We’re nearly halfway through our extended over-Christmas Polestar 4 special feature test, and the progressive report has turned up some truly fascinating, fun, and occasionally frustrating facts. I have to say, the Polestar 4, still one of the best looking cars on the road, has been an absolute hoot. Those dual motors in the 400kW Performance model provide plenty of scope for a spot of wellie when you’re merging—it’s pure, unadulterated performance power!

Polestar 4 Review: 400kW Performance, Tech Tantrums & Range Facts

The Technology: A Hissy-Fit in the Making It isn’t quite an “oh dear” moment just yet, but Polestar and Volvo are clearly enduring some troublesome teething problems with the Google Automotive operating system. Other buyers have chirped about phones disconnecting and screens freezing, and while we’d dodged the drama initially, we’ve finally hit a bit of a pixelated pickle.

I can now report that my iPhone 17 Pro Max has disconnected several times while using Apple CarPlay for Google Maps. Dash it all! Interestingly, the Polestar’s native Google Maps isn’t the same app as the one on the iPhone. Even when signed in, they don’t seem to share notes; switching from CarPlay to the car’s native system won’t continue your navigation. It’s a strange, silly oversight by Google’s programmers, frankly.

Things got properly dramatic when the car stopped responding to voice commands shortly before the centre screen went completely, catastrophically cold. Thankfully, the HUD and driver screens saved the day—Yay! No matter what we tried, the phone refused to reconnect until we reached our destination for a tasty, tiny light lunch. Opening the car door finally reignited the screen—we suspect the system was just having a bit of a hissy-fit after being stuck in a terminal IT loop.

Above: This Week’s VIDEO Review –2026 KIA TASMAN – Ugly or Genius?

#KiaTasman, #GayCarBoys, #UteLife, #Tasman, #BYDShark6, #KiaAustralia, #RangerKiller, #UteReview, #OffRoadAustralia, #PHEV, #DualCab #GayCarBoys

ABOVE: Polestar 4 MY26

That dashcam SD fits in a tiny slot that is poorly placed on the upper inner surface of the glovebox. I had to reach into my bowl of gen Z’s to get it in. Sadly it needed to be reformatted and I was rapidly losing the will to live so I installed my trusty, rusty, crusty Navman Sensor XL DC instead. The only 12V outlet is in the boot so thankfully the lead is a long one.

Charging: The Entente Cordiale We’ve reached an Entente Cordiale with the building super, allowing us to charge via a standard home socket. Home charging is a total game-changer; while you sleep, your car gently, generously, and cheaply tops itself up.

However, our second top-up was a bit of a mystery—we weren’t sure if the switch had been flicked because only a tiny portion of the charge had actually been completed a full 15 hours later. Talk about a slow-motion surprise! The Polestar 4 is usually a clever, capable creature, and our press car is set to 100%. Once the juice flows, the doors lock and the port “grasps” the cable. The charging light flashes green, but there is an annoying, agitating white light as well. Usually, overnight is plenty to put roughly 30% back into that 100kWh battery, but this time the gremlins had other plans.

The Drive: Quiet as a Mouse On the road, the Polestar 4 is as quiet as a mouse. The “bings and bongs” are now relegated to an essential-only basis, and the highway assistance is intuitive and intelligent—more like a gentle hand than a firm fist. The ride is still firm, despite some rejigging from the MY24 model, but with a full battery showing 530km of range, we’re suitably impressed. Max DC inflow is limited to 200kW; we’re hoping Polestar follows the 800v lead of its Volvo siblings soon.

Final Thoughts We’re watching the Geely Group very carefully. The financial situation is said to be a bit grim, and since the split from Volvo, Polestar is out on its own. For a while, it was getting spousal support from Daddy Volvo, but now it must stand alone.

Interestingly, while the Polestar 2 was rumoured to be facing the axe, it’s actually been confirmed for a second generation—though it’ll have to hold the fort for a few more years alongside the fresh-faced Polestar 3 and 4.

Some say EV sales are slowing, but that ignores the massive uptake in China and Scandinavia. Besides, in crappy weather, the climate control keeps those inside frosty cool. Sydney’s weather has been bizarre—47°C one day and 17°C the next—but we were as comfy as bugs in a rug.

Stay tuned for the video and full review!

#Polestar4, #EVReview, #ElectricCars, #PolestarPerformance, #CarTech, #iPhone17ProMax, #GoogleAutomotive, #SustainableDriving, #SydneyCarReview, #GeelyGroup

Other GayCarBoys EV Stories: