You'll forget that the Polestar 4 doesn't have a rear window

Home > Business > Industry

You'll forget that the Polestar 4 doesn't have a rear window

Published: 29 Oct. 2024, 20:08

CHO YONG-JUN
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Polestar 4 EV [POLESTAR KOREA]

[TEST DRIVE]

Chuncheon, GANGWON — Coupes with sleek designs almost always come with compromises. SUVs that strive to be coupes, even more so. Polestar’s latest electric SUV-slash-coupe, the Polestar 4, epitomizes that sentiment, offering both spacious rear seating and boot space by removing the rear window altogether.

While the thought of such a setup may frighten some drivers, the display screen that serves as a digital rearview mirror provided a pleasant experience, even through the heavy rain that greeted the drive. That was largely emblematic of the testing experience: The Polestar's great looks, superior range and high-tech user interface overshadow the odd compromises it asks.

Rear-side view of the Polestar 4 EV [CHO YONG-JUN]

The Polestar 4 is generally a handsome vehicle, sized similarly to other mainstream EVs like the Kia EV6, Tesla Model Y and Hyundai Ioniq 5. The five-seat crossover features a sleek and low front face with slim headlamps, frameless side mirrors and doors with sloping roof lines. The vehicle uses Geely's SEA platform — Sustainable Experience Architecture — also found in Zeeker vehicles and Volvo's China-specific minivan EM90.

It's not a conventional coupe, however. The gentle curve of the rear trunk, and the metal panel in lieu of rear glass, give the car a more complex look. In fact, from some angles, the Polestar 4 looks like a hatchback. From others — in a distance, with the brake lights on — it even evokes a Lamborghini Urus if you squint a bit.

Such a heterodox design is not only form — it's function as well. The higher rear roofline lends spacious rear headroom which, coupled with generous legroom and comfortable seats, adds up to a comfortable experience for backseat riders. The second-row seats also come with an electronic recline function, if selected via the Plus pack. Boot space is also adequate, at 525 liters (18.5 cubic feet) with the rear seats up, with an additional 31 liters below the removable floor and 15 liters of frunk space for storing charging cables and other accessories.

Interior of the Polestar 4 EV [CHO YONG-JUN]

Interior styling can feature a choice of vinyl, knit textile or nappa leather; the customer can add a 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system — producing pleasant, but not exceptional audio — as well as a head-up display, automatic boot, reclining backseats and a rear control display. The Nappa-clad seats come with ventilation and massage functionality as well as speakers in their headrests.

Driving the Polestar 4 was enjoyable. The vehicle's rear-mounted motor and 100-kilowatt battery — producing 272 horsepower, 343 newton-meters (253 pound-feet) of torque and 511 kilometers (317 miles) of range, the highest of any electric SUV currently sold in Korea — push it to 100 kilometers per hour in a respectable 7.1 seconds; overtaking other vehicles on the highway was no problem.

Cabin noise was minimal throughout the day's wet conditions, with the commotion of the highway only audible when near the speed limit. Ride comfort was rather firm — perhaps due to the 21-inch wheel or suspension setups — and road bumps were noticeable but not uncomfortable. The Pilot driver's assistance package, which comes standard with all Polestar 4 models in Korea, is also no slouch, adding adaptive cruise control that centered the car smoothly and behaved even in tight corners. There are only three levels of recuperation braking, however — additional tiers would've provided more control.

Polestar 4's main display [CHO YONG-JUN]

While some of the unconventional touch controls, especially the wonky touchpads, will likely present a steep learning curve for new users of the Polestar 4, others — such as adjustments to the steering wheel and side mirrors — are not likely to impact daily life too much.

Using the main display feels like using a high-quality laptop panel. It was responsive, and its TMAP integration made for fully usable navigation and infotainment without the need for CarPlay. Those who do want to use Apple's phone mirroring service, however, will find that the massive screen improves the experience.

But the car's third display — the rearview mirror — was most the most impressive of all. The 1480 x 320 resolution screen showed a clear and wide vision of the space behind the vehicle, and the camera's unique housing kept that view crystal clear, even in the pouring rain — a visible improvement over some electric hatchbacks that lack a rear wiper.

Polestar 4's digital rearview mirror [CHO YONG-JUN]

It was this experience, coupled with the smooth ride, that made quirks like the windowless rear and blunt braking scheme largely ignorable over half a day in the driver's seat.

The Polestar 4 Long Range model, with a single rear motor, comes in at 66.9 million won ($48,250) and is eligible for a 50 percent government subsidy. This puts the price more than 10 million won higher than the baseline Tesla Model Y and similar to Genesis’ GV60 EV.

Polestar 4, currently produced in China, will also start production in Busan next year.