@@autogefuehl And i now bought a Polestar 2 over a Model 3. Total package feels better. I don't need the range, as i use my cayenne on longer trips anyway.
Amazing review! I ordered the Polestar 2, it has a much better ride quality and an instant ”want” feeling. The android system is a treat and the seats are more comfortable. Only thing tesla has going for it is range and the charging network. 300-400km range covers 98% of my needs. The remaining 2% will require 20min more charging so not a big sacrifice.
Thank you for the nice comparison. Happy Polestar 2 owner here in San Francisco. I get asked so many questions from passersby, including excited reactions from police officers and random kids on buses. I prefer the more muscular angular design and the performance and range more than meet my needs. It is a blast to drive.
I test drove Model 3 and Polestar 2 AWD Long Range, Polestar was better driving experience, but in the end i ordered the Model 3 SR+, for me efficiency and supercharger access (in UK) were the key points. Also heat pump and winter range were key for me. I have friend who also drove both and he chose Polestar 2. Rear space and cargo space for me were also better for Model 3.
I appreciate you doing your reviews in your second language Thomas, well done. As a Multi language speaker, I take my hat off to you! Keep up the great work all of you at Autogefühl. 👍🏻 I love your vegan interior views too!👍🏻🥰🇳🇿🙏🏻
Hi Thomas, I've watched quite a few of your reviews over the years and I really love the consistent quality of your car reviews. I don't know anyone who is so meticulous about every little detail (you are German after all ;-) I am also a very detail oriented person so I really enjoy and appreciate how you test and describe the cars. Most reviewers don't comment about the sound of the turn indicator for example. I was intending to go for a new Tesla model 3 but largely because of this review, it confirm my own impression that the build and ride quality of the Polestar is just a bit better. Thanks for the great review! Keep up the good work with these quality videos. Greetings from The Netherlands
Great review. Nice to see someone not afraid to make longer, but very informative and useful videos. We made a choice and went with the Polestar 2 - picking it up at the end of April. The trunk and interior were the main reasons. The trunk allows us to have our dog with us on trips, it also makes the car more practical. The interior is just nicer - it feels better built and it feels to have been built for the driver. The Model 3 feels as if it was built as a self driving car where the driver is an accessory. Since I've been driving BMW 3 series my whole life the Polestar 2 felt much closer to a BMW than the Tesla. Tesla is good on paper, has better range, performance, charging. The issue is everything else. In any case - it's great that there are more and more alternatives and choice in the EV market. This year there are even more choices that make sense to different people.
@@thomasjacobsen4448 It's a female Alaskan Malamute. So... medium? :) Having a problem getting a good dog cage for the trunk that uses the whole space but is not too tall because of the sloped tailgate - might need to build one myself.
@@thomasjacobsen4448 Thank you :) Oh yeah, malamutes are lovely. They're annoying sometimes (have their own strong, stubborn mind) but that often makes it interesting as well.
@@nirbhayatiwari5425 Do you think Ford or Volkswagen's don't know how to make a good ev? They can but they don't want to canibalize their ICE cars because those are the ones they're making a large profit margin.
@@dragospahontu But they will be bankrupt if they will continue doing that ... See That company only will lead the EV race which will have best technology ... It is the fact and now many car manufacturers are realising it ... You will see that Tesla will always lead the EV race ... And yes upto an extent Ford, VW don't know how to make an EV better than Tesla ... Quality issues are there in Tesla and yes I agree but there also Tesla is improving ....
They're both great vehicles. I take long-distance trips (more than 200 miles) maybe once or twice a year so longer range is not a huge deciding factor for me. I test drove both and ultimately chose the Polestar 2. Better built and a much more usable trunk given the larger hatch-style opening. Plus, Android Automotive is great now and has huge potential (as said by a die-hard iPhone user.)
Best Feature of the polestar is the logo which is projected into the panoramic roof. A little irrelevant detail, but the devil's in the detail and I love this devil.
I am 197 cm. In a Model 3 I get cramps in my back and/or my legs when I am driving it. Sadly it does not work for tall people. I was close to buy one but now I have a Polestar 2 instead. Great car. One pedal drive and that you can tell the car what to do is really great.
I feel like Tesla could be a bit maddening for someone like Thomas. Fit and finish from Tesla still needs work. With everything Tesla, they do not have the service infrastructure of Volvo, Mercedes and Audi etc. Tesla changed the automotive world but the knowledge of the traditional of car makers on how to make a car and the servicing of the car, is an area that would get people to purchase EVs from the traditional makers. Glad to hear Thomas say it. "FSD is useless". $10K for something that does not work and Tesla can't even say when it will be able to work is too much to pay. As always, an exceptional review.
At this stage of EV development, I find the car energy efficiency and the maturity of fast charging network most important ownership factors. For these reasons alone, I chose Tesla over Polestar. No matter how I feel about either of these cars, Tesla proved itself last October when we had to make a 4000 km return trip through Europe during the pandemic where the Supercharger network was a lifesaver. Not a single hick-up along the way. Due to strict COVID measures at that time, we were not able to sleep in hotels, so we slept in the car, which proved to be not too bad.
Great video. I watched all 44 minutes of it and it was worth it. For me I'd go for the Polestar. It's a better car IMO. The Tesla may have better numbers but I think the Polestar looks better and is better to live with. Build quality is important to me. I wouldn't want to be crossing my fingers when a new car turns up hoping everything has fitted together ok.
What is wrong with the headliner and B-pillar at 8:27? The seal is messed up and the panels don't fit together. So much for the Polestar having better build quality 🤦
Somebody probably yanked on it or something, the difference in build quality is obvious in person... Tesla is getting better, but they still feel a little rough around the edges.
M3P with track driving mode should be much better then Long Range version on high speed. Regarding back trunk load it's will be more fair to compare to Model Y with similar back door. Great comparison very informative and as always professional :)
Great review as always. One thing to note on AP and FSD beta, I think a lot of the issues you have with it is due to European laws. If you ever visit North America try AP or FSD beta and you'll see it's a way better experience.
@@ciaranwebb6871 Not true, using the latest Beta version of the limited-release new generation Full-Self-Driving software inside downtowns of American cities shows you how incredibly complex it is to drive in those environments, and every week the updates are making it more and more capable to handle even crazy and totally unknown situations to the AI ...
@@raheeb1 Betaversion and Autopilot, 2 things I never want to hear in the same sentence for a product that is out there on the streets in high volumes.
good comparison Thomas, my neighbor says he has no problems with his autopilot, I think it's a bit unfair comparison between a Hatchback and a sedan car, maybe Model Y would have been better to compare, I keep my hat on Tesla model 3 because the driveline, durability and technology on the battery.
Great review! The Polestar 2 gets the $7500 tax credit in the US, and some states also offer cash credits too....so the pricing is actually comparable. The US needs more CCS chargers near the interstates...this is where Tesla still wins hands down with the Superchargers. That said, I plan to order a Midnight color P*2 this fall. I drove one a few months ago and loved it!
This was a great review, so detailed and very worth the watch. I could see how torn you were between both cars and you summed it all up really well. I'm considering a polestar2 but unsure on the interior trim colour... was that the Slate (grey) or Charcoal (black) interior in the Polestar? Thanks so much! Loving the channel! Michael
Great comparison. I also test drove a Polestar 2 and preferred the handling of it over the model 3. The interior ergonomics on the Polestar especially the center console is just needs work. I'm also not a fan of the back seats in the polestar they're a little too vertical for my taste.
I have a 2019 model 3 and I 100% agree with your driving impressions of the model 3! It feels like a video game car, not exactly what I wanted as a driving enthusiast. Great comparison!!
What a great video, thank you! I have watched so many comparisons of these two cars, and yours was easily one of the better ones. I ordered a Polestar 2 recently, and for me it really came down to the $7500 tax incentive that the PoleStar is eligible for in the USA, but the Tesla is not. For me, that cut the cost down to $53000, which seems like much more of a bargain to me. If the Tesla was still eligible, I may have ordered a Y. Anyway, thank you again for a logical, unbiased opinion. Your delivery style is very comfortable, relaxed and paced perfectly.
Cameras on Tesla: The rear camera is RGGB. The others are RCCB (so they can not detect green color). And the front camera in Tesla is the one in front window. Polestars camera are in the front, in the grill, so it works really well when parking. Tesla front camera is actually like, what you see, but not as good.
I don’t know about the European autopilot version, but I just finished a 4 thousand mile trip (6400 km) in my Tesla 2018 model 3, and I think it was fantastic. The software is constantly being updated. The term “Autopilot” is used appropriately. In an airplane autopilot requires that the captain be ready at a moments notice to take over should the autopilot get into a situation it can’t handle. In the Tesla autopilot requires the same attention at all times. In my case it was a 1000 mile drive spit in two days, with the return trip the same length. The “navigate on autopilot” option got me from one supercharger to the next. Took the right exits and on ramps doing all the merging and pre-heated the battery before the next supercharger. It made 3 supercharger stops in each 500 miles segment, traveling mostly 80 mph ( 128 km/h). Passed slower cars as needed. I configured it to not go back to the original lane after doing the passing lane until I indicated to it to go back with a turn signal. It did the lane change when signaled to do so. City streets I drove myself since it is not set up for that yet. Once I got to my destination (Yellowstone Park) I was able to use autopilot on the park roads. It worked perfectly on those roads. They are one lane each way roads limited to 45 MPH (72 km/h) or less. They are curvy mountain roads. It slowed down automatically on sharp turns. I only needed to take over during intersections, which was to be expected. But other than that it followed the roads perfectly. It even slowed down when there were people at the side of the roads. It even did emergency braking when an apposing car came across their side of the road. I felt very safe in the car. ( As a side note the there was no cell service in the park or very limited at some spots. Autopilot works without any mapping data. The navigation screen was blank other than the arrow following on a blank screen. If you wanted to follow a particular road you would have to set the route while you had cell phone service not once you have no connection. The autopilot does not use map data to follow the road. It is all vision based. The same as what you see with your eyes.) You always have to pay attention and know what it can and cannot do. It always beeped at me to take over if it did not understand the current situation on the road and I was always ready to take over. I always considered it as the car calling out for help - “help I don’t understand what is going on here” when it did that. Jut a little twist of the steering wheel, steer out of the problem and resume and engage autopilot again. The park has some strange left hand turns, that were right in front of you. Had to turn right to say out of the left hand turn lane. Who would do that? The only thing I did not like was that it always stayed centered in its lane on the mountain roads. I think driving a little to the inside of the curve would be better on mountain roads. I also noticed a lot of the apposing cars would drive as far away from the center line of the road as possible. The Tesla did not do that. It was still safely on its side in the center of its lane. It’s just an observation on how people drive. I did hear someone say that when FSD Is complete it would do that. Maybe the European version is handicapped in some way, or your test car did not have the latest update. I can imagine that press cars are not updated properly and don’t realize that it is even an issue. The Tesla’s are not delivered with the latest software. You have to wait a few days or a week to get it. With a Tesla you always have to specify the software version you are running at in a review, because they are updated on a regular basis. The followers need to know that. The PS2 seems like a fine car, But since I am an engineering type I prefer the Tesla with its constant software improvements that keep getting better all the time. The efficiency of the car is not magic, it’s hard engineering and Tesla is the best at that. Thanks for all the reviews you do, they are always top notch. You do have a definite preference for real knobs for climate controls which is okay, bit did you know that (other than voice) you can touch the temperature control and just slide your finger around practically anywhere, as long as you don’t lift your finger off the screen. Slide it left or right you don’t have to be on the temperature icon directly. Also a trick to steady your hand is to put your fingers behind the screen and use your thump in front to manipulate the control. That is why all the touch buttons that you need to get at while driving are on the bottom or top edge,of the screen.
Front camera for Tesla is mainly for autopilot, it wouldn’t be useful as a parking cam as it’s mounted high up for less obstructed vision when driving on a road where parking cams are mounted low in the grille or bumper to better see low obstructions that aren’t visible from the driver’s seat.
This sums up my general impression of these two pretty well. In almost every sense that you can measure by numbers hard, the TM3 wins. In subjective terms, which one is the nicest to have, drive, ride in or look at, that's the PS2. Smartest choice - Depends on your needs.
The exáct decision I had to make this month and it was killing me, but ... luckily the test drive in the Model 3 did not disappoint. I thought the Tesla was just more fun to drive where the Polestar is a more serious car in many aspects. I hate the fact that in The Netherlands there are a lót of Tesla Model 3 driving around; I'd much rather drive a less known car such as the Polestar 2 which looks great inside and out. Having said that ... I love the red 2021 Model 3 ... it's a good looking car and especially the refreshed model makes up for a lot. In my case, I drive quite a lot and quite far. Also with vacations I would very much like a car with better performance in range and consumption. Another thing to consider are the Tesla Superchargers which is another advantage of the Tesla vs. the Polestar. So .... I decided to go for the Tesla Model 3 Long Range in color Red multi coat and I'll probably add the boost package to give it even more 0,5sec punch. I'm sure that everything considered that is the right choice at this moment; even with the Polestar 2 coming with a heat pump in October 2021. Thanks for the great review!
The charging network is indeed the crucial point, isn't it? Every review on charging experiences outside the Tesla Superchargers network highlights how big the problem really is. On a daily basis as much as on a vacation trip. There are a lot of interesting new cars coming on the market (P2, Ioniq5, Kia EV6 and so on), but as long as the charging network problem remains unsolved, the only practical and safe way to drive around in an EV is to go for a Tesla. I'm really not a US products fan because of their overall lack of quality (it's as if they just don't bother, reason why they have planes falling out of the sky), but my first EV will be a Tesla Model 3, simple as that. It will be a painful change for me because I really am a petrolhead (I'm driving an Alfa Romeo Veloce with 280 hp for the moment, great car by the way), but considering the climate crisis, the fiscal environment and the zero emission zones which are being put in place all over Europe, driving a combustion motor car in the coming years is going to become painful in every possible way. It's just that people don't fully realize it yet... which will make the realization even harder to swallow in due time. Greetings from Belgium
Great review thank you, very interesting to see the two cars compared side by side. I admire the Tesla's efficiency, no doubt they have that nailed. Trouble is I have never bought a car based on its efficiency. For this reason I would take the Polestar, I prefer the design and its a higher quality product.
Excellent comparison Thomas. Finally a honest one whitout Tesla religious involved. 90% of people drive max 50km/day. Range Is not so important feature as some say. I can make my charges at home over the night. And my family requires break max after 300km anyway. Volvo/Polestar building quality Is just so good. Most of the old cars on the daily use are Volvo or German brands. That Is also important when thinking about sustainable development. Tesla quality can be maybe compared to French or similar brands. I Wonder if Polestar would be as effective as Tesla if they would save from the quality of materials and be lighter?
it seems in Europe range matters less but its important in the US, i want an electric car with 400 miles minimum because i can usually end up driving 350 miles every weekend within just my state.
"without Tesla religious involved" Indeed, there are way too many "journalists" proudly spamming their tesla referral link in the description. I've yet to see one disclose that they benefit form people using their link.
TYVM! Nice comparison. Either choice seems like a fine car. I hope things will be different in a few (but more than a couple of) years, but in the interim, in the US, I think EV ties have to go to a Tesla due to the Tesla Supercharger network. If you want a fast charger on a long-distance trip, Tesla charging is more convenient than alternatives.
Huge difference in financing if in the UK at least. Polestar works out with much lower monthly payments so that’s what I went for even though I’m a TSLA shareholder!
As always a professional and considered review that goes into great detail. Were I in the position of trying to decide which one to buy this is the sophisticated type of review that I would find helpful. The reviews like all on this website stands head and shoulders above most, the one setting the standard for car reviews. Well done to the presenter and his camera man, an excellent team.
To get the same level of equipment that the Tesla has as standard, you have to add option pack(s) to the Polestar (depending on variant). As you mentioned the Tesla could do with a HUD. Less so the Polestar because it has a really good 12” driver display. As someone who suffers from back problems it is disappointing you need pilot and plus packs in the Polestar to get lumbar support (and wireless charging and a heat pump). Lumber support is standard in the Tesla, and in my 5yo base model Ford Focus. I have both vehicles (base models) on order at the moment. With such long delivery times, I can decide which one to cancel. While I wait and continue research, I have looked at aftermarket accessories and modifications. The Tesla is far better served by third party suppliers, as you referenced about the noise reduction. For the difference in price between the M3 and the P2(with packs) I anticipate getting a powered Frunk, replace the taillights and maybe even get a vinyl wrap. An aftermarket drivers display is available, but not high on my priorities. Thank you for not saying “Okay Google “ multiple times.
Thank you for the excellent review. As a T-M3 owner it was a narrow choice over the polstar as the polstar really nice car but for now the efficiency, over-air update and ease of charging were more important for me, but close call. There are certainly some more nice EV's coming soon to add to this market place with the Ionic 5 and EV6 so more choice of good cars.
I don’t think so cuz I think the polestar 2 is suppose to be a hatchback sedan thing….. correct me if I’m wrong but I pretty sure it’s a hatchback not a crossover.
I don't know how Tesla got those tiny rear indicators through the standards, you cannot see them if there is any sun shining on the tail lights, Tesla should increase the size of them
I will take the Polestar 2 without doubt. I don't care if Tesla has more range. For me quality is important, and hatch trunk too. Superb review Thomas !!
why do you think Polestar 2 has better quality than Tesla? Tesla has way more experience in building electric motors, batteries, drivetrain as whole, better UI, batter battery management... panel gaps and poor paint job are thing of past on most new Teslas... So i dont get your point here about quality...
@@stefyyy1994 Because my parents own one. Our Model 3 has 25.000 km, so I know perfectly how is it. Plus, I tested other EV, and they don't have anything to envy a Model 3. If you ask me, Would you buy again the Model 3. I would say NO.
@@stefyyy1994 We have the Model 3 LR 2019. And it was me that I convinced my parents to buy one. I was a fanboy. Since we have it, I am no any more. I don't like the trunk. Everything you have to do it with an APP, we do no have keyfog, our paint has some issues. Moreover we've been already 3 times to the Service Center. I don't like the glass roof. Here in Spain, in summer you get toasted inside the car, because everything is glass. What a vehicle that you spend 55k € and haven't the chance to get rid of the glass roof. You don't have any cockpit. Everything you have to do it in the 15 '' screen. The autopilot is too sharp, so it's no useful. The Model 3 has one of the worst confort rides I have ever ride. As I said, I tested a lot of other EV, and they had more ride confort, and a lot of more acustic isolation. The ground clearance is so poor. We touch frequently the belly of the Model 3. The only rims you can fit with proper desing is 19 ''. The only 18 '' comes with plastic caps, really ? Only 2 rims to choose ? I could be writing all day. But I thing you get an idea. As I said, I was a fanboy, until I drove the Model 3. What do you think ?
The Polestar is better looking, tech and efficiency is better in the Tesla.... Its difficult, I think I could forgo some range if the polestar charged quicker - 10-80% in 30 mins is the norm.... Infrastructure and charging speed will be the key to success .. Range is not as important as I thought.... 15 min for 100 mins is fine.... Most journeys I take are 200 miles +/- 50 so a single stop for 15 mins is absolutely fine.
Thomas, your reviews are standout excellent! Best automotive reviewer for detail that there is....Thanks. From a UK perspective I actually think it’s easy to decide between these 2 closely matched cars. If you regularly do long haul journeys across the country ( work, family location etc) then the Tesla is the tool for the job. If you have a short to regular commute, family local and only do the occasional long journey throughout the year then the Polestar, being the more practical and better ‘car’ product and stylish looks, its the compelling product choice.
I drove both cars also, I loved both. The build quality of the polestar is better on the inside. However I couldn't get used to the pretty small screen with large bezels. I didn't like the wrapped arround cockpit. Yes I would like a screen in front of the steering wheel in the Model 3. I could get used to it but still missing it a bit. I like the charging network tesla has and the prices versus ionity for example. In the end I chose for the Model 3 because of the infrastructure, the range and I feel more free in the car. The exterior of the polestar is different. I like the front profile, I don't like the boxy side profile. The rear is okish but I never liked the lights over the full width of a car (On any car). I'm very interested in the Ioniq 5. That is a completely different take on the exterior. Would love to see a comparison between that and different EV models.
Which country or region are you using it in? I think that should always be taken into account with Tesla currently. Currently it's definitely US centric/optimized...
Polestar 2 is projected to cost around EUR225K (1.55x more than a Tesla) over in Singapore. Price significant price variance and efficiency aside, the polestar 2 really looks more complete.
I'm a Tesla fan boy and share holder, but need room for a wheel chair. So no other choice but the Polestar 2. I really really like the design and the look of the Android automotive system, comfort and lower wind noice is also important. Range and charging infrastructure is not as important for me at the moment. Polestar 2 will be wonderful to have until my Cybertruck arrives. :)
@34:40. Chassis discussion. The Polestar is overbuilt and heavy being adapted from an ICE platform. The result is an extra 400+ lbs./180kg of curb weight compared to the Model 3 LR. Since the Model 3 LR and the Polestar 2 have around the same size pack then this extra weight is likely due to a beefed up underbody to secure the battery pack within the conventional ICE unibody. This might make the chassis feel stiffer but at the penalty of adding a lot of extra weight. I guess you could do the same with the Model 3 and add an extra 180kg of bracing to the detriment of handling and range. The next generation Teslas coming next year will make use of very light mega-cast front and rear underbodies will keep the weight low but greatly increase the chassis stiffness.
compared to the model y, a comparison that makes a lot more sense than to the model 3, if only for ride height and hatch, the polestar weighs about the same depending on version of the model Y. So that's that. Let's not argue about 5% weight difference as if we are talking about 4 to 8 inches differences in dick size. And considering Tesla's future: That is fantasy land always. somethings become reality, some dont. still waiting for cybertruck. also, still waiting for decent panel gaps and paint jobs.
Also strange your experience with Auto-Pilot. I drove 1200 km on the highway in France with a model 3, didn't make 1 mistake. I also drove a Polestar 2, travel assist felt very nervous, didn't give my a confident feeling at all.
Tesla may be brilliant at the technology, but their designs have a long way to go. Just because there is an inevitable move towards EVs, we still want our cars to excite us and I personally find the interior and exterior styling of the Tesla quite sterile. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is a great example of how it can be done. On this comparison I would definitely go for the Polestar 🇸🇪😉
Polestar 2 definitely looks better and has better interior quality but when it comes to living with a car for a long time I think Model 3 is definitely better.
I don't have personal experience with the autoopilot in Tesla, but there are soo many reviews (also by Bjorn - "tesla expert / nerd"), that say it is actually really usable and reliable. So I'm pretty surprised, that you find it to be a "useless feature".
It seems you were hesitant to say outright your favorite is the Polestar. Tesla needs to improve their overall finishing, they need to develop an overall pride about their fit and finish, copy the German approach. Great video comparison.
tesla cant do that, cause that would decrease production volume but tesla needs the cash flow so they have to focus very specifically on what they change when in their production line. Musk's approach isnt, let's have good QC, his approach is, let us make incremental changes that add up to not needing QC. So far that concept has been moving ahead very slowly.
@@maxmeier532 The Berlin Y is going to be "interesting". Lighter, more sophisticated construction, stiffer chassis, better battery (faster charging?) *and* German build quality.....
I agree, however the charging infrastructure from Tesla is 100 times better compared to anything else out there. For that reason alone i would always go for the Tesla.
A buddy of mine wanted to buy Tesla 3 but after testing he said he doesn't consider her as a proper car but more like a toy car. Went for the Bmw 3 hybrid instead.
the polestar has the least intrusive, annoying screens I have seen in any car so far, be it IV or ICE. That is a big plus in my book. Kudos for calling out tesla's assistance systems!
I disagree with you Thomas. As an owner of a Volvo XC 60 and Tesla Model 3, I have to say that "Autopilot" is a lot better than the Volvo system which I assume is the same system that was put in the Polestar 2. I use the Tesla system sometimes with zero interventions. The Volvo struggles to stay in its lane half the time. It comes down to personal preference anyway
so you have never driven a polestar but know the tesla is better and then finish your argument by saying it's personal preference anyway. do you have a phD in logic?
@@maxmeier532 Polestar is Volvo. They both use the same Pilot Assist system with minor changes. I might not have driven a Polestar but there are RU-vid videos demonstrating the system. I spoke out of my experience using the Pilot Assist in my Volvo and Autopilot in my Tesla. Have you used either system? If so you are free to come up with your own conclusions.
For sure if I was old and preferred a traditional boxy gas car look, I’d take the Volvo but I’m younger so prefer the cool, fresh lines and tech of the Tesla. Plus that charger and software ecosystem is steps above anything else. Nice review as always.
