Compare the2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5VS 2025 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 Ioniq 5 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.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Ioniq 5’s standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.

Both the Ioniq 5 and the Polestar 2 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact 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, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2025 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and an “Acceptable” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Polestar 2 has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2025.

The Ioniq 5 comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The 2’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Ioniq 5 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than Polestar covers the 2. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Polestar 2 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 27 times as many Hyundai dealers as there are Polestar dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Ioniq 5’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Polestar vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 154 more problems per 100 vehicles, Polestar is ranked 35th, below the industry average.

The Ioniq 5 N’s standard electric motors produces 165 more horsepower (641 vs. 476) and 22 lbs.-ft. more torque (568 vs. 546) than the Polestar 2’s electric motors.

As tested in Motor Trend the Ioniq 5 N electric motors is faster than the Polestar 2:

Motor Trend magazine performs a classic 0 to 100 MPH and back to 0 MPH performance test. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N completed this feat in only 11 seconds. It took the Polestar 2 Performance Package 14.2 seconds.

On the EPA test cycle the Ioniq 5 gets better mileage than the Polestar 2:

The Ioniq 5 can travel longer on a full charge than the Polestar 2 on a full charge:

The Ioniq 5 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.

The Ioniq 5 N’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 Ioniq 5 N’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Polestar 2:

The Ioniq 5 stops shorter than the Polestar 2:

For better traction, the Ioniq 5 N’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Polestar 2 (275/35R21 vs. 245/40R20).

The Ioniq 5 N’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Polestar 2’s optional 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Ioniq 5 N has standard 21-inch wheels. The Polestar 2’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The Ioniq 5 has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Ioniq 5’s wheelbase is 10.5 inches longer than on the Polestar 2 (118.1 inches vs. 107.6 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Ioniq 5 is 1.6 inches wider in the front and 2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Polestar 2.

The Ioniq 5 N handles at .96 G’s, while the Polestar 2 pulls only .85 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 350 pounds less than the Polestar 2.

The Ioniq 5 has 10.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Polestar 2 (106.5 vs. 96).

The Ioniq 5 has .2 inches more front headroom, .2 inches more front hip room, 3.1 inches more front shoulder room, 1.7 inches more rear headroom, 5.5 inches more rear legroom, .3 inches more rear hip room and 5.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Polestar 2.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Ioniq 5’s rear seats recline. The Polestar 2’s rear seats don’t recline.

Maximum trailer towing in the Polestar 2 is limited to 2000 pounds. The Ioniq 5 offers up to a 2700 lbs. towing capacity.

The Ioniq 5 Limited’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Ioniq 5 Limited has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, 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.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Ioniq 5 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 Ioniq 5 has standard extendable sun visors. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Ioniq 5 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Ioniq 5 Limited has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the rear seat, 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 Ioniq 5 Limited’s Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Parking Assist 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.

The Ioniq 5 is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Insurance will cost less for the Ioniq 5 owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Ioniq 5 will cost $210 to $7465 less than the Polestar 2 over a five-year period.

The Ioniq 5 will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Ioniq 5 will retain 46.72% to 48.8% of its original price after five years, while the Polestar 2 only retains 30.2% to 35.13%.

The Ioniq 5 was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2025 and 4 more times in the last 4 years. The Polestar 2 has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 outsold the Polestar 2 by almost 10 to one during 2024.