[richpa]

I am in the lucky position to be able to replace my 2 yrs old petrol RR Evoque with an EV and I initially placed an order for a Polestar - dual motor AWD. I like the look of the Polestar and I thought that being 50% Volvo it should be a reliable and well built option. I spent the last two weeks participating on the Polestar owners forum and gradually began to realise that being such a new vehicle there are a lot of bugs being sorted out and still several options / features that have been slated for release but not made it into the wild yet. Cars being "bricked" after OTA updates was the most concerning issue.

Recognising that the Evoque shares some DNA with the iPace I was a bit concerned as my own car has had a few issues of its own;
Three of the pop out door handles have failed during my 2 years of ownership - requiring replacement - and there has been an intermittent issue with the drivetrain shunting badly on startup which has never been resolved - blamed on transmission windup but resulting in owner windup. The entertainment system occasionally freezes too, rebooting when it feels like it. Not many faults, but enough to cause me anxiety regarding continuing ownership once the warranty expires.

I also feel a bit awkward purchasing such an expensive item manufactured entirely in China in light of that country's poor current record in human rights - I do realise that whatever I purchase will have significant content manufactured in countries with a poor human rights record and that no nation is squeaky clean - including the UK!

Deciding between the Polestar and an iPace was very difficult for me and this is how I rated them;

External design;
Chalk and cheese - I like the simplicity of the Polestar front and rear but love the side profile of the iPace - result draw
Internal design;
Chalk and cheese again - the polestar interior is so clean and simple with understated materials and features. The iPace is "older school opulent" and feels more upmarket - result - I still prefer the Polestar by a small margin.
Capacity / capability;
The polestar is a bit smaller, narrower, probably easier to park - still big enough for me - result - I prefer the dimensions of the Polestar.
Performance - Drive;
The Polestar is described as rather firm - the iPace is universally praised for its drive / road holding and comfort. It also has the option of air suspension and "off-road capability" which is useful for some of the worst Cornish lanes - result - iPace wins comfortably
Reliability;
Although the Polestar is probably very well made, it is so new that there are obviously several bugs and issues to sort. The iPace has been pretty reliable as far as I am aware??
Other;
The iPace was designed from scratch as an EV with no compromise for combustion engines - potentially a big plus

So I have ordered an HSE Black edition with air suspension and tech pack as the only extras and the black wheels and fabric upholstery (non leather me!)
I hope that I have made a good choice - what do you guys think?

 

[electric-beagle]

Why would you choose fabric upholstery?

What is the tech pack?

 

[richpa]

I'm a veggie and choose not to have animal skin products.
The tech pack, as far as I am aware, includes wireless phone charging and the clear view rear mirror - although its difficult to be sure because the main JLR web site configurators do not seem to be updated for 22 MY or Black series vehicles, but other agents are - but are not fully clear on what is / isn't included!
The 22MY with cloth interior does appear to have something odd going on with the top of the instrument binnacle - not sure if it is a fabric covering or perhaps some classy fake bunny fur?

 

[Weezer]

I was looking at fabric (the car I was offered a deal on has the leather Performance seats) and I'll tell you why it's a good choice: the beautiful soft leather stretches and sags almost immediately. I've done less than 200 miles and already can see where the leather is starting to bulge up because it has stretched under my scrawny backside. It's a ludicrous design (worse in the Performance seats which is only two panels), and I've seen seats in older cars which look awful. I bet those fabric seats will still look fine in five years, where mine will probably have to be reupholstered. I'd have taken fabric any day of the week. Although my car will smell nicer – for a while.

 

[Weezer]

I think the fabric-upholstered cars have an Alcantara dash, or something similar. Which will also be very nice.

 

[richpa]

Looks like ? Alcantara - maybe only if suedecloth roof lining is specified, personally not sure I like it that much.
The "Khadrat cloth seats in the Evoque have worn exceptionally well and have the added benefit of warm in winter / cool in summer - as well as heated of course.

 

[PS702]

I like both cars. If I didn't have an I-Pace, I would get the P2 in that price range.

Here are my thoughts on the Polestar

https://www.i-paceforum.com/threads/polestar-2.5689/post-67354

 

[electric-beagle]

Have the Windsor leather seats and think they are great 4k miles in and still as good as new.

 

[jsimon7777]

I tried to test drive the polestar 2, but the guy insisted that he ride along with me in the middle of a pandemic. Hah! Hilarious. Incompetent. A waste of time.

The Polestar is pretty low rent in comparison, like a Tesla. However, the Teslas have much better range and performance.

If I didn't already have an I-Pace, I'm not sure if I'd get the I-Pace or a lower-end Taycan. Since I have the I-Pace, we're getting the Y on Monday.

 

[imvelez]

@richpa

Welcome to the group
And congratulations on the I-Pace

 

[Enderle]

Good choice, I like the Polestar as well but agree with how you came around to prefer the I-Pace. Best of luck!

 

[StephenH]

I tried to test drive the polestar 2, but the guy insisted that he ride along with me in the middle of a pandemic. Hah! Hilarious. Incompetent. A waste of time.

The Polestar is pretty low rent in comparison, like a Tesla. However, the Teslas have much better range and performance.

If I didn't already have an I-Pace, I'm not sure if I'd get the I-Pace or a lower-end Taycan. Since I have the I-Pace, we're getting the Y on Monday.

I test drove the Taycan 4S and it was a magnificent car, but the back seat was a little too confining for my needs. I thought about the Gran Turismo model but couldn’t justify the price for a car that, in my opinion just doesn’t look as good as the i-Pace. Of course, the Taycan actually exists in Hawaii and my 2022 MY i-Pace has yet to be built, per my dealer.

 

[Hotspur]

Have the Windsor leather seats and think they are great 4k miles in and still as good as new.

Likewise

 

[jsimon7777]

I test drove the Taycan 4S and it was a magnificent car, but the back seat was a little too confining for my needs. I thought about the Gran Turismo model but couldn’t justify the price for a car that, in my opinion just doesn’t look as good as the i-Pace. Of course, the Taycan actually exists in Hawaii and my 2022 MY i-Pace has yet to be built, per my dealer.

Yeah, I think Jaguar is focusing internationally for the I-Pace. In Hawaii, the dealership situation is ugly, with monopolies all over and no choices. That makes another vote for Tesla.

 

[burnt_crisps2]

Might not suit many on here, but if you are undecided about how an I-pace might suit/fit in with your lifestyle then one option is get one on a subscription service in the U.K.
There are 2 places, direct from JLR Pivotal and ONTO.
ONTO is a one month, no up front deposit and costs £1299 for a month and includes 3 charging cards (Shell, BP Pulse and Instavolt).

All-Inclusive Electric Car Subscriptions | Onto

Onto is an electric car subscription service that is more flexible than leasing. Electric cars available with insurance, charging & maintenance. Switch to Onto today!

on.to

JLR is cheaper at £1000 a month, but is a minimum of 3 months, £550 registration for life and does not including any free charging cards. They ‘swap’ the car every 6 months.

Subscription by Jaguar and Land Rover – Pivotal – Driving Freedom

Drive a Jaguar or Land Rover on subscription. We take care of everything, insurance, tax, and servicing, plus we bring you a fresh car every 6 months.

www.drivepivotal.com

With both there is no guarantee of the cars being brand new, but they often are, or nearly new and HSE spec, with options.

I have had a Pivotal I-pace HSE for nearly a year now and just coming up to swap for a third one. The 2 cars I have had were both brand new HSE spec with quite a few options.
There is a referral scheme for both ONTO and Pivotal.
Let me know if you need a code.