Polestar 4: An Excellent Drive, here’s Why

Polestar 5 arrives at in the last few months of 2025, until then we have Polestar 2, Polestar 3 and now Polestar 4.

When Polestar split from its big daddy, Volvo, we wondered if the move was wise. As a performance arm, it was the one with big biceps. We needn’t have been concerned with Polestar’s muscles still very much on show. Like Volvo, Polestar continues with a laser focus on sustainability, with the leather being left over from the food industry, and the plastics made using plant-based material rather than oil.

See our story on Polestar 4 specifications HERE:

Likewise, the battery components are tracked for sustainable and ethical handling and sourcing. While none of that makes a difference to the drive, it is something that is never far from your consciousness. Polestar lists various nods to sustainability throughout the cabin, so as you mash your foot to the floor, you can do so in the knowledge that EVs really can be as green as a vehicle can be.

The Drive:

The Australian launch of the Swedish EV began in the churchified city of Adelaide on route to The Barossa.

The Barossa valley is a mere sip of Hill of Grace away, and its roads have a varied surface of smooth silky high-speed tarmac, and quick, twisty bits of driving heaven.

Polestar is positioning itself at the cutting edge of sporting prowess, and as such should be able to dispatch all manner of poorly kept roads with the alacrity of a mountain goat, and it does. Take-offs are spritely, but fast turns in the AWD performance need a little care with the 100kwh battery adding heft that makes itself felt, especially in the mountain passes. Hitting an undulation mid-turn can unsettle the big Polestar too, but never to the point of tears.

Ride in both the 200kw base model and 400kw dual motor Polestar 4 is comfortable, with semi-active damping doing a decent job of ironing out the council’s lack of interest in local pothole filling.

Although we didn’t try launch control, the acceleration is “oodles”, getting the 2355kg SUV to 100 in 3.8 seconds. The 0-100 makes one’s inner yearnings churn for the joy of a disused airfield, alas they are few and far between.

Above: This Week’s VIDEO Car Review – Polestar 4 Sexy and Fast Alan Zurvas Review

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ABOVE: 2025 Poletstar 4 Range

Instead, we make do with frolicking in the countryside.

Unlike some of the “supercars” that love to break bones and rearrange organs at the mere sight of a speed bump, Polestar 4 is well mannered and kind to humans.

The very quickest of hyper-cars accelerates only 2 seconds faster than the Polestar 4 Dual Motor. Also, Polestar 4 has a top speed of 200kph, 90kph faster than the legal limits our highways, and that is plenty in anyone’s language. In other words, Polestar 4 is most things to most people.

The faster an EV goes, the more power it consumes.

There is a happy medium at which the EV is propelling its cargo at a rate that won’t suck at the battery like a drag queen in happy hour. Not only that, my driving partners like firm steering, but as electric steering provides no real feedback beyond that it is programmed for, I’m happy for a light touch to guide me through my journey. I like to be conveyed comfortably, not thrown around like a grenade with the pin taken out.

The CATL 100kwn battery is at the larger end of the market and has a good reputation so far.

The Rear Window, or lack thereof

Polestar 4 uses a high mounted camera as a rear-view monitor. It displays an HD image where the rearview mirror would be. I’ve used them before but never without the option of looking directly through the rear window. I’m happy to report the absence of a window makes no difference. It is better than trying to look through a thin slat of glass as is the case in many coupé/SUVs.

When asked why there isn’t a steel-roofed option, designed told us that they tried all options and it made the rear too “tomb-like.

When asked if electronic side mirrors (which operate like the centre rear-view mirror) were an option, designers replied, “it did not give us the driving experience we wanted.” Everything was considered.

I’m most content when cruising.

Highway speeds allow the Polestar 4 to have its ADAS hard at work. Like Col. Sanders’ 11 secret herbs n spices, Polestar 4 uses 11 vision cameras, 1 radar, 12 ultrasonic sensors, 1 DMS, and a partridge in a pear tree. Together they stream data to the onboard system to keep you centered in the lane at your preferred distance from the car on front.

It combines with the Google OS to gently guide you.

Polestar uses Google Maps, so the directions are seen in the HUD making it easier to see without looking away from the road. The driver screen is small and sits atop the steering column rather like a gaming console.

There is less glare inside than you might expect. I usually keep the sunroof closed to avoid reflections on the inside surface of my glasses, but there is no cover in any of the Polestars. Instead, you can opt for an electrochromic roof that goes opaque when its power is turned off. That option must be fitted at the factory but you can buy a Polestar accessory fabric cover that clips in to place overhead.

Driving an EV always has a slightly ethereal feel to it.

There is no dinosaur exploding under the bonnet, no noise blasting from the exhaust, but above all, no polar bears are harmed in your trip to the shops. Instead, the cabin is a Zen cathedral to technology, with the car more or less driving itself. Many dislike the disconnect between action and result, but it is a new way of driving that we must all get used to.

Instant torque is intoxicating.

Even in the humblest EV, the electric motor wants to turn the second current is applied. The more powerful the motor, the more enticing it is to stomp on the carpet

Gadgets are all controlled via the screen.

Since the BMW 7 series i-Drive, most manufacturers have integrated settings into a central touch screen. Thankfully the hideous central control dial is mostly a thing of the past, using the touch screen as the main method of manipulation. Polestar has turned its portrait screen to landscape mode, with 15.4” worth real estate to operate 2 apps simultaneously. There are programmable shortcuts on one line but it doesn’t make the system any easier to use while moving.

A physical button can be fettled by using muscle memory, but a virtual control can easily move under your finger on anything but the smoothest of roads. The seat controls are still on the seat, but the steering wheel reach/height control is via a menu. Polestar says these are little used, thus the buttons were put into the central screen. Stuff and nonsense! Bring my button back s’il vous plait.

Voice control is a fairly simple affair. The Google Automotive OS can set temperature and other simple tasks, and asking for directions is as easy as doing it on your phone. It always should have been this way.

We didn’t get a chance to test the “twin blade” front lighting system, but its matrix function is the latest iteration of adaptive technology.

Charging.

200kw DC max is reasonable for a charge while you’re having a coffee. On a longer trip the car will tell you how and when to hook up.

Verdict:

Polestar 4 is a delight to drive. It is frisky and compliant. Although some say it wasn’t sporty enough, it handled everything thrown at it. There is a ton of space in the rear, and is one of the rare cars that feels good from all seats.

The full monty dual motor is my choice but unless you’re really keen, the performance pack isn’t worth paying for because it adds no more power.

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