Test Drive Polestar 4: Golden Mean?

Quickly to the facts: At 4.8 meters in length and prices starting at 61,900 euros, the 4.8-meter-long and 1.54-meter-high Polestar 4 bridges the gap between the mid-range sedan 2 and the upper mid-range SUV, the Polestar 3. It shares a 2.99-meter wheelbase with the latter but NOT the platform! While the Polestar 3 utilizes the SPA-II, the evolved Scalable Product Architecture for electric drives, the Polestar 4 still uses Geely’s SEA1, which stands for Sustainable Experience Architecture and is also found in the Volvo EX30 or Smart#3 in a more compact form.

Interesting also are the production locations: Besides China, the Polestar 4 will also be assembled in Busan, South Korea, which is known from Renault or Samsung Motors, to offer the Polestar 4 “duty-free” if needed.

So, they are not entirely consistent down to the last screw, which you can also “experience.” This starts when stepping in, where a cross-placed 15.4-inch central screen greets you, programmed a bit differently (still) than in the Polestar 3 – to be honest, somewhat more cumbersome and playful: For example, you select the interior LED lighting colors by planets here, and for some settings, you need to delve one level deeper into the menu than with the Polestar 3. However, these differences are expected to be leveled out over time through software updates.

Two options: 200 or 400 kW!

Power options include a rear-wheel drive with 200 kW or an all-wheel drive with 400 kW. The latter can decouple the front, almost identical machine, as CTO Lutz Stiegler explains, the two permanently excited electric motors collectively consume a massive amount of power. But: Unlike asynchronous machines, they are always the more compact, lighter, more powerful, and individually more efficient choice.

We start with the 200 kW “base” which packs enough punch but surprisingly drives more cumbersome and heavier than the Polestar 3! This was even confirmed by the on-site photo and video team – who had to move both models frequently with little deeper knowledge. We didn’t expect this.

Thus, we switch to the 400 kW version, which is 20 kW stronger than the strongest Polestar 3. But even then, the Polestar 4 feels more subdued and somewhat heavier than the big brother. This doesn’t mean it inherently drives heavy or sluggish, but it noticeably lacks the surprising agility of the larger model. Otherwise, everything is fine: It steers skillfully – perhaps somewhat synthetically – suspends and dampens well, and on loose ground, it can be persuaded to let the rear end slide out a bit instead of just understeering bluntly.

With the Polestar 4, the brand sharpens its profile with new chic design details

The operation is slightly more complex than with the Polestar 3; however, you can dismiss the speed warning and similar features with two clicks and quickly access the main menu, from which it’s easy to navigate to various submenus. Differences also exist in the sound system: It doesn’t feature the new large Bowers & Wilkins composition with 25 speakers but introduces new modernism in the door panels and lights, where “Thor’s Hammer” has been reinterpreted into two overlapping “Dual Blade” headlights, aiming for a stronger visual differentiation from Volvo. At the rear, the missing rear window is noteworthy, though the passengers in the back aren’t bothered by it: They find themselves in a cozy cocoon, opened by the visibility from the three side windows and a huge frameless glass roof. Thanks to the 2.99-meter wheelbase, there is plenty of space in the second row, especially when reclining the backrests further. However, the rear seat is installed rather low and, like the front seats, lacks a bit in thigh support. And: The front seats shouldn’t be set too low, or you won’t fit your feet underneath them in the second row. If they’re set to the lowest position, it feels more like sitting in a sedan than in a D-segment SUV, as Polestar classifies the 4.

Behind the second row, there is 526 to 1,536 liters of trunk space, a deep crashbox well in the rear underfloor, and a frunk under the front hood. The only downside: Due to the more complex rear seat setup and the non-glass rear window sloping downwards, the Polestar 4 is not as versatile and accommodating as the Polestar 3 in this regard.