The 2025 Polestar 4 asks you to trust a camera with your life

The Polestar 4 is a car defined by what it is missing. In a bid to reinvent the coupe-SUV silhouette, the Swedish-Chinese brand has deleted the rear window entirely, replacing glass with a high-definition camera feed. It is a decision that feels less like engineering necessity and more like a challenge to the consumer: how much do you trust the technology? Sitting between the raised Polestar 2 sedan and the larger Polestar 3 SUV, the 4 is a dedicated D-segment crossover. It competes directly with the German establishment—specifically the Audi Q6 e-tron and Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV—as well as the inevitable Tesla Model Y. In Germany, the Long Range Dual Motor version tested here starts at €71,200, while the single-motor variant opens the bidding at €61,900.

Range is the currency of the modern EV market, and on paper, the Polestar 4 is solvent. The manufacturer claims a WLTP range of approximately 590 km for this dual-motor configuration, utilizing a 100 kWh battery pack. It is a competitive figure that places it comfortably amidst its premium rivals, though slightly behind the efficiency champions from Ingolstadt.

However, in hindsight, those official figures are optimistic. Real-world driving tells a different story. In mixed conditions with the air conditioning running and highway speeds hovering around 130 km/h, you should expect a practical range closer to 420 km. City driving in mild weather might stretch that to 480 km, but the sheer width of the tires and the boxy aerodynamics at the rear take a toll on efficiency once the pace picks up.

Under the floor lies a 400-volt battery pack using NMC 811 (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) chemistry. This is the industry standard for high-performance EVs, prioritizing energy density and power delivery over the extreme longevity or thermal stability of LFP cells. The trade-off is a battery that is happier when pre-conditioned before fast charging and one that prefers not to sit at 100% state of charge for extended periods. For a performance-oriented vehicle, it is the correct choice, offering a burst of discharge power that aligns with the car’s 400 kW output.

The engineering beneath the skin is shared with the Zeekr 001, utilizing Geely’s SEA (Sustainable Experience Architecture) platform. It is a solid, modular base that allows for a long wheelbase and short overhangs. The decision to remove the rear window was ostensibly to move the rear structural header bar further back, liberating headroom for rear passengers without raising the roofline. In practice, it works; the back seat is cavernous, feeling more like a business class lounge than a car interior. The thermal management system is robust, using a heat pump as standard to scavenge waste heat from the drivetrain, a necessity for preserving range during European winters.

The suspension setup on this Dual Motor model features active ZF dampers with coil springs, a significant upgrade over the passive setup in the Single Motor variant. The ride is sophisticated—firm, yes, but with a damping quality that rounds off the sharp edges of broken pavement. It manages the car’s considerable mass with grace, keeping the body flat through corners without punishing the occupants. It feels distinctly European in its tuning, prioritizing control over pillowy softness. You feel the road, but you are not assaulted by it.

Inside, the cabin is a lesson in Scandinavian restraint, perhaps taken a step too far. The materials are excellent—tailored knits and reclaimed fishing nets that manage to feel premium rather than pious. However, the reliance on the 15.4-inch landscape touchscreen for almost every function is maddening. Adjusting the side mirrors, moving the steering wheel, and even opening the glovebox requires diving into sub-menus. It is the automotive equivalent of a hotel room where you cannot figure out how to turn off the reading light without an iPad. The lack of physical buttons for climate or volume is a safety hazard, forcing eyes off the road for simple tasks that should be muscle memory.

The elephant in the room—or rather, the camera on the roof—is the digital rear-view mirror. The feed is crisp, high-resolution, and offers a wider field of view than a traditional mirror. But your eyes must refocus every time you glance at it, shifting from the distant road ahead to a screen inches from your face. In rain or low light, the camera struggles to maintain contrast, and the lack of depth perception is disorienting. It is a solution to a problem that didn’t exist.

Reliability remains the Polestar 4’s Achilles’ heel. The hardware is solid, but the software feels unfinished. Owners have reported infotainment crashes, GPS drifts, and phantom sensor warnings. The SEA platform is mechanically durable, but the complex integration of Google Automotive OS with vehicle functions has proven buggy. Unlike a simple mechanical failure, these glitches are intermittent and frustrating, leaving you wondering if the car will recognize your key or connect to LTE on any given morning.