Compare the2023 Lexus RZVS 2023 Polestar 2

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the RZ are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Lexus RZ has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, Full-Time Four-Wheel Drive is standard on the RZ. But it costs extra on the Polestar 2.

The RZ has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Polestar 2’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the RZ has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Alert and Parking Support Brake automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Polestar charges extra for Cross Traffic Alert on the Polestar 2.

Both the RZ and the Polestar 2 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and driver alert monitors.

Lexus’ powertrain warranty covers the RZ 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than Polestar covers the 2. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Polestar 2 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 9 times as many Lexus dealers as there are Polestar dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the RZ’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than Polestar vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in initial quality. With 142 more problems per 100 vehicles, Polestar is rated below average.

The RZ’s electric motors produces 77 more horsepower (308 vs. 231) and 78 lbs.-ft. more torque (321 vs. 243) than the Polestar 2 Single Motor’s standard electric motor.

On the EPA test cycle the RZ gets better mileage than the Polestar 2:

The RZ has a standard locking charge port which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The Polestar 2 doesn’t have a locking charge port. A locking charge port prevents tampering and damage.

For better traction and acceleration, the RZ has larger rear tires than the Polestar 2 (255/55R18 vs. 245/45R19).

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the RZ’s wheelbase is 4.6 inches longer than on the Polestar 2 (112.2 inches vs. 107.6 inches).

For better maneuverability, the RZ’s turning circle is .9 feet tighter than the Polestar 2’s (36.8 feet vs. 37.7 feet).

For greater off-road capability the RZ has a 2.1 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Polestar 2 Performance Package (7.8 vs. 5.7 inches), allowing the RZ to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The RZ’s minimum ground clearance is 1.9 inches higher than on the Polestar 2 (7.8 vs. 5.9 inches).

The RZ has .3 inches more front headroom, 1 inch more front hip room, 2.3 inches more front shoulder room, 2.7 inches more rear headroom, 3.6 inches more rear legroom and 1.7 inches more rear shoulder room than the Polestar 2.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the RZ’s rear seats recline. The Polestar 2’s rear seats don’t recline.

The RZ’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The RZ offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the RZ has standard extendable sun visors. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The RZ has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the Polestar 2.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Lexus RZ has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Polestar 2.

The RZ has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The RZ’s optional Advanced Park can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.