Test: Polestar 4 – Fast forward without rear window

But first: what about the numbering again?

There are more brands that number their cars; think of BMW, Mazda and Citroën. All these brands opt for a structure from small to large. The higher the number, the higher the segment the car is in. Polestar numbers in its own unique way in order of introduction. The Polestar 1 was there first, then came the much smaller 2, the large SUV Polestar 3 will soon be available and the 4 will be the last for the time being, and with its size it fits between the 2 and the 3. A 5 and 6 are also on the way. .

Why doesn’t the Polestar 4 have a rear window?

The design team wanted to create a car that would have a long, low coupe line. Disastrous for the headroom of rear passengers, unless the curvature of the roof is placed further back. The disadvantage is that you can see almost nothing through a rear window. Not even in the interior mirror, a problem that we recognize from the Volvo C40, by the way. But the rules state that when you have a window, you must be able to see a minimum amount of the road behind you. If you don’t have a window, those rules don’t apply and that was the design team’s license to make a car without a rear window. The idea was tested on the Polestar Precept concept car and the Polestar 4 was designed from the start without a rear window.

What do you notice about this while driving?

In normal traffic you don’t really notice it. Because you have a large panoramic roof, it is quite light in the car and you can look behind you via a digital interior mirror. This does take some getting used to, because your eyes need a little longer to focus on the image. We only drove in broad daylight, so what it is like in the dark with bad weather is a matter of guesswork. But you actually quickly forget that you are traveling with an unusual construction.

Driving backwards takes some getting used to. In modern cars you usually can’t see very much over your shoulder due to the thick window pillars and fat headrests, but you may still be naturally inclined to do so and estimate the distance to obstacles. In a Polestar 4 you have to rely completely on the 360-degree camera images on the large display. That is easy to do, but count on some adjustment time to learn to orient yourself properly. And if you are a bit unsure about turning into a tight parking space among honking Parisians, you can let the parking assistance do the work.

How does it drive?

The car has a certain fun factor. It is light on its feet, steers with great feeling and is neutral on the road. Don’t forget that the Polestar 4 has a wheelbase of almost 3 meters and weighs at least 2,200 kg. We looked for a nice balance between sporty and comfortable, and it was found. Then we are initially talking about the standard chassis. The Single Motor has 272 hp, which makes it smooth, but certainly not lightning fast. The Dual Motor has twice as much power and that gives a completely different experience. A Performance Pack is also available on the Dual Motor with a Polestar Engineered chassis, which is capable of significantly more. Then the suspension is a lot stiffer, the steering is a bit sharper and the weight seems to have been lost a bit. Later this year we will drive the car much more extensively and then you can expect a more complete driving impression from us.

And what is it like in the backseat?

There will hardly be any complaints about the legroom, because there is plenty of it. The rear seat backrest is adjustable to taste, but it is a pity that you sit with your knees drawn up. It is a problem that is characteristic of many EVs with a flat interior floor.

If it is between the Polestar 2 and 3, what are its competitors?

Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath is anything but modest to AutoWeek in mentioning at least one opponent: “the Porsche Macan.”