Why would someone choose a Polestar 2 over a Model 3?

[voip-ninja]

Wrong: Most Volvos including my 2017 have fixed headrests just like Tesla does.

Volvo seats including mine are very good. But our Tesla Model 3 seats are just as comfortable. I congratulation Volvo for introducing this model (sometime in 2020) and I will be interested to replace our gas Volvo because this is a 5-door hatchback. It will compete with the likes of the BMW 4 series GT. The more EV's the better.

I haven't test driven a Volvo in a few years, but all of the ones I ever had test driven had adjustable head rests. Perhaps this is a change on their part.

Manufacturers have been testing the waters on moving away from adjustable headrests and I don't know what the rational is.... cost is probably a component though (fixed headrest is cheaper).

 

[voip-ninja]

Volvo (and Polestar) is a company owned by Geely. It is a Chinese company, operating with Volvo brand as a front.

Without Geely, Volvo would have been bankrupt years ago.

While they do have access to same winter testing designers and facilities as other brands, I don't think this gives them any edge.

Since decisions and production is much in China nowadays, I haven't considered them European brand for a while.

I knew that Geely purchased Volvo but I thought it was advertised as Volvo remaining a wholly owned subsidiary and pretty much doing their own thing.

 

[tadekh]

The Polestar 2 is not a bad car, but why would someone choose that over a Model 3? Especially since it won't be available until 2020?

The Polestar 2 is a Google-powered all-electric Tesla competitor - The Verge

UGly.

 

[SSonnentag]

Perhaps someone who like to be able to gain entrance to their car during the winter months.

Framed glass in the doors.

The ugly wheels are just a bonus.

I do like the orange seatbelts with the black interior though. That looks sharp.

 

[J1mbo]

I love my Tesla and would choose it again, but to me, this Polestar is appealing in a general sense. If there was no Model 3/Y on the market, I would seriously consider it.

Without Model 3, Polestar 2 would be a very different car. They actually stated during the launch that the response to Model 3 changed the way they approached the Polestar 2, and they support Tesla's mission.

Never owned a Volvo and never been interested in them, but I really like the Polestar 2.

I have had 2 Model S since 2014, and one thing remains true about owning a Tesla: you never feel like you have a finished product. Never. It is not always in a good way - for every cool new feature released, there is a bunch of releases which break stuff and/or a bunch of people with suddenly-obsolete hardware.

Obviously we are all here because we love being on the bleeding edge and, on balance, it works out in our favour.

Anyway - Polestar 2 seems to be positioned somewhere inbetween the old world and the bleeding edge. There is plenty of room for this car in the market. If they can hit their range goals then I think they will do really well.

 

[voip-ninja]

Obviously we are all here because we love being on the bleeding edge and, on balance, it works out in our favour.

Anyway - Polestar 2 seems to be positioned somewhere inbetween the old world and the bleeding edge. There is plenty of room for this car in the market. If they can hit their range goals then I think they will do really well.

Speak for yourself. When it comes to my automobile I have little desire to be on the bleeding edge and put up with neverending teething problems. I picked the Model 3 primarily because of the performance per dollar that the car offers when stacked up to competitors. With the huge tax incentives available in my state (dual motor LR w/EAP will come in at just under $50,000 after tax credits) it was kind of a no brainer.

As Tesla releases ever less expensive versions of the Model 3 the pool of "bleeding edge" people will get smaller. The retired couple who trade their Prius for a short range RWD Model-3 don't want to be on the bleeding edge of anything, guaranteed.

 

[Unique]

I personally wouldn't choose it over the Model 3, but there are plenty of reasons to;

1. Volvo build quality is generally excellent. Expect a car with better paint and fewer cosmetic defects than Model 3. Ditto for squeaks/rattles/missing-parts/etc.

2. Volvo has a tiny dealer network by US standards but they have an enormous dealer network by Tesla standards. Especially in Europe.

3. Interior styling looks like it could be superior to what Tesla is offering, with better materials that exude more luxury.

4. Ditto on seats. Volvo is known for having some of (if not the very best) seats and ergonomics in the auto industry.

5. Since it's built by a Swedish company I think it's a pretty fair bet it won't have cold weather teething problems that Model 3 has with sticking door handles, sticking door seals, frozen charge ports, etc.

6. Tax credits (at least theoretically).

7. Leasing... from day one. You can expect Volvo to subsidize these leases to some extent as well which means phenomenal deals for customers. Volvo is trying to shift their entire sales model to a leasing model and that will really be at the forefront with Polestar 2.

In every other area Tesla pretty much kills it. Tesla also built in USA and Polestar 2 will only be built in China, so screw that.

Gheely is a Chinese company that owns Volvo cars.

 

[J1mbo]

As Tesla releases ever less expensive versions of the Model 3 the pool of "bleeding edge" people will get smaller. The retired couple who trade their Prius for a short range RWD Model-3 don't want to be on the bleeding edge of anything, guaranteed.

Agreed. They will cross-shop the Polestar 2 etc. and if Tesla haven't sorted out the Service side (parts shortages, long waits, etc.) then A.N.Other brand will start to look very attractive.

 

[BestRadar]

I think its interior and even front end is better than a model 3.

I think it will be a very strong competitor. I hate the simplistic look of the Model 3.

 

[J1mbo]

Gheely is a Chinese company that owns Volvo cars.

Gheely make the superb new hybrid London taxi in the UK. Here's a review.

 

[voip-ninja]

Gheely is a Chinese company that owns Volvo cars.

Polestar is based in Gothenberg, Sweden. Do you think Swedish engineers don't have any input on the design and testing of the Polestar 2 which is aimed at the European market?

Yes, Gheely owns them and Gheely will likely do the manufacturing of it but I think that Volvo engineers involved in the design have a lot more experience in some areas than Tesla... it remains to be seen how much they can close the gap on the critical battery/motor/BMS performance lead that Tesla has.

If Volvo offers Polestar 2 on a lease only basis initially for say $800 a month (which wouldn't be considered that high in Europe where many professional employees get to select a company car from a given price range) I think they will lease a lot of them. It remains to be seen if all Volvo dealers will be able to service the cars and what Polestar will be compatible with for charging but CCS is probably guaranteed and I believe is more widespread than Tesla Supercharger network in most of Europe.

 

[chronopc]

I think its interior and even front end is better than a model 3.

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I think it will be a very strong competitor. I hate the simplistic look of the Model 3.

I prefer the landscape orientation of the screen in the Model 3. The gearshift being in the center instead of a stock just takes away storage space.

Overall it does look better. But functionally, I prefer the Model 3 interior.

 

[gilscales]

Volvo (and Polestar) is a company owned by Geely. It is a Chinese company, operating with Volvo brand as a front.

Without Geely, Volvo would have been bankrupt years ago.

While they do have access to same winter testing designers and facilities as other brands, I don't think this gives them any edge.

Since decisions and production is much in China nowadays, I haven't considered them European brand for a while.

Ford bought Volvo for 6.45 billion in 1999 and sold them for 1.8 billion in 2010, Ford failed to turn them around, not sure how the company is faring today under Chinese ownership, I have not owned a Volvo since my 1993 850 Turbo

 

[MXWing]

The rear of the car looks good imo. The front though... looks like the kid with the braces that gets picked on in middle school.

So...

Oakland face with an Oakland booty..

 

[timk225]

To answer the original question (I just saw this topic). Why would anyone buy a Polestar over a Model 3?

Why would anyone buy a Ford?
Why would anyone vote Democrat?
Why would anyone do any number of things that other people would think "why are they doing that?" to.
The answer - who knows?

Tesla has far more experience in EVs than Volvo or other car makers combined. They may have been making CARS longer, but not EVs.

But just as you can't have a friday without a monday, a paycheck without bills, or a sunny day without a rainy day, you'll have people who think a Polestar is the better choice.

Even the name. POLESTAR. What idiot came up with that? What's a polestar? At least Tesla had a great reference point for their name.

 

[Stellavator]

Alll the issues here are preferences. There will be plenty of people out there who like the Polestar. And that's great! Let's wish for all automakers to go electric. And Volvo makes some good cars. Plenty to like. More power to them.

The real limiting issue is fast charging when traveling. Until there is a universal solution, or every company has their own fast charging network, Tesla will have the edge.

 

[Jaguar]

..., I have not owned a Volvo since my 1993 850 Turbo

I haven't owned a Volvo since my 1960 120 Series. It didn't have headrests but it did have lap belts, standard! It also ate clutch slave cylinders at a rate of one per year. Otherwise, it was as solid as a rock.

 

[muleferg]

I picked this.

 

[Gavyne]

I think its interior and even front end is better than a model 3.

I think it will be a very strong competitor. I hate the simplistic look of the Model 3.

No doubt some will prefer the interior looks of Polestar 2. But a strong competitor based on the interior design? We've been there already, look at the I-PACE. Such great finishes and luxurious blings inside the car. But eventually people realize efficiency, range, safety, charging network, tech, and acceleration mean much more to them. You can track a Model 3 and have great fun driving the car. Polestar 2 doesn't look like it would be a good track car at all.

Just saying, I do think they did a good job with interior design. But when it comes to spending that much money, people are going to look at more than just the pretty interiors. I have no doubt they'll appeal to many and likely sell well. But they can't be a "strong competitor" based on just interior alone, especially when they are planning to make only 50,000 of them a year.

 

[Glamisduner]

Wrong: Most Volvos including my 2017 have fixed headrests just like Tesla does.

Volvo seats including mine are very good. But our Tesla Model 3 seats are just as comfortable. I congratulation Volvo for introducing this model (sometime in 2020) and I will be interested to replace our gas Volvo because this is a 5-door hatchback. It will compete with the likes of the BMW 4 series GT. The more EV's the better.

My Wifes 2018 volvo has adjustable headrests