Our four vehicles here cover a breadth of prices and two at least are significantly affected by options. Let’s take a closer look at each one for an EV price comparison.
Polestar 2
At the entry point to our test both in terms of size and starting price is the Polestar 2. For this test we have a top-spec Long Range Dual Motor version, which normally wears an MSRP of $69,900, offering a range of 480km.
As-tested though, the car we had was fitted with every option pack, including the Pilot Pack ($5000), Performance Pack ($8000), and Plus Pack ($6000) bringing the total cost for our smallest entrant to $88,900 before on-road costs.
Note: Since publishing this review, the Polestar 2 has had a range-wide price adjustment: See the new pricing here.
The Polestar 2 features an 11.15-inch portrait oriented multimedia touchscreen with an always-online Google-developed software suite, a 12.3-inch digital dash, LED headlights, 20-inch forged alloy wheels, vegan interior upholstery with gold highlights, Ohlins performance dampers, dual-zone climate control, and is the only vehicle here to have no ignition. Like a Tesla, you just hop in, put it in drive, and off you go.
Interestingly it is also the only vehicle here to not feature Apple CarPlay or Android Auto connectivity, with its Google operating system offering its own Play Store for apps, and Bluetooth connectivity for calls and audio streaming. If you value phone mirroring though, Polestar tells us such software should arrive in a future over-the-air update.
It is also notable that the Polestar is the only vehicle which requires an option box to be ticked to enable its full suite of safety features. More on that later in this review
Hyundai Ioniq 5
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is a fair bit larger than our entry-level Polestar, and arrives in Australia in a single trim level, available either with all-wheel drive or two-wheel drive. Our AWD version wears an MSRP of $75,900, making it the most affordable vehicle here when you consider the Polestar’s options. It offers 480km of range on a single charge.
Standard items on the Ioniq include massive 20-inch alloy wheels, ‘eco-processed’ interior trim which makes use of various recycled and organic materials, dual 12.3-inch screens, one for the multimedia, one for the dash, LED headlights, a panoramic sunroof, electrically adjustable and heated seats front and rear, dual zone climate control, ventilation for the front seats, wireless phone charging, as well as wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.
Interestingly, the Ioniq 5 is the only car here not to offer USB-C connectivity.
Kia EV6
The Kia EV6 shares its underpinnings with the Ioniq 5 but is a different take both in its shape and style. It arrives in Australia in two trim levels, the base model rear-wheel drive Air, and the top-spec GT-Line. Ours was a bells-and-whistles GT-Line all-wheel drive, wearing an MSRP of $82,990 - there is a cheaper 2WD version if you prefer.
Standard gear in some ways mirrors that of the Ioniq 5, with similar dual 12.3-inch screens, dual-zone climate, powered seats with heating and cooling for the front, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless charger, and LED headlights.
Where the EV6 GT-Line differs is sporty suede interior trim, 20-inch alloys, a head-up display, USB-C connectivity and 14-speaker premium audio. It misses out on the Ioniq 5’s innovative sliding console design, however.
Both the Hyundai and Kia are the only cars on this test to feature an internal household-standard power outlet and V2L (vehicle to load) accessory allowing them to power external devices from the charging port.
BMW iX
The BMW iX is the brands current flagship electric offering and stepping into the cabin its place at the top of the price scale here feels justified. Ours is the base model xDrive40 costing from $135,900, with the additional Sport package upping the as-tested cost on our car to $141,900 MSRP.
This means standard stuff on our car included a truly plush leather interior with front message seats, enormous 22-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry and start, crystal-look switchgear, a continuous curved panel consisting of a 14.9-inch multimedia display and 12.3-inch digital dash, full LED lighting, quad-zone climate control, Harman Kardon premium audio, wireless charging, and is the only car on this test to have wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The sport pack adds more aggressive body highlights, premium paints, and the 22-inch wheels, up from the standard 21-inch ones.
For those wondering, while it is a similar size, it does not share its new electric underpinnings with combustion versions of the X5.
Can we extract a winner here? The options muddy the water a bit. Apart from the safety pack, the Polestar could potentially be a solid value offering, but right now that honour has to go to the Ioniq 5 which seems to offer the most gear at the lowest price. Check out the table below for more. The BMW is the most expensive here, but still remarkable value considering its range, features and premium market position. It could have easily sailed passed the $150,000 mark.
How do they compare?
Clearly, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 are at an advantage. They bring impressive standard gear, but more importantly, have more advanced architectures than the BMW or the Polestar, making them more future-proofed for buyers. Plus, you can’t go past having a full size power outlet and even being able to charge other EVs externally. The winner for this section is the Ioniq 5.
Polestar 2 | Hyundai Ioniq 5 | Kia EV6 | BMW iX | |
MSRP (as-tested) | $88,900 | $75,900 | $82,990 | $141,900 |
Phone mirroring | No | Wired | Wired | Wireless |
Multimedia panel | 11.15-inch | 12.3-inch | 12.3-inch | 14.9-inch |
Instrument cluster | 12.3-inch | 12.3-inch | 12.3-inch | 12.3-inch |
Climate zones | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
Keyless entry/push-start | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
USB ports | ||||
Wireless charging | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Radio | AM/FM/DAB | AM/FM/DAB | AM/FM/DAB | AM/FM/DAB |
Sound system speakers | ||||
Interior trim | Vegan upholstery | ‘eco-processed’ leather | ‘semi-vegan’ suede | Full leather |
Front seats | Electric adjust, heated | Electric adjust, heated, ventilated | Electric adjust, heated, ventilated | Electric adjust, heated, ventilated, message |
Rear seats | Heated | Electric adjust, heated | Electric adjust, heated | Heated |
Wheel size | 20-inch | 20-inch | 20-inch | 22-inch |
LED headlights | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
LED ambient lights | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Score
Polestar 2 | Hyundai Ioniq 5 | Kia EV6 | BMW iX | |
8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |