Polestar 3 vs Volkswagen ID.4: Specs Compared
Also searched as Volkswagen ID.4 vs Polestar 3 specs — both orientations show this same side-by-side comparison.
The Volkswagen ID.4 is the more efficient of the two: it reaches 113 mpg combined versus 97 mpg for the Polestar 3, a 16 mpg advantage and costs about $150 less per year to fuel.
Across 4 measured categories, the Volkswagen ID.4 leads in 4. Figures are EPA test data, not manufacturer claims.
2025–2026
Polestar 3
Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD · 12 configurations
2021–2026
Volkswagen ID.4
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD · 29 configurations
Head-to-head specifications
| Metric | Polestar 3 | Volkswagen ID.4 |
|---|---|---|
| Best combined MPG | 97 mpg | 113 mpg ✓ |
| Best city MPG | 105 mpg | 122 mpg ✓ |
| Best highway MPG | 89 mpg | 104 mpg ✓ |
| Lowest annual fuel costEPA estimate at 15,000 miles per year | $800 | $650 ✓ |
| Lowest CO2 output | Not available | Not available |
| Engines offered | Not available | Not available |
| Transmissions | Automatic (A1) | Automatic (A1) |
| Drivetrains | Rear-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive | All-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel types | Electricity | Electricity |
| EPA class | Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD |
| Years covered | 2025–2026 | 2021–2026 |
| Configurations on record | 12 | 29 |
Source: EPA fuel economy records via fueleconomy.gov. Best-case values across all recorded configurations for each model.
Polestar 3 vs Volkswagen ID.4: what the numbers mean
Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Volkswagen ID.4 burns about $650 of fuel annually against $800 for the Polestar 3. That $150 yearly gap compounds to roughly $750 over five years and $1,200 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.
City and highway economy: the Volkswagen ID.4 leads in both cycles — 122 mpg city and 104 mpg highway against 105 and 89 mpg — so its fuel-efficiency advantage holds whether you commute in traffic or cover long highway miles.
Drivetrain and class: the Polestar 3 is offered with Rear-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive, the Volkswagen ID.4 with All-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD and Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.
3 vs ID.4: common questions
Which is better on gas, the Polestar 3 or the Volkswagen ID.4?
The Volkswagen ID.4 is the more efficient of the two: it reaches 113 mpg combined versus 97 mpg for the Polestar 3, a 16 mpg advantage and costs about $150 less per year to fuel.
Which costs less to run per year?
By EPA estimates at 15,000 miles a year, the Volkswagen ID.4 runs about $650 a year in fuel at its most efficient configuration, versus about $800 for the Polestar 3 — a difference of roughly $150 per year.
What engines do the 3 and ID.4 offer?
Polestar 3: no engine data on record. Volkswagen ID.4: no engine data on record.
Are they in the same vehicle class?
The EPA classifies the Polestar 3 as Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD and the Volkswagen ID.4 as Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, so they aren't a like-for-like match on size.
More 3 comparisons
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Comparison id: polestar-3-vs-volkswagen-id4