Compare the2024 BMW i5VS 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 i5 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 BMW i5 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.

The i5 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 and moves the vehicle back into its lane. 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 i5 has standard Cross Traffic Warning and Brake Intervention automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Polestar charges extra for Cross Traffic Alert on the Polestar 2.

Both the i5 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, 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, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the i5 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for tire rotations, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Polestar doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the 2.

There are almost 14 times as many BMW dealers as there are Polestar dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the i5’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Polestar vehicles. With 121 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks BMW higher than Polestar.

The i5 has more powerful engines than the Polestar 2:

The i5 can travel longer on a full charge than the Polestar 2 on a full charge:

The i5 has a standard locking charge port with a power remote release convenient to the driver. The Polestar 2 doesn’t have a locking charge port. A locking charge port prevents tampering and damage.

The i5’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.

The i5’s optional 275/30R21 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 30 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Polestar 2 BST’s optional 35 series tires.

The i5 has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Polestar 2; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The i5 offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The i5 offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Polestar doesn’t offer an active suspension on the Polestar 2.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the i5’s wheelbase is 10.3 inches longer than on the Polestar 2 (117.9 inches vs. 107.6 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the i5 is 1.1 inches wider in the front and .9 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Polestar 2.

The i5 has 4.6 inches more front shoulder room, 2.6 inches more rear legroom and 4.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Polestar 2.

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the i5 offers cargo security. The Polestar 2’s hatchback body style, non-lockable folding seat and non-lockable remote release defeat cargo security.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the i5. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Unlike the driver-only memory system optional at extra cost in the Polestar 2, the i5 has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The i5’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The i5 offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, warning, navigation instruction and driver assistance information 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.

A power rear sunshade and manual rear side window sunshades are optional in the i5 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer a rear or rear side window sunshades.

The i5 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.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the BMW i5 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Polestar 2.

The i5’s Parking Assistant Plus can parallel park by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Optional Remote Control Parking will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.