Compare the2023 Audi e-tron SportbackVS 2023 Polestar 2

The Audi e-tron Sportback 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, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the e-tron Sportback. But it costs extra on the Polestar 2.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the e-tron Sportback’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

An active infrared night vision system optional on the e-tron Sportback helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera and near-infrared lights to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer a night vision system.

The e-tron Sportback 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 e-tron Sportback has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Assist and Automatic Brake Activation automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Polestar charges extra for Cross Traffic Alert on the Polestar 2.

Both the e-tron Sportback and the Polestar 2 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front 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 available around view monitors.

The Audi e-tron Sportback weighs 1040 to 1358 pounds more than the Polestar 2. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the e-tron Sportback its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 127 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Polestar 2 has not been tested, yet.

There are almost 12 times as many Audi dealers as there are Polestar dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the e-tron Sportback’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Audi vehicles are better in initial quality than Polestar vehicles. With 89 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Audi higher than Polestar.

The e-tron Sportback has more powerful engines than the Polestar 2:

The e-tron Sportback has a standard locking charge port with a remote release located convenient to the driver. The Polestar 2 doesn’t have a locking charge port. A locking charge port prevents tampering and damage.

The e-tron Sportback’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the e-tron Sportback’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Polestar 2:

For better traction, the e-tron Sportback has larger standard tires than the Polestar 2 (255/50R20 vs. 245/45R19). The e-tron Sportback Premium Plus/Prestige’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Polestar 2 (265/45R21 vs. 245/45R19).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the e-tron Sportback has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the Polestar 2. The e-tron Sportback’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 21-inch wheels optional on the Polestar 2 BST.

The front and rear suspension of the e-tron Sportback uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the Polestar 2, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The e-tron Sportback has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The e-tron Sportback’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the e-tron Sportback’s wheelbase is 7.4 inches longer than on the Polestar 2 (115 inches vs. 107.6 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the e-tron Sportback is 1.6 inches wider in the front and 2.2 inches wider in the rear than on the Polestar 2.

The e-tron Sportback has 4 inches more front shoulder room, .9 inches more rear headroom, 5.2 inches more rear legroom and 4.6 inches more rear shoulder room than the Polestar 2.

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the e-tron Sportback’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the e-tron Sportback. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Maximum trailer towing in the Polestar 2 is limited to 2000 pounds. The e-tron Sportback offers up to a 4000 lbs. towing capacity.

Unlike the driver-only memory system optional at extra cost in the Polestar 2, the e-tron Sportback Prestige has a passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The e-tron Sportback’s standard easy entry system 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 e-tron Sportback Prestige has a standard 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 improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the e-tron Sportback has a standard rear wiper. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

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

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the e-tron Sportback to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

Optional air conditioned front and rear seats keep the e-tron Sportback’s passengers comfortable and take the sting out of hot leather in summer. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

The e-tron Sportback 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.

The e-tron Sportback offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Polestar 2.

The Audi e-tron outsold the Polestar 2 by 52% during 2022.