
• The IONIQ 5 has a range of 303 miles on a single charge and offers zippy acceleration and responsive braking, making it a great choice for daily driving.
• The Polestar 4 features a unique design with an extended glass roof and a high-resolution rear-facing camera, while the IONIQ 5 comes with wireless charging and compatibility with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
• The Polestar 4 comes with safety sensors, cameras, and a driver fatigue system, while the IONIQ 5 offers standard safety features and an adaptive cruise system for highway travel.

Polestar 4 vs. IONIQ 5: Which comes out on top? The war between EVs is just getting started, and newcomers like the Polestar 4 are great entry points. Other manufacturers have joined the fold as well, with some like Hyundai and the IONIQ 5, being well-seasoned at this point.

The Polestar 4 is developed by a company with no history in the gasoline-powered car arena. Some could argue this means it is developed as an EV from the ground up. Hyundai, however, is one of the largest auto manufacturers in the world.

As such, there is ample research and development that has gone into the development of the IONIQ 5. With any major purchase, you should do your due diligence. Before you buy, it certainly helps to get behind the wheel before taking the plunge.

That said, why not do a little research while you’re comfy? Let’s pore over the specs, and the overall performance, and help you decide which might be the best fit for your next EV.

Polestar 4 vs. IONIQ 5: Side-by-Side Comparison

Both the Polestar 4 and IONIQ 5 look to occupy a similar price point, but there are some differences present just in raw specs.

Polestar 4 vs. IONIQ 5: What’s the Difference?

The Polestar 4 is intended for a 2024 release, so most details surrounding it are a little murky. That said, there is enough known to make some comparisons to the IONIQ 5. Hyundai’s all-electric crossover vehicle builds on years of refinement since the introduction of the original IONIQ.

As such, it’ll be the gold standard the Polestar 4 is going against. Polestar is new to the EV arena, so how the radically designed Polestar 4 fares against the IONIQ 5 in real-world usage should be interesting.

Performance

The Polestar 4 is set to come in two different configurations. The first, a rear-wheel drive option, comes in at 272 horsepower. The second configuration is an all-wheel drive option with 544 horsepower. Not much else is known about the specifics regarding torque and other important performance metrics.

Polestar is targeting over 300 miles of combined range on a single charge. This coupled with the estimated 200 kW charging rate on fast chargers should make for a great vehicle in regard to trips and the like. When it comes to performance for the Polestar 4 vs. IONIQ 5, Polestar has the edge.

The IONIQ 5’s SEL trim package comes with 225 horsepower. This is on the lighter side of things for an EV in the SUV category. That said it isn’t lacking in power, with zippy acceleration and responsive braking to round things out.

An estimated combined range of 303 miles on a single charge makes for quite a bit of range. This is well above the average for most electric SUVs in this price range. Overall, it’s a great choice if you’re not looking to set land speed records.

You will notice the lower performance on the highway if you’re planning to merge suddenly. For daily driving, the IONIQ 5 does the job well. Charging is fast, with an estimated 22 kW on Level 1 and around 272 kilowatts of power output from the battery pack.

Electronics

The Polestar 4 is designed from the ground up to an EV, and as such there are some curious additions. The more typical rear windshield seen on just about every vehicle isn’t present. Instead, this is replaced with an extended glass roof and a high-resolution rear-facing camera.

While this is a nice addition and helps to make the rear seats feel roomy, many might argue the rear windshield is a more worthwhile addition.

The Polestar 4 comes with a standard infotainment panel. Its core operating system utilizes AndroidOS. It also readily integrates with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay for pulling things like navigation and music streaming to the fore.

The SEL trim package for the IONIQ 5 comes with a bevy of wonderful features. You’ll find the standard infotainment panels for navigation and vehicle performance. Also present is wireless charging, a welcome addition to the 2023 production model.

Also included is compatibility with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, which should just be standard features for any new vehicle at this point. Owners also get access to Hyundai Bluelink. This smartphone app acts as a digital key of sorts.

New purchases of the IONIQ 5 get three years of free access to Bluelink, which then defaults to a yearly paid subscription.

Safety Features

The Polestar 4 comes with a complement of safety sensors and cameras for monitoring the exterior of the vehicle. There are twelve cameras, twelve sensors, and a single radar sensor to provide monitoring around the entire vehicle while in motion.

Polestar has packaged in a hands-off sensor for the steering wheel as well. A driver fatigue system is being touted, which uses an internal camera to keep an eye on you while in transit. Polestar claims video data isn’t stored for the driver fatigue system, but it does raise some privacy concerns.

Hyundai’s IONIQ 5 comes with the standard Hyundai safety suite seen on all of their recent EVs. Automatic emergency braking is present, along with lane departure assists. It does lack some of the more robust autonomous safety features seen on higher-end EVs.

That said, the IONIQ 5 is a great choice for those looking for a safe electric car. An adaptive cruise system helps make highway travel a breeze and the Limited and SEL trim packages come with camera coverage around the entire vehicle.

Crash test data for the Polestar 4 isn’t available yet, as the vehicle isn’t in full production. That data will be forthcoming after the vehicle is actually on American shores. You won’t find a better EV for safety than the IONIQ 5 on the market currently.

Warranty Information

Full warranty information for the Polestar 4 isn’t available. Going by other vehicles in its lineup, you can make a fairly informed guess, however.

Both the Polestar 2 and 3 feature a four-year limited warranty, which covers any defects. The battery has an 8-year warranty, which covers capacity when it drops below 70%.

The IONIQ 5 has an above-average warranty for an EV. You’ll find the limited warranty covers a five-year period, well above the norm for most EVs. The powertrain, which includes the battery, is a ten-year period of coverage.

It also has provisions for roadside assistance, limited maintenance, and corrosion protection. All said, a stellar showing from Hyundai for its EV.

Polestar 4 vs. IONIQ 5: 6 Must-Know Facts

• The Polestar 4 is between the Polestar 2 and Polestar 3 dimensionally.
• The rearview mirror on the Polestar 4 is a video screen and mirror.
• The Polestar 4 has an MSRP of $60,000 for the basic trim configuration.
• The IONIQ 5 has scored top marks multiple years in a row for safety from the IIHS.
• The IONIQ 5 does have physical controls for shifting gears and controlling windows.
• The IONIQ 5 is not Hyundai’s first purpose-built EV and builds on that legacy.

Polestar 4 vs. IONIQ 5: Which One Should You Choose?

It is tough to recommend the Polestar 4 without knowing more details concerning how it actually functions. Pulling stat sheets and speculating is well and good, but cars are meant to be driven. As such, it is not recommended for purchase without more details.

The IONIQ 5 is a great EV for daily driving. Sure, you wouldn’t be hauling trailers and the like with it. It does boast great operational range and solid performance behind its futuristic exterior. It has the added benefit of being readily available for purchase.

Any vehicle purchase isn’t just a game of numbers, so be sure to sit behind the wheel and try before you buy. You may find one EV that fits you better than another.

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Maxhdtenda, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons.