Polestar 2 vs Volkswagen ID.4

Polestar is one of the newest brands in the automotive firmament, but it still has a connection to an established automaker.

The Polestar name originally belonged to an independent motorsports and tuning company focused on modifying Volvos. It was eventually acquired by the Swedish automaker, and for a short time became its performance sub-brand, similar to Mercedes-AMG or BMW M. Volvo then decided to reassign the Polestar name to a new brand focused on electric vehicles. Launched for the 2021 model year, the Polestar 2 was the new brand’s first volume model, following the limited-edition Polestar 1 plug-in hybrid.

Polestar has other EVs planned, but for now the 2 remains its sole offering. The 2024 Polestar 2 gets some notable upgrades, including a range boost, revised styling, and some powertrain changes. All of that helps keep the 2 fresh in the face of competition like the Tesla Model 3 and Hyundai Ioniq 6.

Polestar keeps its lineup simple. Buyers can choose between Long Range Single Motor and Long Range Dual Motor configurations. We sampled the single-motor Polestar 2 for this review.

Thanks to a new, more powerful rear-drive motor, increased driving range to nearly 300 miles, a next-generation infotainment system with substantial user-experience improvements, and a handful of comfort and convenience upgrades, the 2024 Volkswagen ID.4 is a better electric SUV than before. However, it no longer includes complimentary DC fast charging for three years. Instead, you get up to 500 kWh of free charging, after which you’ll pay to play.

Verdict: While the downgrade in free charging is a bummer, the updated 2024 Volkswagen ID.4 is not. With the technology better sorted, improved comfort, an impressive sound system, and more power, performance, and range, VeeDub’s electric SUV need not make apologies.

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