Polestar 4 review

Polestar 4 verdict

The Polestar 4 is a characterful and premium option in a tightly-fought electric SUV sector. Its long range, which starts from 367 miles, gives it an edge over rivals, and Polestar’s decision to do without a rear-window makes helps the 4 stand out without compromising usability in a meaningful way. The Polestar 4 utilises the best technologies available, but the infotainment system might take some time to get used to and this SUV is not the most engaging to drive in the class.

Details, specs and alternatives

The Polestar 4 is the fourth standalone car to come from the Swedish brand, with the Polestar 3, a larger, premium SUV and the compact Polestar 2 being its only other mainstream cars to have already launched. The Polestar 1 was a plug-in hybrid which sold in very limited numbers, and cars carrying the badge prior to Polestar becoming a standalone brand were performance versions of Volvo's.

With the Polestar 4 being a mid-size SUV, it means Polestar has a whole new market to try and break into. Facing the Polestar 4 out of the gate will be established rivals like the Audi Q6 e-tron, Tesla Model Y and Porsche Macan Electric. However, Polestar has brought its A-game with the 4, utilising the Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) also found underpinning other Geely group cars like the Volvo EX30 and Smart #3. This means the Polestar 4 can make use of advanced technologies and, being closely linked to Volvo, cutting-edge safety systems, as well as a 94kWh battery, from the get-go. Polestar felt there is no need for the Polestar 4 to have a rear window, replacing it with a rear camera and digital rear-view-mirror.

Starting from around £60,000 for single motor variants and ranging up to just under £67,000 for the dual motor variant, the Polestar 4 can easily out-pace the competition when it comes to range. Single motor, rear-wheel drive cars can travel up to 385 miles on a single charge, while Dual motor cars can achieve up to 367 miles on a single charge. 

There’s plenty of performance on offer, too. Single motor Polestar 4’s produce up 268bhp and 343Nm of torque, while dual-motor cars can produce 536bhp or 686Nm of torque - although dual-motor cars are slightly less powerful than the electric Porsche Macan Turbo.

There’s little in the way of customisation choices or optional extras to personalise your Polestar 4, partly because the car comes with lots of kit as standard like LED headlights, a head-up display, and safety equipment like lane-keep assist, collision warning and blind-spot monitoring. There is only one paint colour choice which is a no-cost option, that being ‘Magnesium’ silver, while the other paint choices cost between £1,000 and £1,400.

Beyond paint, there are some different interior colour options, and a few different performance and safety packs to choose from. The Pilot Pack adds some additional safety features and costs around £1,300. For £1,800 you can specify the Pro Pack which adds larger 21-inch alloy wheels and seatbelts which are gold in colour. Finally, the Performance Pack brings tweaks to the chassis to help improve driving responsiveness and costs around £4,000.

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There’s only one battery size available with the Polestar 4, and it’s quite sizable at 94kWh. That means the Single motor variant of the Polestar 4 can go up to 385 miles on a charge, while heavier and more powerful Dual motor cars can travel up to an impressive 367 miles on a charge. In comparison, the sporty Audi SQ6 e-tron can only cover up to 358 miles on a charge.  

When we drove the Polestar 4, we saw a predicted real-world range of 369 miles for the Single motor car, and 342 miles for the Dual motor. This high real-world range is in part down to the car's smooth surfaces, flush-fitting door handles, aerodynamic wheels and shallow windscreen rake which contributes to the overall sleek shape of the car. 

Official efficiency figures provided by Polestar claim Single motor cars can return 3.4 miles per kWh while Dual motor cars will offer 2.8kWh. This has the potential to be improved over time, as the Polestar 4 should receive at least four over-the-air updates throughout the course of a year, boosting efficiency and range.

When it comes to topping up the battery, the 94kWh battery can charge at a maximum speed of 200kW, replenishing the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in 30 minutes. This isn’t as quick as some of its rivals, but it’s not far behind. If you’re using a home wallbox charger, be prepared for a longer wait. 22kW AC charging is offered and a 0-100 per cent recharge will take roughly 5.5 hours at this speed, or 11 hours when charging at 11kW.

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The premium SUV sector isn’t exactly known for its frugality or catering for bargain hunters, and the Polestar 4 isn’t an exception to this rule. With a starting price of around £60,000 for single motor cars, ranging up to around £67,000 for dual-motor cars, the Polestar 4 isn’t exactly cheap.

The insurance groups for the Polestar 4 are yet to be officially revealed, but many of its rivals sit in insurance group 40 and above, so it’s safe to expect that there won’t be much in terms of savings found here.

However, as with all electric cars, you will be able to make some savings on VED road tax, with the Polestar 4 being tax exempt until April 2025. Company car drivers can benefit from a rock-bottom 2 per cent Benefit-in-Kind tax rate as well. 

Running costs will also be significantly less than equivalent combustion-powered SUVs. Fully charging the Polestar 4 at home on a 7kWh wallbox will cost around £27 at the average electricity rate of 30p per kilowatt-hour. As always, charging at a public chargepoint will cost considerably more.

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Before Polestar became a brand in its own right, it was originally the performance division of Volvo. Although, it would be best to forget this sporty heritage, as the portly 2,230kg kerbweight and general SUV bulkiness can be felt if you’re travelling down a twisty road in the Polestar 4.

Whichever version of the Polestar 4 you opt for, it’s not exactly short on power. Single motor cars produce 268bhp and 343Nm of torque, which will be more than enough for most people, and the power delivery is linear and predictable. For those who want a little extra pep, you’ll need to opt for the Dual motor variant, which can easily rival some supercars with a total output of 536bhp and 686Nm of torque.  

Either variant is responsive in a straight line, but when the road gets twisty, you’re reminded that Polestar 4 is an SUV and not a sports car. At least, the car manages to hide its weight most of the time, with the suspension being able to cope with potholes and rutted roads, and it never feels like it lacks grip. 

If you have a Dual motor car it is possible to alter the dampers between ‘Standard’, ‘Nimble’ and ‘Firm’. Standard is comfortable for everyday driving, while Nimble and Firm offer more in the way of sporty driving dynamics – although there wasn’t too much difference between the two settings when we drove a Polestar 4. Most of the time, you’ll probably keep it in Standard which manages to take the sting out of sharp bumps in the road. 

The steering feel can be altered between ‘Light’, ‘Standard’ and ‘Firm’ with a good differentiation between the different settings. The steering can be a little vague overall and the front end can take a while to respond, while rough or jerky steering inputs can upset the car’s balance.

Drive sensibly and the Polestar 4 turns into a comfortable and capable machine, no matter the situation. At higher speeds, it’s quiet and composed, with very little in the way of intrusion from road and wind noise, and no audible difference between Single and Dual motor cars. The side mirrors do cause some buffeting, although this is one of our only complaints on the road.

Low speeds can catch the Polestar 4 out, with the ride seeming fidgety and unsettled. The Single motor car we were driving had the larger 21-inch alloys fitted, which probably didn’t help overall ride quality, so cars with smaller alloys may fare better.

When it comes to slowing down, the brakes are responsive without feeling overly grabby, and you’re able to recoup some of the lost energy through regenerative braking. There are three levels of brake regeneration, including ‘Off’, ‘Low’ and ‘One-pedal’. One-pedal driving has the ability to bring the car to a stop and is great when driving in urban environments. From our experience, the ‘Low’ setting seems to offer the best balance and has a similar feel to engine braking in an internal combustion engine car.  

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The premium electric SUV sector is now one of the most hotly-contested in the market, so it’s only right that Polestar has used high-quality materials, with a good standard of fit and finish throughout.

As with previous models of Polestar cars, the dashboard follows a minimalist design, similar to that found in Tesla cars. Instead of using buttons or switchgear, the majority of the Polestar 4’s functions are operated through the 15.4-inch touchscreen, which operates using Google-based software. Overall, the system is fairly straightforward to operate, the design is simple to understand and there are menu shortcuts on the home screen to simplify navigation. Our car wasn’t the quickest to respond to inputs, but we’re told that customer cars will be quicker to respond.

The lack of rear window might be off-putting to some, however, Polestar has fitted a 8.9-inch digital-rear-view-mirror which is of a high-resolution and offers a crisp display. The system works well at night and during low light and it can also be used as a conventional mirror to look at rear seat occupants, if needed. 

In front of the driver, there’s a 10.2-inch digital display that has all the information you need. It is easily customisable and the head-up display is easy to read with clear graphics.

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You might think the Polestar 4 would not be hugely practical thanks to its sloping roofline, but it’s actually a spacious car.

Up front, the driving position is spot on and it's really easy to get comfy behind the wheel, with the seats offering the right blend of support and comfort. As standard, the front seats are heated and electrically operated, but if you spec the Nappa leather pack you’ll get perforated Bridge of Weir leather upholstery, as well as a massage function. 

Neither the front nor the rear of the cabin feels cramped, and the sloping roofline doesn’t eat into the head space of rear passengers. You might expect the rear of the cabin to feel dark with the lack of a rear window and low-slung roof, but this isn’t the case thanks to the large side windows and the panoramic glass roof fitted as standard. 

In-cabin storage is plentiful with cubby holes dotted around and a large 15-litre compartment within the centre console. There are also cup-holders embedded within the rear armrest.

The boot capacity of the Polestar 4 is 526 litres, and there is an additional 31 litres below the removable boot floor. This is generous when compared to the larger Polestar 3, but the Polestar 4 does fall a little short when compared to rivals like the Porsche Macan EV with its 540 litre boot capacity, or the 854 litres offered by the Tesla Model Y. The boot lip is a little high, and the sloping roofline means loading bulky items could be a bit difficult and awkward.

If you need to tow a trailer or caravan, the Polestar 4 is rated to tow a maximum of 1,500kg in its Single motor guise, or a maximum of 2,000kg for Dual motor cars.

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The Polestar 4 hasn’t faced Euro NCAP safety tests yet, but as Polestar has close links to Volvo, driver and passenger safety is usually high on the agenda. 

Overall there are 12 exterior sensors, 11 cameras and a front radar, on the Polestar 4, providing vital information to safety systems like adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, collision avoidance, blind spot monitoring and post-impact braking. All these systems come as standard fit on the Polestar 4, as well as seven airbags and an interior radar system to help prevent animals or children being left behind accidentally.

Owners are pretty impressed with their Polestar cars with the brand achieving second place in the Driver Power survey in the best manufacturers category. When it comes to reliability, Polestar’s reputation is already a bit patchy. Overall, 69 per cent of Polestar 2 drivers have had a fault of some kind within the first year of ownership. It must be noted that up until recently, the Polestar 2 was the only car offered by the manufacturer, we’ll understand more when owners of the Polestar 3 and Polestar 4 get the chance to report back.

The Polestar 4 comes with a three years or 60,000 mile warranty. The battery pack has a separate warranty of eight years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first. If the overall battery’s state of health dips below 70 per cent within the first eight years, Polestar will replace it at no cost.

Service and maintenance is covered for the first three years or 31,250 miles, whichever comes first. After the first three years, we’d expect the Polestar 4 to follow a similar service schedule to the Polestar 2 – so every two years or 20,000 miles.