Polestar 4 vs Hyundai Ioniq 5

What's the difference?

Polestar finally has more than one offering in its Australian model range. Following the Polestar 2 sedan that arrived in late 2021, and the recently launched Polestar 3 large SUV, the Geely-owned marque has just launched the model that is expected to be its top seller.

The Polestar 4 is a medium coupe-style SUV with liftback vibes, and it is set to line up against some of the most popular EVs on the market, including the Tesla Model Y.

Although, as Polestar execs claim, and the price suggests, it’s a more premium offering than the Tesla.

It is loaded with new technology, including a digital rear-view camera that replaces a traditional rear windscreen, which will either appeal to, or alienate buyers. Probably the former given the appeal of new tech to EV buyers.

But can the Polestar 4 snatch attention away from Tesla and the other solid electric SUVs of a similar size? Read on to find out.

What is it about single letters and performance cars? 

BMW has M, Volkswagen has R, Lexus has F, and with only 23 choices left Hyundai opted for N - which stands for Namyang, site of the brand’s sprawling proving ground and development centre in South Korea, and Nurburgring, the famous German racing circuit where its performance cars are fine-tuned.

And like BMW M Sport, VW R-Line and Lexus F Sport, the Korean giant has N Line as a ‘lite’ option. Sporty models that add a little more punch and visual flair without crossing the line into hardcore hot-rod territory. 

And this is one its latest examples, the pure-electric Ioniq 5 SUV in top-spec Epiq AWD trim and equipped with the N Line Option Pack as well as the tricky Digital Mirror Pack.

In this configuration it slots into the $90K price band, which means it has a lot to live up to in terms of performance, safety, driving dynamics, value and more. 

So, stay with us to see if this premium five-seater is the kind of sporty EV SUV that gets your heart racing.