► Polestar 4 driven in production form the UK
► Rival for Porsche Macan, Audi Q6 E-Tron and Tesla Model Y
► Single or dual motor available, rear window not available…
This is the Polestar 4, and unlike its predecessors, it’s a sleek, modish coupe electric SUV. It’s ambitiously targeting the Porsche Macan Electric, Kia EV6 GT and Tesla Model Y – and has one or two tricks up its Nordic-trimmed, fur-lined sleeve.
You’ll have heard all about its most distinctive feature – the lack of a rear window – but there’s more to this car than this headline-grabbing omission. For a start, it’s hardly lacking glass. Instead, there’s a panoramic roof to avoid claustrophobia, and a camera-based rear-view mirror. Don’t worry it still acts as a regular mirror in case your kids suddenly go suspiciously quiet.
Two versions of the 4 are offered, with a range of option packs to add plushness. If you really want to bother Porsches, there’s even an optional Performance pack to add more power, tighter suspension and plenty of gold detailing. How very Polestar…
At a glance
Pros: Pleasing interior, comfortable ride, good range, punchy performance
Cons: Less entertaining than Macan, small boot, not enough buttons
What’s new?
Pretty much everything is new to Polestar, although much is shared with other cars in the Geely group. That includes the SEA component set that also underpins the far cheaper Volvo EX30 and Smart #1. Neither are bad cars, but they’re almost half the price of the Polestar which competes with the new all-electric Porsche Macan and Audi Q6 E-Tron on their fancy PPE platform.
What are the specs?
The Polestar 4 uses a 100kWh battery pack, 94kWh of which is usable, a 400-volt architecture (800-volt cars do exist on the SEA platform, and Polestar reckons an upgrade within the 4’s lifespan isn’t beyond the realms of possibility) and offers a fast-charging capacity of 200kW, 70kW down on the Macan.
Two versions are offered. The Long range Single motor (the car for which you’ll see specs here), priced from £59,990, gets you 268bhp, 253lb ft, 0-62mph in 7.1sec and an official range figure of 379 miles. The £66,990 Long range Dual motor adds a second identical motor to the front axle to hike peak output to 536bhp and all but halve the 0-62mph time (to 3.8sec), to the detriment of the official WLTP range figure, which drops to still-respectable 360 miles.
For context the new Macan Electric splits the two 4s on performance (5.2sec 0-62mph and 382bhp), with a base price – £69,800 – more expensive than both. Thanks to its rampant price cuts the Tesla Model Y Performance currently costs the same as Single motor 4 while offering the same speed as the Dual motor.
What’s it like inside?
Up front, Polestar’s trademark minimalism translates into a stylish, comfortable space with none of the cramped cosiness that affects the smaller 2. You sit in slim sports seats, a three-spoke wheel (with a neat centre marker, tellingly) and two portrait screens, a driver’s display and a bigger, portrait-orientated touchscreen.
While the latter controls almost everything, there’s still a media on/off volume knob between the seats, stalks behind the wheel and there are configurable shortcut icons for functions you’ll use regularly. The infotainment system is certainly responsive and looks great, but a few more switches would make this a more user-friendly cabin.
Designer Max Missoni wanted a coupe roofline on a package that, thanks to its underfloor battery and need for decent rear-passenger headroom, didn’t lend itself to the idea. The answer was to move the header rail back, behind second-row heads rather than above them, to create decent headroom beneath the supersonic roofline. A slightly reclined seating position also helps
Climb into the back and it’s roomy in the extreme (as you’d hope given the 2999mm wheelbase and 4.84m overall length). Headroom is fine for six-footers; tighter if you’re taller. The interior design is quirky but gorgeous, with a neat wing motif that runs around the front of the cockpit and, mirrored, behind second-row occupants, making you feel snug and safe and happy.
The vast panoramic roof can be optioned with electro-chromatic glass and, despite the lack of natural light from behind, there’s no sense of claustrophobia thanks to gentle ambient lighting (colour themes, inspired by the planets of the solar system, are nicely presented on the screen, complete with Polestar show car in space animation).
The 4 is the first car to use Gentex’s next-gen digital rear-view mirror, drawing a feed from a 2.5MP camera high on the trailing edge of the roof to do what a piece of reflective glass no longer can thanks to the lack of rear glazing. It the best implementation of the tech yet, but older drivers especially will struggle to quickly focus on its contents during longer drives.
How does it drive?
We’ve driven both the single motor and dual motor Performance Pack versions in prototype form, with a longer run of the production version of the latter confirming our earlier findings. Starting with the former and as soon as we’re on the road, a few things are already clear.
The steering has heft without being heavy and responds quickly without being nervous, while the brakes blend regen and friction well. Even big names like Mercedes struggle with that. The 4 strikes a good balance between ride and handling despite relatively simple suspension, too. You’ll not find any air springs, anti-roll tech or four-wheel steering on any Polestar 4.
There is an underlying firmness to the way it deals with surface imperfections, yet it’s never jarring or uncomfortable. It’s also entirely forgivable given how good body control is and how little roll you experience. Apparently the 4’s centre of gravity is closer to the ground than the far lower Polestar 1 and I can believe it.
Numbers suggest the 4 will feel a bit sluggish compared to other EVs. The reality is that the single motor is more than quick enough, feeling stronger once it’s rolling than the 0-62mph time would have you believe. Switch the ESC to Sport and it’s certainly enough to enjoy the rear-wheel drive layout and plentiful EV torque.
You’re very aware the ESC is there should things get too rough or sideways, but keep it smooth and fun can be had. Guiding the 4 at speed through B roads is an enjoyable experience, and while there’s not masses of feel filtering through the control surfaces, it’s a satisfying thing to hustle along and its relatively compact dimensions lend confidence on narrow B-roads.
In contrast, the Performance Pack is very clearly a quick car, and makes that very clear from the get-go. Where the single motor felt Fiesta ST fast, the PP hits you like an RS3 on full launch control. No, it’s not as rapid as a Macan Turbo or other e-SUVs we could mention, but it’s not often you can fully uncork it, and even then not for long.
Unlike Polestar’s Performance Packs of old that require spanners to adjust the ride quality, the 4 gets ‘Active’ dampers. They are able to constantly adjust damping force and their stiffness can be adjusted via the infotainment, with the supplest mode no tougher than the regular single motor.
The mid setting provides slightly brighter responses with full firm still usable on the road. Grip levels are higher and roll angles lower, but it feels a little more two-dimensional than the single motor. The dual motors are most interested in keeping things locked down and neutral, with none of the playfulness of a Macan Turbo. It’s an effective point-to-point machine, if not a very thrilling one.
Dialling down to the motorway and the Polestar 4 hunkers down to a relaxed cruise, with just a little wind noise to interrupt the calm. The seating position and forward visibility are good, the seat massagers excellent, and at UK speeds at least, the range doesn’t get too dented by constant-speed running. Also, the driver aids are effective without being intrusive, although some drivers may find the chimes a little on the annoying side.
Polestar 4: verdict
There’s no doubt the Polestar 4 is the best utilisation of Geely’s SEA platform. Its pleasing dynamics and welcoming interior make it an appealing entry into the premium SUV class whether you like the windowless rear or not.
It cuts quite a dash in the car park without screaming ‘look at me’, and its calm Swedish-designed interior is an absolute delight to spend time in. Yes, the infotainment set-up is 10% too dependent on the touchscreen, but at least it looks classy, is easy to navigate and works well.
However, the Macan Turbo is a unquestionably a better driver’s than either the single or twin-motor Polestar 4. If you’re comfortable with that and are happy to take the Polestar, then we recommend keeping it simple. As fast and capable as the dual motor Performance Pack is, we had more fun at a lower speed in the single motor.
Strange? Not at all; it’s been the case with every SEA-platformed car we’ve driven. Polestar has done impressive things with a fairly simple recipe and a few handpicked ingredients. Unfortunately, Porsche’s cookbook is thicker and its fridge better stocked.