The Tesla Model 3 is the benchmark in its class, but Australia’s top-selling EV now has the Polestar 2 to contend with…
- Big business
- Rising tide
- Inside story
- Safety edge
- Single motoring
- Road runners
- Charge points
- More to go
- EV winner
Big business
Only a few years ago Tesla was a niche brand building what were essentially niche cars. Now the still-fresh EV start-up is big business and kicking big sales goals.
In 2021 it had the top-selling prestige car in Australia in the Tesla Model 3, which is also the dominant player in the EV space.
But combatants are lining up. While traditional brands are aiming for a slice of the Tesla EV success, it’s newcomer Polestar that is one of the more compelling in the fight for the electric car dollar.
Owned by Volvo, Polestar clearly has Tesla in its crosshairs.
The first Polestar to go on sale in Australia (rather than a Polestar-modified Volvo, as we’ve seen previously) is known simply as the Polestar 2 and is identically priced to the Tesla Model 3.
Polestar is also using a similar sales model to Tesla, whereby you buy online directly from the manufacturer. Both cars are also assembled in China, the unofficial hub for EVs sold in Australia.
And Polestar has a similar focus on tech and connectivity, all with the aim of adding an icing-on-the-cake tempter for those interested in making the EV switch.
But there are major differences, too. The Tesla was designed from the outset as an electric car, so benefits from ideally packaging batteries and electric motors, rather than adapting them to a space made for an engine and gearbox.
The Polestar adapted electric components to an existing internal combustion engine (ICE) architecture, the same one that underpins the Volvo XC40. So there are natural compromises, including the sizeable hump in the floor at the rear.
For this test we’ve chosen the two in the hotspot of the EV market – one benefiting from rebates and incentives in various states and territories.
In the T corner is the entry-level version of the 2022 Tesla Model 3, now known simply as Rear-Wheel Drive (it was formerly the Standard Range Plus).
In the P corner is the 2022 Polestar 2 with a single motor and the optional long range battery pack.
Rising tide
At the start of 2022 the Polestar 2 and Tesla Model 3 had identical $59,900 starting prices, before order fees, delivery and registration. But things have changed since then.
Tesla has implemented two price rises that have lifted the 2022 Tesla Model 3 entry point to $63,900 plus on-road costs.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Polestar has followed suit, forgoing its price advantage over Tesla to place the 2022 Polestar 2 Standard Range Single Motor back at the same mark as the Model 3 Real-Wheel Drive.
The Polestar 2 Long Range Single Motor (MY22) on test here previously started at $64,900 plus ORCs, but is now only available for order under MY23 – due late this year – at $68,400 plus ORCs.
It’s still a pretty equal match-up, at least until we start ticking option boxes. That’s where Polestar quickly sails off into the distance.
First, though, the similarities.
Both allow you to use your phone as a key; as long as it’s nearby, the doors will unlock and once it registers a derriere on the driver’s seat the car is ready to motor.
Both have a quartet of USB ports, both have parking sensors at either end, both have dual-zone ventilation and heated front seats and both perform regular over-the-air software updates to tweak features and functionality.
From there the Tesla shoots ahead in this match-up. While its interior looks sparse, there’s lots lurking beneath the minimalism.
The steering wheel is electrically adjustable, for example, and heated seats not only touch the front pews but also all three in the rear. There’s also a heated steering wheel, powered boot lid and a panoramic sunroof (albeit with no cover, so it can get hot on a sunny day).
Plus there’s one of the clearest surround-view cameras on any car, providing vibrant images from all around the car. It even works with Sentry mode – for additional security when parked – and a dash-cam feature that can record what’s going on around the vehicle while driving.
You also can’t ignore the 15.0-inch touch-screen that looks after so many of the vehicle’s functions. And while it doesn’t have Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, Tesla has nicely integrated phone functions and embedded various music and entertainment apps to ensure there’s loads to be distracted by.
The M3 RWD comes standard with 18-inch alloy wheels (with surprisingly stylish plastic covers to improve aerodynamics) or you can option 19-inch alloy wheels ($2200). There’s also a white leather-look interior finish ($1500) for the Tesla.
The Polestar 2 comes standard with 19-inch alloys and gets an emergency contact system as part of Polestar Connect (it can contact emergency services and direct them to a stricken vehicle). It also gets physical keys (the Tesla gets two cards the size of a credit card), one of which is water-resistant, so you can pop it in your pocket when swimming.
While there’s only an 11.2-inch touch-screen, it’s clear and easy to navigate using the Android Automotive operating system.
Plus it now incorporates Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, although the native system does a terrific job and allows you to download apps from the Google Play store. We reckon many will be content with the Polestar way rather than relying on the systems developed by Silicon Valley’s big tech duo.
Instead, Polestar leaves many of the trinkets to two main option packs, which allow you to better match the Tesla feature set.
Ours had two packs: Pilot and Plus, adding $5000 and $6000 respectively.
Just to confuse things, the regular Pilot pack is no longer available if you order a car now; it’s instead morphed into Pilot Lite ($3400), which misses out on the matrix LED headlights (blame it on the semiconductor shortage) but still gets blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, auto-dimming side mirrors and a 360-degree camera.
The Plus pack adds a panoramic sunroof, power-operated front seats, heated rear seats and wireless phone charging. There’s also unique trim elements and a heat pump to improve efficiency, especially in cool weather.
Now, let’s talk aftersales support – and Polestar comes out swinging here. Servicing is included for the first five years and 100,000km. While there’s a lot less that needs to be attended to on an electric car, it is safely worth at least $1000.
Plus, Polestar has access to the Volvo service network, so there’s more chance of finding somewhere to get those check-ups.
The Polestar also gets a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty versus the anaemic four-year/80,000km coverage for the Tesla.
Tesla doesn’t quote servicing costs for the Model 3 but recommends attention every two years as a minimum, with a tyre rotation every 10,000km. Best estimates are that a Model 3 would cost a few hundred dollars per service.
Both provide a separate eight-year/160,000km warranty covering the high-voltage EV battery with a guarantee it will have at least 70 per cent of its original capacity after that time.
Inside story
So, with some exceptions, the 2022 Tesla Model 3 has a clear equipment advantage in this match-up. Tesla is as much about the software as it is the stuff you touch and feel.
And it pays to get acquainted with the central touch-screen, because it controls so much of the car, from opening the boot, bonnet and glove box to playing arcade games when the car is stopped.
There are surprise-and-delight extras with the Tesla Model 3, too, including the whoopee cushion function that’s guaranteed to get kids giggling.
That’s part of the difference with the Tesla; whereas the Polestar 2 does traditional luxury car things with an EV twist, the Tesla somehow makes you smile – or even LOL – with its out-there approach.
The Model 3’s screen also controls all the ventilation and heating functions, seat and steering wheel adjustment as well as providing an off-centre instrument cluster.
But the 2022 Polestar 2 fights back once you look beyond the raw array of features and consider the presentation and materials.
Even from the outside, it’s a classy-looking machine, with bold lines and elegant LED light signatures adding depth. If this were a beauty contest, the Polestar 2 would walk away with the sash and bouquet.
Dash finishes are warm and textural, the attention to detail running deep throughout the cabin courtesy of a cohesive Swedish influence.
The Polestar logo reflecting in the sunroof at night is something unlikely to rate a second glance on a spec list, but it all adds to the sensation that the 2 is a true luxury vehicle with plenty of thoughtful extras.
It’s a shame Polestar hasn’t improved the breed with its associated app.
Sure, it’s great to see the remaining charge and be able to activate the ventilation from your smartphone, but Tesla takes it further. You can schedule charging, activate Sentry and analyse charging statistics.
Plus we found the Tesla app was more likely to connect and do what it says on the box.
In terms of space, the differences are as marked as the ambience and finishes.
The Tesla Model 3 has a hatch-like rump but is actually a sedan, its boot opening smaller but the load space generous. The Polestar 2 has a sedan-like profile, but the boot is hinged up high, revealing a larger, more practical opening. It partially makes up for the shallower load space.
Each has under-bonnet storage – or a ‘frunk’, as Tesla calls it – with the Model 3 more useful. There’s also underfloor storage in the boot of each.
From the driver’s seat, there’s no shortage of headroom and adjustability to each. But it’s a very different view from T to P.
The Polestar positions its windows higher, giving the sensation you’re cocooned in the cabin. Combined with a small rear window it occasionally limits visibility.
The Tesla is the opposite, its airy cabin seemingly making a feature of the outdoors. Those in the rear also have decent knee space and a flat floor.
The P2’s back seat space is less generous and anyone in the middle position will be fighting for foot room with the bulbous tunnel.
Safety edge
In standard guise it’s the 2022 Tesla Model 3 that has an edge on the safety front, mainly because the Polestar 2 has left some features to the option packs.
Both cars come with autonomous emergency braking (AEB). But unless you’re paying for those extra options, the Polestar 2 misses out on blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert and a surround view camera – all of which are standard on the Tesla.
The main advantage for the Polestar is the emergency response system as part of the Connect system.
If you have a crash, the Polestar’s SOS button can be used to notify emergency services of the need for help and furnish them with your location.
Both models carry a five-star ANCAP safety rating, but the Polestar 2 was assessed under the more stringent 2022 assessment regime. The Tesla Model 3 was tested in 2019.
Single motoring
Polestar and Tesla each sell dual-motor versions of these cars, but the ones we’ve tested here get only one motor.
In the case of the 2022 Tesla Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive, that motor is mounted under the boot and, as the moniker makes clear, powers the rear wheels.
The 2022 Polestar 2 Long Range Single Motor packs its motor under the bonnet to drive the front wheels.
While Tesla doesn’t quote power and torque figures, it doesn’t take long behind the wheel to realise there’s more on offer.
When certifying the Model 3 RWD for sale, the company listed the output as 208kW, well up on the Polestar’s 170kW. No mention of torque peaks, although it feels punchier than the Polestar 2’s 330Nm peak.
It helps that the Tesla is around 250kg lighter than the Polestar.
Both are enthusiastic off the line, although the Tesla’s sharper throttle response means less effort is required from your right foot.
But above 50km/h the Tesla takes over, providing noticeably more pull that makes the blast to 100km/h that little bit swifter.
From a standstill, Tesla claims 6.1 seconds for the dash to triple figures, although our own testing had it at more like 6.3 seconds. The Polestar takes a more leisurely 7.6 seconds according to our testing (versus a claim of 7.4 seconds).
So the Polestar 2 is brisk, the Tesla Model 3 RWD bordering on quick.
Road runners
Direct steering and taut suspension make for an athletic combo in the 2022 Tesla Model 3.
Point and it quickly obeys, the Michelin tyres doing their job nicely. It helps that the whole Rear-Wheel Drive package sneaks in under 1.8 tonnes, which is something of a featherweight in the EV sphere.
Step up the pace and the rear-drive nature works to the Model 3’s advantage, power faithfully transmitted to the road.
It’s an engaging combination and one that adds to the fun factor of a car that has plenty of it in a straight line.
The Model 3 is also nicely controlled, its suspension quick to transmit some of the road surface into the cabin but at least ensuring the body recovers quickly and is well behaved.
The 2022 Polestar 2 Long Range Single Motor has more weight over its nose, but the suspension set-up disguises much of that. It’s a thoroughly accomplished car through corners and delivers on excitement.
Engineers said they wanted to elicit a smile along the way and they’ve certainly achieved that.
But it does so at the expense of comfort. The Tesla is taut, the Polestar 2 firm. There’s more chance of a sharp edge jarring into the cabin and it’ll generally buck a fraction harder, even if it is beautifully controlled.
That’s an important point, because the Polestar manages to turn many roads into an occasion rather than bounding over them.
However, the suspension transmits some booming and tyre noise into the cabin, something that detracts from the near silence elsewhere.
Charge points
The Tesla Model 3 has long been one of the more efficient EVs on the market and nothing has changed with this latest update.
Despite improving the claimed WLTP range from 448km to 491km from SR+ to RWD, the 2022 Tesla Model 3 still uses a claimed 13.4kWh per 100km.
That suggests that Tesla has either found efficiencies elsewhere or increased the size of the battery.
Either way, it’s by far the more efficient on this test. Our testing showed it used slightly more than that, but mainly because we did some freeway driving (never easy on an EV) and performance testing that is always going to slurp more electrons.
The 2022 Polestar 2 Long Range Single Motor, on the other hand, uses a claimed 19.7kWh/100km. While we used more than that, we were closer to the claim than we were on the Tesla.
It’s worth putting it in perspective, too, because each is far cheaper to move than a petrol car. The Polestar’s on-paper penalty would translate to a couple of hundred dollars more electricity each year if you covered 15,000km – but it would still be some $1500 less than an equivalent ICE car.
Plus, the Polestar mounts a solid counterclaim: a bigger battery.
Again, Tesla makes no admissions about the size of its battery, instead focusing on range claims. But the electricity use suggests it’s around 55-60kWh.
The Polestar 2 Long Range gets a claimed 78kWh battery with 75kWh of usable capacity. No surprises that it goes further on a charge. The WLTP claim is 540km versus the Tesla’s 491km.
In the real world, the difference was more stark – and all in the Polestar’s favour.
Over two long days of driving the Polestar was ready to go further on each occasion.
At the end of day one – both cars covering the same drive route in the same conditions – the Polestar had 60 per cent charge remaining for another 270km, whereas the Tesla was down to 39 per cent and 173km.
After the second day the Polestar had 45 per cent charge and was happy to go another 163km versus 33 per cent and 116km in the Tesla.
When it comes time to charge, both cars can accept up to 11kW of slower AC charging. If you’re using a regular home wallbox the Tesla should take about eight hours for a complete charge versus 10.5 in the Polestar (you can roughly triple those figures if you’re using a home power point).
With DC charging the Polestar 2 can take up to 155kW and is claimed to perform a 10-80 per cent charge in 35 minutes.
Again, Tesla doesn’t make claims but our experience suggests it’ll take up to about 125kW at its peak, although no claims as to how long that benchmark 10-80 per cent charge takes.
But according to the on-screen display the Tesla is adding about 1000km of range per hour – with one big caveat. It can’t maintain that peak for an hour (clearly, as it doesn’t have a range of 1000km).
More to go
They may be leaders in tech and connectivity, but neither the 2022 Polestar 2 nor the Tesla Model 3 can be used to power a house or feed back into the grid, for now at least.
There’s no vehicle-to-grid (V2G) or vehicle-to-load (V2L) capability in either.
And while the Tesla can be used to tow elsewhere in the world, it specifically stipulates no towing with a Model 3 in Australia, warning that towing “can cause damage and increase the risk of a collision”.
So if you want to lug a box trailer or a tinnie the Polestar is your only choice, able to tow up to 1500kg.
EV winner
The 2022 Tesla Model 3 is Australia’s most popular EV with good reason. It’s impressively efficient, great to drive and represents good value, especially once you factor in solid resale value.
It also benefits from being conceived from the outset as an EV, ensuring more usable space in the cabin. The technology focus and brilliant connectivity seal the Rear-Wheel Drive the win in this two-way.
Not that the 2022 Polestar 2 is an underdog – anything but.
In Long Range guise it’ll travel further on a charge and it does it in genuine style. What it lacks in suppleness it makes up for with lashings more luxury than the Tesla.
It’ll be less of a change of pace for those stepping out of a traditional luxury brand.
In short, the Polestar 2 leads the way on luxury and attention to detail – and if you’re prepared to do without some features you can save some money along the way. Plus you may not have to queue as long for the newcomer.
A close tussle, for sure, but Tesla’s EV maturity and tech leadership shine brightly.
That said, the Polestar 2 has well and truly put Tesla on notice.
How much does the 2022 Polestar 2 Long Range Single Motor cost?Price: $68,400 (plus on-road costs)Available: NowPowertrain: Single permanent magnet synchronous motorOutput: 170kW/330NmTransmission: Single-speed reduction gearBattery: 78kWh lithium-ion (75kWh usable)Range: 540km (WLTP)Energy consumption: 19.7kWh/100km (WLTP)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2022)
How much does the 2022 Tesla Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive cost?Price: $63,900 (plus on-road costs)Available: NowPowertrain: Single permanent magnet synchronous motorOutput: 208kW (torque not quoted)Transmission: Single-speed reduction gearBattery: 55kWh (estimated) lithium-iron phosphateRange: 491km (WLTP)Energy consumption: 13.4kWh/100km (WLTP)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2019)
Keyword: Tesla Model 3 v Polestar 2 2022 Comparison