If you’ve driven enough electric vehicles, you could be forgiven for thinking they all feel broadly the same. Smooth, quiet, quick off the line and technically impressive, but sometimes lacking a sense of character. Swedish brand Polestar, born from Volvo’s performance division, is determined to change that perception.
After spending some meaningful time behind the wheel of the Polestar 4 taking it on a full regional road trip, it’s clear this is an EV that blends striking design, strong performance and everyday usability in a way that feels genuinely considered. This is a car that delivers serious speed, comfort and a bold design statement.
It’s no surprise that the Polestar 4 has already collected an impressive list of accolades, including:
Drive Car of the Year – Best Electric Vehicle Under $90K (2026)
Red Dot “Best of the Best” Product Design Award (2025)
Australian Good Design Awards – Gold in Product Design and Best in Class for Automotive and Transport (2025)
Drive Car of the Year – Best Luxury Car Under $100K (2025)
These awards reflect the Polestar 4’s strong balance of design, performance and value in the luxury EV space.
The Polestar 4 makes an immediate visual statement. Its low roofline, sharp creases and flush surfaces give it a clean, modern aesthetic that feels futuristic. Frameless doors add a touch of drama, while the large wheels give it a wide, planted stance.
Around the back, the design becomes even more distinctive with its most talked-about feature: there is no rear window. Instead, the solid tailgate gives it a clean, sporty silhouette. It’s a design decision that will divide opinion, but it certainly makes the Polestar 4 stand out in a crowded market.
Despite the sloping roofline, practicality is great. There is a generous 526-litre boot, expanding to over 1,500 litres with the rear seats folded. There is also additional storage under the boot floor. We easily fit luggage for a long weekend away, along with dog gear, without feeling constrained. It’s impressive given how compact the exterior looks.
Inside, the Polestar 4 is pure Scandinavian minimalism, and it feels unmistakably premium. The materials are high-quality, the layout is simple and clean without feeling bare and sustainability is a clear focus, with recycled and responsibly sourced materials throughout the cabin.
The 15.4-inch central touchscreen is the control hub for almost everything, while the digital driver display shows speed, alerts, other essential info and navigation directions directly in front of you. For me, this was a standout feature. Having the map visible in the driver’s display meant less time looking away from the road.
The head-up display takes this a step further, projecting speed and directions onto the windscreen. A thoughtful touch is the head-up display which can be adjusted via the touchscreen, which is especially useful if you’re short (like me).
Other practical details include:
Polestar’s Google based infotainment system is excellent. With native Google Maps, intuitive voice control and a fast, responsive interface, there’s little need to rely on smartphone mirroring. Wireless Apple CarPlay is available, but in daily use, the built-in Google platform proved so seamless that we didn’t feel the need to use Apple CarPlay.
The Polestar 4 offers plenty of other highlights. The optional Harman Kardon sound system is excellent, wireless charging is reliable and the solar system inspired ambient lighting adds a surprising touch of theatre without feeling gimmicky.
Start/stop button
The Polestar 4 doesn’t have a start or stop button. You simply get in, select Drive or Reverse and go. It sounds small, but it makes daily use incredibly easy.
Regenerative braking
Regenerative braking is another highlight. It can be adjusted easily using buttons on the steering wheel, with multiple modes depending on how strong you want the braking effect to be. It’s intuitive, effective and genuinely helps extend driving range, particularly in city traffic.
Other thoughtful features designed for real life that we loved:
Wireless phone charging: with a reminder alert if you open the door and forget to take your phone.
Animal Mode: which keeps the cabin temperature stable and displays a message on the screen, so passersby know your pet is safe.
Car Wash Mode: which automatically closes windows, folds mirrors, deactivates rain sensors and activates air recirculation. Designed for when you’re preparing to use the automatic, roller-type car wash.
Air quality: a quick cabin clean function, which monitors air quality and filters fine particles down to PM2.5 levels (available as an upgrade).
Exit Assist: One standout safety feature is the warning system that alerts you if you try to open a door while a car or cyclist is approaching from behind – perfect for inner-city driving.
The most talked-about feature remains the digital rear-view mirror and its windowless rear design. Instead of traditional glass, Polestar uses a roof mounted high-definition camera that feeds a digital image to the rear-view mirror.
In theory, it’s clever. Visibility in poor weather is improved, and rear passengers benefit from more headroom. The image is sharp and bright, and you can adjust brightness and other settings using buttons on the mirror itself. However, in practice, it takes adjustment and this system won’t suit everyone. My partner who wears multi-focal glasses found it a little difficult to judge distance compared to a traditional mirror.
One of the Polestar 4’s biggest strength is how comfortable it remains over long distances. The car was just as comfortable at the end of our road trip as it was at the start.
The ride is smooth; the cabin remains exceptionally quiet at speed and the supportive seats make a real difference over long stints behind the wheel. Heated front seats, powerful climate control and excellent noise insulation all contribute to a relaxed driving experience.
The panoramic glass roof adds a sense of space and light and on country roads it was quite enjoyable being able to see the sky and the gum trees.
To properly test the Polestar 4’s usability, we took it on a regional Victorian trip covering city driving, highways and winding country roads.
We started the journey with 520km of indicated range and 96% battery, leaving Melbourne mid-morning and heading towards regional Victoria, with multiple scenic stops along the way. By the end of the day, we still had plenty of range remaining and 57% battery.
That’s after a full day of driving with the air conditioning running. Even after exploring further the following day, range anxiety simply never became a factor. The Polestar 4 is efficient and there was always ample range left to explore without planning charging stops.
Charging overnight at our B&B brought the battery back up to around 80%. While home charging is naturally slower, plugging it in overnight to charge proved perfectly adequate for our road trip despite us driving hundreds of kms each day.
At the end of each day, we still had just under 300km of range left. If this had been a petrol car, the remaining range wouldn’t even register as a concern. It’s a good reminder that electric range anxiety is often just a mindset shift rather than a real-world limitation.
The Polestar 4 delivers instant electric punch. Acceleration is smooth and silent, making overtaking effortless. Take offs at traffic lights was brisk and the car rockets forward as soon as you press the accelerator.
The Polestar 4 is a striking, fast and comfortable electric SUV that stands apart from the crowd. It offers great performance, excellent real-world range and a premium cabin that makes long journeys effortless. Despite its size and weight, the Polestar 4 is so easy to drive.
And thanks to the government EV incentive#, it’s more affordable than ever to get behind the wheel of a Polestar. The Polestar 4 provides a luxury EV experience under the LCT, which exempts it from Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT). This means you could save thousands on income tax with a novated lease, but hurry, as the full FBT-exemption is only available until 31 March 2027. If you’re considering a luxury EV, the Polestar 4 is worth a second look – get a quote today and see your savings.
