Polestar 4 (2023 - ) Electric review

The Polestar 4 looks a bit pricey compared to the Tesla Model Y or Model 3 but Polestar’s sights are set higher, and at premium rivals like the freshly elecrified Porsche Macan and Mercedes-Benz EQC. Against which the Polestar looks competitive, though potential buyers might also be drawn to the distinctive design of the Hyundai Ioniq 6 and tempted by its lower asking price. In reality, very few will be comparing these cars on bottom line ‘list price’, and company car drivers can take advantage of Benefit In Kind incentives, at least for as long as they last. For those who can charge at home, off-peak overnight charging will keep overall running costs low, too.

Reliability is always a tricky one to judge for new models, but Polestar has established a generally good reputation with the Polestar 2, which is based on Volvo foundations. While there are fewer mechanical parts in an electric car the software is an even bigger part of the overall experience. And having initially experienced some inconsistencies in the pre-production models we drove on the original launch event the car driven here felt much more complete, and hopefully representative of what customers will be getting. Once delivered the Polestar 4 will receive further over-the-air updates, so it continues to run the very latest software. You’ll also get a free three-year service plan, three years of roadside assistance and a three-year vehicle warranty, whilst the battery has its own eight-year cover.

A combination of radar, cameras and other sensors constantly monitor the car’s surroundings helping you to avoid collisions and all Polestar 4s get a 360-degree camera with a three-dimensional view function. These are essentials given there’s no rear window, leaving you entirely reliant on technology for any manoeuvring, and it feels rather disconcerting to have such little visibility out of the car. This isn’t helped by the thick bodywork blocking your view forward at junctions and over your shoulder when changing lane or merging into traffic, the camera-powered ‘rear view mirror’ feed also seemingly very slightly out of sync with real time, and potentially tiring on the eyes on a dark road. Leaving you even more reliant on things like lane departure assistance and other safety systems, the cost option Pilot Assist and Lane Change Assist putting more control in the hands of the sensors even if ultimate responsibility still remains with the driver. We weren’t entirely sold on these systems on our initial drive and didn’t have enough time to fully test them on this subsequent one so the jury is still out on how comfortable we feel entrusting our safety to them.

Many manufacturers might simply take their regular SUVs and drop the roofline to create coupe-style spin-offs – Volkswagen, Audi and Skoda we’re looking at you. However, Polestar is keen to highlight the 4 is not a modified version of the Polestar 3 but rather an all-new car with rear passenger comfort a priority. Although the Polestar 4 swoops at the back it has been lengthened to provide more space, and extra headroom has been freed up by removing the rear windscreen. Combined with a massive panoramic glass roof and powered reclining seats, it’s positively limousine-like in the back. Rather than having a parcel shelf, the rear seats are separated from the large boot area by a removable divider, cocooning you in your own little world. The extra-terrestrial vibe extends to the ambient lighting’s solar system theme, with each colour inspired by a different planet. Up front the Polestar 4’s minimalist approach is so pared back you’ll need to use the touch-screen or steering wheel controls to adjust the wingmirrors and steering wheel position. Once comfy you can at least save your preferences in your driver profile, but it’s a bit of a faff. The use of different fabrics throughout the interior adds subtle texture and you could easily believe you’d found yourself in a sustainability focused, Scandi show home. Out on the road, the dual-motor cars have adjustable suspension allowing you to decide whether you favour comfort or sporty driving dynamics, while the single-motor cars have a fixed set-up which felt firm and composed, if a little harsh over sharper bumps.

It is clear Polestar wants to make a bold statement about technology with the 4, from the backlit badge to the prominent rear-view camera sitting in place of a window. Tech can be further enhanced with a head-up display by adding the optional Plus Pack. We meanwhile found the main screen ¬rather unresponsive at times, requiring excessive jabbing to return to the home screen or change the driving modes, and the tiny icons are too difficult to locate without taking your eyes off the road for longer than is ideal. We liked the built-in Google system with configurable widgets and shortcuts allowing you to reduce the number of sub-screen menus for important functions like headlight settings and regenerative braking. There’s another nod to Tesla with Animal mode, keeping the climate control going if you need to leave pets in the car, but iPhone users will be pleased to hear there’s also Apple CarPlay, which you don’t get in a Model 3 or Model Y. You’ll also get an integrated dashcam and a heat pump to help maintain range in cold weather.

Like other Polestars, there’s the option of single-motor with rear-wheel drive or a dual-motor with all-wheel drive and twice the power and acceleration to challenge proper sports cars like the Porsche 911. The single-motor is by no means slow, providing the optimum blend of performance, comfort, and range, making it our preferred option. The car feels nicely balanced, with the option to make the steering firmer if you prefer, even if it never feels especially responsive. Both versions give you options to choose the amount of regenerative braking when you take your foot off the accelerator and whether you’d like the car to creep forward like a traditional automatic car. A shame all these functions are buried in the touch-screen menus, though, making it hard to switch between modes on the fly. Both versions claim over 350 miles on official range figures, though the reality will depend greatly on driving style, ambient temperatures and other factors. Suffice to say by the time you’ve gone far enough to need a charge you’ll probably be needing a coffee or a comfort break yourself, the impressive charging rate if you can find a suitable place to plug in meaning by the time you get back to your Polestar it should have enough miles in it to complete your journey.