Polestar Polestar 4 vs BMW iX1

The Polestar Polestar 4 starts from $78,500 before on-road costs, while the BMW iX1 opens at $78,900. That makes the Polestar Polestar 4 the more affordable entry point by $400.

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 $86,350 and $86,790 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 4 and BMW iX1 hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating. Adult occupant protection scored 92% for the Polestar Polestar 4 and 86% for the BMW iX1.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. The Polestar Polestar 4 packs more ADAS features with 9 out of 10 key systems fitted, compared to 6 in the BMW iX1.

Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 7 in the Polestar Polestar 4 and 6 in the BMW iX1. The Polestar Polestar 4 adds a 360-degree camera that the BMW iX1 misses.

The Polestar Polestar 4 features a 15.4-inch touchscreen paired with a 10.2-inch digital dash, while the BMW iX1 gets a 10.7-inch display. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Polestar Polestar 4 stands out with wireless charging, panoramic roof, heated front seats, ventilated seats, Bowers & Wilkins audio and ambient lighting that you will not find on the BMW iX1. The BMW iX1 counters with Harman Kardon audio. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

The Polestar Polestar 4 uses a Electric Motor producing 200kW and 343Nm of torque, sent through a single-speed fixed gear to a RWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 7.1 seconds.

The BMW iX1 responds with a Electric making 150kW and 247Nm, paired to a auto driving the front wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 6.1 seconds.

The Polestar Polestar 4 has the clear power advantage at 200kW vs 150kW. In the real-world sprint, the BMW iX1 is 1.0s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

Battery: 100kWh (Polestar Polestar 4) vs 64.7kWh (BMW iX1), giving WLTP ranges of 620km and 578km. DC fast charging peaks at 200kW (Polestar Polestar 4) vs 200kW (BMW iX1).

The Polestar Polestar 4 measures 4,840mm long on a 2,999mm wheelbase, 340mm longer than the BMW iX1 at 4,500mm (2,692mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Polestar Polestar 4 generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 526L in the Polestar Polestar 4 and 500L in the BMW iX1, giving the Polestar Polestar 4 a 26L advantage.

For towing, the BMW iX1 leads with a 2,500kg braked capacity vs 1,500kg. That 1,000kg 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 4) vs 5 years / 999,999km (BMW iX1). Both match on warranty length.