Polestar vs Tesla reliability – which is better?

Polestar and Tesla are currently a part of a relatively small group of car companies that only design and make electric cars. This means that they are head-to-head competitors which should be compared through various perspectives such as price, range, practicality, brand desirability, and reliability.

Out of all these factors, the most important one is reliability because without a reliable car you can’t enjoy all the other benefits a specific car offers. As such, we will compare the reliability of these two brands in this article so be sure to read on if you want to find out which one of these two companies makes more dependable automobiles.

Most Tesla models struggle to be above average when it comes to reliability because Tesla is still a relatively new company and they spend huge amounts of money in autonomous driving departments, technology, and marketing.

On the other hand, Polestar is owned partly by Volvo, a company that usually earns above-average reliability results. It’s rather safe to suggest that Polestar models are equally as reliable as Volvo models which means that Polestar should be the superior company as far as reliability is concerned.

Tesla reliability – Average at best

It’s rather strange to suggest that a company so famous such as Tesla still struggles as far reliability is concerned, but that’s actually the case for similar companies as well. Many technology and innovation-oriented car companies struggle to offer reliable cars because they come with lots of features that have a higher probability of failure.

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It’s easy to make a car with just 4 wheels and a steering wheel as far as reliability is concerned because there are fewer things that can go wrong. However, if you pack a car full of state-of-the-art features, you are likely going to have more potential issues down the line.

Either way, the Tesla Model 3 is a huge improvement on the Model S and the Model X as far as reliability is concerned. However, the latest Tesla Model Y is not as reliable as the Model 3 is even though both of these are more or less the same.

All Tesla’s come with a 4-year long/50k mile warranty which can be extended to include 4 additional years of cost-free repairs.

Polestar reliability – Better than Tesla’s

Polestar only has two cars on the market at the moment and the most important one, the Polestar 2 was already recalled even before it came to the US. However, this is often the case with many newer cars and it does not necessarily mean that the car is unreliable, especially if the recall was successful like in the case of the Polestar 2.

Polestar models are designed with lots of parts from the Volvo parts bin and Volvo seems to be a far more reliable company than Tesla. As such, it’s reasonable to suggest that Polestar models should also be better than Tesla models, but it’s unsure to say how much.

Either way, we will have to wait for more Polestar models to reach the market before we can make a more reasonable assumption. Polestar models also come with a 4-year long/50k mile warranty from the factory which can also be extended for a similar time period.

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Maintenance – A crucial aspect of reliability

Regular maintenance is necessary for all cars no matter if they are deemed as superiorly reliable or downright unreliable. The issue with Tesla here is that they are not the most welcoming company as far as spare parts and independent maintenance is concerned which means that maintaining a Tesla is expensive.

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Even though EVs don’t need all that much maintenance compared to ICE cars, they still cost a lot of money to maintain. It is true at EVs don’t experience nearly as much wear and tear as ICE cars do but that’s not always the case.

Polestar models should cost more or less the same as Tesla models as far as maintenance is concerned. Either way, all cars need proper maintenance if you want them to be reliable. So be sure to do all the maintenance needed according to your manufacturer’s recommendations.

FAQ Section

Why are Tesla’s so desirable?

Tesla has become the most valuable car company on the market in an incredibly short time after releasing the Tesla Model 3. Considering the fact that Elon Musk owns the company and the way Tesla approaches challenges as a company, it’s rather easy to suggest why Tesla cars are as desirable as they are.

They offer a glimpse of the future and they are appreciated by almost all types of car owners out there. If you pair that with Tesla’s superior charging infrastructure and industry-leading autonomous driving, it’s obvious why everyone wants a Tesla.

Should I buy an electric car?

You should buy an electric car if you are able to fully utilize the EV platform. This means that you should be able to charge your car overnight in a safe and reliable environment. EVs do make more sense as daily commuters so if you primarily drive around town and you want to lower your carbon footprint, be sure to consider an electric car.

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On the other hand, if you are unsure about making a full transition towards EVs, you should first consider buying a plug-in hybrid because they are the perfect stepping stone between ICE cars and EVs. You will have to charge them up all the time but you won’t have to rely on electric power only. This gives you enough flexibility and shows you if you are ready for an EV or not.

Is Polestar an electric Volvo?

Polestar is a standalone company focused on making luxury EVs which means that they are not electric Volvo. Polestar was created as a standalone company because this enables them to construct a specific brand image that fits with modern-day EV philosophy, and that’s sustainability and efficiency.

Volvo is still making electric cars and they will continue to do so. However, the plan is to make their EVs different enough so they can present a different market philosophy.

Marko Mikulic

Why do you love writing about cars? I love writing about cars as cars are a huge personal interest of mine. I was raised in a car enthusiast community and ever since I was young, I always wanted to do car-related work.

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