Swedish based electric vehicle maker Polestar is launching their third vehicle in Australia, the Polestar 4, which they describe an electric SUV coupé. It follows numerically after the smaller Polestar 2 fastback which arrived in 2022, and the recently released Polestar 3 SUV.
Polestar 4 slots in between the Polestar 2 and Polestar 3 in terms of price, starting from $78,500 before on-road costs for a Long range Single motor or $88,350 for a Long range Dual Motor variant. Despite this, Polestar expects the 4 to be their best selling vehicle, confident that it will comfortably outsell the more affordable Polestar 2.
Polestar recently invited The Driven to Adelaide for the Polestar 4 media launch event. Polestar 4 test drives from Polestar spaces have also been open to the public since early November, and the first customer handovers are due to take place in late November.
At first glance, Polestar 4 follows the familiar Polestar design language with sleek overall proportions, signature dual blade daytime running lights and full-width tail light across the rear. Above the tail light is where the Polestar 4 starts to differ from their existing lineup, with the absence of glass giving it a unique look from behind.
Rear view camera will take time to adapt to
Looks aside, the lack of a rear window is undoubtedly the most controversial feature of the Polestar 4. It uses a rear view camera instead of a traditional mirror, which dominated the headlines when the Polestar 4 was first revealed at Auto Shanghai in 2023.
So, how well does it work in practice? Unfortunately, there is no simple answer. The majority of our time spent driving the Polestar 4 was during the daytime on country roads in dry weather, so more testing is required under a variety of conditions to properly assess how effective the camera based system is.
In the meantime, I found the camera based system functioned well enough for me and did not cause any real visibility problems while driving the car. Apart from enabling its designers to open up space for rear seat passengers, Polestar touts the main benefit of the camera system being an improved and uninterrupted line of sight behind the vehicle.
One of Polestar’s neat tricks to improve line of sight for drivers is cropping the camera feed slightly, allowing the view to pan left or right when either indicator is switched on. The camera feed can also be tilted up or down manually, or set to automatically tilt in reverse similar to side mirrors with this feature.
As for downsides, despite using a 2.5 megapixel HD camera and 8.9 inch 1480×320 resolution screen, the rear view is still noticeably grainier than a regular mirror, particularly when viewing faraway objects. This is not surprising given human vision is capable of perceiving images equivalent to hundreds of megapixels.
Resolution of the camera and screen was not the only downside though. The focal length adjustment from looking in the distance to focusing on the screen up close required some getting used to. Over time I think your brain would adjust because this should be no different to glancing at the speedo or infotainment screens while driving.
The single camera feed and 2D screen also hampers your ability to judge distance between objects, as you lose the 3D effect and depth of field seen in a regular rear view mirror. Perhaps future versions of the Polestar 4 could employ a dual camera setup with a glasses free 3D screen, technology that seems to be maturing in phones and monitors.
Interior space and comfort worth the rear view tradeoffs
In my opinion the tradeoffs in terms of rear view are worth it, as the amount of space and comfort levels you get in the back of the Polestar 4 are more than just a marketing gimmick. It more than makes up for the downsides described above, especially if you regularly carry passengers in the back.
The rear seats really do feel very spacious and luxurious, particularly with the optional $8,000 Plus Pack which adds heated electric reclining rear seats and 3-zone climate controls via a small screen located on the back of the centre console.
Even without the added options, space in the rear is much better than other similarly sized vehicles, meaning it still feels luxurious back there. Standard features for rear seat passengers include air vents on the B-pillars as well as the back of the centre console, 2x USB-C charging ports and a fold down armrest with cupholders.
Overall, the rear seat experience in a Polestar 4 is night and day compared with the cramped and compromised Polestar 2 back seats. The Polestar 4 would therefore be much better suited as a rideshare vehicle than all of the Polestar 2s running around today.
High levels of comfort and luxury continue into the front row of the Polestar 4, with a minimalist yet stylish vibe that Polestar is well known for. Interesting fabric choices and textures are utilised throughout the cabin and also help to elicit the feeling that you are sitting in something special.
Thoughtful touches like the solar system based interior ambient lighting and indicator noise coming from the left or right side speakers might seem small, but they illustrate how Polestar’s obsession with detail shapes their final products.
Polestar’s minimalist interior design has taken a few steps further in the Polestar 4, with adjustments for the steering wheel and mirrors plus opening the glove box moving to on screen rather than physical controls, which won’t please everyone.
However, once your driving position has been set up and associated with your driver profile, the Polestar 4 will automatically adjust everything to suit depending on which physical or digital key is used to unlock the car.
Thankfully, Polestar has not copied Tesla’s approach of removing stalks either, as there are standard indicator/wiper and gear selector stalks on the left and right hand sides of the steering column. A single volume knob with play/pause button top remains the only physical control between the two front seats, making it easy for front passengers to control audio.
Hands free voice controls through Android Automotive built into the Polestar 4 can be used to control various features from adjusting the climate system, audio playback and sending messages while driving. In my experience these voice controls function much better than in most other cars, as Google voice recognition just works.
Cabin storage space is plentiful, starting with a sliding console lid behind the volume knob hiding 2 cupholders underneath. Further back under the centre armrest is a decent sized storage bin, plus a large open section in the centre tunnel with 2x USB-C charging ports and even more storage space.
The lower height of the centre console and open section in the Polestar 4 provides much more knee room in the front seats compared to a Polestar 2. It no longer feels uncomfortable like the Polestar 2 tended to after a long drive, while the driving position still manages to retain some of that cockpit feel.
Confident and quiet ride across the range
I had high expectations before driving the Polestar 4, given Polestar’s racing heritage and their obsession with chassis design and tuning. These expectations were quickly surpassed as we unleashed the Polestar 4 onto the winding roads of the Adelaide Hills and confirmed first-hand that Polestar delivers performance that is not just about straight line speed.
Both single motor and dual motor Polestar 4 variants handled extremely well on the twisty, narrow and sometimes bumpy roads we encountered. The suspension soaked up all but the nastiest of bumps, keeping the car feeling planted and confident throughout the bends.
Semi-active dampers fitted to dual motor variants did a slightly better job keeping the car composed than passive dampers in the single motor, although the difference is small and handling alone should not be a major factor in deciding which Polestar 4 to choose.
When it comes to straight line speed, the Long range Dual motor Polestar 4 obviously feels much quicker given it has twice the power and torque of the Long range Single motor version. This cuts the 0-100 km/h time down from 7.1 to 3.8 seconds, handing it the title of quickest accelerating Polestar to date.
Once the road straightened out, another thing I noticed was just how smooth and quiet the Polestar 4 is. Road and wind noise are barely noticeable even while travelling at highway speeds. Electric motor whine is also inaudible so Polestar have done a great job insulating the cabin from all types of noise.
Excellent one pedal driving in the Polestar 4 carries over from previous Polestar models, along with the ability to reduce the regenerative braking strength or disable it entirely via settings depending on your preference.
Driving settings such as one pedal driving are also retained between drives and switch automatically along with driver profiles. One exception is the speed limit warning, but a one touch shortcut button can be added to one of the four home screen widgets if you need to disable it.
Energy efficiency was hard to accurately measure as we swapped cars and drivers multiple times during the drive program. The worst figure I observed was 27 kWh/100 km on our way uphill to the Barossa Valley. Returning to Adelaide airport the next morning in a Long range Dual motor with Performance Pack set to performance mode consumed 18.8 kWh/100 km.
Efficiency should be even better still in a Long range Single motor or Dual motor with range mode enabled, which disengages the front motor via a disconnect clutch. Therefore it should be possible to travel over 500 km if utilising the full 94 kWh of usable battery capacity.
Lowest carbon footprint of any Polestar
Polestar 4 is launching with the lowest carbon footprint of any Polestar so far, with cradle to gate emissions of 19.9 – 21.4 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) depending on the variant. For comparison, Polestar 3 launched with 24.7 tCO2e and Polestar 2 with 26.1 tCO2e in 2020.
The reduction in carbon footprint from manufacturing has been achieved by producing the Polestar 4 in a factory powered by 100% renewable electricity, increased use of low-carbon aluminium sourced from renewable powered smelters as well as a higher percentage of recycled materials used throughout the cabin, proudly labelled for occupants to see.
There is also a focus on circularity, with Polestar claiming “The vast majority of materials used to manufacture Polestar 4 are recyclable at the end of the car’s lifespan.” Battery packs used in Polestar vehicles are also designed to be easily repairable, compared to some EVs where the whole battery pack must be swapped if it develops a fault.
Polestar should be commended for their sustainability efforts, for they are pushing the boundaries in this area and encouraging the industry to follow suit by publishing detailed life cycle assessments for all of their vehicles.
There is still a long way to go until Polestar can produce a climate neutral car though. The Polestar 4 is a 2.2 – 2.3 tonne SUV with 100 kWh battery, so you can’t help thinking that carbon emissions could be reduced even further if Polestar produced lighter and more efficient cars that require less battery capacity for similar driving range.
This is particularly true given the battery modules contribute the largest percentage of the carbon footprint by component, as shown in the chart below from Polestar’s life cycle assessment of the Polestar 4.
Conclusion
A sleek exterior design, excellent performance and a spacious, luxurious interior are all highlights of the Polestar 4. You will need to try out the rear view camera for yourself to see if it’s a deal breaker though. Higher resolution 3D camera and screen technology could potentially eliminate the downsides experienced with the current system.
Comparing within the lineup, Polestar 4 improves on the Polestar 2 in many ways, such as interior space and storage options. If you regularly carry passengers in the rear seats, the Polestar 4 is a big step up that your passengers will surely appreciate.
Size wise, the Polestar 3 and 4 are very similar, with Polestar 4 measuring just 60mm shorter and 19mm wider. Unless you want the added luxury, V2G or drivetrain features like true torque vectoring and air suspension that Polestar 3 offers, a Polestar 4 provides most of the space and utility at a much lower starting price.
Table of key specifications for the Polestar 4
| Variant | Long range Single motor | Long range Dual motor | ||
| Starting price excluding ORCs | $78,500 | $88,350 | ||
| Paint colours and options | Optional packs, Pilot Pack included as standard:
6 exterior metallic colours:
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| Battery size | 100 kWh gross, 94 kWh usable | |||
| Battery chemistry and manufacturer | Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC), CATL | |||
| Range (WLTP) | 620 km | 590 km | ||
| Driven wheels | Rear-wheel drive | All-wheel drive | ||
| Power / Torque | 200 kW / 343 Nm | 400 kW / 686 Nm | ||
| Maximum charging speed | 200 kW DC, 11 kW AC or 22 kW AC with Plus Pack | |||
| Charging time | 22 kW AC (0 – 100 %) – 5.5 hours 200 kW DC (10 – 80 %) – 30 minutes |
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| Exterior dimensions | Length: 4,840 mm Width: 2,139 mm Height: 1,534 mm Wheelbase: 2,999 mm Ground clearance: 166 mm |
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| Kerb weight | 2,230 kg | 2,355 kg | ||
| Storage space | Frunk: 15 L Boot, rear seats up: 526 L (including 31 L under floor) Boot rear seats folded: 1,536 L (including 31 L under floor) |
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| Service interval | 24 months / 30,000 km | |||
Tim has 20 years experience in the IT industry including 14 years as a network engineer and site reliability engineer at Google Australia. He is an EV and renewable energy enthusiast who is most passionate about helping people understand and adopt these technologies.