Coming soon: New Polestar 4 revealed with striking design

Key details of the Polestar 4 

• Swedish start-up presents fourth model, a style-focused rival to the Genesis GV60 
• Uses a camera instead of a rear window 
• Up to  372-mile range from 94kWh battery pack, with top models delivering 537bhp 
• UK sales begin in spring 2024 

What is the Polestar 4?  

The new Polestar 4 arrives over four years after the popular Polestar 2 landed on the scene, but only a few months after the still-very-fresh Polestar 3 was shown in public for the first time.  

The reason they’ve taken time to arrive is that the 3 and 4 aren’t sharing as many bits with Volvo’s electric cars (the Polestar 2 is the cooler sibling of the Volvo XC40 and C40 Recharge) but going their own way. So what’s the difference been the two latest models? 

Well, while the Polestar 3 is a larger, boxier family car with premium pricing, the Polestar 4 sits below it (yes, 4 sits below 3, forget everything you learned at school). The 4 is a lower, more fashion-conscious car, and will be cheaper than the 3 thanks to the option of a single motor model. Hopefully you’ve got all that.  

The Polestar 4 will compete with high-end versions of the Volkswagen ID.5 and Genesis GV60 when it arrives.  

Why should I get excited about the Polestar 4?  

We know that Polestar makes some of the coolest EVs out there, and the 4 is probably the most boundary-pushing yet.  

The rakish front-end has split headlights and a chunky stance, while the roofline is low and curves backwards – making it slippery through the air to boost range. Pop-out door handles and frameless door glass also features, but the biggest surprise is actually at the back.  

Puzzled? You’ll be looking at the rear-end of the 4 and wondering if Polestar made a glaring omission: where’s the back window? Well, in a unique approach, there isn’t one.

Why? Well, rather than Polestar designing the 4 with van drivers in mind, it’s a technical decision.  In most coupe cars the roofline is sloping rather than boxy at the back, which reduces headroom for those sat in the rear seats. The Polestar 4 still has the sloping roof, but the ‘header rail’ (a rigid bar across the roof that makes it safe in a crash) is mounted behind the rear headrests rather than above them, like most cars.  

Polestar reckons this both keeps enough space in the back for taller folk, and keeps the body low enough so that it cuts through the air cleanly, improving range and performance. The problem? It renders a rear window useless, so Polestar did away with that and mounted a camera on the roof feeding the rear-view mirror. 

Sounds unusual. But what is the Polestar 4 like inside?  

The Polestar 4’s cabin is typically clutter-free – designers call that ‘minimalist’. The focal point is a 15.4-inch landscape-oriented touchscreen right in the centre of the dash (the Polestar 3’s is portrait-oriented).  

Polestar uses Google software for the touchscreen, designed to be super easy-to-use. But unlike Tesla where one big screen is your lot, Polestar also adds a 10.2-inch digital driver’s display and a large head-up display to feed key information into the driver’s view.  

Polestar’s designers claim the rest of the interior is inspired by sportswear, including sustainable tailored-knit textile fabric, recyclable carpets and Nappa leather sourced responsibly to meet animal welfare standards. Polestar originally ditched leather, but this sustainable sourcing helps meet customer demand.  

You’ll also have more space for the family inside the Polestar 4 than the Polestar 2 thanks to it being 20cm longer. 

How much range can the Polestar 4 get on a charge?  

That low, slippery body should result in a strong range for the Polestar 4. We say should, because Polestar hasn’t put it through the tests to get official range figures yet.  

But we do know Polestar is targeting a 372-mile range for the single motor model, and a 350-mile range for the faster dual motor version. Both cars use the same 94kWh battery pack. 200kW DC fast charging allows you to top up the battery from 5 to 80% in as little as 32 minutes. There’s also vehicle-to-load capability, which means you can power other electrical items through the car itself.  

Performance-wise, the 268bhp single-motor model will sprint from 0-62mph in 7.4 seconds. But if you want to entertain (or terrify) your mates you’ll need the dual-motor model, which promises to nearly halve that 0-62mph time to just 3.8 seconds.  

When will the Polestar 4 be available to buy or lease?  

While the Polestar 3 is on sale now (with deals already available on GRIDSERVE Car Leasing) the Polestar 4 is a bit of a way off. UK sales are expected to commence in spring 2024.  

As for pricing? Well, while Polestar hasn’t gone official, the target price for the entry-level car is around £55,000. That puts it right in the firing line of the Genesis GV60 and Tesla Model Y.  

Don’t want to wait nearly a year? Why not check out lease deals on those alternatives (as well as a host of other cars) on GRIDSERVE Car Leasing.