Refreshing or Revolting: Polestar 2 vs. Tesla Model 3

Despite some production challenges, the Tesla Model 3 was the best-selling luxury car in the U.S. last year. But a promising new competitor is on the horizon. The Polestar 2 debuted this month with an electric powertrain, a 275-mile range estimate, and a price tag of around $63,000 for the launch edition. It will directly compete with the Model 3 when it arrives in early 2020, but the two cars couldn’t look more different.

One look at the front end of the Polestar 2, and its Volvo DNA becomes immediately apparent. Polestar borrows its headlights and vertical-slatted “grille” from its parent company. The front end appears squared-off. In contrast, the Model 3 adopts a rounded front end design. This electric car doesn’t bother with a grille, and the headlights are oriented more vertically compared to those on the Polestar 2.

If you’re still not convinced the two cars look radically different, just take a gander at their side profiles. Though the Polestar 2 is a tall-riding hatchback, it has more of a three-box shape than the Model 3, which is weird because the Tesla is the one with a traditional trunk. The Polestar’s window line appears more jagged than the Model 3. Conventional door handles can be seen on the Polestar 2, but on the Model 3 they’re  flush with the door skins. The Polestar 2 has stronger character lines running through the doors, and it takes on a boxy shape overall. Both cars benefit from an expansive glass roof.

The boxy theme continues in the rear of the Polestar 2. Full-width taillights enhance the rectangular shape of the back end. The Model 3 features more conventional taillights, with a rounded signature. Other than the lights, both cars keep the rear design pretty simple. The rear lip is slightly more prominent on the Model 3, which looks narrow when viewed from this angle, particularly up top. The Polestar looks significantly more planted.

Inside the cabin, the Polestar 2 features an 11-inch touchscreen display that looks like a large tablet. But the Model 3 takes the cake with a 15-inch touchscreen. While the screen on the Polestar is positioned vertically, the one on the Model 3 is oriented horizontally. Both vehicles have simple interiors uncluttered with buttons. The Model 3’s interior is probably the most streamlined, however, as it doesn’t even have a gauge cluster. Its gear stalk is on the right of the steering wheel, unlike on the Polestar 2 where it is on the center console. Polestar says the model will have a vegan interior as standard.

Which is the more attractive EV, the Polestar 2 or the Tesla Model 3? Let us know in the comments on Facebook.

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