Polestar 4 review: Intense electric power, plenty of tech and futuristic style

Swedish brand's newest SUV is built with sustainability in mind, but is pacey enough to embarrass any muscle car

Polestar, the electric car manufacturer that began life in Sweden not so many moons ago, isn’t a company that wastes a lot of time thinking of names for its vehicles.

So far, it’s all about the numerals, with the brand’s roster including the 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. They haven’t been revealed in that order – we’ve already seen what the 5 and 6 will look like even though they aren’t yet available to buy.

Earlier this year, the 3 was released and now it’s the turn of the 4. Within the Polestar hierarchy, higher digits are not an indicator of a better car. The 4, therefore, has been nudged in as a mid-range SUV option between the 2 and the 3.

So far, so numerical.

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  Polestar styles the 4 as both a performance SUV and an innovative coupe. All photos: Polestar

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  The 4 has a sleek profile

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  Inside the 4, which is bigger than it looks

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  The 4's rearview camera

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  Polestar deals in colours other than white - this is 'storm grey' - but anything day-glo is out

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  All the seating is created from sustainable materials

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  Out on Spanish roads

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  The logo is designed to replicate a celestial body

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  The fastest version of the 4 can hit 100kph in 3.8 seconds

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  Rear passengers fancy a drink? No problem

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  The 4 nestles between the 2 and 3 in the Polestar heirarchy

The most obvious thing to say about any Polestar thus far is that they’re modern. Ultra-modern, in fact. The cars all have a futuristic feel about them, resembling some of the vehicles sci-fi films and TV shows have envisaged over the years.

The 4, needless to say, is every bit one of the breed. Its sloping, SUV-coupe shape is distinctly aesthetically pleasing, almost giving the impression it’s been crafted from porcelain.

When you get inside, there is no hint of the past, either – everything looks like it has been designed to try and overwrite anything automotive that has come before.

A notable example is the backward-facing camera whose footage is fed through to the electronic driver’s mirror. We’ve seen this kind of set-up in other cars, but Polestar has taken the concept one step further by having no back windscreen at all. It's just a black shell back there.

I feared this might make for a claustrophobic driving experience, but there is none of that. The general effect is cosiness. Few who have seen this feature would be surprised if it were adopted by other manufacturers in their own models over the next couple of years.

Meanwhile, the driving experience can best be described as composed and serene. Lack of engine noise aside, the 4 has an unhurried air that is almost diametrically opposed to the feelings you get in, say, a muscle car.

That said, if you opt for Polestar’s fastest version, this vehicle can get up to 100kph from a standing start in about 3.8 seconds. Performance of this sort would leave most muscle cars utterly floundering.

There is also plenty of room inside. In a strange bit of trickery, the 4, much like the 3, feels considerably bigger on the inside than it looks on the outside. As expected, a car of this has some decent tech.

Along with a neat head-up display, the 4 comes with a 15.4-inch centre display, a 10.2-inch driver display and a rear climate and entertainment control screen. Sound comes courtesy of a Harman Kardon audio set-up with up to 16 speakers.

Buyers will get a reasonable amount for their cash with a 4. Other Swedish manufacturers – notably Volvo and, in the past, Saab – traditionally produced high-quality vehicles, but they came at a cost.

Regional pricing has yet to be confirmed, but expect a base model 4 to cost somewhere in the region of Dh250,000 ($68,000). That price tag is likely to make it a serious option for those after an electric SUV, particularly if looking for something a little bit different.

And different – in a good way – is certainly an accurate way to describe the futuristic 4.