Mercedes-Benz EQB vs Polestar Polestar 4 SUV

The Polestar 4 SUV claims up to 630km WLTP from its 100kWh battery against the Mercedes-Benz EQB's 535km from 70.5kWh, so it goes about 95km further on paper. Charging is the bigger gap. The Polestar peaks at 200kW on a DC fast charger and fills 10 to 80 per cent in about 30 minutes, while the EQB caps at 100kW and takes around 35. Home AC charging favours the Polestar too, at 11kW to the EQB's 7kW. If range and charging lead your brief, the Polestar is the clear pick.

The Polestar 4 SUV starts at $81,135 driveaway in New South Wales for the Rear Motor, while the single EQB 250+ is about $97,344 driveaway, so the Polestar undercuts it by roughly $16,000 before you option anything. Running costs favour the Polestar as well: it is serviced every two years or 30,000km against the EQB's twelve months or 25,000km, and both come with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty and an eight-year battery guarantee. Both are cheap to charge at home. The EQB's one money angle is its list price sitting near the luxury car tax threshold, which can help novated-lease buyers.

This is the EQB's signature. It can carry up to seven in a 5+2 layout, with a third row that folds out of the boot floor, rare in an electric SUV this compact. Treat it as a kids-and-short-trips row rather than full adult seating, and check the current configuration when you order, since Australian seat specifications have shifted across the EQB's life. The Polestar 4 SUV is a five-seater only, but it uses the space well: a near-three-metre wheelbase gives generous rear legroom and the upright body adds headroom over the coupe. If you need the occasional extra pair of seats, only the EQB offers them.

The Polestar 4 holds a five-star ANCAP rating. ANCAP tested the related coupe body and lists the rating as applying to all variants, and the SUV shares the same platform, though its new body has not been crash-tested separately. The Mercedes-Benz EQB currently has no ANCAP rating: the five-star result it launched with was carried over from the petrol GLB and has since lapsed, so the current car is unrated rather than failed. Both cars fit a full suite of active-safety technology as standard, including autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring. The Polestar also brings back a conventional rear window the coupe did without.

The EQB is in run-out in Australia. Mercedes-Benz has launched a new electric GLB that effectively replaces it, built on newer underpinnings with more range and a lower starting price, and it too can be configured with a third row. The EQB 250+ is still listed and orderable as run-out stock, so it remains a buyable car for now. If you are drawn to the EQB, it is worth cross-shopping the electric GLB before you sign, since it addresses several of the EQB's weak points. The Polestar 4 SUV, by contrast, is a brand-new arrival.

The Polestar 4 SUV is the quicker car in both forms. The Rear Motor makes 200kW and claims 7.3 seconds to 100km/h, already ahead of the EQB's 140kW and 8.9-second claim, and the Dual Motor steps up to 400kW and a claimed 3.9 seconds with all-wheel-drive grip. The EQB is tuned for quiet, easy commuting rather than pace, with a single front motor and front-wheel drive. Reviewers rate the Polestar as the more engaging car to drive on the shared platform, while the EQB plays the role of a refined, relaxed family cruiser.

If a third row is a real requirement, the Mercedes-Benz EQB is the only one of these two that offers it, with an up-to-seven 5+2 layout in a compact, easy-to-park body. The Polestar 4 SUV is a five-seater, so it rules itself out for seven-seat duty whatever its other strengths. Keep two things in mind, though. The EQB's third row suits children and short trips rather than adults touring, and the car is on run-out, so also look at the new electric GLB, which is larger, longer-range and can also be configured with seven seats.

For a value and range buyer, the Polestar 4 SUV Rear Motor is the stronger choice. It claims the longest range of this pair at 630km WLTP, charges fastest, and starts well below the EQB on price, while carrying the same equipment as the dearer Dual Motor. The Mercedes-Benz EQB counters with its badge, cabin finish and compact 5+2 packaging, but it asks more money for less range and slower charging. Unless you specifically need the EQB's third row or want the three-pointed star, the Polestar delivers more of what most EV buyers are shopping for.

The Polestar 4 SUV is the easier novated-lease pick. Its list price sits well under the luxury car tax threshold that gates the federal electric-vehicle FBT exemption, and it brings the standout design, the 15.4-inch screen and the longer range. The Mercedes-Benz EQB's list price sits close to that threshold, so confirm the exact figure against the cap before you package it. On design and cabin tech the Polestar is the more current car, while the EQB leans on the Mercedes badge and a more traditional, upright look.