Introduction

The Polestar 4 arrived just as electric SUV competition was really taking off. There is a new Porsche Macanthe revamped and fabulous Kia EV6plus the very good Audi Q6 E-Tron – and not forgetting the very popular Tesla Model Y. I’m not sure any of them have the personality of the Polestar though. This full-size electric vehicle looks a treat on the road, but is also muscular enough to please anyone who enjoys the torquey thrill of a performance electric car.

I drove the Long Range Dual engine variant, which makes 536 hp but also has a decent range, with around 360 miles achievable on a full charge. But you’d expect as much, given my heavily loaded example took the asking price from £66,990 to £75,040. Anyone who finds that a bit too steep might prefer the long-range single-motor Polestar 4, which cuts performance but offers nearly 380 miles of range as a consolation prize. It’s also just under £60,000.

Either model probably won’t persuade Tesla enthusiasts to think differently, but it might make someone shopping for the new Porsche Macan take another look. I think Polestar offers as much class and quality to its cars as the German brand.

The style

The Polestar 4 is a great car and, in fact, the more time you spend with it, the less attention is paid to the fact that there’s no rear window. Sure, this point turns a few heads when people first look at it, but there are other areas that are more interesting. The front end, for example, retains the Polestar identity with chiseled lines around the delightful headlights while the swept back look gives the 4 a truly elegant appearance.

The Polestar designers have also done a great job on the sides of the car and I like the way the lower parts of the doors have been executed. From the back, the look is simple, clean and minimalist. Interestingly, the exterior mirrors appear to be the same as those used on other models in the range and appear a little small for the size of the Polestar 4. Other than that, it’s a workmanship. comprehensive design, which is complemented by 21-inch sports wheels.

The interior of the Polestar 4 continues the minimalist Scandinavian atmosphere. Sure, there are whiffs of opulence, including gold seat belts to match the exterior wheel dust covers. The seats are pretty grand too, from the super-versatile front offerings to the cocoon vibe evoked in the rear. The effect is aided by the lack of a rear window and things take on an even more inviting glow when ambient lighting comes into play after dark.

The reader

Like most full-size electric cars, the Polestar 4 carries a large amount of weight with it. In total, that’s 2,355 kg. However, the weight distribution is 50/50, so it’s a car that may be big and bulky, but feels great on the road. I wasn’t bothered by its 4.8 meter length either, and reversing or parking maneuvers in tight spots were made easier by an excellent collection of parking sensors, cameras and crisp HD views on screen. However, I tended to find the 2.1 meter width more difficult on smaller British roads.

The Polestar 4 is nimble enough to pass parked cars crossing narrow village roads, but at other times it was better to just stay back and not fight with oncoming vehicles. And, while this car can be fast when power is needed, it’s actually so comfortable and fun to drive that it promotes relaxed driving. This is most evident on highways, as the incredibly comfortable seats and streamlined cockpit controls allow you to just relax and enjoy the drive.

When I pushed the Polestar 4 a bit more, it delivered the goods and there’s clearly more than enough power for most, despite all that weight. Grip is good and the ride is generally good, although it feels quite lumpy on some of the more broken-up surfaces found in most places around the country. There was also a large battery to ease the pain of recharging en route, with a journey of around 200 round trips easily achieved without stopping. Meanwhile, overall efficiency seems as average as expected for a car of this size and stature.

Technology

One of the best things about Polestar’s latest arrivals is the way the infotainment screens have been carefully tweaked to make the experience much more user-friendly. I had driven a Polestar 4 before and had my share of headaches with the controls. I never knew if these accidents were the result of car or driver error. However, during the week I had the Polestar 4 this time, everything was fine. In fact, the more time I spent using the 15.4-inch landscape-oriented display, the better it seemed to get.

I love the way the compact 10.2-inch screen in front of the steering wheel displays the sat-nav directions with wonderfully simplistic clarity. This is complemented by those instantly recognizable Polestar fonts and colors for the control options. The tiles on the main infotainment screen are also much improved and offer infinite control over just about everything, while having a suite of Google-like tools made the experience as familiar as ever. using my smartphone.

That said, there are some slightly silly things, like a touch button to adjust the exterior mirrors and, strangely, to open the glove box like the VolvoEX30. Overall, though, I think it works and the 1,400-watt, 16-speaker Harman Kardon Premium audio system is great, too. I’m not a fan of power mirrors, but I attribute that more than anything to wearing glasses.

Polestar 4 verdict

I really like the Polestar 4. It’s a complete package that has plenty of electric appeal, not to mention the style and comfort side of things, which is delivered in spades. If I had the choice, I would probably opt for a North Star 3 as it seems a little easier to live with, but both have plenty of personality, which is more than can be said for many SUVs.

Polestar 4 technical specifications