Compare the2024 Audi Q8 e-tronVS 2024 Polestar 2

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Audi Q8 e-tron 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 Q8 e-tron. But it costs extra on the Polestar 2.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Q8 e-tron’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The Q8 e-tron has Car-to-X Services, a system that seemlesly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure.

Both the Q8 e-tron 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The Audi Q8 e-tron weighs 1084 to 1570 pounds more than the Polestar 2. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Audi Q8 e-tron is safer than the Polestar 2:

	Q8 e-tron	Polestar 2
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	44	75
Chest Movement	.7 inches	.7 inches
Abdominal Force	117 lbs.	131 lbs.
Hip Force	236 lbs.	261 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	123	267
Spine Acceleration	44 G’s	60 G’s
Hip Force	579 lbs.	741 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	631 lbs.	702 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The Audi Q8 e-tron achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Polestar 2 has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

Warranty

There are almost 10 times as many Audi dealers as there are Polestar dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Q8 e-tron’s warranty.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Q8 e-tron’s reliability 11 points higher than the Polestar 2.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 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 92 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Audi higher than Polestar.

Engine

The Q8 e-tron has more powerful engines than the Polestar 2:

	Horsepower	Torque
Q8 e-tron electric motors	402 HP	490 lbs.-ft.
SQ8 e-tron electric motors	496 HP	717 lbs.-ft.
Polestar 2 Single Motor electric motor	299 HP	361 lbs.-ft.
Polestar 2 Dual Motor electric motors	421 HP	546 lbs.-ft.
Polestar 2 Dual Motor Performance Pack electric motors	455 HP	546 lbs.-ft.

As tested in Motor Trend the Audi Q8 e-tron (base engine) is faster than the Polestar 2 Single Motor electric motor:

	Q8 e-tron	2
Zero to 60 MPH	5.1 sec	5.3 sec
Quarter Mile	13.7 sec	14 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	102.4 MPH	99 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

The Q8 e-tron can travel longer on a full charge than the Polestar 2 on a full charge:

			Miles
Q8 e-tron
	AWD	Electric Motors	285 miles
		SQ8 20" Wheels Electric Motors	253 miles
Polestar 2
	AWD	19" Wheels Dual Motor	276 miles
		20" Wheels Dual Motor	266 miles
		Performance Package Electric Motors	247 miles

The Q8 e-tron 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.

Transmission

The Q8 e-tron’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.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Q8 e-tron’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Polestar 2:

	Q8 e-tron	2
Front Rotors	15.7 inches	13.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13.8 inches	12.6 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Q8 e-tron has larger standard tires than the Polestar 2 (255/50R20 vs. 245/45R19). The Q8 e-tron’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 Q8 e-tron has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the Polestar 2. The Q8 e-tron’s optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the Polestar 2.

The Q8 e-tron 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.

Suspension and Handling

The front and rear suspension of the Q8 e-tron 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 Q8 e-tron has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Q8 e-tron’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 Q8 e-tron’s wheelbase is 7.4 inches longer than on the Polestar 2 (115.1 inches vs. 107.7 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Q8 e-tron is 2.2 inches wider in the front and 2.2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Polestar 2.

For greater off-road capability the Q8 e-tron has a 2.4 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Polestar 2 Performance Package (8.1 vs. 5.7 inches), allowing the Q8 e-tron to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Q8 e-tron’s minimum ground clearance is 2.2 inches higher than on the Polestar 2 (8.1 vs. 5.9 inches).

Passenger Space

The Q8 e-tron has 7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Polestar 2 (103 vs. 96).

The Q8 e-tron has 4 inches more front shoulder room, 1.6 inches more rear headroom, 5.2 inches more rear legroom and 4.7 inches more rear shoulder room than the Polestar 2.

Cargo Capacity

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Q8 e-tron’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 Q8 e-tron. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Towing

Maximum trailer towing in the Polestar 2 is limited to 2000 pounds. The Q8 e-tron offers up to a 4000 lbs. towing capacity.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Polestar 2, the Q8 e-tron 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 Q8 e-tron’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 Q8 e-tron Prestige has a standard heads-up display that projects speed 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 Q8 e-tron 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 Q8 e-tron has standard extendable sun visors. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Q8 e-tron to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Q8 e-tron 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 Q8 e-tron Prestige/Launch Edition has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Polestar 2.

The Q8 e-tron Prestige/Launch Assist’s Intelligent Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Audi Q8 e-tron, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Polestar 2 isn't recommended.