Polestar 4 (Long Range Dual Motor) review: Great car with detail weaknesses

The Polestar 4 has a lot of good ideas, but in some places they haven't been thought through to the end. I was able to find out how it performs in everyday use.
tl; dr: The Polestar 4 is one of the most visually attractive cars I have ever driven. The exterior attracted a lot of attention in everyday life and the interior is also very modern, minimalist and high-quality, although recycled plastic is used in many areas. In my opinion, however, Polestar took minimalism a little too far in some places, as I will explain in more detail later. The Polestar 4 also offers a fantastic driving experience, which can be changed in the settings according to your own wishes.
Another point of criticism is the software, which is unfortunately not completely error-free. For example, CarPlay did not start several times without re-pairing. In addition, the comfort entry feature stopped working after an update.
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Design
The Polestar 4 is an SUV coupe that stands out visually from other models from the manufacturer. However, there are some similarities, such as the design of the headlights. The car looks incredibly chic and during my test drove similarly to the Hyundai IONIQ 6 several glances. It is available in silver, white, light grey, dark grey, black and gold.
The Polestar 4 is 4,84 meters long, 2,13 meters wide and 1,53 meters high. As a driver, you only have a moderately good overview of the vehicle. While you can see well to the front, right and left, the field of vision when looking over your shoulder is somewhat limited due to the shape of the windows. There is also no rear window at all, which I will discuss in more detail later. The turning circle of the Polestar 4 is 11,64 meters.
At the front, the Polestar logo, which glows in the dark, and the headlights in the "Thor's Hammer" look are striking. The door handles on the side are retractable and come out when the car is unlocked. You can unlock it either with a conventional key, which no longer has buttons on the Polestar 4, with a key card or, in the future, with a digital key in the Polestar app. Unlocking and locking really worked 100 percent accurately for me, which is also important when there is no longer a key with buttons. The doors and mirrors have a frameless design. The mirrors can rotate downwards when pushed back so that you can see curbs better. In my experience, however, the angle is a little too large, which is why I turned the function off in the settings.
At the back we have another logo and a button to open the electronic tailgate. There is also a sensor underneath the car that reacts when you hold your foot up to it.
Missing rear window
As previously mentioned, Polestar decided against a rear window on the 4 Series. Instead, there is only a small camera on the roof that projects its image onto the rear-view mirror. proThe quality of this is good enough during the day and at night, as long as there is no precipitation. I also have to note that the image rotates a little when it flashes.
However, I see more problems than advantages in the concept. The first major disadvantage is that you can hardly estimate distances based on the camera image. There are also no guide lines like in the electronic side mirrors of the Hyundai. Rain and snow also distort the camera image and as soon as a little more snow remains on the roof of the Polestar, the chance that the camera will be completely obscured is very high. Last but not least, don't forget that the camera is another thing that can easily break. A classic rear-view mirror and a rear window, on the other hand, are basically unaffected.
inner space
The interior of the Polestar 4 is very tidy. There are almost no buttons or levers and everything feels extremely high quality, even though most of the plastic used is recycled. In addition, the interior is very spacious. There is plenty of space in the front and there is also enough legroom in the back. In fact, there is still room for people behind me in the driver's seat if I move the seat all the way back, and then I can no longer reach the steering wheel or pedals. Polestar offers various light and dark color options.
Vehicle manufacturers are known to pack more and more things onto the infotainment display. While things like the air conditioning can often be controlled via the touchscreen, Tesla has packed the latest Model S, Model X and Model 3 even the gear lever on the display.
Polestar took more of a cue from Tesla in this regard, because in addition to the air conditioning, things like the alignment of the mirrors, the seat positions or the height of the steering wheel are also controlled digitally. In addition, the glove compartment can only be opened using a button in the Android Automotive operating system. This can be quite a big change at the beginning. To counteract this, Polestar offers the option of configuring "shortcuts" on the home screen and on the first screen in the settings in order to access selected features more quickly.
A clean interior is always a welcome thing in my eyes, but what I really have to criticise is the placement of the button for the alarm flashing system. It is located on the ceiling next to the SOS button. So in a serious situation you have to completely turn your eyes away from the road to hit the button. And that is especially difficult at 130 kilometres pro An hour on the highway is not that easy. With a bit of "luck" you might even accidentally hit the SOS button. Meanwhile, Polestar installed the play-pause button and volume control in the center console where they can't be missed. I have to ask myself what the priorities were during development here. Because even Tesla has solved this problem better.
Let's move on to the seats in the front row. These are basically quite unspectacular. They offer seat heating, which I find a bit slow, and the option to save three positions for different drivers. There is also a comfort entry feature, which in theory means the seat moves back when you get in and out and then returns to its original position. However, this function has been broken since an update - after the update, the seat only moved back and no longer forward. Instead, I had to configure my desired position myself every time. Fortunately, the whole thing can be deactivated via the settings.
I also had some problems with the steering wheel. The touch-sensitive buttons were very unreliable for me. Inputs were either not recognized at all or were recognized incorrectly. It often happened that I wanted to turn the music up and the car skipped to the next track instead. I can't say exactly why that was. At least the update I installed, which was paralyzing the comfort entry, made things better for a short time.
The indicator also takes some getting used to. The lever only goes up and down and doesn't stay in position like in conventional cars. There is an acoustic feedback, but it stops when warning tones sound. So you have to look at the display in front of you more often to make sure that the indicator is active.
The Polestar 4 offers plenty of storage space and numerous storage options. There is a spacious box under the armrest with two USB-C ports, a cup holder, a shelf under the center console and a shelf for the smartphone with Qi charging.
Back seat and trunk
There is room for up to three people in the back seat - and there is plenty of room. The people sitting on the right and left even have seat heating and the backrest is adjustable. Two USB-C ports are of course also available. A special feature is the display in the middle, which can be used to adjust media playback, the climate and the seat heating. However, this can also be deactivated if desired.
- Picture: TechnikNews
- Picture: TechnikNews
The trunk has a capacity of 526 liters, and there is also a second level and the back seat can be folded down. Polestar also installed a frunk for the charging cable, although this is a little too small for my taste. If you don't fold the charging cable neatly, the lid won't close.
infotainment
The center display in the Polestar 4 is estimated to be between 13 and 15 inches in size and, unlike in the Polestar 2 and 3, is mounted in landscape format. The position of this is neither too low nor too high, so that you can still proeasily looks over the hood. Polestar opted for Android Automotive as the operating system, which means there are certain parallels to operating an Android tablet. In return, you have access to the Play Store, the Google Assistant and also Google Home. The vehicle also supports wireless Apple CarPlay.
On the home page of the operating system, there is a window for Google Maps on the left side. Google Maps offers all the advantages that you are used to from the navigation service. The app also comes with a charging planning function and the expected battery level on arrival is displayed for navigation. Compared to the Volvo XC40 Recharge However, it seems to me that the deviation from the actual state of charge is a little larger. On the right side of the home screen you will find the previously mentioned shortcut keys. You can define the size of the two areas yourself using swipe gestures.
The app view works the same as on Android devices. The large touch surfaces are a plus point, as they make it easier to operate the system while driving.
In the settings, there are configurable shortcuts on the home page, a list of different categories on the left and each category is divided into different tabs. Many options are illustrated with graphics and images, which also makes it easier to use while driving, as you don't have to read much. In addition, the elements of the user interface are again quite large.
- Picture: TechnikNews
- Picture: TechnikNews
A bar with elements for controlling the air conditioning is located at the bottom of the screen.
The performance of the operating system is very satisfactory. Apps open quickly and there is never any waiting time during general operation - not even for things like changing the size of the areas on the home screen.
Unfortunately, I also discovered two bugs here. The first was in the app for the odometer. The values did not change when switching between the categories "From charging" and "From the start of the journey". The second affected CarPlay, because it often did not recognize my iPhone, even though a Bluetooth connection was active. The only solution was always to re-pair the device with the car.
driver information and head-up display
There is a small, horizontal display behind the steering wheel for the driver. In its basic state, this only shows the speed and remaining range. If desired, a Google Maps map can be switched on in the background, which also shows information about the current navigation. The display can also show information about the activated Pilot Assist.
The head-up display only shows the current speed and any limits. What I miss is a little information about the next step during ongoing navigation with Google Maps.
Loudspeakers
The speakers in the Polestar 4 were developed in collaboration with Harman/Kardon. They sound outstanding and much better than is actually necessary during a car journey. The speakers in the MINI Countryman or BMW 520d However, I liked them a little better.
driving experience
The Polestar 4 Long Range Dual Motor has an engine with an output of 200 kilowatts pro axle, giving a total output of 544 hp (400 kilowatts). In just 3,8 seconds, a speed of 100 kilometers pro hour and the maximum speed is 200 kilometers pro Lesson.
The driving experience in the Polestar 4 can be customized in great detail. There are two basic modes, "range" and "performance", which regulate the intensity of the acceleration. There is also a sport mode, which deactivates the ESC. Finally, the steering and suspension can be set to be softer or firmer. Unlike the adjustments to the steering, the changes to the suspension were not noticeable at all for me.
In general, the Polestar 4 performs at a very high level when driving. It sits excellently on the road, even in tight corners, and has quick acceleration, which can of course be tamed if desired. The steering is also very direct - you know exactly what you are getting. The size of the vehicle also contributes greatly to comfort.
The recuperation is also customizable to a certain extent, as there is a one-pedal mode and a conventional automatic mode. Unfortunately, the recuperation cannot be regulated in stages. Likewise, the creeping mode can be deactivated, i.e. the behavior in which the vehicle slows down to around five kilometers. pro hour accelerates as soon as you take your foot off the brake. Unlike many electric cars, this also applies to reverse gear. Here, the sensitivity of the accelerator pedal is even reduced slightly.
In the following I will briefly address the most important assistance systems in a few words:
- Pilot Assist and cruise control: The Pilot Assist and cruise control accelerate and brake very subtly and can change lanes in a very controlled manner. What is not possible is to accept a new speed limit set by a traffic sign at the touch of a button like in the MINI. I was also annoyed that the steering assistant was deactivated by the vehicle every now and then without noticing. This happens, for example, if you touch the steering wheel too hard.
- Windshield wipers: The automatic windshield wiper works well and accurately in principle. My wish is that the car starts wiping when you start driving and the windshield is wet.
- Accident warning: A warning appears and the car brakes briefly if it thinks an accident is imminent. This always worked quite accurately, with the exception of one time when an alarm appeared for a scooter parked on the side of the road.
- Hazard warning when changing lanes: If the car thinks you are trying to make an unsafe lane change, the steering will "resist" it. During the test, there were often false detections due to dirt on the cameras and sensors.
- Detection of the permitted speed: This was annoyingly often wrong for me. I often saw completely unrealistic information such as a permitted speed of 130 kilometers pro hour in the city centre of Graz. What has always been misinterpreted is when a road in the country leads from one town directly into the next. The new town sign is completely ignored and a speed limit of 100 kilometres pro hour suggested.
range and charging
The Polestar 4 has a battery with a capacity of 100 kilowatt hours. The range is 590 kilometers according to the WLTP standard. Now in the colder season, it is to be expected that this value will not be achieved. On the way to BYD driving event in early December I managed 344 kilometers on a lot of highways and a few country roads. With a lot of short trips in the city and a little highway driving, the actual range was 255 kilometers.
The situation is similar with consumption, which now in late autumn is also strongly different from the figure of 18,7 to 21,7 kilowatt hours. pro 100 kilometers. During my test, it fluctuated around 30 kilowatt hours pro 100 kilometers, although it was still a little higher on the highway.
You also always have to allow a little more time for charging electric cars in winter, especially when the battery is still cold. The Polestar 4 allows the battery to be conditioned accordingly if a charging stop has been planned when navigating with Google Maps. What is unfortunately not available is the option to start the conditioning manually if you are driving without a navigation system.
According to the information, the Polestar 4 can be charged with up to 200 kilowatts (DC). In my test at various IONITY charging stations, I achieved a maximum of 150 kilowatts, which is quite good. What must be noted, however, is that other cars in a similar price segment sometimes offer a faster maximum charging power.
Polestar 4: Prices
The starting price of the Polestar 4 Long Range Dual Motor is 65.590 euros. The configuration of my test car costs (excluding bonus) 82.590 euros.
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