Polestar has been around for a while, having been taken over by the Swedish Volvo in 2015. Two years later, Volvo announced that Polestar would be the name under which they would produce EVs, taking the EV market by storm with the Polestar 1. And they haven't stopped.
By now, Polestar has a proper 3-car lineup, with the Polestar 2 being a very popular EV. Its relatively affordable pricing, in combination with its good build quality and good range numbers, make it the perfect adversary to the Tesla Model. The latest Polestar 3 will go on sale somewhere early in 2024, with the new Polestar 4 already on the roster.
What is the Polestar 4?
Most noticeably, the Polestar 4 actually sits in between the 2 and 3. And it's not a coupe version of some other car; it's a standalone model. It's not as large as the Polestar 3 and focused more on an appealing coupe design than being the practical, large, family SUV. Luckily, that also means that the estimated price of the Polestar 4 is lower. It seems to rival the Tesla Model Y and Audi Q4.
Design
Let's start with the most obvious thing when looking at the Polestar 4: the design. I absolutely love it. The Polestar 2 and 3 didn't do it for me, but this 4 would certainly light up any driveway. Its sleek, coupe styling gives it a very sportive, yet stylish presence. From the side, it does hold Polestar 2 elements, yet the aggressive arches make it more muscular and refined. The standout change by no argumentation is the lack of a rear window. According to Polestar, this would improve aerodynamic efficiency that obviously results in better range figures. As a replacement for your rearview mirror, Polestar has a built-in rearview camera like you see on GT3 race cars. It's not the first time manufacturers have tried this, with Audi replacing its side mirrors with cameras. Most people find it less effective as depth of view is all but gone. It'll be interesting to see if this trend can become a new standard in the automotive landscape.
Interesting things about the Polestar 4
Another interesting change to the Polestar 4 from previous cars is that it's not built from a Volvo platform. This Polestar 4 (and the future 5) is built on the Chinese SEA platform by Geely. SEA is becoming more and more popular with brands like Smart and Volvo for a well-performing EV base.
Motors
From what we know so far, Polestar will launch two types of motors: Long Range Single Motor: 200 kW (272 hp) 343 Nm torque Range of 600 km or 372 miles Dual Motor 400 kW (544 hp) 686 Nm torque Range of 560 km or 347 miles Both models will have a 102 kWh battery pack that can DC charge at 200 kW. For many buyers, the long-range model will be the best affordable option. However, for the thrill-seekers, the Dual Motor version will rappel you from 0 to 60 in just 3.8 seconds, making this the fastest production Polestar.
Interior
What appeals most to me about this new Polestar 4, aside from the Dual Motor's performance and the beautiful exterior, is the new interior design. The updated infotainment screen now sits landscape and offers more screen size for all your controls. The interior is focused on being sustainable, supporting Polestar's image and efforts to lower climate impact.
Additionally, Google technology has been integrated into the infotainment, making apps like Google Assistant, Google Maps, and Google Home part of your default integrations. Great … Unless you're an Apple user.
Polestar 4 price
The pricing currently starts at around $60.000 for the entry level model, depending on what country you're in.
Conclusion
I currently still drive a Q8 E-tron, and I haven't really found a car that I would consider replacing it with. The new Lotus Eletre has spiked my interest, but this Polestar 4 is most certainly going on my shortlist when it's time to replace my Audi. It seems more and more capable EVs are entering the market, and I can't wait to drive this Polestar 4 and see what it's all about!
All image credit goes to Polestar