Enormous performance and range – but no rear window

The Polestar 4 offers plenty of power, but no rear window. Will the unusual concept work? Polestar granted a few laps with the latest model on its own test track in Sweden. Test drive, range, prices.

• Rear-wheel drive with 200 kW or all-wheel drive with 400 kW

• Battery with 100 kWh energy

• Around 600 kilometers range

Special: The Polestar concept

With consistency and enthusiasm – this is how Polestar boss Thomas Ingenlath describes how the former Volvo tuner went about developing its latest model, which simply goes by the name “Polestar 4”. In the fall of 2023, the Chinese Swedes – Polestar belongs to almost 80 percent of the Geely Group, Volvo still holds 18 percent – showed this fully electric SUV coupe in the D segment of the public.

In the Summer 2024 the first cars should be priced from 61,900 euros can be seen on German streets. What awaits potential customers is quite spectacular: a 4.80 meter long, 2.14 meter wide, but only 1.5 meter high car that has no rear window.

What is missing? The rear window!

Chief designer Maximilian Missoni: “We simply continued on this path consistently.” When drawing an SUV coupe, the rear window is always in question. Around the Coupe line In order to be able to hold it, the pane has to be placed extremely flat and this inevitably loses its function. So Polestar decided to forego the lookout altogether and use a camera to direct the view to the rear.

Image gallery: The Polestar 4

Cleverly, it stays that way usual interior mirror as a monitor for the artificial HD eye. After getting used to it, this works very well; in fog or twilight, the camera is even superior to the human eye. In the next expansion stage, as representatives of the supplier explained at the model presentation, cameras with the quality of night vision devices will also be possible.

However, drivers first have to come to terms with not being able to check their lipstick or shave in the interior mirror, and for those sitting in the back it is a bit strange at first not to be able to see the driver in the “mirror”.

Tight chassis, good cornering

Compared to the “real” SUV sister model Polestar 3, the flatter line with shorter body overhangs makes the foursome a real one sporty appearance. In order to be able to fulfill the sporting expectations raised by the design on the road, the Polestar developers put a lot of brainpower into the chassis. With success, as the first laps on the test track show.

Joakim Rydholm’s team designed the 2.2-ton vehicle very balanced driving behavior educated. Compared to the Polestar 3, the set-up is tighter, but not uncomfortable despite the 255/45 tires on 21-inch rims.

The steering pleases with high precision and gives the driver direct feedback about the road condition. This excellent performance is primarily due to the new SEA platform (Sustainable Experience Architecture), which is being used for the first time in the Polestar 4 Wheelbase of three meters allowed. It will also carry the planned, larger Polestar 5 and 6 models.

Enormous performance, lots of range

The engines are definitely up to the sporty demands of the chassis. Polestar offers the car with one or two electric motors 200 kW/272 HP each afford. The version with a motor on the rear axle delivers 343 Nm torque and accelerates the car to 100 km/h in 6.8 seconds. With two engines, the output adds up to 400 kW/544 hp, both axles are powered and the Polestar 4 reaches the 100 km/h mark after 3.8 seconds.

The motors are powered by a lithium-ion battery Nominal capacity of 100 kWhwhich lies in the vehicle floor between the axles.

The maximal Charging capacity is 200 kWIf it is used, the battery will be filled from 10 to 80 percent in 30 minutes. The WLTP consumption With one engine it is between 17.7 and 18.1 kW/h per 100 kilometers, with two engines it is 18.6 to 21 kWh. Polestar specifies the maximum range as 610 or 580 kilometers.

Scandinavian chic interior

The interior design of the Polestar 4 is all about sustainability. All plastics used are 100 percent recycled, the optional leather covers come from organically certified companies mainly in the United Kingdom. The interior design appears clear and tidy, the seating is of select quality and the rear passengers in particular benefit from this ample space – you first get used to the fact that there is no window behind the headrests, but a black wall.

Unfortunately, the back seat can only be folded down in a 60:40 ratio; there is no middle “pass-through” for longer cargo. The trunk is not huge at 526 to 1536 liters, but sufficient.

As befits a modern electric car, the music in the Polestar 4 also plays on a large, tablet-shaped central display in landscape format. All other data and communication devices in the vehicle can also be managed and controlled there. Thankfully, Polestar has not forgone a smaller display above the steering wheel, nor a head-up display.

As with Volvo, voice control and navigation are handled using Google’s well-known software. For an additional charge there is a Harman KardonSound system with full sound from twelve speakers. If you want, you can also order boxes integrated into the front headrests. Wireless Apple CarPlay for Smartphone connection is self-evident.

Polestar 4: Prices from 62,000 euros

In terms of price, the Polestar 4 is positioned above the Polestar 2, but below the Polestar 3. The reason for this could be that the Polestar 4 is a design from the Chinese parent company Geely, while the Polestar 3 is based on a Volvo platform. Due to higher volumes at Geely, the cost-reducing economies of scale are probably higher.

The Polestar 4 is anyway not a cheap home: It costs at least 61,900 euros with an engine, at least 69,900 euros as an all-wheel drive. Plus there is various equipment packages with nice names like “Pilot”, “Plus” or “Performance”, which raise the price slightly above the 80,000 euro mark. However, Polestar boss Thomas Ingenlath is confident that around 150,000 people worldwide every year will be enthusiastic about a sporty, cleanly designed and visually appealing vehicle like his latest.

Polestar 4: technical data and prices

You can find many more driving reports and car tests here.

Text: Thomas Uhrig/SP-X