Polestar Polestar 3 vs Audi Q4 e-tron

The Polestar Polestar 3 starts from $99,900 before on-road costs, while the Audi Q4 e-tron opens at $84,900. That makes the Audi Q4 e-tron the more affordable entry point by $15,000.

Once you factor in stamp duty, registration, CTP insurance, and dealer delivery, expect to add roughly 8-12% on top of the RRP depending on your state. That puts estimated driveaway prices in the ballpark of $109,890 and $93,390 respectively.

Both models qualify for Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) exemption, which is a significant advantage for salary-sacrificed novated leases. Depending on your tax bracket, this can save $5,000-$15,000+ per year compared to an equivalent ICE vehicle.

Both the Polestar Polestar 3 and Audi Q4 e-tron hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating. Adult occupant protection scored 90% for the Polestar Polestar 3 and 93% for the Audi Q4 e-tron.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. The Polestar Polestar 3 packs more ADAS features with 10 out of 10 key systems fitted, compared to 8 in the Audi Q4 e-tron.

Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 8 in the Polestar Polestar 3 and 7 in the Audi Q4 e-tron.

The Polestar Polestar 3 features a 14.5-inch touchscreen paired with a 9-inch digital dash, while the Audi Q4 e-tron gets a 11.6-inch display. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Polestar Polestar 3 stands out with head-up display, wireless charging, panoramic roof, heated front seats, ventilated seats and Bowers & Wilkins audio that you will not find on the Audi Q4 e-tron. The Audi Q4 e-tron counters with Bang & Olufsen audio. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

The Polestar Polestar 3 uses a Electric Motor producing 245kW and 480Nm of torque, sent through a single-speed fixed gear to a RWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 6.5 seconds.

The Audi Q4 e-tron responds with a Electric making 210kW and 545Nm, paired to a single speed driving the rear wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 6.7 seconds.

The Polestar Polestar 3 has the clear power advantage at 245kW vs 210kW. In the real-world sprint, the Polestar Polestar 3 is 0.2s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

Battery: 92kWh (Polestar Polestar 3) vs 82kWh (Audi Q4 e-tron), giving WLTP ranges of 604km and 524km. DC fast charging peaks at 310kW (Polestar Polestar 3) vs 175kW (Audi Q4 e-tron).

The Polestar Polestar 3 measures 4,900mm long on a 2,985mm wheelbase, 312mm longer than the Audi Q4 e-tron at 4,588mm (2,764mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Polestar Polestar 3 generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 597L in the Polestar Polestar 3 and 520L in the Audi Q4 e-tron, giving the Polestar Polestar 3 a 77L advantage.

For towing, the Polestar Polestar 3 leads with a 1,500kg braked capacity vs 1,000kg. That 500kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Running cost data is not yet available for both models. We will update when figures are confirmed.

Warranty: 5 years / 999,999km (Polestar Polestar 3) vs 5 years / 999,999km (Audi Q4 e-tron). Both match on warranty length.