Compare the2025 BMW i5VS 2025 Polestar 2

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the i5 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The BMW i5 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Both the i5 and the Polestar 2 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

There are over 11 times as many BMW dealers as there are Polestar dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the i5’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the i5’s reliability 28 points higher than the Polestar 2.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Polestar vehicles. With 110 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks BMW higher than Polestar.

The i5 M60’s standard electric motors produces 117 more horsepower (593 vs. 476) and 40 lbs.-ft. more torque (586 vs. 546) than the Polestar 2’s electric motors.

As tested in Car and Driver the i5 M60 electric motors is faster than the Polestar 2:

On the EPA test cycle the i5 gets better mileage than the Polestar 2:

The i5 can travel longer on a full charge than the Polestar 2 on a full charge:

The i5 has a standard locking charge port with a power remote release convenient to the driver. The Polestar 2 doesn’t have a locking charge port. A locking charge port prevents tampering and damage.

The i5’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer launch control.

The i5 stops shorter than the Polestar 2:

For better traction, the i5’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Polestar 2 (F:255/35R21 & R:285/30R21 vs. 245/40R20).

The i5’s optional 255/35R21 front and 285/30R21 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Polestar 2’s optional 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the i5 offers optional 21-inch wheels. The Polestar 2’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The i5 M60 offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The i5 M60 offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Polestar doesn’t offer an active suspension on the Polestar 2.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the i5’s wheelbase is 10.3 inches longer than on the Polestar 2 (117.9 inches vs. 107.6 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the i5 is 1.1 inches wider in the front and 1.5 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Polestar 2.

The i5 M60 xDrive handles at .96 G’s, while the Polestar 2 pulls only .85 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The i5 M60 xDrive executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.4 seconds quicker than the Polestar 2 (23.9 seconds @ .86 average G’s vs. 26.3 seconds @ .68 average G’s).

The i5 has 4.6 inches more front shoulder room, .7 inches more rear headroom, 2.6 inches more rear legroom and 4.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Polestar 2.

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the i5 offers cargo security. The Polestar 2’s hatchback body style, non-lockable folding seat and non-lockable remote release defeat cargo security.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the i5. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Polestar 2, the i5 has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The i5’s standard Comfort Exit raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The i5 offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, warning, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Polestar 2’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The i5’s optional adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

A power rear sunshade and manual rear side window sunshades are optional in the i5 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer a rear or rear side window sunshades.

The i5 offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Polestar 2.

The i5’s Parking Assistant Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Optional Remote Control Parking will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The i5 is available in both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations. The Polestar 2 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Consumer Reports® recommends the BMW i5, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Polestar 2 isn't recommended.