Compare the2025 Audi Q8 e-tronVS 2025 Polestar 4

The Q8 e-tron’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Polestar 4 doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

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 4.

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 seamlessly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The Polestar 4 doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure.

The Q8 e-tron has a standard Audi Connect CARE, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Polestar 4 doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Q8 e-tron and the Polestar 4 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger 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 498 to 774 pounds more than the Polestar 4. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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 4 has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

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.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 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 74 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Audi higher than Polestar.

The Q8 e-tron’s standard electric motors produces 130 more horsepower (402 vs. 272) and 237 lbs.-ft. more torque (490 vs. 253) than the Polestar 4’s standard electric motor. The SQ8 e-tron’s standard electric motors produces 211 lbs.-ft. more torque (717 vs. 506) than the Polestar 4’s optional electric motors.

The Q8 e-tron 20" Wheels can travel longer on a full charge than the Polestar 4 (272 miles vs. 270 miles).

For better stopping power the Q8 e-tron’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Polestar 4:

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 4; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The front and rear suspension of the Q8 e-tron uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the Polestar 4, 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 4 doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For greater off-road capability the Q8 e-tron has a 1.6 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Polestar 4 (8.1 vs. 6.5 inches), allowing the Q8 e-tron to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The front grille of the Q8 e-tron uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Polestar 4 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Q8 e-tron has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Polestar 4 with its rear seat up (28.5 vs. 18.6 cubic feet). The Q8 e-tron has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Polestar 4 with its rear seat folded (56.4 vs. 54.2 cubic feet).

Maximum trailer towing in the Polestar 4 is limited to 3500 pounds. The Q8 e-tron offers up to a 4000 lbs. towing capacity.

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors in the Polestar 4, 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. An easy entry system costs extra on the Polestar 4.

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 4 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 4 doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Q8 e-tron’s power mirror controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The Polestar 4’s power mirror controls are embedded in the infotainment system, seriously distracting drivers who have to adjust them while driving.

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 4.

The Q8 e-tron Prestige’s Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Park Assist Plus will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Polestar 4’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.