PREVIEW: 2025 POLESTAR 4 BOASTS UP TO 544 HP, TONS OF SAFETY TECH—AND NO REAR WINDOW
The second model from Polestar may be more versatile than the Polestar 2 sedan
2025 Polestar 4 in gold with Performance Pack
By Jeff S. Bartlett
The Polestar 4 electric vehicle could be characterized as a tall sedan or a coupelike SUV. Either way, it blends conventional body styles, much like the Toyota Crown hybrid, to create its own balance of virtues.
The 4 looks to be more versatile, capable, and expensive than the Polestar 2. It’s positioned between the existing 2 and the coming 3 SUV, with pricing starting at $54,900.
It’s offered with two powertrain configurations, with a mild single-motor version and a wilder dual-motor, all-wheel-drive variation that’s sure to bring rapid acceleration. Thanks to a large 102-kilowatt-hour battery, the Polestar 4 boasts a 270- to 300-mile driving range.
The design looks a bit familiar from the front, sharing characteristics with other existing cars. But the real breakthrough is seen from the rear, where the absence of a back window is somewhat shocking. In its place, the 4 has a high-mounted, high-definition camera that feeds a display located in the rearview mirror.
The Polestar 4 is expected to be the first production car to feature Mobileye Chauffeur, an active driving assistance system with a full camera array and lidar (a laser-based radar system). The goal is for this optional suite to eventually go beyond hands-free driving to provide eyes-off driving.
The 4 has a rather simplified interior, and its prominent center infotainment screen is powered by Google.
This is an interesting car. Let’s take a closer look.
What it competes with: BMW iX, Genesis GV60, Lexus RZ, Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV, Tesla Model Y
Powertrains:
• 272-hp, single electric motor; 102-kWh battery; 1-speed direct drive; rear-wheel drive
• 544-hp, dual electric motors; 102-kWh battery; 1-speed direct drive; all-wheel drive
Price: $54,000-$72,900
Destination charge: $1,400
On sale: Late 2024
CR's Take
It’s hard to escape that the Polestar 4’s unique packaging is reminiscent of the Toyota Crown, another platypus model that combines elements from different car types. It’s an intriguing premise.
Polestar’s inaugural model, the 2, truly seemed like a first effort in our experience. When we bought and tested a 2021 model, it was quick but came with numerous compromises, such as a bone-jarring ride, a tight interior, and confusing controls. Plus, predicted reliability was below average.
But the 4 is a new car. Hopefully, lessons were learned, although the dedication to the Google platform for infotainment has us apprehensive. Further, we would have welcomed physical buttons for common climate functions. And the center dash vent looks rather low.
The lack of a back window is a stunning twist coming from a Volvo-related brand, as safety has long been a hallmark of the Swedish automaker. The industry has been moving in this direction, with several brands offering rearview cameras in place of a conventional mirror. The benefits of this technology are clear because you can see behind the vehicle without passengers, head restraints, or cargo getting in the way.
With the abundance of electronic sensors and radar in cars today, it was inevitable that an automaker would introduce a car without the glass. But … wow. It’s hard to give up the simplicity and foolproof nature of glass. Cameras can become obscured by debris, rain, snow, and mud, and they can suffer from glare, especially at night. Plus, some drivers may find the digital mirrors to be challenging to use. This will be quite interesting to experience.
Based on the Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) developed by parent corporation Geely Holding, the Polestar 4 packages a 102-kWh battery under the floor.
Photo: Polestar
Outside
The Polestar 4’s exterior brings softer lines than the current Polestar 2 sedan, bridging the more angular car’s styling with that of the coming Polestar 3 SUV. The front looks a bit Porsche-like, and the rear pillar angle reminds me of the previous generation Toyota Corolla. It measures about 3 inches longer and wider than a Tesla Model Y.
The design employs several tricks to enhance aerodynamics and thereby extend the driving range, such as the retractable door handles, frameless windows, and airflow-enhancing rear sculpting.
The most striking element is the absence of the rear glass. Instead, the Polestar 4 has a roof-mounted camera that feeds a rearview mirror display. This allows a wider view than a conventional mirror. The screen is still located on the overhead console like a conventional mirror.
This allows the standard panoramic glass roof to extend farther back than with other cars. That top can be equipped with an electrochromic function that allows the driver to change the opacity, essentially tinting it on demand.
The gold car in the photos is equipped with the Performance Pack with larger, 22-inch wheels and several performance upgrades, detailed below.
There's no rear window! Instead, there's a high-mounted rear camera.
Photo: Polestar
Inside
The five-passenger interior has a decidedly Scandinavian aesthetic, with a simple, artful design. The dash has a small rectangular display for the instrument panel and a large 15.4-inch tabletlike screen on the center dash. Both look tacked on rather than integrated into the dash or flowing into one another.
The simplified interior relies heavily on screens for controls in both the front and second rows.
Photo: Polestar
As with the Polestar 2, the infotainment system is powered by the Android Automotive OS. It has Google Automotive Services built in, such as Google Assistant, Google Maps, and Google Play. It allows for over-the-air updates to the car and the ability for enhancements to be made without going to a dealership. It seems to have an updated interface and is also wireless Apple CarPlay compatible.
The Plus Pack adds a head-up display, 12-way adjustable front seats, electric-reclining and heated back seats, upgraded upholstery, a three-zone climate system with a rear control screen, heated auto-dimming side mirrors, a heated steering wheel, and a Harman Kardon premium audio system.
The Performance Pack includes gold seat belts.
Photo: Polestar
What Drives It
The Polestar 4 is available in two powertrain configurations, each labeled “long range” and featuring a 102-kWh battery. The base model is rear-wheel drive, with a single motor producing 272 horsepower. Polestar claims this version can zip from 0 to 60 mph in 6.9 seconds and has a 300-mile EPA-rated range.
The other choice is all-wheel drive with dual motors generating 544 hp. The big jump in power shortens 0 to 60 mph sprints to 3.7 seconds, according to the automaker, making it the quickest production Polestar to date. But that takes its toll on the driving range, bringing it down to 270 miles.
For more excitement, there’s a Performance Pack offered on the dual-motor Polestar 4 with ultra-high-performance summer tires on 22-inch wheels, Brembo brake calipers, and stiffer suspension. This also includes gold seat belts and tire valve stem caps, which seem certain to be a collectible among rapscallions.
At 190.5 inches bumper to bumper, the Polestar 4 is larger than a Tesla Model Y.
Photo: Polestar
Active Safety and Driver Assistance
As one would expect from a Volvo-related brand, the Polestar 4 has a comprehensive safety suite that aims to be second to none.
Core to these features are the various cameras and sensors. There are a dozen cameras of different types, including the driver attention monitor in the cabin. Plus, there are 12 ultrasonic sensors for parking assistance, a forward-facing radar, and the coming optional lidar.
These power the automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind spot warning, lane keeping assistance, lane departure warning, front cross traffic warning, rear cross traffic warning, and adaptive cruise control. Plus, the Pilot Pack (standard on all-wheel-drive versions) adds an active driving assistance system that aims to reduce stress when traveling long distances by assisting with steering to keep the 4 in the center of the lane while adjusting the speed to keep a safe following distance from the vehicle ahead. It will also add features like lane change assistance and the ability to enable hands-free driving.
Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright © 2024, Consumer Reports, Inc.
2024-03-28T22:09:57Z dg43tfdfdgfd