You have to be driving pretty hard to feel the effect of the shifts through the transmission, while the augmented exhaust note isn’t very pleasant. The downshifts offer increasing levels of resistance to boost energy recovery.
Head-to-head
On the road
Both cars allow you to adjust settings to tailor the driving experience, but overall it’s the Kia that feels the sportier of the two. It has a stiffer chassis and fast steering, while acceleration is thumping in GT mode. The Polestar offers a broader range of ability, with similar acceleration, but it has a softer ride at low speeds and on the motorway, while wind and tyre noise are kept to a minimum.
Tech highlights
Vast touchscreens are the order of the day. The Polestar has a 15.4-inch display that controls nearly everything – the 4 isn’t as minimalist as a Tesla, but the few buttons that there are have limited markings.
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The EV6’s layout is the same as the rest of the Kia line-up’s, so while the display is smaller than the Polestar’s, you get a neat secondary panel that can be switched between climate and media controls.
Price and running
While the Kia has the more competitive list price, it’s going to be a costlier car to run overall thanks to its poorer efficiency – a result of the strong performance on offer. As well as being more efficient, the Polestar 4 has its first three years of servicing included and stronger residuals. Both cars are costly to insure, while the EV6 is a slightly cheaper company car thanks to its lower P11D figure.
Practicality
While both cars look sporty, large dimensions and electric running gear mean space inside the cabin is generous, with lots of legroom and decent headroom on offer. Boot space is another story. The EV6 is 30 litres ahead of the Polestar 4 at 556 litres, but both cars have high load lips to get over. Drop the Polestar’s back seats and the narrow gap through to the cabin will make loading large items difficult.
Safety
Since these are top-spec EVs, they’re not left wanting for safety systems. Each car has a 360-degree camera system; it’s essential in the Polestar to help with all-round visibility. The Kia’s lane-assist function is quite strong, but it can be deactivated with a long press of a button on the steering wheel, as can the speed-limit warning. Both cars feature Isofix child-seat mounts in the back, but none up front.
Ownership
Polestar’s three-year/60,000-mile warranty is stingy even when compared with the likes of BMW and Mercedes, which offer unlimited mileage. At least roadside assistance lasts for the same time period. The EV6 benefits from the same seven-year/100,000-mile warranty as every other Kia in the line-up. In contrast, 12 months of breakdown cover is the bare minimum offered by any manufacturer.
Verdict
Winner: Polestar 4
While these two manufacturers come from very different backgrounds, their premium electric offerings are quite closely matched. However, we’d choose the Polestar because it offers a more rounded driving experience, with a better mix of comfort and performance.
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